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PCT 2023

May - October 2023
"Tell me, what else should I have done? Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon? Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" - Mary Oliver Read more
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  • TravelerPCT 2023

    Its official!

    March 31, 2023 in the United States ⋅ 🌧 46 °F

    A preface: I don't post on social media often. So posting a daily journal for anyone to read is going to be strange. *Here's to jumping out of my comfort zone!* I am doing this so I have a way to look back on my journey and remember ALL. THE. THINGS!! But also so my family knows I'm safe. I'm going to be writing about the good, bad, ugly, beautiful, people, smells, smelly people, elevation, fears, accomplishments, camp spots, weird experiences, sunsets, stars, animals, aches and pains and of course cheeseburgers in town. The list is endless. I know this is going to be an experience I will cherish and look back on for the rest of my life. All this to say, I am happy to have you join me for the ride but be warned, I am no writer. Expect run on sentences and grammatical errors.😉

    With that out of the way, it's time to make an official announcement. I am hiking the Pacific Crest Trail in 2023!!! The PCT is a 2,650 mile trail that starts at the Mexico/California border and ends at the Washington/Canada border. Ive done many short backpacking trips that have intertwined with the PCT over the years. It's always sounded like a really cool thing to do. Last year I met a couple of PCT thru hikers on a backpacking trip and was instantly hooked.

    All thru hikers say you need to figure out your 'why'. The highs are high but the lows are low. I know for a fact I will have days where I wonder why I am out there. And when the day comes I will read through my whys to remind me what got me out there in the first place. My why's are nothing super profound (yet) but they are special and mean something to me.

    My Whys in no particular order:

    1. Truly be in the moment. I am a planner and this year especially, flexibility and adaptation will be key.

    2. "Nervous energy is a precursor to positive change." I want to lean into the discomfort, handle my fears and become a more confident human.

    3. Mindset. So often my roadblocks are just a state of mind. When times are tough I want to challenge myself because I know I am capable of so much more.

    4. To simply see how far I can go and how strong I can be. Each mile is the furthest I have ever hiked! My longest hike is only 50 miles!

    5. Live with purpose and intention - all decisions made on trail are important.

    6. I have one life. Live it. Do it while I can. Special thanks to Ian for holding down the fort, being really supportive of this crazy idea and taking care of my most precious possession, Riley. Making this dream a reality!

    My start date is May 2, 2023. Here is to a wild and crazy adventure!

    You can follow along on my journey by following my profile - I believe you will get an email notification for every new post!    Read more

  • TravelerPCT 2023

    This journey has begun

    May 1, 2023 in the United States

    As I arrived in San Diego it all started to hit me. What I was about to do. I told myself that I would not be scared and it's just like any other backpacking trip (just longer😆). But laying in my tent, writing this I am feeling scared. Anxious. A bit overwhelmed. I know I can overcome this feeling, I've felt it before. I just need to start. Take those first steps. I want to write down how I feel... even if it's not glamorous so I can see how I've grown when I come back to re read these.

    Anyways today went like this:

    Ian and Riley dropped me off at the airport. We had some tearful "see you soons". I miss them already.

    My college friend Steve picked me up from the airport. Took me to REI, Walmart and I got a proper California burrito to go. It was nice to see a familiar face as the nerves started to build. We arrived at Cleef right at sunset. I quickly set up my first tent pitch before it got dark. I nailed the first pitch with my trekking pole tent.

    I slept horrible, nauseous from my anxiety. On a positive note, my sleeping bag is very warm. Thank you feathered friends!

    In the morning they provide breakfast.
    I plan on walking slow and just spending my first day taking it all in and adjusting to my new reality!

    I can do this. Nothing worthwhile is easy.    Read more

  • TravelerPCT 2023

    Day 1 - Mexican boarder to hauser creek

    May 2, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 50 °F

    Miles hiked: 15.4
    Elevation: 1716 ft
    Campsite location: Hauser creek
    Weather: party cloud with a high of 70
    One word to describe the day: nervous

    I'm feeling better today. I was taken by surprise by the way I was feeling when I arrived at the terminus. I felt these same emotions when I got Riley. A bit of regret, worry and questioning my decision. However now I can't imagine life without Riley. I am feeling like the trail is very similar in the fact that it is a major life change and adjustment is needed. This trail is already teaching me lessons. Lessons in strength, resistance and grit.

    Today was a good day. I met a lot of new people on the trail. Diane and Rachel from Seattle and Caroline from Norway. It's nice to meet other female hikers.

    My appetite is not really great right now. So hopefully that works itself out as I continue on and get my routine figured out.

    Tonight's campsite is at mile 15.4. Hauser creek. It's a really nice spot but covered in poison oak!    Read more

  • TravelerPCT 2023
    1

    PCT day 2

    May 3, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 48 °F

    Miles hiked: 13.2 m
    Elevation: 2795 feet
    Campsite location: unnamed campsite next to a waterfall
    Weather: 65 and sunny
    One word to describe the day: grateful

    Today was awesome. I had a great night's sleep and woke up feeling a million times better. the day started with a climb up to lake Morana. I spent the day hiking with Caroline. She is a micro biologist from Norway!

    We stopped at the lake Morana malt shop around 9:30. I got a chicken strip basket. 😂 And enjoyed a flush toilet before continuing on.

    One advantage to a high snow year is endless water sources and a very green and lush desert. We kept the day short. Neither of us want to injure ourselves so we are just taking it easy. Set up camp next to a waterfall and sun bathed for a little while. I quickly chilled down, which seems to be how it works in the desert.

