Through-hiking Washington State on the Pacific Crest Trail
This August, I plan to hike the approximately 500 miles through the state of Washington, from the Columbia River Gorge on the Oregon/Washington border to the Canadian border at E.C. Manning Provincial Park. I plan to do this in August 2026, primarily by myself. In this blog series, I’ll be documenting the process of preparing for this undertaking, every step of the way. Let’s get into it!
Can I do it?
Only time will tell. But I think it’s within my skill wheelhouse. I’ve been hiking for many years, and been backpacking for most of that time.
Have I ever backpacked more than a few nights in a row?
No. The longest backpacking trip I’ve done would probably be a tie between a trip along the Appalachian trail in college (maybe it was 5 nights?) and a backpacking trip I did in 2018 in Norway which was about 5 days.
Have I ever backpacked by myself?
Never. In the past year, I’ve started hiking by myself, and did my first night hike by myself. It was terrifying, though.
Are there things that scare me about this idea?
Yes. Like bears. Or being harassed by people as a solo female hiker. Or having to ford a river on my own. These are the things that keep me up at night. I don’t think any of them are a reason not to try, though.
Could I just hike a week of the trail and see how it goes?
Of course. And maybe that’s how it’ll go if I’m not feeling well or something else disrupts this plan between now and August. But by putting a BIG IDEA out there, I hope it will inspire me to continue on. Kind of like how you could hypothetically just wake up one way and run a half marathon in your neighborhood, but isn’t it so much more interesting to sign up for a formal race and make a whole big thing of it?
Probably the most important question to ask here is WHY.
Why am I doing this?
I have a lot of reasons. The first is that I can. I am working as a contractor and the second half of my year is still up in the air. I don’t have many commitments holding me back. And despite being the ripe age of 36, I’m actually in the best shape of my life. I’m strong and healthy. And I’m not getting any younger, and I’m a big believer in seizing the moment, because tomorrow is not promised.
Why the PCT?
I’ve always admired those who have hiked the PCT. Obviously I read Wild and watched the movie. But I actually know people who have hiked the entire trail as well, and I know how transformative it was for them. I never imagined doing it myself, but I also wasn’t quite as adept at outdoor adventure before. The last 3 years living in British Columbia has really accelerated my skills, given the close proximity of some big mountains and more variable weather conditions. And while I don’t currently hold aspirations to hike the entire trail (hiking for 5 months straight just seems kind of insane), the idea of tackling the trail in bits, a month or a few weeks at a time, definitely sounds appealing. Well maintained and documented trails are a true gift to the outdoorsman, and I want to experience what it’s like to really get into the backcountry, away from civilization, and further then just a day’s hike.
Why just the Washington section?
Living in Vancouver, British Columbia, I love exploring the Pacific Northwest. However, I haven’t had that much time to explore Washington. There’s just so much to see and do in British Columbia I haven’t made it south as much as I’d hoped. By doing the Washington section, I can change that. I can really, intimately, get to know the landscape of Washington state, and weave my way through many of the parks and beautiful areas that make this place so special. I wish British Columbia had a similar hike, but unfortunately the mountains are just SO wild and undeveloped that there aren’t really long term hikes like this in the area.
Another reason is that the Washington section is just slightly over 500 miles. This is both the minimum number of miles you need to agree to hike to get the through-hiker permit, and also is just such a nice round number. It’s like that song, “I would walk 500 miles…”.
The final reason is that the starting point of the Washington / Oregon border is only 6 hours drive from where I live. Which means I’d literally be walking back home, in a sense. If something happens and I need to get picked up, I will never be so far away.
What have I done so far?
I’ve done some research in the online forums, checked out every book from the library and applied for and received my permit.
My goal for February is to reach out to some brands to see if I can get some sponsorship / stress test some lightweight gear, and maybe do some more forum research on gear options to order in March. It’s still early days, but the thing I need to nail down sooner rather than later is what gear I need, and stress testing it on a few practice trips (have to plan those too).
Stay tuned!
