Thruhiking is Not a Big Deal

As I was hiking the PCT this year, I had the pleasure of writing about, and sharing with you folks, my day-to-day experience as I went along. What I didn’t do was take the time to seriously reflect on any ideas I had about the trail and my time out there. So here goes my first attempt at recording some of the more interesting things that occupied my thoughts during my long hours of walking alone all summer.

Thruhiking is not a big deal.

What was going through my head in the fall of 2018 when I signed up for my permit to thruhike the PCT? Honestly, it’s tough to remember. Fuzzy ideas like wanderlust and reconnection come mind, plus a handful of corny John Muir and Ansel Adams quotes, which I don’t think is an uncommon experience. In so many ways, leaving home for a long walk in the woods resembles a Hero’s Journey. After we take our photos with the southern terminus and head north into the desert, the comparisons to Luke Skywalker and heck, Buddha and Christ themselves come easy. More recently, things like Wild reinforce the idea that thruhiking is the answer to all kinds of personal quests.

But as I spent more and more time on trail, I started to realize that those ideas weren’t rooted in reality, at least for me. I realized that the thruhiking experience was nothing more than a bunch of 20-somethings and retirees on a really sweet vacation. And don’t get me wrong, this summer was one of the best of my adult life with no doubt. But it wasn’t a Hero’s Journey. I didn’t learn the meaning of life. I didn’t defeat Darth Vader at the end. All I did was look at some of the most beautiful things in the world, meet some of the most beautiful people, and have a ton of fun.

This isn’t a critical essay. Maybe I want it to be inspiring in some cynical way. The PCT permit lottery is in less than two months. If you like hiking, you don’t need a Call to Adventure. All you need is a body that can walk 15 miles per day, a backpack, some camping gear, and a couple thousand bucks for groceries. That’s a recipe for a summer you’ll never forget; just don’t expect it to change your life.

Just get out there and go for it. Don’t wait for everything to be in order. Don’t wait for next year. Don’t wait for Uncle Ben. Get out there and live.