FIN-ish

   

Fire Creek Pass

   And here we are, 1 month after the feet had walked 2650 miles. I'm sitting here in Missoula, MT, a place I hold dear to my heart and I still can't seem to figure out how to describe the journey that took place this Summer.

Headed toward Stevens Pass

  For some people it is really easy to transition back into their life before the trail, for others not so much. I have adapted well in most environments but there seems to be something missing now that I have chosen not to walk and walk and walk...at least for a few months.

GOAT Time

    In the past month I've been in in 3 different countries, multiple time zones, many airports and in several large cities. It has been a complete 180 from waking up each morning in a sleeping bag, eating protein/energy bars as I hiked to the next water source and surrounded by the natural beauty along the trail. The past few weeks have consisted of waking up on a mattress, choosing the type of breakfast I want to eat (hot, cold, warm, etc) and walking (if I want to) to a destination that probably has running water and a toilet seat to sit on.

Highest Pt on PCT left

  People have asked me now, "So how does it feel to be done?!" and "Is it weird being back in the real world?" How does one answer those questions? Personally it feels as if I didn't just complete this trek across the country, it's almost as if it didn't happen. That sounds looney, I know, but bear with me here as I don't have an elevator speech/talk for this because it is not something that can be condensed into 30 seconds. Also I want to note that nothing is done, it feels as if it is just the beginning.

Tunnel Falls, OR

  So to help find some more meaning and to help others see or understand what it is a thru hike consists of I've done some calculations. See Results Below:

1. How Many Zero Days Did You Take (Zero Day = No Hiking)
  a).  21 Days Off

2. What about Nero Days (Near Zero Days that included some hiking into or out of a town or resupply stop)
  a.) 12 Nero Days

3. What was your average mileage per day?
  a). 29.3 Miles Per day
  b). Hiking 10 hours per day on average

Mt. Adams

4. What Was your Shortest Day
  a) 4 Miles

5. What was your longest Day?
  a). 38.7 miles

6. What was your longest stretch without a resupply (Resupply = getting more food/supplies in town)?
  a. ) 6 Days, from Tuolumne Meadows to South Lake Tahoe

Volcanic Rock = Trail

7. What was your pack Weight to Start? And Finish?
 a). Starting Pack Weight - 42 lbs
 b). Finishing Pack Weight - 24 lbs

8. What was the most water you had to carry? Least Water?
  a). Most Water Carried = 6 liters
  b). Least water carried = 0.5 liters

White Pass

More Numbers!!!

• 6 pairs of shoes worn
• 5 blisters (all in desert)
• 10 pairs of socks used
• 1 shirt (lasted from border to border...with many shabby patch jobs)
• 1 pair of shorts (worn until South Lake Tahoe)
• 1 pair of zip off pants (found in Hiker Box in South Lake Tahoe...with it's on shabby patch job)
• 1 hat (lasted from border to border)
• 1 pack (lasted from border to border...many a tear in it)
• 1 sleeping bag (lasted border to border...losing down due to compression)
• 8 sawyer squeeze bags burst (will no longer use these...ever)

3 Finger Jack

A Few more Fun Facts:

• Humans Encountered on Trail : Hundreds (4000 + permits issued this year, doubling every year)
• Mosquitoes Encountered on Trail : Millions 
• Bars Eaten on Trail : Hundreds
• Times it Rained while we were hiking: 4
• Food You Cannot Eat Anymore: Trail Mix
• Favorite In Town Meal: Paradise Cafe Burger
• Favorite Section: Sierras, North Cascades
• Least Favorite: Hat Creek Rim (was sick) and Sky Lakes Wilderness (Bugs and Blowdowns)
• 1 Phone Broken, 1 Camera Broken (Lesson...maybe)
• Fundraising Goals Reached - YES!!!! Thanks to everyone for their donations and positive energy!

     I don't think it will fully hit me until later in life but I have even more appreciation for our public lands in this country. In addition, the love, altruism and friendships I saw on trail give me hope in humanity in this time of great division. I appreciate life so much more now and will strive to continue to live mine while doing what I can to help others along the way.

