The Appalachian Trail (AT) and Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) face their weather trials and tribulations inversely. As noted previously, the AT starts at its very highest elevations in the southern Appalachians. And to thru-hike that 2,180 mile national scenic trail, it is necessary to begin in early spring. Thus, you can expect cold, wet weather in the early going, that can border on dangerous. The PCT is just the opposite. PCT thru-hikers start...

    Skywalker–Highs and Lows on the Pacific Crest Trail has just been released in audio format on Amazon.com  Those interested in purchasing the recording can access the following link  http://www.amazon.com/Skywalker-Highs-Pacific-Crest-Trail/dp/B00B581A9G/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1359147349&sr=8-2&keywords=skywalker+highs+and+lows+on+the+pacific+crest+trail The audio is 7 hours and 53 minutes in length and the...

“Don’t start before April 1st unless you have great ability or extensive training in dealing with cold weather.” That is the advice I routinely give aspiring Appalachian Trail (AT) thru-hikers. I would like to add that Appalachian Trail thru-hikers need to have their ‘game face’ on from the beginning. Because the toughest two states on the AT are the last two–New Hampshire and Maine. But the next most...

“I’m 65 and can’t do the whole thing,” a lady recently responded on my Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) blog. Point well taken. Although I met a man on the PCT whose trail name was ‘Two Weeks and Three Days’. When he had retired as a civil servant that spring, he had announced to (rather than discussed with) his wife that he would now be thru-hiking the 2,663 mile PCT from Mexico to Canada. His wife, who had never...

 Amazon Kindle readers will be allowed to upload Skywalker–Highs and Lows on the Pacific Crest Trail, by Bill Walker for free both today and tomorrow. This popular trail narrative takes the reader on America’s great national scenic trail, the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), which runs 2,663 miles from Mexico to Canada. The trail is very well-maintained all along the way by the U.S. Forest Service, along with local trail clubs. In the...

Given the magnificence of the 2,663 mile Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) in its entirety, it is no surprise that there are many great section hikes also available. First though, you must decide which part of the Mexico-Canada traverse you wish to embed yourself in. There are basically four options: 1. The desert  2. The ‘High Sierra’   3.  southern Oregon   4. northern Cascades The first option would be the most contrarian, for the...