Real Hiking Viking’s Top 10 PCT Shots

ANDYou know, a lot of people say that hiking the PCT is the easiest of all the Triple Crown trails. Well, I’m here to tell you that’s not the case.

If you think the PCT climb will be all ponies and rainbows, think again. Which is not.

Hello, I’m Jabba, the real hiking Viking. I am a Triple Crown hiker. I have backpacked since 2013 almost every year, to the tune of over 20,000 to 25,000 miles. I’ve lost count, but I’m here to tell you: I’m the Pacific Crest Trail expert.

Today we’re going to talk about my 10 hard truths about hiking the Pacific Crest Trail.

These truths are all things people don’t want to admit about PCT advancement.

1. The desert will break your spirit

The first thing I want to talk about is the desert. The desert will break your spirit.

You have 700 miles until you reach the Sierra, and all you’re doing is thinking about the Sierra, but in reality, you have to get through the lowest of the lows first. Sometimes through the snow from the start, and you’re not prepared for even half of it. It’s monotonous. It’s painful. It’s where your feet swell every day. Water is scarce.

The desert will break your spirit if you are not prepared for that type of experience before reaching the Sierra. Those 700 miles? It’s like its own little hike within a huge hike. Getting through it mentally before reaching some of the most glorious parts of the trail can be very difficult.

One time I was hiking through the desert on the PCT, passing through San Jacinto. At the northern end, you are descending into the desert. You fall between 3000 and 4000 feet, maybe more. It goes from snow at the top to 120 degrees at the bottom.

And you are completely out of water.

The only thing you’re thinking about is that water fountain in the background while the sun bakes you. There is no shadow anywhere. If you’re not prepared for that, it will be a long walk back to the water.

So before you hit the desert, make sure you have a real understanding of what it will take to get through those first 700 miles, before you even hit the next 2,000.

And remember: the desert doesn’t care about your Instagram feed.

2. Most of you won’t finish

Before I continue, I just want to make something clear: most of you reading this probably won’t finish. I’m sorry to say.

Statistics don’t lie. Less than 25% of people who start the Pacific Crest Trail finish it. I know it sounds crazy, but you have to be prepared for that reality.

The first two times I attended PCT, I didn’t finish. There are many reasons why people don’t finish any ride, but on the PCT it’s less than 25%. So be realistic about your odds.

And don’t just look at someone’s Instagram and think, «This is going to be amazing.» Half the time I’m frustrated. My body hurts. Something is going to come up. You’re going to think about quitting all the time.

But if you don’t finish, it doesn’t invalidate anything you’ve done.

Every hike shapes you, whether you complete it or not. You can still have a good time. And you can still call him whenever you decide.

Jabba on the PCT, 2017.

3. Your body will rebel against you

Your body is going to rebel against you.

Many people don’t finish because of pain and injuries, but I’m not just talking about muscle soreness.

I’m talking about:

• Toenails fall off
• Waterborne diseases such as Giardia
• Norovirus from other hikers
• Infections
• Septicemia
• dog bites
• Stress fractures
• rolled ankles
• broken bones

A lot of things can happen out there. You have to keep that in mind: your budget, your schedule, everything. Your body is going to break down somehow. It’s a fact.

And I don’t say this to scare you. It shouldn’t scare you. The best things in life come from perseverance. But it is necessary to understand that it will not be easy. You will have to fight the pain. I have experienced pain on each of my walks.

You can’t mentally prepare yourself before the tour for a scorpion sting, right? Scorpion on the PCT, 2017.

4. It’s more social than you think

The PCT has become so popular that what is thought to be a wilderness expedition is more like a social experiment.

Like the AT, you won’t be alone most of the time.

You form groups. Bubble shapes. You will see the same people all day long, in the city, hitchhiking; Before you know it, even if you didn’t want a family on the trail, you’ll have one. Especially at the beginning, there are so many people.

Most people give up in the first quarter of the trail, about the time you reach the Sierra, but those first 700 miles are packed.

You’ll meet people from all walks of life: experienced hikers, total beginners, and every personality type imaginable. And they all end up forming this moving conga line.

If you want a solo experience, you will have to actively work for it. Otherwise, accept that you will be surrounded by a lot of people.

Trail magic on the PCT, 2017.

