100 Tips to Thru Hike the Pacific Crest Trail

One hundred quick tips to be successful in thru hiking the PCT! One hundred tips I wish I had when I was first attempting this trail, I hope they help! The Pacific Crest Trail is 2,653 miles long. Stretching and starting north from the Mexico border just east of San Diego California, up through the Mojave Desert, the high elevation of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and into the volcanic studded landscape of Northern California. All the way through Oregon with its many lakes and mosquitoes, and into Washingtons jagged and remote North Cascades mountain ranges. Finally terminating at the Canadian border. It is not an easy hike and it is certainly not a short hike, taking people on average 5 months to do, and only 1 in 4 who attempt it are successful.

I hiked the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada in 2022, but have also logged more than 11,000 miles on other thru hikes around the US, including the Appalachian Trail, and many others. These tips are PCT specific, but also come from my nearly 10 years of thru hiking experience.

I think a lot of the information here could be very beneficial to those attempting the hike, so please feel free to share this video! I had attempted this trail once before, in 2018 and was not successful. This video will help anyone to avoid many of the problems that eventually made me quit.

Gear mentioned in this video:

MY PCT GEAR LIST (Weights, names, links)

Stats from my PCT Thru Hike

0:00 - Intro
0:42 - Pre Trail
2:22 - Gear
4:33 - General
8:37 - Desert
9:50 - Sierra
11:30 - NorCal
12:50 - Oregon
14:33 - Washington
15:29 - Post Trail

Goodluck out there! Above all else, have fun! This may be a once in a lifetime experience, take it all in and enjoy.
-------------------------------------------------
- save money! My hike cost 6,000, and on average people spend 9,000
- walk more in daily life, and go hiking more frequently to get in shape and get familiar with your shoes
- train with your full pack to know how it feels, then use that as motivation to lighten it
- If you want to go slow start early, if you want to go fast start late. This strategy is helpful to avoid fire season
- you don't need to send any boxes; maybe Kennedy Meadows, anything else you can figure out from the trail
- download the farout app, it will be your primary navigation source
- dial in gear before you go by taking a lot of short overnight trips near home
- you want a base pack weight under 15lbs, or 6.8kg
- Replace shoes & socks every 500-600 miles
- most people will want a 20*f or -6*c quilt
- most people will want a tent
- wear gaiters to keep desert dust and rocks out of your shoes
- bring a ground sheet for cowboy camping, it saves time and effort
- Carry a personal locator beacon, you may not use it but it could literally save your life
- Carry a trowel, and use it
- Keep it easy! Your easy will get faster
- Leave no trace, look up the seven principles and follow them
- Don't be afraid to start alone, new friends to be made are everywhere
- On average this hike takes people 5 months to complete
- Lower your expectations, sometimes this experience sucks
- Listen to your food cravings, they may be telling you something
- Don't get lost in the elevation profile, just hike and you will get there!
- take more zeros early on to let your body ease in
- don't chase hikers faster than you, this is a quick way to get hurt
- start with 6L of water or more thru the desert
- don't camp near water, it will be colder and more bugs will be there
- climb Mt Whitney, the highest point in the southern US
- late summer and early fall is fire season, beware of your timing
- go to pct days, in cascade locks Oregon
- take Washington slower, it's hard
- mid September it can start snowing, again beware of your timing

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If you'd like more info about me, my hiking, or painting:

[JupiterHikes]

There are many ways to hike the PCT and there is no _best_ way. The important part is just getting out there. So these are just my tips to hopefully make your life better out on trail, but no matter how you do it you'll have an amazing time. On a budget, very fast, no training, whatever it may be... have fun! If you thought this video is helpful, feel free to share it!

[iskosalminen]

Tip: take a photo of every camp spot you stay at with your phone. This way you’ll have memories of every place you slept AND they’ll be geo tagged automatically.

[MakersTeleMark]

It's totally ok to just cry. Completely normal, and invigorating.

