Bloggers
How Grand Staircase Made Me a Thru-Hiker
Growing up, I don’t think my family went camping one single time. I was raised in a more typically Midwestern way, with occasional weekend trips to the mall to buy...
PCT 2018 Gear Review
Just over a year ago, I began preparing for my thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail. Giddy with the thought of a new and exciting adventure, all I wanted to...
Going Back to the Trail, This Time Solo
As I stare at this empty page and Trek dashboard I can’t help but think – So much has changed. In my head, I’m the same person that I’ve always...
A Merging of Tramilies at Trail Days
I didn't think crossing the Bridge of the Gods would have as big of an impact as it did. It's just another part of the trail, right? Nope. Crossing the...
One Month Later – Recovering from the PCT
If you're looking for another story of swashbuckling adventure, filled with daring pickup truck hitches, pictures of snowy peaks, and musings on the proper way to eat couscous, this won't...
What I Learned from Leaving the PCT with 300 Miles Left
After 2,350 miles, I ended my 2018 Pacific Crest Trail flip-flop this week at Crater Lake. It wasn’t where I was planning on finishing, but excruciating tendinitis in my right...
Smokebeard’s Final PCT Gear List and Review
A lot of people have asked me about gear---how many pairs of shoes did I go through, did my tent leak, how was my backpack, that sort of thing. Here's...
The Final Miles and Saying Goodbye
If you were to ask me what my favorite section of the PCT was, I would say Washington---in decent weather. My least favorite section? Washington--when it’s cold, raining, and/or snowing....
Highlight Reel of Pictures from My 2018 PCT Thru-Hike
I've put together an admittedly self-indulgent highlight reel of pictures from my hike. My goal was to do one picture per day, but the video would have been more than...
Thru-Hiking with a Restricted Diet
Sometimes it's just not in the stars. After hiking the JMT in the summer of 2017, my thru-hiking to-do list got a few additions. Of course the PCT was on...
