Schleifa - Pacific Crest Trail Journal - 2012

Introduction...

Some people might wonder what you do when you find yourself in a less than ideal job with no clear path forward. For most people quitting your job in a down economy and hiking from Mexico to Canada is probably not the first idea that comes to mind. I guess I'm not most people. Hiking the Pacific Crest Trails 2650 miles has been a dream of mine since I started meeting thru-hikers while backpacking in Oregon a few years ago. This year I'll be the thru-hiker.

On April 22rd I plan to start hiking in the deserts of Southern California and end up in the old growth forests of Washington sometime in late September, spending nearly every day hiking around 20 miles, sleeping under the stars, and eating candy bars with complete disregard for their nutritional benefits. Along the way I'll pass through, over and around some of the most pristine wildernesses, breathtaking landscapes and tallest mountains America has to offer.

When you start preparing for a trip like this it can seem quite overwhelming and at the same time the world can seem so small. There is so much information available on how to prepare for a journey like this, half of it contradicting the other half. Many former thru-hikers have wrote books and blogs and offered their advise here and there, and each one has a different opinion and different advise. At the same time while sifting through the endless pages of information available on the internet, I came across a man hiking last year that I went to high school with his wife. Then, several weeks ago I found out that another man that I work with had put in his notice to quit and hike the PCT. What are the odds?

One of my main sources of information and entertainment has been a Facebook group that I have joined that is for people planning to hike the PCT this year. It is kind of interesting to meet the people I will be sharing the trail with and figuring out that there are definitely some that I'll enjoy the company of more than others. Some are real characters, with personalities almost too big to be real, but it is nice to communicate with others that have a lot of the same questions and concerns.

A lot of people have asked if I am hiking alone and for the most part the answer is yes. There are, however, around 300 people that attempt to thru-hike the PCT every year as well as many other people that hike portions of the trail for a day, a weekend, or longer. Although I plan to hike the bulk of the days alone, a journey like this would be nearly impossible by myself. Without the support of family and friends, especially my girlfriend Shawna and my parents Pam and Larry, none of this would be possible. Shawna will have the undesirable task of being my resupply person, mailing out food to various locations where buying food will be especially difficult and taking care of my dog Durney while I'm away. It looks like I have convinced my parents to take me to my starting point on their way to Arizona for a vacation, saves me a plane ticket and a lot of hassle explaining to TSA that my alcohol stove is not a weapon.

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