Water Caches on the Pacific Crest Trail
The first 703 miles on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) are in the desert. As you might imagine, water is the key variable. Hikers plan their days around reliable water sources and much hoped-for water caches, filled by dedicated trail angels. At the PCT Kickoff held annually the last weekend of April, trail veterans give detailed water reports to the current crop of thru-hikers. “You cannot rely on caches,” they repeatedly told us. Thus, most of us headed out into the desert with approximately 6 liters of water (about 13 pounds)....
read morePacific Crest Trail Thru-hikers Obsession with Backpack Weight
Thru-hikers become obsessed with backpack weight. I was no different. You would understand if you tried walking from Mexico to Canada. At the Lake Tahoe post office, I had agonized before finally deciding to send my gloves forward in the post to Washington State. It saved me two ounces–no small consideration. However, I would soon regret it. In northern California we got hit with a summertime storm, and many hikers were on the verge of hypothermia as we cleared 10,000 feet. My hiking partern, Miles, noticed I was suffering. He was kind...
read moreDesert Scene on the Pacific Crest Trail
The Pacific Crest Trail begins at the California-Mexico border in the desert. It proved to be more varied than most hikers had imagined, with high desert, windswept scenes, as well as the desert floor of the daunting Mojave. Ultimately, most found the desert stark, forbidding, and implacable. But to be sure, the desert also offers its own brand of haunting beauty.
read morePacific Crest Trail Kickoff Party April 27-29
It honestly may be the greatest party in the world. I remember it vividly. Its purpose is to support the annual crop of thru-hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). It is always the last weekend in April. This year that will be April 27-29. The Kickoff is famous for two things. The first is FOOD. The ex-thru-hikers feed the current year’s class like stuffed pigs. Better yet, nobody has to feel guilty because they will be quickly working the calories off in the desert. Second, the Kickoff features seminars on a multitude of topics. These...
read moreSkywalker–Paciific Crest Trail #1 in Kindle Sports, Outdoor, and Hiking Books
Skywalker–Highs and Lows on the Pacific Crest Trail by Bill Walker Amazon paperback $10.95, Amazon Kindle $4.95 Details File Size:1347 KB Print Length:284 pages Sold by:Amazon Digital Services Language:English ASIN:B004HZXYX4 Text-to-Speech: Enabled Lending:Enabled Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,706 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store) #1 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Nonfiction > Sports > Outdoors & Nature > Hiking & Camping > Excursion...
read moreSkywalker A Proud Second to Cheryl Strayed
Skywalker–Highs and Lows on the Pacific Crest Trail was the top selling book on the Pacific Crest Trail throughout 2011 on Amazon.com. However, that has changed dramatically. Cheryl Strayed’s blockbuster new bestseller, ‘Wild’, has now soared to the top of the PCT book sales. In fact, her book is now #18 on all of Amazon. Think about that. There are currently 9,000,000 titles listed on Amazon.com. And within two months of her book’s release, she is at #18. Best of all, it is the type of book that will change...
read moreCheryl Strayed’s Biggest Fan
I recently received the following message from Cheryl Strayed, author of the wildly popular book, ‘Wild’. Dear Skywalker, Thanks for the sweet words! And I totally agree with you that there is room for more than one book about the PCT. Mine is just one story of many. Happy trails! Best, Cheryl It is ironic. I had the top-ranked Pacific Crest Trail book (Skywalker–Highs and Lows on the Pacific Crest Trail) on Amazon. Then Cheryl Strayed came along with her book, ‘Wild’. She has now soared beyond me and every other...
read moreSkywalker Book Sales Increase upon Publication of ‘Wild’ by Cheryl Strayed
Cheryl Strayed’s moving memoir of hiking the PCT alone, after her mother’s death, divorce with her still-loved husband, and heroin abuse is shining the focus on the Pacific Crest Trail. This is great news for everyone–especially those who have never heard about the PCT, but will end up on life-changing hikes on it some day. Yep, it definitely will happen. That’s the nature of the game. Mrs. Strayed mentions in her book that she had never heard of the PCT until seeing a guidebook on it at a bookstore. She didn’t...
read moreAndrew Skurka has hiked almost the entire West
Uber-hiker, Andrew Skurka, did a presentation last evening at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, North Carolina. It was a smashing success. Highly inspirational. He seemingly has hiked all over the West, including the Sea-to Sea Trail (all across Canada), the Western Loop Trail (large parts of the Pacific Crest Trail and Continental Divide Trail), and in 2010, in his greatest gambit of all, he hiked large parts of the Alaska Yukon. Large parts of this were above the Arctic Circle. He went one stretch of 24 days without seeing a human, but had...
read moreAppalachian Trail Culture Stuns—Good for Thru-Hikers
I was blown away in 2005 by the “support culture” of trail angels, hostels, fiestas, you name it, honoring hikers passing through. I came back in 2010 and several new support networks had sprung up in the first two states. And now in 2012 it appears to be proliferating even further. An event at the beginning of March, originally called the Appalachian Trail Backpacking and Celebration Clinic has re-christened itself, the AT Kickoff, modeled on the fabulous Pacific Crest Trail Kickoff which jumpstarts the PCT hiking season each...
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