Currently hiking the pacific crest trail: a 2,650 mile trek that runs from Mexico to Canada.
Not Today: Frostbite and Survival on the PCT’s Most Dangerous Pass
In the heart of the High Sierra, the Pacific Crest Trail tests even the strongest hikers. But nothing could have prepared me for the night we climbed Forester Pass — the highest and most dangerous point on the trail. With frostbite setting in and a storm closing around us, this wasn’t just a hike — it was a fight to survive.
Reflections From the PCT Desert: Lessons From the First 600 Miles
From embracing discomfort to finding contentment in letting go, the desert has been a relentless, beautiful teacher. Here are five lessons the trail has etched into me so far.
Crossing the Mojave: The Last Stretch of the PCT Desert Section
We blinked, and suddenly found ourselves standing at the north end of the Mojave, squinting back at the hundreds of dusty miles we had traversed. Somewhere in the blur, we became something new—hardened, grateful, a little feral.
This desert stripped us down gently, layer by layer, like water over stone. In the absence of excess, I found peace. Not from gaining anything—but from shedding it all.
The trail is a mirror. A teacher. A gentle nudge toward trust, resilience, and choosing presence over perfection.
The PCT Desert Section: Beauty, Pain, and the Art of Reframing
The first weeks on the PCT have been a whirlwind—blazing sun, freezing nights, relentless wind, and miles of snow. The desert is harsher and more beautiful than I imagined, each day a lesson in resilience. Some days, everything hurts, yet every sunrise brings the urge to keep moving—one step at a time, deeper into the journey.