This page includes an archive of all blogs from my 2017 thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail. For more information, head on over to Unicorn’s Pacific Crest Trail Blog – PCT 2017 main landing page.
Pre-Hike Preparations
PCT Archives Part I: Southern California
Southern Terminus to Lone Pine, CA
- Pacific Crest Trail Day 1 – The Southern Terminus
- Pacific Crest Trail Day 2 – Trail Magic in Lake Morena
- Pacific Crest Trail Day 3 – Blisters and Frozen Shoes
- Pacific Crest Trail Day 4 – Nero Day in Mt. Laguna
- Pacific Crest Trail Day 5 – Braving a Windstorm in the Sawtooth Mountain Wilderness
- Pacific Crest Trail Day 6 – Hitching to Julian from Scissors Crossing
- Pacific Crest Trail Day 7 – Free Hugs and Pie in Julian
- Pacific Crest Trail Day 8 – Making Friends in the Desert
- Pacific Crest Trail Day 9 – Filling up at the Third Gate Water Cache
- Pacific Crest Trail Day 10 – Eagle Rock and Warner Springs
- Pacific Crest Trail Day 11 – Foot Care at Warner Springs Community Center
- Pacific Crest Trail Day 12 – The Ballad of Captain Underpants
- Pacific Crest Trail Day 13 – Meeting New Friends at Walden
- Pacific Crest Trail Day 14 – The Best Burger Ever at the Paradise Valley Cafe
- Pacific Crest Trail Day 15 – Hiking the Mountain Fire Alternate Trail
- Pacific Crest Trail Day 16 – Road Walking Into Idyllwild
- Pacific Crest Trail Day 17 – Zero Day in Idyllwild
- Pacific Crest Trail Day 18 – Snowy Traverse and a Broken Hiking Pole in the San Jacinto Wilderness
- Pacific Crest Trail Day 19 – In Which Unicorn Summits Mt. San Jacinto
- Pacific Crest Trail Day 20 – Fuller Ridge Trailhead to Cabazon
- Pacific Crest Trail Day 21 – Cooling Off at the Whitewater Preserve
- Pacific Crest Trail Day 22 – Beating the Heat with the Slo-Bo’s
- Pacific Crest Trail Day 23 – The Race to Big Bear
- Pacific Crest Trail Day 24 – The Underpants Incident
- Pacific Crest Trail Day 25 – Slackpacking in Big Bear
- PCT Day 26 – Ode to My Enlightened Equipment Enigma Quilt
- PCT Day 27 – Hiking along Holcomb Creek
- PCT Day 28 – Deep Creek Hot Springs
- PCT Day 29 – Eating Pizza at Silverwood Lake
- PCT Day 30 – The Infamous McDonald’s at Cajon Pass
- PCT Day 31 – Railroad Tracks and Gobbler’s Knob
- PCT Day 32 – Hiking in Snow to Wrightwood
- PCT Day 33 – The Inspirational Inspiration Point
- PCT Day 34 – Summiting Mt. Baden-Powell
- PCT Day 35 – Buckhorn Campground to Sulphur Springs Trail Camp
- PCT Day 36 – Sulphur Springs Trail Camp to Mill Creek Fire Station
- PCT Day 37 – Mill Creek Fire Station to North Fork Ranger Station
- PCT Day 38 – North Fork Ranger Station to Acton KOA Campground
- PCT Day 42 – Vasquez Rocks and Agua Dulce
- PCT Day 43 – A Discouraging Day
- PCT Day 44 – Zero Day at Casa de Luna
- PCT Day 45 – Hiker Trash Siesta
- PCT Day 46 – 500 Miles on the PCT
- PCT Day 47 – HikerTown and the L.A. Aqueduct
- PCT Day 48 – L.A. Aqueduct and Windfarms
- PCT Day 49 – Arrival in Tehachapi
- PCT Day 50 – Busy Zero Day in Tehachapi
- PCT Day 51 – The Legend of Legend
- PCT Day 52 – Siesta at Golden Oaks Spring
- PCT Day 53 – Robin Bird Spring
- PCT Day 54 – Napping Under Joshua Trees in the Mojave Desert
- PCT Day 55 – Hiker Trash Harry Potter Siesta
- PCT Days 56 and 57: Zero Day in Lake Isabella
- The 2017 Snow in the Sierras Blog Post
- PCT Day 58 – Walker Pass to Spanish Needle Creek
- PCT Day 59 – Spanish Needle Creek to Fox Mill Creek
- PCT Day 60 – Triumphant Arrival at Kennedy Meadows
- PCT Day 61 – Zero Day in Kennedy Meadows
- PCT Day 62 – Entering the Sequoia National Forest
- PCT Day 63 – Monache Meadow and Kern River
- PCT Day 64 – Death Canyon Creek to Trail Pass Junction
- PCT Days 65, 66 & 67 – Flipping from Lone Pine to Ashland
PCT Archives Part II: Northern California
Ashland, OR to Sierra City, CA (Southbound)
- PCT Day 68 – Hiking the Wrong Way at Callahan’s
- PCT Day 69 – Our First Snowy Traverse Near Mt. Ashland
- PCT Day 70 – Snow and More Snow on Mt. Ashland
- PCT Day 71 – Misadventures in the Snow at Mt. Ashland
- PCT Day 72 – Hanging out with Locals in Seiad Valley
- PCT Day 73 – Trail Angel Ed and his Dog Fred Henry
- PCT Day 74 – Another Failed Sleeping Pad at Fitzhugh Gulch
- PCT Day 75 – Fitzhugh Gulch to Alder Creek Junction
- PCT Day 76 – Spectacular Views of Mt. Shasta
