Pacific Crest Trail Gear List
With only two weeks remaining before the start of my hike, I wanted to share the gear that I will be bringing with me from the very beginning. Here’s the complete list of items – including the ones I only realized I’d forgotten after putting everything away: https://lighterpack.com/r/rxyrot
The trail is long and its challenges varied. From the beginning the concern at the front of everyone’s mind is water. Twenty-mile stretches between water sources, persistent winds that snatch the moisture from cracked lips, paltry shade to escape the scorching sunlight; all this awaits those who hike the 700 miles of desert between the border and Kennedy Meadows. I’ll be bringing enough capacity to carry 5L of water – about 11 pounds – in order to stay hydrated. When I reach the sparkling lakes of the High Sierra, I’ll trade that gear in for a different adaptation: an ice axe, microspikes, and a hard-sided food container for protection from bears.
The majority of the gear changes for this hike, however, will have already happened before I start walking. When you have to hike 15-20 miles per day, day after day, weight becomes paramount. My first set of backpacking gear was acquired on a whim: I went to the REI garage sale to look for bike panniers and came home with a tent, sleeping pad, sleeping bag, trekking poles – and panniers. Of that original set, only the sleeping bag will be accompanying me on this trip. Everything else, besides my trekking poles, was jettisoned in favor of “ultralight” gear.
My poor trekking poles. I’m not sure when I originally broke them, but on a 10-day trip through the Wind Rivers Range in Wyoming, one pole became so jammed that I was forced to carry its dismembered body on the outside of my pack for two days. With occasional super glue infusions, they were able to serve me well for another three years. But on the PCT I’ll be relying on my trekking poles for keeping my tent upright; there’s no room for nostalgia.
7 Comments
Mike Dominik
Good picture and list of what you are taking with you. Nice writer-. Good Luck.
Mike Lewis
Curious why the SUV-size amount of fishing gear I would bring along is not pictured. Will eagerly await your response ;).
Good luck!
kate bowman
I am literally guffawing over this! I am presuming that Karen’s fishing gear has been discreetly tucked outside of photograph range.
Rob
Super excited for you! This will make memories of a lifetime! I am so proud of you and wish i did stuff like this when i was much younger. Will be there in spirit!
chasingalpenglow
Thank you! I’ll be sure to swap stories next time I see you 🙂
David
I’m very excited for you. We just did a few short hikes into the Grand Canyon and Painted Desert with the kids, and they definitely inspired us to plan for multi-day hikes in the future. Cheers to an amazing experience and loads of stories.
Ray
What? No duct tape? I can’t even go to Costco without duct tape . . . Looks like a wonderful, experience-curated collection . . .