5. Your budget will be ruined

Depending on when you start, your budget can quickly go out of business.

Many first-time hikers want to start early so they don’t have to cover big miles right away. But the slower you go, the more money you will spend.

Snow may arrive early. You could take a bunch of zeroes. Before you know it, you’ll have taken a week or two off for the first few hundred miles.

Then you pass the desert and you realize: you’ve wasted half your budget and you’re not even a quarter of the way there.

Then you may have to turn north because of the snow. Now you’re flying, renting cars, changing plans: it all adds up.

People don’t realize how expensive hiking really is. So be responsible with your money. It’s hard when you’re in the city with friends and you want to eat, drink, and hang out, but you need that money to finish your walk.

City food, baby.

6. You will become obsessed with food

You will become obsessed with food all the time.

Some people try to plan all their refills in advance with boxes. I did it and I also improvised it. Pre-planning sounds great, until you eat the same food over and over again. In your fifth box, you are trying to give it away.

If you plan ahead, have plenty of variety. And don’t pack only healthy food: you’ll want junk food. On the road, the only thing you think about is what you don’t have. Sweet. Meat. French fries. Whatever it is, your brain will focus on it.

You are constantly hungry. Food is your lifesaver. And when you get to the city? You’re eating burgers, shakes, pizza.

So balance the balance: eat healthier on the go, either Eat healthier in the city.

Just make sure you get some nutrition somewhere. Malnutrition is real and can lead to injury or just feeling terrible.

7. Days in the city are not vacations

Days in the city are not the vacation you think they are.

You could get a zero, but spend all day doing chores:

• Laundry
• Gear repair
• Replenishment
• Doctor visits
• Eating
• See friends or family

Before you know it, the day is over and you didn’t even rest.

Time in the city is precious.

I like to do what I call a “death march” into the city: try really hard to get there early, do all my chores, and then enjoy a zero. The city is where many of your best memories are created. On the road, I walk alone. In the city I am with people.

And yes, I am guilty of the double zero. I even got a triple zero. Sometimes you just need it.

8. Fire Shutdowns Don’t Care About Your Plans

Fire closures don’t give a damn about your plans.

You can train for years. Plan everything perfectly. It doesn’t matter.

My first two PCT tours ended due to fires.

Coming from the East Coast, I had no idea how common fires were in the West. They can happen anywhere, anytime and completely derail your hike.

Maybe you want to keep your steps connected. You may want a “pure” hike. But sometimes Mother Nature has other plans.

Going through closures illegally? Bad idea. Walking down the road 200 miles? Also terrible.

You have to be flexible or you will have a hard time.

A fire closure may interrupt your hike prematurely.

9. The mental game is brutal

After the first month, your body adapts. But mentally? It gets more difficult.

Everything becomes repetitive:

• 20 mile days
• wake up early
• Digging holes for cats
• Eat the same food

It can be monotonous. Lonely. Boring, although still beautiful.

The mental aspect is the number one reason why people quit smoking. If you don’t find ways to cope or mix things up, this can ruin you.

Sometimes you need to: take a zero, slow down, do something totally different, or even just veer off course a little.

I took breaks for family vacations, went to the beach, spent the 4th of July at Lake Tahoe, anything to break up the monotony.

An epic side quest or alternate route is a great way to break up the monotony. Crater Lake, 2017.

10. It may not change you as you expect

The path changes you, but maybe not how you think.

Some people look forward to this huge, profound, life-changing experience. You may have that, but it may not look the way you imagined.

For me, it just meant I wanted to keep hiking. It didn’t send me back to the “real world” with a whole new life plan.

Perhaps the most important thing is to simply realize that you want to spend more time outdoors. Maybe that’s enough.

Those “life-changing moments” may not be dramatic. They could simply be quiet discoveries that you carry into your daily life.

Final thoughts

So those are 10 hard truths about the Pacific Crest Trail.

They may not be he top 10. Maybe you have your own. If so, throw them in the comments.

Alright, gang. Don’t forget to like and subscribe. And remember: get out.

I am Jabba, the real Viking hiker. Take it easy.

The above is a transcript. Minor edits have been made for clarity and readability, while preserving the original message and intent. This video is part of a new series about Youtube of the trip. Be sure to check the full video and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Finishing the PCT at Southern Terminus with Zach Badger Davis. 2017.