In 2007 last year my brother in-law suggested we hike the P.C.T. together. What a great idea! Well I went nuts and started planning right away. Read the trail overview below copied from the P.C.T. association website as well as the story below that, as written from a hiker. If you don't want to go for a hike after reading this,... then go watch the videos!

	Trail Overview
	Zigzagging its way from Mexico to Canada through California, Oregon and Washington the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) boasts the greatest elevation changes of any of America's National Scenic Trails, allowing it to pass through six out of seven of North America's ecozones including high and low desert, old-growth forest and artic-alpine country. Indeed, the PCT is a trail of diversity and extremes. From scorching desert valleys in Southern California to rain forests in the Pacific Northwest, the PCT offers hikers and equestrians a unique, varied experience. Located within driving distance of San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento, Portland, and Seattle, the PCT is both easily accessible and blissfully wild at the same time. Whether you'd like to explore the PCT for weeks on end, or just a weekend, it offers the best of the West - the Mojave Desert, the Sierra Nevada and Mt. Whitney, Yosemite National Park, Marble Mountain and the Russian Wilderness in Northern California, the volcanoes of the Cascades including Mt. Shasta and Mt. Hood, Crater Lake, Columbia River Gorge, Mt. Rainier, and the remote Northern Cascades. Over the past decade the PCT has become a favorite target of thru-hikers and thru-riders (the hearty souls who attempt to hike or ride an entire long-distance trail in one "season"). Each year, in fact, an average of 300 hikers attempt to cover the full length of the PCT (thru-riders are more rare but increasing in number). Thousands of other hikers and equestrians enjoy this national treasure each year, some traveling only a few miles in the course of a day hike. Whether you visit the PCT for a few hours or for a few weeks you'll surely find a uniquely Western scene that will rejuvenate, inspire and surprise you. Two thousand six hundred and fifty miles of adventure and discovery are waiting. To learn more, visit the descriptions of the PCT's five distinct sections (Southern California, Central California, Northern California, Oregon, and Washington) on the following pages. Use your back button to return here. More information from another hiker's view The Pacific Crest Trail, like its better-known eastern cousin the Appalachian Trail, is a narrow corridor of wilderness set aside by an act of Congress (The National Trails System Act, 1968) to preserve a place where hikers and equestrians can commune with nature, wildlife, flora and fauna. Over the course of its 2658 miles, (a number that changes from time to time, with trails being re-routed due to natural hazards or land re-negotiations) it passes through 33 designated wilderness areas, 24 national forests, 7 national and 6 state parks. Oh, and the 3 westernmost states in the U.S. There are 307 miles of private land right-of-way easements still left between Mexico and Canada - a number that has also transformed over time with the aid of organizations such as the Pacific Crest Trail Association. Many of these strips are as narrow as 8 feet wide, and some provide even less breathing room. Traversing these segments of the trail, needless to say, comes off as something less than a wilderness trek. If any is needed, these miles are testimony to just how fragile the preservation of this untamed space can be. The trail's thru-hikers are the ones most likely to even venture into these less wild areas, smitten as they are with the idea of walking every consecutive mile in one hiking season. To complete their journey, they have about 5 months of good weather - beginning in late April or early May. That means they need to walk more than 17 miles a day, every day, to get to their destination before winter sets in and prevents them from the last of their 57 ascents - the highest of which, Forester Pass in Central California, stands at 13,200 feet. That lofty altitude may pale in comparison to the heights that Everest mountaineers must scale to reach their goal. Even so, it is estimated that more people have climbed Everest than have thru-hiked the PCT. The trail begins in the desert and winds its way through six of North America's seven ecozones. In its hottest stretches, where temperatures can top 100 degrees Fahrenheit, hikers and riders often must cover 20-30 miles of trail between water sources. The longest waterless stretch on the trail, north of Tehachapi, is 35.5 miles!!! Of course, the other end of the spectrum is represented as well. In the Sierra Nevada mountain range of California, water and freezing temperatures abound. Hikers typically encounter a fair amount of snow as they climb into this range. And when the snow melts, the rivers swell and the mosquitoes multiply. But the wildflowers also bloom and the wildlife rises from its winter slumber. Hikers are likely to encounter rattlesnakes, eagles, coyotes, marmots, bear, elk, mountain goats, bobcats, and cougars as well as feast their eyes on yucca, Joshua Trees, agave, barrel cactus, prickly pear, Limber Pine, Angel's Trumpets, lava flow, lichen, Ponderosa Pine, Indian paintbrushes, mountain dogwood, lupine, mountain blueberries and more. From a glimmer of an idea, hatched and nurtured by Clinton C. Clarke and Warren Rogers in the 1930s to its dedication in 1993, the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail has been a wild ride for generations of Americans. A thorough retelling of its rich history is long overdue. More Info for the Curious www.pcta.org The Pacific Crest Trail Association has done a lot, over the years, to ensure that there even is a Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail. They rely, in part, on membership dues to fund their endeavours. Find out how you can help!!! www.lnt.org The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics is a national non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and inspiring responsible outdoor recreation through education, research and partnerships. Their 7 Principles are: Plan Ahead and Prepare, Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces, Dispose of Waste Properly, Leave What You Find, Minimize Campfire Impacts, Respect Wildlife, and Be Considerate of Other Visitors. www.rayjardine.com The granddaddy of backpacking "light." Ray virtually revolutionized the backpacking experience by helping instruct hikers on how to lighten their loads. He continues to challenge conventional wisdom in every activity he takes up, from sea kayaking to rock climbing and even skydiving. www.pcthandbook.com Yogi is one of the current reigning divas of the 3 trails that, together, comprise the Triple Crown. Currently at work on a guide to hiking the Continental Divide, she continues to update her existing handbook by culling information from many of the annual trekkers, as well as offering her own insights. www.pctplanner.com Great tool for prospective hikers. Helps break the hike down into manageable stretches. Includes mileage and good places to stop for resupply. www.trailjournals.com One stop repository for hikers who want to post journals for friends, family and the world to share their experiences. Good way to keep up with friends who are hiking, or live vicariously through the more adventurous. My trailjournal page but www.traildude,com is better. www.pocketmail.com Nifty device for communicating electronically when Internet service is not readily available. As it frequently isn't in the backcountry. mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l This is a list for discussion of all things related to the PCT: planning for thru-hikes or section-hikes, trail-threats, trail maintenance, horse riding, llama packing, anything having to do with the PCT. www.fs.fed.es/pct/ The U.S Forest Service recently added their own PCT website. It's worth a visit. www.pct.com A little family history of one of the fathers of the Pacific Crest trail.