Fellow thru-hikers had told me there was another trail out there—in the mysterious West. A trail that wound a serpentine path from Mexico to Canada. A true wilderness without the excessive people of the Appalachians. A trail that forged its way through barren desert, crossed 12,000-foot-high passes bathed in snow, and followed a crest of unthinkable beauty through the lush, volcanic Pacific Northwest. It was the younger sister— gorgeous and untamed—of the Appalachian Trail. In the face of a red sunset on a late summer’s day in New Hampshire, I’d known in my soul that I must hike the Pacific Crest Trail.
Heather “Anish” Anderson
Mud Rocks, Blazes: Letting Go on the Appalachian Trail
The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) stretches over 2,650 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border to the U.S.-Canada border. Passing through California, Oregon, and Washington, the trail traverses through the diverse landscapes of the west, from deserts to high mountain passes, and from dense forests to alpine meadows.
You guessed it. I am going to hike the PCT!
One thing though. To thru-hike the PCT, you need a permit. To manage the impact of hikers on the trail and the environment, the Pacific Crest Trail Association (PCTA) administers a strict permit system. In an attempt to minimize the damage to the trail and surrounding ecosystem, the permitting process helps regulate the number of people on the trail at any given time.
Since 2015, northbound PCT thru-hikers have been subject to a 50-hiker-per-day quota. For each potential start day, 35 slots are available in November and the remaining 15 are released in January.
Yesterday was the first permit lottery day. All prospective thru-hikers who have preregistered receive a randomized time slot the night before. At your designated time the next day, you can pick your thru-hike start date from whatever is available. Those who have an early lottery time will have many days to chose from, and those with a late time will have very few, if any, choices.
The registration lottery ran yesterday from 10:30 am to 3:00 pm Pacific Time. Monday night I received my randomized time. 1:58:51 pm. Very precise, but not a very good time. At just one hour before the lottery closing time, I figured I would not have many options to choose from.
Timing a PCT thru-hike is a little tricky. Relative to the Appalachian Trail, the window to complete the 2,650 miles is a short one. Start too early and California’s Sierra Nevadas will be still in winter conditions and impassable. Start too late and by the time you reach Washington, the Cascades will already be covered in snow.
Generally the sweet spot to begin a northbound thru-hike of the PCT is mid-April to early May. I hoped I could find something within this window.
I held my breath and logged in at exactly 1:58:51 PT.
It was even worse than I thought. The entire month of April and most of May were completely booked up. Trying not to panic, I scrolled through the calendar to find something, anything.
The best available option I could find was March 18th.
March 18th is too early to start a thru-hike of the PCT. After completing the first portion of the hike in the desert, it is almost certain that there would still be snow in the Sierras when I’d arrive several weeks later. Attempting this section in winter conditions can be quite dangerous. The only other option was to pick a start date at the end of May. Starting that late would risk not making it to Washington before the snow.
I still have a little chip on my shoulder from the AT about wanting to hike faster than my natural pace. Starting the PCT too early would force me to start slow and take my time. I figured this would be a better move than starting too late and rushing to beat the weather. I also learned from the AT that some flexibility with time can make the difference between finishing and not finishing a thru-hike. Starting early buys time for whatever the trail, Mother Nature, or life in general wants to throw at me.
Deciding that a too-early date was better than a too-late date, I took the March 18th slot. At least I have something. From here, I will-
a) Try again for a better start date in the second lottery in January.
b) If I can’t get a better date, I will start on March 18th. Upon reaching the Sierra, I could take a few weeks off and wait for the weather to warm up.
c) If all else fails, consider creative solutions like a flip-flop hike, or compiling a series of multiple permits for each individual section.
Though I’m frustrated by the situation, I am reminding myself that regulating trail use is a necessary reality. Conservation and environmental stewardship are imperative if we want to protect our natural resources. Even when it’s unpopular, the PCTA commits to preserving their unique treasure as best they can. I do wish there was no red tape or restrictions involved with accessing wilderness, but the reality is there are too many people on the planet for that to be a viable option. If it weren’t for the heroic conservation efforts made in protecting the PCT corridor over the last several decades, I wouldn’t be able to hike the PCT at all.
I respect their policy, but it sucks to be the unlucky one. I drew the short straw and got a crappy lottery slot, but I will find a way to make it work.
A myriad of details to iron out, but I am hiking the PCT in 2024!
So excited for you Kirby! Like the map and all the details!
Thanks Meriel!
What happens as people who are registered change their minds? It seems there is little risk to taking a slot, if you’re even considering doing the trail. Hopefully some of those people are just hedging their bets and have a way to cede their slot when life intervenes and says “No PCT for you this year!”?
I’m sure many of the slots taken won’t be used. I just hope that those people actually bother to cancel their permit and make it available for someone else!