The Long Walk

Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada

The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) is a breathtaking long-distance hiking trail that stretches over 2,650 miles from the Mexican border in California to to the Canadian border in Washington State. It traverses a diverse range of landscapes, including deserts, mountains, and lush forests, offering hikers stunning views and unique experiences. The PCT includes the the greatest elevation range of any national scenic trail in the United States, from the lowest point at the Columbia River Gorge (180') to the highest point at Forrester Pass in California (13,153').

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History

The PCT was the brainchild of Clinton Clarke, a successful businessman, outdoorsman and Boy Scout Leader.  His vision was a border-to-border trail system through the mountains of California, Oregon & Washington, "traversing the best scenic areas and maintaining an absolute wilderness character".  The idea was first publicized in 1926 and involved linking three existing trail systems; the Cascade Crest Trail in Washington, the Skyline Trail in Oregon and the John Muir & Tahoe-Yosemite Trails in California.  Planning and initial mapping of the route began in 1932, with much of the work being completed in association with the YMCA and Boy Scouts of America.  In 1968, President Lyndon Johnson signed the National Trails System Act which officially designated the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail as the first national scenic trails.  It took an additional 20 years for the Pacific Crest Trail Association (PCTA) and numerous other organizations & volunteers to finally complete the trail in 1993.

​Source: U. S. Forest Service/PCTA

Gabe's Journey

​Gabe made the decision to hike the PCT during his junior year of college at Central Washington University.  Looking for something to bridge the gap between college and career, the PCT seemed to be the perfect challenge that combined Gabe's love for the outdoors and pure adventure.  He began planning over a year in advance, researching logistics, timing, gear and costs.  Gabe rearranged his schedule for the last few semesters of college and graduated early in March, with a Bachelor of Science in Geology from CWU.  He flew to San Diego and stayed with a friend of his Uncle Jason's for a few days before starting his PCT journey on April 20th, 2025.

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