The Pacific Crest Trail
Running the width of our country, from Mexico to Canada
2650 Miles
5.3 Million Steps
3 States (California, Oregon, Washington)
48 Wilderness areas inaccessible by road
Highest Point: Forrester Pass, CA (13,153 ft)
Lowest Point: Columbia River (170 ft)
489,418 feet of ascent
488,411 feet of descent
56 (Age I was when I began)
61 (Age I finished)
The Mantra that saw me through: "I am fit. I am strong. I am grateful. I can (I DID) do this!"
These are the stats, but of course the adventure has been far greater than numbers will ever reveal.
I have hiked much of it alone, but I have also shared many miles with a few of my my dearest friends, my children, and my most loved nephew. And, absolutely NONE of this would have been possible without my husband, Stephen, the one who first told me that I could do this and that he would support me every step of the way. I could, and he has.
One day I woke up and said:
"Maybe I should just start walking!"
So, I started walking... and I kept on walking.
Reaching the monument, on our border with Canada, on Labor Day of 2020 was wonderful, but truly, it was like the period at the end of a very long, and beautifully constructed paragraph, one I will be re-reading in the depths of my soul for the remainder of my life. I never counted on finishing; Every mile
has felt like an undeserved gift.
I didn't hike this beautiful trail because I wanted a challenge, only because I had felt a life-long connection to all that it represented to me. While there may be other trails in my future, none will hold my passion like the PCT.
These are my reflections, lessons learned over the course of 5.3 million steps on perhaps the most beautiful trail in this amazing world of ours.
Thank you for joining me in my journey.
"If you dream it, you can do it!"
Just keep walking.
