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Bussing to the Beach – Rancagua & Pichilemu
2 January 2023 It was our last day in Santiago. Maggie and I packed up in the hostel, then left our big packs in the lockers for the morning. We went out for breakfast at Wonderland Cafe, an Alice in Wonderland themed restaurant. It was a little kitschy, but a fun vibe, and being in…
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33 South Bound – Denver to Santiago
When I’m bored, I often peruse a combination of Google Maps and Wikipedia (because I’m a nerd). I quite enjoy exploring the world from the comfort of my own home. Well, one day I was looking at South America on the map. That enormous, unbroken chain of mountains from top to bottom was alluring. The…
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Our PCT Thru Hike By the Numbers
I love crunching data! Shortly after getting off trail, I entered all of our mileage data into a spreadsheet to see how our hike looked by the numbers. In journaling our thru hike, I kept track of how far we hiked each day. This was made easy by the FarOut app, which tells you the…
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PCT FAQ
When Maggie and I returned home after hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, our friends and family naturally had lots of questions about our journey. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions: What were your trail names? Russell: Fanny SnacksAfter the 100 mile mark and a few beers at the Montezuma Valley Market, we…
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Pacific Crest Trail – Thoughts and Reflections
14 February 2023 There is so much to say about the Pacific Crest Trail, and yet I’m at a loss for words as I reflect several months after ending the hike. Hiking the PCT was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life, but it came with the greatest rewards, more than I could…
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Terminus – Stehekin to Denver
You never know what is around the next bend on the Pacific Crest Trail. With less than 100 miles to go, Maggie and I were eager to reach the Canadian Border, the northern terminus of the PCT. We were feeling the fatigue from five months of hiking, but we knew we could finish the journey.…
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A Warning in the Sky – Leavenworth to Agnes Creek
Maggie and I were headed into the insanely gorgeous Glacier Peak Wilderness. Canada was within reach, but we were seeing signs that we might not make it… Day 154 – 6 miles/2471 (8/29/22) Maggie and I moseyed out of bed in the hotel and started getting our stuff together. Naturally, we were in the room…
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Ramping Up the Vert and the Views – Snoqualmie Pass to Stevens Pass
The Cascades are North America’s youngest mountain range. The bulk of the mountain building in the Cascade Range occurred about 10 million years ago. They are the new kids on the continent compared to the 70 million year old Rockies and 250 million year old Appalachian Mountains. The nascent character is unmistakable in the striking,…
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Berries, Beer, and Rainier – White Pass to Snoqualmie Pass
The crown jewel of Washington state – Mount Rainier. If you’ve been keeping track, then by now you may have noticed the PCT doesn’t actually go over any high peaks. Rather, the trail just gets close enough for a good view. Mt. Rainier is one peak I was happy to admire from a distance as…
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Of Glaciers and Goats – Trout Lake to White Pass
Washington started to deliver the goods! Mount Adams and the Goat Rocks Wilderness were some definite high points in this gorgeous state. Day 142 – 24 miles/2255 (8/17/22) With the big bubble around, we realized sleeping in and rolling into camp at 7 pm wasn’t gonna work much longer. The tent sites were typically getting…
Boldly going nowhere in particular