- PCT Day 77 – Rock Creek and Lake Britton Dam
- PCT Day 78 – Burney Falls to Burney Mountain Guest Ranch
- PCT Day 79 – Mosquito Fiesta near Baum Lake
- PCT Day 80 – Hat Creek Rim
- PCT Day 81 – The Hiker-Friendly Gas Station in Old Station
- PCT Day 82 – Celebratory 4th of July Siesta
- PCT Day 83 – Swimming in Lassen Volcanic National Park
- PCT Day 84 – Warner Valley Campground to Chester
- PCT Day 85 – Nero Day in Chester
- PCT Day 86 – Hanging out with Gary Pegg and His Horses
- PCT Day 87 – 1000 Miles on the PCT
- PCT Day 88 – Anchor Down in Belden Town
- PCT Day 89 – The Steep Southbound Hike out of Belden
- PCT Day 90 – Sidelined by a Migraine
- PCT Day 91 – Lookout Rock and Feather River
- PCT Day 92 – Ulcerative Colitis Flare-Up on Trail
- PCT Day 93 – Saturday July 15
- PCT Day 94 – Sunday July 16
- PCT Day 95 – Monday July 17
- PCT Day 96 – Tuesday July 18
- PCT Day 97 – Wednesday July 19
- PCT Day 98 – Thursday July 20
- PCT Day 99 – Friday July 21
- PCT Day 100 – Saturday July 22
- PCT Day 101: The Battle of the Sea Biscuits
- PCT Days 102 – 109
PCT Archives Part III: Northern California
Dunsmuir, CA to Seiad Valley, CA
- PCT Day 110 – Tuesday August 1
- PCT Day 111 – Wednesday August 2
- PCT Day 112 – Thursday August 3
- PCT Day 113 – Friday August 4
- PCT Day 114 – Saturday August 5
- PCT Day 115 – Sunday August 6
- PCT Day 116 – Monday August 7
- PCT Day 118 – Wednesday August 9
- PCT Day 119 – Thursday August 10
PCT Archives Part IV: Oregon & Washington
Ashland, OR to Carson, WA
- Pacific Crest Trail Day 120 – Hiking with Ulcerative Colitis
- Pacific Crest Trail Day 121 – Pilot Rock to Hyatt Lake Recreation Area
- Pacific Crest Trail Day 122 – Hiking Oregon’s Green Tunnel
- Pacific Crest Trail Day 123 – Nero Day at Fish Lake Resort
- Pacific Crest Trail Day 124 – In Which Unicorn Has Officially Hiked Half of the PCT!
- Pacific Crest Trail Day 125 – Hitchhiking around the Forest Fires in Crater Lake
- Pacific Crest Trail Day 126 – Zero Day in Mazama Village
- Pacific Crest Trail Day 127 – Hiking the Crater Lake Rim Trail at Sunset
- Pacific Crest Trail Day 128 – Mt. Thielsen Wilderness
- Pacific Crest Trail Day 129 – Encountering a Forest Fire Fighter at Windigo Pass
- Pacific Crest Trail Day 130 – Watching the 2017 Eclipse from the Trail
- PCT Day 131 – Pee Rag Shenanigans and Shelter Cove Resort
- PCT Day 132 – Old Blaze Marks and Mossy Trees in Central Oregon
- PCT Day 133 – Irish Lake to Elk Lake Junction
- PCT Day 134 – Zero in Bend with Bright and Story
- PCT Day 135 – Olallie Lake Resort
- PCT Day 136 – In Which Unicorn Hikes a 25-Mile Day
- PCT Day 137 – Spectacular Sunset at Mt. Hood
- PCT Day 138 – Breakfast Buffet at Timberline Lodge
- PCT Day 139 – Hiking by the Indian Creek Wildfire
- PCT Day 140 – Behold the Mighty Columbia River!
- PCT Days 141 & 142 – Witnessing the Notorious Eagle Creek Fire
- PCT Day 143 – Evacuation from Cascade Locks
- PCT Day 144 – Hiking through Forest Fire Smoke
- PCT Day 145 – Leaving the Trail due to Wildfires
PCT Archives Part V: The High Sierras
Lone Pine, CA to Yosemite National Park
- PCT Days 146, 147 & 148 – Preparing to Hike the High Sierras
- PCT Day 149 – Return to Horseshoe Meadow
- PCT Day 150 – Entering Sequoia & King’s Canyon National Parks
- PCT Day 151 – Summiting Mt. Whitney
- PCT Day 152 – Crabtree Meadow to Tyndall Creek
- PCT Day 153 – Forester Pass, the Tallest Point on the PCT
- PCT Day 154 – The Mt. Williamson Motel and Basecamp
- PCT Day 155 – Crossing Glen Pass to Rae Lakes
- PCT Day 156 – Woods Creek Waterslide and Pinchot Pass
- PCT Day 157 – Mather Pass and the Golden Staircase
- PCT Day 158 – A Surprise at the Muir Hut
- PCT Day 159 – Visiting the Muir Trail Ranch
- PCT Day 160 – Crossing Selden Pass and Bear Creek
- PCT Day 161 – Surprise Snowfall in the Sierras
- PCT Day 162 – Staying Warm at Vermilion Valley Resort
- PCT Day 163 – Crossing Silver Pass to the Iva Bell Hot Springs
- PCT Days 164 & 165 – Zero Day in Mammoth
- PCT Day 166 – Devil’s Postpile National Monument
- PCT Day 167 – Crossing Donahue Pass to Yosemite National Park
- PCT Day 168 – Ending My PCT Hike at Yosemite National Park
- Yosemite National Park Part I
- Yosemite National Park Part II
- The Journey Home