What is the Pacific Crest Trail?
PCT Overview The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) is a 2650 mile hiking trail from the Mexican border all the way to Canada. It runs through 3 states, 10 mountain ranges, and 23 national forests. This is a great resource for finding out more about the trail. Most complete the trail in about 5 months, averaging 18-25 miles per day. So what is my plan? I hope to start my hike early April of 2023 at the southern terminus and complete it early September, with plenty of time to get ready for the start of the term at WWU. On November 9 2022, hikers will be able to apply for several thousand long distance hiking permits, so it's always possible that I will not get a permit on a desirable day. While permit dates span from March 1 to may 31, early April is generally considered the best time to start in Southern California. If I start too early, there will be too much snow in the sierra mountains, but if I start too late, it will be way too hot in the desert and water will be more of an issue