Glacier Peak Wilderness

If some bold revelations come to me I'll post them on the blog but until then I am still a little speechless from the experience.

Dragon Glass

    It is still too early to answer this but I'll do it right now for the moment I'm in:

If you Could Do it All Over Again...would you? 

Yes

POST PCT Celebration

Thank you again for taking the time to follow the blog. Thank you to all the wonderful trail angels and caring citizens I met along the trail. Thank you to the PCTA for doing all the work that they do keeping the Trail Maintained, safe and for educating people on backcountry travel. Thank you to all the hikers who I will always call a friend now. Thank you to my family for always supporting me even though I've chosen some more unconventional paths to follow. 

Thank you ,

Tyler "The Prodigy"

FIN-Ish

Cascade Dreaming

Washington, ok I get it now..

  5 months ago all I could really focus on was trying to keep up with some folks who'd already hiked most of the trail previously. 

Mt. Rainier, hey beautiful

  As I enter this state I begin to wonder, how bad are the bugs? Will we get constant rain and snow?  Is my gear going to last?

  My friend Siri and I continued north through southern Washington and north toward Canada. The first 5 days of hiking we're a little tough due to the terrain reminding us of southern Oregon. It wasn't until we reached Goat Rocks Wilderness that I realized what people going South had been preaching...Washington is probably the most beautiful part of the trail.

Before descent into a drainage and Ascent up 40+ switchbacks

  Now let me stop real quick and agree and also disagree. I still think the Sierras are hard to beat, especially since we went through them in a regular snow year. But back to Goat Rocks Wilderness Area... legit. Beautiful, and yes we actually saw mountains and mountain goats.

  From Whites Pass on, minus a really buggy section, we were hit with spectacular views after spectacular views. Even though each pass was another ski resort and there were ways to hitch into Seattle we had to refrain and push on. We'd come too far to take another break.

Winter Stocking

  In this stretch we had a little Washington Trail Family consisting of Blue (France), Cheapest Option (University of Colorado), Hoops (Wisconsin), Shiggy (Czech Republic) and a few others who we criss crossed with (Mighty, Captain and Legs, Skinny Thor, the Brit Family Robinson, Pigsty and Rosie). We'd hike throughout Washington running into each other and camping next to or with each other each night. It really made me realize how special this trail is and how special the people are that you choose to hike with.

  I kept having good to tell myself and Siri to keep focused on the present and to not think too far ahead even though we inched closer and closer to Canada each day. This was extremely difficult, especially the last few days. Blue, Siri and I hiked the last 12 days together and it was nice getting another persons perspective on the trail who was not from the United States. 

Final Morning of the Hike Sunrise

  The landscapes in Washington are unreal, quite a pretty state. The lookouts over the volcanoes (Adams, Rainier, St. Helens) were stunning. Once we passed Snoqualmie Pass it was a game changer. It was one stunning view after another followed by the guessing game of "do you think that's Canada in the distance?"

  I did get sick the 3rd to last day and it made me wonder and debate if I could finish. I pushed through, probably against the wishes of a lot of people I ran into but did get better as it was only a 24 hour bug. This episode again reminded me of how lucky I was to have only had 2 sick days on trail and to be healthy enough to hike from Mexico to Canada without any serious issues. It brought back all the thoughts of, I'm just walking, there's nothing else I can glean from this right now as I'm just putting one foot in front of the other. It is hard to put into words but I think what I will take from this journey will come after it is completed.

Who didn't finish X-Cutting this?

  The last day was kind of a mix of emotions. We woke up to a chilly morning and it continued all the way to the border. I actually hiked with my rain coat on for much of the morning, yeah that cold. As we approached the border Siri, Blue and myself agreed we all wanted to hike to the Northern Terminus/Monument alone. I was planning this list of songs to sing as I got to the monument and I was singing out loud trying to find the right mix and order. Unfortunately or fortunately I did not realize how close to the border I was. 

