My Pacific Crest Trail Hike in Numbers

Note: I have included the extra 30.3 miles that I had to hike SOBO at the end (Northern Terminus to Hart's Pass)

Trail distance hiked: 2684 mi / 4319 km

Actual distance hiked (detours/shortcuts/town walks etc): 2681 mi / 4313 km

Number of days: 118 (April 16 - August 11, 2022)

Number of hiking days: 112

Average distance/day: 22.7 mi / 36.5 km

Average distance/hiking day: 23.9 mi / 38.5 km

Time taken: 1151 hours

Average walking time/day: 9.7 hours

Average walking time/hiking day: 10.3 hours

Average pace: 2.3 mph / 3.75 kmph

Total ascent: 474,380 ft / 144,591 m

Total descent: 470,147 ft / 143301 m

Average ascent/day: 3984 ft / 1214 m

Average ascent/hiking day: 4198 ft / 1280 m

Number of Zero days: 6

Number of Nero (or less than full hiking) days: 35

Total distance covered in 35 Nero days: 681 miles (i.e. avg 19.5 miles/Nero day)

Number of resupplies: 23 (13 boxes mailed, 10 purchased in-town)

Average number of days of food carried between resupplies: 5

Maximum number of days of food carried: 9

Total Cost: $9243

Food: $2945

Gear: $2668

Lodging: $1478

Transportation (airfare, rental car, taxi etc): $1202

Phone & GPS Tracker Service Charges: $377

Misc (medicines, showers, laundry etc): $574

Comments

Sofie said…

I can't believe you (we) actually did this!!

September 19, 2022 at 12:01 AM

Why you shouldn't (or should) thru-hike the PCT? (D-115: 2592.1 - 2613.1 - Nero @ Mazama, D-116: 2613.1 - 2642.6)

Over the last 116 days, I have had plenty of time to think about what's good or bad about this thru-hike and just in case, one of you is thinking about doing a PCT thru-hike, here are my thoughts about why you shouldn't or should do it. Why you shouldn't do a PCT thru-hike - It is very tough physically and mentally - There is less than 50% chance that anyone starting it will finish - Almost everyone seems to have negative physical effects including weight loss, muscle loss, days & days of tired legs & feet etc - You will definitely get scratches, bruises and cuts, if you are lucky. If you are unlucky, major sprains, muscle tears & other hike-ending injuries. Btw, most people who stop do so 'cos of injuries. - You will trip & fall down multiple times (when the avg number of steps is 50000 - 70000/day over uneven paths, the law of large numbers takes over and some of those steps will lead to falls) - It is an expensive activity, with a bulk o...

Gratitude (D-114: 2577.8 - 2592.1 - Nero @ Mazama)

As the last town day on the trail ends and a few dozen miles left to the end point, I would like to speak of gratitude. Every so often on the trail, there are moments of "why the heck am I doing this?" and that's when I have to compel myself to remember that this is an option and an opportunity given to me. I am fortunate enough to be able to hike on this trail for a long period, which is essentially a vacation (albeit, a physically & mentally demanding one). Not everybody gets the option of taking such a long vacation from work, family and other commitments. It may be a cliche, but I am full of gratitude for this. I am also deeply grateful to a bunch of people who made this hike possible and I would like to use this post to mention those people. Ravin & Deepika opened their home and hearts so that I could do all the preparatory work before the hike. They were generous to a fault and I used (& perhaps, abused) their generosity. Even during the hik...

Wind, constant wind & Trail Provides (D-4)

Finally the hike thru the "real" desert - as I had imagined it - happened today. No trees at all, only shrubs, cacti, dusty, wide flat vistas and absolutely relentless wind that almost never let up till the late evening. The wind was so strong in the second half of the day that it even literally pushed me uphill sometimes. The extra backpack weight seemed like the only thing that kept me from being blown here & there 😄. One good thing about the wind...it made the day seem cooler. And wind/sun way better than wind/rain. I have been drinking water from 1 liter bottles that are kept in the side pocket of my pack. Unfortunately they are not easy to access and I have to carry a bottle in my hand when I need to sip it frequently. This is a pain! So, I had decided to buy a thin tube at the next town in a few days and insert it into the bottle cap to make a flexible straw to make my life easier. However, this afternoon, I came upon the water cache ...

A thru-hike attempt

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