The Pacific Crest Trail is a 2,650-mile hiking trail that runs from the American-Canadian border to the American-Mexican border. It is the second longest hiking trail in the US and is divided into five regional sections. Hikers should prepare carefully and be aware of potential hazards, such as dehydration and encounters with wild animals. The trail is nationally protected and requires additional funding and volunteers to maintain.
The Pacific Crest Trail, also called the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail or PCT, is a 2,650-mile (4,240 km) hiking trail that runs from the American-Canadian border to the American-Mexican border. The PCT is a major trail in the United States and is the second longest hiking trail in the nation. Since opening in 1968, the Pacific Crest Trail has drawn hikers from around the world, offering variable scenery and adventurous challenges.
Since the 1930s, various hiking groups have lobbied the US government to create a border-to-border trail in the western part of the country. In 1968, through the efforts of hikers Clinton Clarke and Warren Rodgers, the US Congress recognized the PCT as part of the National Trails System. In 1993, the trail was officially finished and opened, although hikers had been using it for decades.
The Pacific Crest Trail is divided into five regional sections, Southern, Central and Northern California, Oregon and Washington. In Southern California, the trail passes through desert scrub, Anza-Borrego National Park, and parts of the Mojave Desert. The Central California section winds through the legendary Sierra Nevada Mountains and through Yosemite National Park. Once you reach the Northern California trail, the glaciated mountains become the volcanic remnants of the Cascade Range, and attractions include the majestic Donner Summit and Mt. Shasta.
Because the Pacific Crest Trail runs through Oregon, much of the hiking is through dense forest. Hikers pass by Crater Lake, the deepest lake in the United States. The PCT also passes through Oregon’s largest and most active volcano, Mt. Hood. Features of the Washington section of the Pacific Crest Trail include Glacier Peak and the massive mountains of the Northern Cascade Range.
According to the PCT Association website, about 300 people a year attempt to walk the trail, with a 60 percent success rate. The first thru-hiker is up for debate. In 1971, a young man named Eric Ryback claimed to have completed the trail, but several witnesses say they accepted car rides during his hike, thus denying his claim of him. The first female thru-hiker to successfully complete the trail is believed to be a woman named Mary Carstens, in 1972. In 2004, a man named Scott Williamson completed a round trip through the trail, covering 5,300 miles ( 8,480 km) in 197 days.
If you wish to attempt a hike on the Pacific Crest Trail, it is important that you prepare carefully and obtain a medical check of good health. The trail is relatively safe, but it is a natural environment with many potential hazards. Because the trail avoids many populated areas, you should plan to stock up on supplies before you begin your hike.
In the Southern California section of the PCT, desert environments can lead to severe dehydration and possible death. Wild animals are common sites along the trail, and while most are harmless, you may be confronted with rattlesnakes, bears, mountain lions, and coyotes. Some experts always recommend hiking with a friend, particularly if you’re a beginner. Safety in numbers is a valuable rule on the trail.
Although the trail is nationally protected, additional funding and volunteers are always needed to keep the Pacific Crest Trail in good shape. Opportunities to help maintain the trail include donating money or helping at conferences or in the Trail Association’s offices. If you are a hiker, remember to use biodegradable products and not to litter the trail. Taking simple steps can help your PCT stay clean and maintained for future hikers to enjoy.
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