FAQs

 Q: Is Arthur hiking the PCT alone?

A: Yes, he is starting the hike alone and will go at his own pace. This is quite common. Most people start alone and connect with other hikers along the trail. A hiker might hike and do town days for varying amounts of time (a couple days? a week? a month?) with people who have a similar speed and hiking style. 

Q: How far is he hiking?

A: His goal is to complete the entire Pacific Crest Trail: 2,650 miles starting at the Mexican border in Campo, CA, and ending at the Canadian border east of Seattle. He may decide to skip sections based on trail conditions. He also may be forced to change plans because of flood, fire, washed out bridges, etc. We met a hiker at the Southern Terminus who was returning to finish some sections he missed due to fire-related trail closures in 2021.

Q: How long will this take?

A: Most hikers take about five months to complete the trail. Since he will be hiking through October, he is taking a gap year and plans to start college in Fall 2024. (He's not sure what he'll be doing after the hike, but his current plan is to return to STL and live at home and find work.)

Q: How much food is he carrying?

A: Arthur is carrying about a week's worth of food at a time. He'll stop in towns and convenience stores along the way and buy snacks, oatmeal, etc. He'll also receive resupply boxes that I will mail to him. Often these will go to a post office addressed to "general delivery" with a note that it's for a PCT hiker. There are other businesses like restaurants, stores, and hostels that are close to the trail that hold packages for hikers, usually for a fee. After I said goodbye to Arthur on his first day, I delivered a box of meals Arthur prepped at home, peanut butter, and tortillas, to a restaurant along the trail about two hours north of the Southern Terminus (it was on the way to Palm Springs, where I am meeting up with a friend before heading back to STL).

Q: What about water?

A: Water sources are possibly the primary topic of conversation among thru-hikers. This will be especially true during the first 600 or so miles, since most of this region is technically desert. Luckily this was a big snow year and so those creeks and streams that are fed by snow melt from high in the mountains have much more water in them than normal. Arthur is carrying a couple different methods of filtering water. He'll almost always camp at a water source so he can filter and drink lots of water in the evening and morning. Some days in the desert he might have to carry all of his water for the day, about six liters.

Q: What about gear?

A: Arthur's gear is the same kind of gear someone would carry for a multi-day backpack: tent, sleeping bag, cooking gear, extra socks and undies, etc. Some sections will require additional gear, like an ice ax, a wearable bug net, and a bear-proof food canister, which I will ship to him. 

Q: Will you see him during the hike?

A: We'll see him at least a few times this summer since we will be spending time in the Lake Tahoe area during most of July, when he will be hiking through that area. We'll arrange to meet him in a few locations and get him cold water and fresh fruit, and get him a shower and a bed for a night. He'll also get support from friends who live in Bakersfield, Calif, and Medford, Ore, who are eager to meet him on the trail and provide support.

Q: Aren't you worried?!?

A: Sure. Every parent worries, especially when their kid leaves home for the first time. My kid is just doing something a bit different than the usual college enrollment straight out of high school. But I'm not afraid of something terrible happening to him. Thousands of people hike the PCT every year. Sure there are dangers, but he's aware of them and so are his dad and I. I've backpacked with him, so I know his skills are strong. He's done 10-day solo hikes the previous two summers so he's practiced and gotten his gear dialed in. He's got a GPS tracking device on him at all times, so we can see where he is. The device has an SOS button on it in case something really goes wrong. Of course, I will miss him terribly! But I am much more proud of him and happy for him than I am worried.