I woke up at 4:30am to shuffling, rustling, light, crunchy footsteps, and the infamous releases of air from scattered mats. The air was cool and crisp, even inside my tent. I didn’t want to leave the warmth of my sleeping bag. I started to think. I remembered the cacophony of coyotes I heard the night before, howling at each other across the desert. Normally, I would have been terrified. Last night I was excited.
This is all. I’m here. Today is the day. The first morning has arrived.
From inside my tent, I couldn’t tell exactly what was going on, but I felt a surge of energy and excitement among the others. My nerves and anxiety got the best of me as I shoved my gear into my bag as quickly as I could. I quickly folded my sleeping mat and put it away with air still in it. My clothes were not organized or in any bag system. My electronics were thrown haphazardly and who knows where my toothbrush was. I just wanted to have breakfast with the others and not be the last one left behind. From now on, I have all the time in the world to go slow and enjoy every moment, but I still feel pressured to hurry up and not miss anything. We will work on that.
We had a fabulous breakfast at CLEEF: bagels, peanut butter, Nutella, fresh avocado and fruit, coffee, tea, and even chocolate chip pancakes. I was surely spoiled by my first breakfast on the Pacific Crest Trail.
The energy was electric. Hikers were enjoying such a luxurious breakfast, sharing stories of past hikes, comparing gear, signing the PCT Class of 2026 wall, and packing their backpacks. I couldn’t help but stop, look around, and take in such an incredible moment: we were all strangers, united by our common love of the outdoors, dreaming of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, in our final seconds before embarking on the hike of a lifetime. What a special moment!
I grabbed my PCT tag and hung it on my backpack. I filled my water bottles: 2L to reach the first water source at kilometer 4.4. I signed the log book and double-checked that I had everything I needed, leaving nothing behind. I weighed my backpack (for the first time, loaded with water and food for 3 days): 38.8 pounds. Uh-oh. I wanted to be around 30 pounds, but oh well. Here we go.
I set out alone for Southern Terminus, just 0.7 miles south of CLEEF, at first disappointed that I didn’t have a group to start with, but then grateful to have a few final moments to myself (little did I know, I’d be surrounded by other hikers quite often). I remembered the first time I heard about the PCT, in the book “Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail.” I remembered saying that one day I would go up the PCT. I remembered how many parallels Cheryl Strayed and I shared, the most notable: losing our dearest mothers to cancer and having no hiking experience. Was inspired and empowered dare one day to also advance in the PCT. And I dreamed about that day for 14 years. How surreal it was to be in this moment. Years of fantasizing, planning, saving, preparing and training. And today I’m doing it. I am daring. I’m hiking the Pacific Crest Trail.
I arrived at Southern Terminus with many emotions, calmed by the lightness and excitement of fellow hikers taking photos and videos. After a (more than mini) photo session with my new friend, Cleo, from Vancouver, Canada, we walked to the border wall, touched it, and began our journey north. Our Garmins were on, tracking FarOut and our first pass completed. All my nerves, fears, anxieties, worries and paranoia had subsided. It was time to walk.
Along the way, Paul from the UK joined us. We all shared short introductions, shared stories of past hikes and trips, and enjoyed our first miles together. I enjoyed every “first time.” Completing the first mile, crossing our first stream, filtering water on the trail for the first time, our first lunch break in the shade, seeing our first snake (not a rattlesnake, thank goodness), our first water tank at mile 14, our first campsite at Hauser Creek, our first 15.3 miles on the trail, our first dinner together. Surely the “firsts” would grow old. But for now I enjoyed experiencing everything with fresh and excited eyes.
My first day of trail riding was everything I wanted: I made friends, I felt strong, my feet worked, I survived the sun and heat, I filtered water without anyone seeing my inexperience, and I set up my tent without embarrassing myself.
I think I’ll be fine. Scratch that. I know I’ll be fine. Actually, I’m going to be amazing.
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