PCT by the Numbers

My PCT journey was so much more than the numbers, but as an analytical person, I like the numbers too. They are another lens I can use to process the experience.

A graph provides a succinct visualization of a very complex 2,655 mile journey. It certainly doesn’t capture everything, but it gives my brain a visual model, knowing that all the complexities, personal narratives, and memories lie inside. 

Mileage

Total PCT miles	2655.2
Actual miles hiked (incl. alternate routes, detours, shortcuts, etc.)	2653.8
Miles skipped	0

According to FarOut, hiking on the PCT from Mexico to Canada is 2655.2 miles, though it’s virtually impossible to hike solely on the PCT the entire way. Every year there are trail closures due to fires or damaged trail. On my journey, I opted to take alternate routes around closures in order to keep a continuous footpath.

I also opted to take alternate trails/roads when it was a more scenic, or shorter, option.

Sometimes the alternate routes were shorter, sometimes they were longer. Despite numerous reroutes, I was surprised to learn that the overall difference between PCT miles and my actual miles hiked was only 1.4 miles (2655.2 vs. 2653.8).

Days and Dates

Start date	April 9
End date	September 16
Fill-in section	September 23-25
Total # days	164

According to halwayanywhere.com, for the past five years, the average number of days it took for thru-hikers to complete a thru-hike was between 148 and 162. At 164 days, or about 5.5 months, I was slightly above the average time.

There was one 80-mile section in Oregon that I had to temporarily skip in August. I could not find a safe way around the Middle Fork fire in the Diamond Peak Wilderness. However, a week after reaching the northern terminus, I returned to this section to fill in the gap. The 164 days include the extra 3 days from September 23-25 to complete this section, but does not include the week off in between.

The -eros

# of zeros	19
# of nearos (<10 miles)	23
# of full hiking days	145
Total	164

A zero is a rest day, a day of zero miles. A nearo (near zero) is a subjective term; there is not a set definition as to what counts as a nearo. I’m defining it here as any day less than 10 miles.

Daily Mileage Averages

Including zeros	16.2
Not including zeros	18.3
Not including nearos (<10 mi)	21.6

The trendline shows that my daily mileage increasing over time.

Longest day	37.0 mi
Shortest day	3.1 mi

My most common length of day was 27 miles, though I rarely had days longer than that.

By Section

Section	Miles	# days	Daily Average (incl. zeros)
Desert	566	52	10.9
Sierra	527	33	16.0
NorCal	626	33	19.0
Oregon	492	24	20.5
Washington	505	22	23.0

My daily mileage average increased with each section.

Though the desert was a relatively easy section, I started slow to build strength and avoid injury. In the Sierra, it was difficult to hike big-mile days due to snowy conditions, water crossings, and the mountain passes. Oregon was probably the easiest section and where I began to hike big-mile days. I personally found Washington to be the hardest section, but I had built my strength and endurance, and was determined to finish by mid-September. Despite the challenges, I was able to hike my fastest in Washington.

Sleeping Location

Nights in a tent	115
Nights cowboy camped	15
Nights in a bed	27
Nights on a couch or floor	7

The majority of my nights were spent outdoors, either in my tent or cowboy camping (sleeping under the stars). When in town my tramily and I would generally split a hotel room or AirBnB.

Resupplies

Total # of resupplies	37
Average # days between resupply	4.4
Average # miles between resupply	71.8

	Longest	Shortest
Water Carry	22.2 mi	<1 mi
Food Carry	7.5 days	1.5 days
Distance between resupplies	148.3 mi	21.6 mi

I thought my longest water carry would be in the desert, but it was actually in the Mount Tielson Wilderness in Oregon. If it weren’t for the kindness of trail angels volunteering to maintain water caches, some of my water carries would have been much, much longer.

My shortest food resupply was the 1.5 days between Cajon Pass and the town of Wrightwood. Cajon Pass is home to the famous on-trail McDonald’s, where I did the “McDonald’s Challenge,” i.e. resupplying only from McDonald’s food.

My longest food carry in days was in the Sierra, between Kennedy Meadows South and Bishop via Kearsarge Pass (7.5 days/111.3 mi). This section included the ascent of Mt Whitney.

In terms of miles, however, my longest food carry was in Washington, between Cascade Locks and White Pass (6 days/148.3 miles).

Wildlife Sightings

Bears	3
Coyotes	5
Rattlesnakes	8
Trail horses	21

I thought I would see more bears on the PCT. Of the 3 black bears I saw, 2 were in the Sierra and 1 was in Washington.

I saw 8 rattlesnakes, but some of my friends saw many more. It’s a little disconcerting knowing that I probably walked by dozens of rattlesnakes without noticing them.

The PCT generally has moderate grading in order to be walkable by pack animals. Despite the trail being built to be accessible by horses, I was surprised to only see 21 horses in 2655 miles, and half of them were all in one group.

Miscellaneous

Total elevation gain	489,000 ft
Weight lost	26.5 lbs
# photos taken	2,139

This article originally appeared on the Trek, which you can read here.