  Then...bam, I look up and see the monument after descending some switchbacks through the trees. "Could this be it?" I thought there was no way, it happened so fast. But as I stared at the monument I heard a "Congratulations," and looked to my right and saw another hiker sitting there. He was going southbound but said I was the first that morning to finish northbound. I didn't know how to feel. At first I was shocked and elated but then a feeling of contentment hit me. I was ok not singing anymore, which was weird because I was about to let loose. Alas as I waited for Blue and Siri to finish (I got them on video btw, never did get my finish on video, next time?), it was one of those moments where it is hard to say "it's over!" 

Before Stehekin, yeah I could live here

  I thought there would be more joy, more celebration but we all took it in pretty quietly compared to what I expected. This may have been partially due to the fact that we still had 9 miles to go into Manning Park, Canada. As I sit here a month after the finish I still can't believe we're done. It still hasn't settled in, deeper meanings are still out there or in my head somewhere. There will be another blog post with Post PCT thoughts and conclusions but for now I just have to say again that I'm humbled and grateful for the trail and for all the support I received in helping to fundraise for NCBI (Now EmpowerMT) and YWCA of Missoula. 

  Thank you for reading and I look forward to finishing my PCT blog posts next week as I will be in a familiar place for a few days. To all those still hiking, good luck and stay safe out there. To all those I met along the way, Thank You and see you down trail,

Your friend,

Tyler "The Prodigy"

PCT Class of 2016, The Prodigy

  Washington you did a really good job at trying to steal my judgement and doing your best work to try and convince me to move to Washington ;). 

The Garden

I sit here thinking again about how fast life can move by you.

It has been just a little over two weeks and we have finished another state on the PCT.

Southern Oregon was very tough. Crossing into Oregon was a great mental boost but the mosquitoes were vicious and the blowdown very consistent in the Sky Lakes Wilderness. Northern Oregon though has more than made up for it. This is a beautiful state and the geological history is fantastic. From The Three Sisters Wilderness to Three Finger Jack to the Presidential Mountains, this state has a lot to offer.

Crater Lake too, if you have never been, take some time to go.

Fire Season is here and there have been multiple fires along the trail, luckily we have been a day or two ahead of them. Going to keep this post short, but more photos and videos to come!

And finally, thank you for all the donations. I have actually hiked more miles now (2144 miles) than the amount raised ($2006). Only a little more than 500 miles to go!

#2660forYWCAandNCBI

Thanks for reading, looking forward to Washington and keeping everyone updated.

Cheers,
The Prodigy

Fire off the trail, actually called it in

Oregon Sunset at Big Lake Youth Camp

2000 Down!

OG Style

The Prodigy and Shiggy

Crossing the Bridge of the Gods

Crater Lake, OR

Frogger

Badger'd

Oregon, you've come and gone, time for Washington

State of Mind

Oye it has been a while since the last post.

My sincerest Apologies for folks as I have encountered a problem many people have, a broken phone. It happened at the most inopportune time too. Alas that incident made me look at my life again and how much technology has influenced it, even on this hike. So many hikers are using their phones with apps to guide them along the trail. It is super helpful having updated water reports, gps navigation when you get lost in the snow or at unsigned junctions and camera at the ready with ability to upload photos instantaneously. This past month without a phone brought me back to a time when I didn't have a "smart" phone capable of doing these things.

  In the past month I've been able to finish the Sierras of California, take no zero days and finish Northern California and then cross the border into the State of Oregon! I've had multiple encounters with wildlife, some a little closer than you'd usually expect out here. I've been through the hottest day on trail for me yet and also some of the clearest and warmest nights where the stars are in full bloom and the wine of the mosquitoes are at their highest pitch. I've met people who have had common connections and others I've interacted with in the past. This world is so big yet so small and it literally blows my mind everyday.

 Endurance, mental fortitude, the ability to push your body and mind to places you never thought you'd go or ever want to go back to, these are the things the last month have brought. I've made it to Oregon, which means I've hiked across the home state from the border to another border. 1700+ miles from the desert to the mountains to the desert to the mountains again. Each day brings something new and challenges from all angles. It is surreal to be sitting here typing after all the deep thought I've been and yet here I am.

  Thank you to all who have given words of encouragement and who've sent positive vibes this way. I hope to in turn send them right back at you as I continue north, first through Oregon, then to Washington and then to our northern neighbors in Canada.

