Plan Your Hike

Planning Your PCT Thru-Hike

Planning your PCT thru-hike can be overwhelming – but you can do it. All it takes is some patience, organization, and the internet.

Start with a general checklist. This will give you a broad overview of what needs to be done to make your hike a success. Some items on the list will have their own sublists. To learn more about a particular topic, follow the links in the general checklist below.

Remember, you don’t have to complete everything in order. If you get stuck, a good strategy is to choose an item that’s easy to complete and focus on that first. Doing so will give you a quick sense of accomplishment and help you move forward towards your goal.

A general checklist for planning your PCT thru-hike:

• Get the necessary permits
• Purchase gear
• Purchase food
• Plan your resupply points
• Prepare your resupply boxes
• Coordinate with a support person who will mail your resupply boxes
• Practice outdoors skills (self-arrest, map reading, navigation, etc.)
• Test your gear and clothing setup with multiple overnight hikes
• Forward your mail to a support person if needed
• Arrange to have your bills paid by your support person, or through your bank’s online bill-pay
• Arrange transportation to and from the trail

You can also join the PCT-L mailing list, where experienced hikers will be happy to answer your questions – or leave a comment below!

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