Starting Sunday!

As I write this I’m tackling final preparations for my next hike, which begins in earnest on Sunday (6/26/22). This year I’m returning to the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) because my 2021 PCT thru-hike ended prematurely at Bishop Pass in the Sierras section of California when ongoing forest fires prompted the state to close all its national forests for several weeks.

My initial intent was to redo the entire trail, but with current snow conditions in Washington and Oregon I’d have to delay my start date considerably, making it unlikely that I could complete the hike before the snow flies again later this year in the Sierras. As depicted by the two reports showing the same data for 2021 and 2022, the snow levels for the first half of June this year (outlined in red) are significantly higher than the same time last year (outlined in green). Some of you will recall that I already had a difficult time with the snow conditions last year, so redoing those same miles under even more challenging conditions wasn’t very appealing.

Northern Cascades snow report: 2021

Northern Cascades snow report: 2022

As a result, I contacted the PCTA and reset my thru-hiking permit to begin near Ashland, Oregon, significantly reducing the number of miles I’ll be “re-walking” this year. I’m looking forward to getting back out there, gradually building up “trail legs” again and testing out some new gear (pack & tent). If all goes well I expect to add 1-2 updates per week throughout the duration of the hike, so feel free to check in occasionally for updates. Thank you for your interest and I’ll post again soon from the trail. All the best!

Maxheap