   Thank you to all who've supported the 2660forYWCAandNCBI fundraising campaign! I can't believe how much we've been able to raise thus far and am honored by your support. I hope to reach the goal, both getting to Canada and the $2660 amount for the two non-profits I choose to support in Missoula, Montana.

  Much love to everyone. This world is a beautiful place, this country is a beautiful place no matter what anyone says. If you've never experienced our public lands then I cannot fault you but I do encourage you to get out and explore. Our National Parks, National Forests, BLM Land, State Parks and other public lands are for us to enjoy and appreciate. I hope for the future of these lands and that the next generation will appreciate them the way we can today.

  Thank you, two simple words I've written several times already. Two simple words that can have a great effect and two that I say humbly to all of you reading this.

Cheers,
Tyler "The Prodigy"


 There was a post written about crossing the mid point of the PCT but that got lost with my phone. I hope to be able to recover the photos and journal entries off the phone after the trail. If anyone knows how to do this for a phone with a cracked screen but still turns on, please get in touch!

 

Mecca

Pilgrimages, this word to me contours images of something we save up for and something we dedicate ourselves to. Some might even call life a pilgrimage.

Unintentional or not, this hike has been a series of pilgrimages. 20 years ago I got to visit Yosemite National Park with my family. Unfortunately I was not as mesmerized by the sheer rock formations then as I am now. Looking back, my main focus was beating the last boss I'm Wario vs Bomberman for the Gameboy. Yup, that was the focus.

As I hiked down the John Muir Trail the other morning, moon shining bright as the sun began to creep over the horizon, I felt a sense of understanding of why I was there. The day before I had thought, why not finish the JMT? Only 22.5 more miles, what is that in a summer of hiking across the country.

It wasn't until I approached Half Dome that I had a sense of where I was and what I was looking at. The things I took for granted twenty years ago lay before me, though I wasn't quite backpacking to the degree I have now a days :)

Seeing the day hikers, prepared or not for Half Dome made me appreciate the trip I've been lucky to be having. Some of the kids reminded me of me, not having quite the interest in their surroundings like I did so many years before. But I also saw the awe and genuine wonder in other kids and that made me smile.

I chose not to hike Half Dome as I will be back and I plan on climbing it. It is weird being in one of the Mecca's of rock climbing and not being able to climb. But this trip was never about climbing, it has been about reconnection, discovery and understanding. That will be another Pilgrimage of my own one day and at that point I'll be a lot more focused on my surroundings.

Garnet Lakes

Half the Dome

Pilgramage

Chasing Waterfalls

What a day

You know I'd walk

Moments

Reality check***

**Brace yourselves, this post may not be in line with all people's views, these are my feelings and if you would like to have a discussion about it please send me an email and I'll be glad to respond.**

   One of the first things hikers on the PCT do when they get to town is turn their phones off Airplane Mode. This leads to a myriad of updates, messages, voicemails, missed calls and updates from the rest of the world. Unfortunately one of the first two posts I was welcomed back to wi-fi world was about the Massacre in Orlando...
   It is times like these when you realize all you really are doing is walking across the country. Just moving your legs and body north or south, up or down, through creeks, head on into insect swarms and eating anything with fat and calories. Seeing what certain television figures have been saying about what happened in Orlando also reminded me why I have made a choice to try and avoid major "news" outlets while in towns for R and R. It hurts to see so much hate being shown in the world, so much tragedy and fear mongering being used for different agendas.

  What I felt when the television showed updates about the Massacre in Orlando was how can we as society be better? How can we help? What can I do? Sometimes I feel lost, and I actually was lost for a little bit in the snow the other day. Long story short, I had to stop, take a deep breath and commit to a course of action that was going to lead me in a different direction. It is in times of great tragedy that a lot of people jump to conclusions, not all fault is their own. I let my own pride get in my way when I got lost and my mind was not thinking critically as I was driven by emotion.