[shotbeehive]

Pro tip: Spend three full days in ONE beautiful location of your choosing; watch the light change on the rocks throughout the day, wander off trail, drink from the spring, frolic in the meadows and ponds, sink into the Present Moment experience, discover little waterfalls and flowers, let the deer approach you, and remember that THIS is the experience you signed up for....

[natefoster]

One good tip to save money: Take advantage of Dollar General stores. They have food that is good enough quality (especially for hiker trash, like us), and is a really cheap source of supplemental food. I got a weeks worth of resupply for around 25$.
Also take advantage of Grocery Outlet for trail foods to genuinely enjoy.
Most importantly, eat ACTUAL food when you get in town. Not only will you enjoy it, but your body as well.

[RC-qfmp]

Another awesome video. Much of the “general advice” would apply to a new job, marriage, life in general. Jupiter videos are “ultralight”… no bs, no filler, no wasted words, images or video. Everything has a meaning and place. Such great content.

[Ericidryfly]

Jupiter another great video. Only advice that I would add is don’t fear going on this adventure because of your age. You might not be able to do it in one season but you can do it over time.

[michaelb]

Great tips. One note on Mt Theilsen, be aware that the last 100 feet or so, above Chicken Out Ledge, is class 3 or maybe 3+ climbing, so you may not make it to the very tip top, and that's fine.

[theomnipresent]

- Don't cross streams barefoot to keep shoes dry. You're more likely to slip and injure your feet which are the most important part of your hike.
- Don't be a purist, you'll just end up disappointed in yourself and others.
- Cowboy camp at least one time.
- Don't be afraid of not getting a hitch, you almost certainly will.
- Always stay in the hostel over a hotel.
- Take more photos, especially of people.

~ Late Start (SOBO 2022)

[bighgt]

Always enjoy your videos. My tip is the best weight to lose isn't in your pack, it is around your belly. Do that ahead of time and your knees will thank you with every step.

[a.sen.]

Such a nice video! Almost made me tear up, because a lot of things you’ve mentioned reminded me of the lessons learned on my pct thru hike. Tip for people out there with vaginas: hike in looser and comfortable shorts and learn how to pee standing up, your knees will thank you later. :) (and it’s definitely possible to pee standing up)

[SugarHikes]

Such a fantastic video. I feel like the one about being flexible is one of the most important. I've seen lots of people who end their hike early after trying to force things when their original plan/timetable etc isn't feasible anymore. Lay down your expectations when they no longer serve you and see what new opportunities arise!

[valentineqin]

man how is jupiter so cool!! he just have the best attitude in life too! talking about post-hike is super useful as well !

[joulemine]

My tip is to pay attention to your food weight. Higher calories per Oz of weight where a bear can is required for example will not only help offset the weight of the can, but the volume will be less as well.

Safe travels ✌️

[papajeff]

No tip. I want to thank you for the tips, the videos, the courage you present. You are making it better.

[iirohakkarainen]

Great video. I have been dreaming of doing the PCT for many years now, hope 2024 is the year I'll finally do it

[frstesiste]

Hard to argue with advice from Jupiter! I'd add one though for early starters and/or high snow level years and that's to get your ice axe and/or micro spikes on your last town stop before Idyllwild. I did my most dangerous section of the whole PCT on an icy traverse somewhere north of Apache peak - and hadn't expected ice there.

[walkt]

Thanks for that great video!
I will start my pct thruhike after easter and i can say that your video has really given me a bit of peace and a feeling of security - especially as a hiker from abroad. It think it's because a lot of what you mention is exactly my attitude or preparation.
My tip 100 would be: actively create the opportunity for the thruhike as life doesn't wait for you

[Zac_Oli]

Great video as always, Jupiter! My tip for future hikers would be: Go Northbound. Due to snow levels in Washington, southbound hikers have to start usually in late June or July, so you'll be dealing with wildfires straight off the bat. I had to skip a couple of sections hiking SOBO in 2021 and ultimately had to end my hike when California closed all national forests for a couple of weeks. Hiking in smoke all day and dodging active fires isn't fun neither. The PCT is such a treat, you won't want to miss any of it!

[peterjohnson]

Geez Jupiter, your videos keep getting more 'real' and better. Thanks! :>)