My 2017 Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) Journal
The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) stretches for roughly 2,650 miles from Mexico to Canada through some of the most beautiful landscapes of the American West. For those whose dreams it haunts, it symbolizes adventure and freedom. For others who have completed the trail, it becomes a place filled with the residue of lifelong friendships, love, sacrifice, pain, and joy.
Through the Californian desert, Sierra Mountains, Northern California, Oregon, and the beauty that is Washington State, the PCT will inspire, torture, torment, and yet somehow revive you in a way that feels as though for the first time you are seeing the world in vivid color. It is a sacred place and a personal sanctuary to many.
On April 10, 2017, I began my journey hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. I was excited and yet, terrified. Within 24 hours I was humbled both physically and mentally. By the time I arrived in Canada in September, I had become a version of myself that I knew was there, but had yet to be discovered. I was physically and mentally strong, inspired, kind, and on top of the world.
I kept an online journal throughout my hike and did my best to document the trail in the best way possible. The journal entries below were written in real-time while I was either in camp or in town for a night and all photos are mine, taken with a simple iPhone. Some are long, and some are short, but they are all a very real depiction of life on the trail.
My hope is that you find these entries amusing at the very least. You’ll witness my energy and perspectives morph as I make my way north. As regions change, so do I and as miles pile up, so do my thoughts. They are all here, ready for you to read.
Thank you for taking an interest in my journey along the Pacific Crest Trail. If you have any questions or wish to connect, please don’t hesitate to contact me at emory@byland.co.
Please enjoy,
Emory, By land