    We had a fun time eating dinner with new hiker friends. Mel from Montana. Alex from Washington. He is also a friend of a friend. Small world on the trail. And a guy from Belgium. I forget his name and will find out tomorrow. He went down to the river to wash off, dropped his underwear in the river and they floated away down stream 😆

    I'm feeling so much more excited now, less scared and just grateful to be out here. The people have all been so friendly and everyone out here is just happy to be here.    Read more

  • TravelerPCT 2023

    PCT day 3 Mount Laguna

    May 4, 2023 in the United States

    Miles hiked: 19 miles
    Elevation: 3448 feet
    Campsite location: Laguna campground
    Weather: rainy in the morning. Cold and windy in the afternoon.
    One word to describe the day: tough

    I was on the trail hiking by 7:00 a.m. It started raining around 8:00 a.m. and didn't stop until about noon. It was cold and windy so I ended up hiking a lot faster than I would have liked. I wanted to hike fast to get to Mount Laguna for a warm meal and to dry myself off.

    I hiked 14 mi and made it to Mount Laguna by 12:00. I stopped at the Mount Laguna tavern and got a chicken panini fries and a cup of tomato basil soup. It was delicious. Of course! After hanging out at the tavern for about an hour. We want to the Mount Laguna store for our resupply. The next resupply will be in Julian at mile 77 so it's only 35 miles from where I'm at currently.

    Since it was only about 1:00, me and a few other hikers decided to hike five more miles to the Laguna campground. There were many tent sites between our restaurant stop and the campsite but unfortunately they are all close for some unknown reason so we had to hike 5 mi to get to the nearest open campsite.

    I had an unexpected vista that just took my breath away! I had no idea how high up we were. It was so beautiful.

    I'm so tired after hiking 19 mi. Tomorrow I'm definitely going to take it easy. I don't want to injure myself!    Read more

  • TravelerPCT 2023
    212

    Day 4

    May 5, 2023 in the United States ⋅ 🌬 61 °F

    Miles hiked: 16 miles
    Elevation: 3448 feet
    Weather: 50s, windy and partly cloudy
    One word to describe the day: vistas

    Today was a beautiful day. We walked along rolling hillsides slowly making our way down the valley towards scissor crossing. I hiked most of the day with Caroline. The last two miles were hard. All downhill and pretty steep. I was feeling pretty sore by the end of the day. We wanted to walk to a camp site 16 miles away so we didn't have to dry camp.

    Short post for today. I'm tired!    Read more

  • TravelerPCT 2023

    Day 5 - julian

    May 6, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 55 °F

    Today we finished the decent down into the valley. I didn't take many photos because my battery bank was out and my phone was low!

    The landscape changed today. Feels alot more like the desert.

    As I got to the underpass where we needed to hitch to Julian, there was a trail angel ready to offer rides! He was very nice and had been doing this for a few years now.

    We got free pie at moms, a pizza at Julian beer Co and resupplied at two foot adventure. The same trail angel then took us back to scissors crossing. We spent the night sleeping under the highway because everywhere in Julian was booked!! Lessons learned. Book ahead!

    We slept under the highway underpass 😬 don't worry mom it was very safe. Middle if no where and trail angels stock it with water for the next long water carry. So it's common for hikers to stay here! Lovely sunrise in the morning! Time to hike!    Read more

  • TravelerPCT 2023

    Day 6

    May 7, 2023 in the United States

    Miles hiked: 14 miles
    Elevation: 2201 feet
    Weather: 60s and sunny
    One word (emoji) to describe the day: 🌵

    My hiking mates spent the night cowboy camping aka sleeping without a tent under the underpass. But I was a little too nervous to do that. I saw mice scampering around. So I set up my tent. I'll try cowboy camping but last night was not the night.

    Today was filled with desert flowers and cacti everywhere! I spent the day gradually asending 14 mi towards Warner springs. Tomorrow we hit the 100 mile mark and I am taking a day off at the mountain valley retreat in rancherita. They provide a ride to and from the trailhead, foot soak 🤩, showers, bed, breakfast, dinner and yoga all for $125 a night.

    Overall and feeling really good. Everyday something new hurts, But I'm glad the same things aren't lingering around after day.    Read more

  • TravelerPCT 2023

    Day 7 - barrel springs

    May 8, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F

    Today we hit 100 miles!!!!

    I 'slept' in till 6:30, we slept at a pct campsite that had a water cache. It's so nice that people do this or else it would have been a 24 mile water carry.

    Today was a 'short' 10 mile day into barrel springs. We were picked up by Lynn who works at the mountain valley retreat. We are spending the night here. I'll be taking a zero day tomorrow (hiking no miles) to rest up.

    They have laundry, showers ( I took an outdoor shower and it was amazing) snacks, foot baths, dinner and then yoga and breakfast in the morning.

    We are a delicious dinner, quinoa salad with beets, chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, veggie soup.

    My knee has been hurting so definitely taking a day off tomorrow and will spend the day at a nearby place called Montezuma market. It's cheaper than where I am currently at. I need to be smart with the spending!    Read more

  • TravelerPCT 2023
    1

    Day 8 Montezuma market

    May 9, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 57 °F

    I did yoga this morning at mountain mamas retreat, ate a delicious breakfast. Avo toast, grits, sausage, hash browns, oranges and coffee.

    Mountain mama who led yoga also showed me how to tape my knee. Hoping after a good stretch and day off it will feel better.

    Sitting at Montezuma market right now just chilling and relaxing. They have a great resupply here but I sent a box to Warner springs which is just 10 miles up the trail. So I don't need much.

    We will head back to the trail tonight, camp and start early in the morning towards Warner springs. Tomorrow we see the infamous eagle rock!    Read more

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