  I get to hike in the mountains, the wilderness, valleys, through rivers, creeks, by lakes and across the West. This isn't something I can take for granted. Through my travels north though I have seen great compassion through fellow hikers on the trail. Whether it is a simple hand to help someone up a high spot or the sharing of some chai or hot meal when everything is wet and cold. One hiker has ordered 50 rainbow flags to pass out and carry to Canada with all the names of the victims of the Orlando Massacre. Sometimes it feels like the rest of the world isn't there, but once anyone gets a cell phone signal you realize everything outside of your pack and 18 inch wide trail is still going on going on.

  This last section of trail has been the most challenging. Terrain, weather, food, physically and mentally it was taxing. Two of my hiking partners, The Graduate and T-Rex had to leave the trail for a bit due to an injury. It was how fast that injury occurred that brought the hike back into perspective. Things can happen quickly and our bodies and minds being healthy are key to keeping this dream alive. As we've seen so much recently, one moment your lives can change forever.

  Gosh it seems this had become a ramble, maybe some will see it as venting but with all I've seen and experienced thus far I am happy for the moments I've had. I appreciate every one of you and the moments we've shared together. I look forward to sharing more moments with you soon,

Love,
The Prodigy

Rae Lakes with good people

Short Shorts after Thunder Snow night

Muir shelter

Yo

Sierra

The Mountains Have Called

Hello, are you there?

  John Muir, do you remember the first time you heard this person's name? Do you remember the first thing you learned about this person?

  It seems everyday I am in the Sierra Mountains the name John Muir comes up in some way, shape or form. If you are reading this you may have heard or read the quote: "The Mountains are calling, and I must go." This is by far one of the most well known John Muir quotes and also one of the best finishing lines in a letter ever written. That quote was written in a letter from John Muir to President Theodore Roosevelt. Oh how time has taken that quote and made it into undeniably one of the best motto's for getting outside and escaping into the wilderness areas across the world.

  Coming at you from Bishop, California... and no I am not climbing, well not rock climbing, well not bouldering, sport or trad climbing. We are resting up before the next push in the Sierras to Mammoth! And no I will not be snowboarding or skiing. It is quite stark the contrast in temperature in the mountains to the valley floor. It was maybe in the seventies on our hike out of Kearsarge Pass to get to the Onion Valley Camp Ground. From there we were able to catch a ride from a local hiker named High Walker to Bishop. Well it is about a hundred and one degrees right now outside. Luckily the local library is allowing hikers to use the internet for a short period of time.

  The first stretch of the Sierras has been absolutely breath taking, both literally and figuratively. We have to "earn our mountains" as I kept saying in previous posts. Well this is the stretch that every PCT hiker past, present and future talks about. In the first few days we've already reached the highest points on the PCT, CA and the lower 48. As we ascended Mt. Whitney I got to see what seemed like endless miles of mountains to the west, north and south. How do you describe in photos the sensations and feelings that run through your body as you sit and ponder your life and the life of this planet? I'm standing at the highest point in the state and lower 48 states and the only thing I can think of is how can this get any better?

  Well the trail sure does like to throw it at you everyday you are in the mountains. The very next day we go to ascend Forester Pass, the highest point on the actual PCT (Mt. Whitney is a 17 mile side trip, which of course you must do). at over 13,000 feet we got to look behind us and remind ourselves that we are one of many and that in front of us lay even more. I can tell you first hand that I would love to bring everyone I have befriended in my lifetime to these places so that you can all truly experience the special energy out here.

  I am humbled every day because I get to wake up in these places. I am reminded of some of the reasons why I chose to hike this trail. The communities we live in help shape who we are. The trail, it isn't just for me, it is also about helping inspire and educate another generation. That's why I am so happy to be helping to raise funds for both the YWCA and NCBI in Missoula, MT as these organizations help to build stronger communities.

 Each year the trail changes and I know that it will be different again next year. To live in the moment and enjoy the world as it is today is something I think we've lost touch with. Maybe if you decide to call and get a voicemail, maybe then at that moment you and I will realize that I'm answering another call.

-The Prodigy
#2660forYWCAandNCBI
www.gofundme.com/2660forYWCAandNCBI

A Top the highest point in the Lower 48 Mt. Whitney

Chicken Spring Lake

Meadow Lands

Kearsarge Pass

A top the highest Point on the PCT, Forester Pass