Trip Report

Backpacking the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT)

By Manfred

June 7, 2024

Country	United States
State	California
Area	Pacific Crest Trail
Trip Month	(04) - April

Report / Notes

When I was relatively new to BPL I read about Malto’s PCT hike and thought to myself that I want to do that too once I’m grown up. Now that I’m 60, I finally have grown up enough to backpack the PCT from Mexico to Canada. It’s been an incredibly, rewarding experience so far. Although I’m not as fast as Malto back then, I’m backpacking a respectable 20 miles a day and just reached the 1,000 mile marker after 49 days of non-stop hiking. You can read my daily posts in this blog. Don’t forget to click on the daily link to the flyover video to see all the photos of the amazing landscape I’m backpacking in. May be this inspires some new backpackers in the same way Malto’s report inspired me back then.

https://pct2024.wordpress.com/

Discussion

This topic has 9 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 3 days, 3 hours ago by AK Granola.

Viewing 10 posts - 1 through 10 (of 10 total)

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Jun 7, 2024 at 3:14 pm #3813085

Manfred
BPL Member

@orienteering

Companion forum thread to: Backpacking the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT)

When I was relatively new to BPL I read about Malto’s PCT hike and thought to myself that I want to do that too once I’m grown up. Now that I’m 60, I

Jun 8, 2024 at 12:22 am #3813097

Manfred
BPL Member

@orienteering

You can read day-by-day descriptions and find daily photos in this blog.

Jun 9, 2024 at 8:27 pm #3813208

Alex (he/him)
BPL Member

@malexreed

Wow! Thanks for sharing! I would love to do a long trail someday but it will probably be close to retirement age like yours. It’s inspiring to hear your story, thanks!

Jun 10, 2024 at 8:18 am #3813223

Diane “Piper” Soini
BPL Member

@sbhikes
Locale: Santa Barbara

I’m 59 and heading out next month to try to hike across Colorado and maybe also New Mexico. I’m pretty worried about my fitness for such big mountains but I do have all the time I need without worrying about making big daily miles. The PCT is so beautiful with the desert flowers and views. The CDT amazes me with the sky. As a life-long Southern Californian I rarely see such amazing skies.

Looking forward to reading more of your blog.

Jun 10, 2024 at 8:53 am #3813224

Alex (he/him)
BPL Member

@malexreed

Diane – I live in New Mexico. I’m sure you’ve already thought of this, but please be cautious about the CDT south of Cuba in the summer due to dehydration / heat exhaustion risk! Otherwise sounds like a glorious adventure. Have you looked at the “Northern New Mexico Loop”? It’s a month-long trail that includes that nice CDT section. I think the suggested weather windows are May/June and September?

Jun 10, 2024 at 7:27 pm #3813240

Tom D.
BPL Member

@dafiremedic
Locale: Southern California

This is great Manfred. I don’t know if you remember running into me and my sons on the JMT in 2012, we talked for awhile approaching Crabtree Meadow. Great to see you still hitting the trail with your wife, and on the PCT no less!

Jun 11, 2024 at 10:22 am #3813255

Terran Terran
BPL Member

@terran

Mission Creek probably benefitted from the flushing. It can get vastly overgrown with roots sucking up much of the water. What you did find would be full of decaying leaves.

I got a text the other day from an old friend saying “no more long hikes”. I still plan them in my head. At 67, I no longer have the ambition. I’ll be driving around Colorado this summer. Fishing and doing a lot of short hikes. Just getting out there just because I still can.

Nice write up.

Jun 11, 2024 at 7:39 pm #3813286

Diane “Piper” Soini
BPL Member

@sbhikes
Locale: Santa Barbara

I think by the time I get to NM it will be September. I will probably save NM for next year.

Jun 21, 2024 at 1:25 pm #3813836

Manfred
BPL Member

@orienteering

In my last day in the Sierra section I finally saw a bear. Amazing and exciting!

The picture won‘t upload here, so you will have to look for it in my next blog post about today.

Jun 26, 2024 at 10:02 pm #3814018

AK Granola
BPL Member

@granolagirlak

I’m about to turn 60. I wish I was in shape enough to do the PCT. Maybe I could still get there. But I’ll enjoy all the hikes and backpacking trips I can do, no matter how long.

I’m really enjoying your blog Manfred. The post on Reverse Diet is really interesting. I hope you will post more about how the long miles affects your weight and energy level, and any strategies you resort to.
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