This post originally appeared on The Trek. Read it here!

Day 1 – 15 May 2026: Here I Go (Again)!

📍 Mile 15.4 | 🥾 24.07 km | ⛰️ +569m / -731m 

Earlier this year I walked the length of New Zealand. Today, I set off to walk the length of the United States. I’m excited to see what the Pacific Crest Trail throws at me.

Fortunately, today the only thing it threw at me was jet lag, which was really of my own making. After travelling for 48 hours and only sleeping for about 10 of those, I’d arrived at CLEEF last night fairly destroyed. This morning, all the other hikers were up at 5am. I was determined to join them, but ended up having to nurse several coffees before I felt ready to make the short trek down to the southern terminus. 

When I arrived, I had the terminus to myself – a perfect opportunity to reflect on what lies ahead of me and what I hope to get out of this trail. I want to challenge myself physically, but I also want to get out of my own way: slow down more, and take the time to enjoy the social aspect of the PCT. 

Around 10.30am I took my first steps in SoCal. It was a gentle introduction, the trail winding gently through the countryside. Although it twisted and turned more than I expected; plus, the sun seemed to me to be in the wrong position. I felt a little discombobulated. 

As I wound through the hills the day grew warmer and I developed a throbbing headache that electrolytes and eating didn’t fix. I also realised my heart was pounding more than it usually does on the uphill sections. It was 4am in Australia; no doubt my body was wondering what on earth I was doing hiking at that time of night. 

I’d had ambitions to make it all the way to Lake Morena today, but decided to call it a day at Hauser Creek instead. There were only three others from CLEEF staying there; we were all fairly tired, so conversation was minimal. For my part, I was asleep by 6.30pm. 

Day 2 – 16 May 2026: 1% Done

📍 Mile 29.9 | 🥾 24.7 km | ⛰️ +962m / -494m 

I’d had to bust out my earplugs last night after a snorer in camp woke me up. So I’d slept through everyone else breaking camp – no doubt at the crack of dawn – and didn’t get moving until 8.30am.

Today’s first order of business was a climb out of Hauser Canyon. The sky was cloudy as I set off, but as I climbed the switchbacks they dispersed and the day grew warm and sunny. Once I arrived at the top of the climb, I practically cruised the rest of the way to Lake Morena. 

As I walked I stopped often to admire all the native plants; especially the cacti and the wildflowers. I came across a horned lizard – an American told me they apparently squirt blood from their eye if you get too close?! 

In Lake Morena village I made a quick detour to the Malt Shop to pick up some extra electrolytes. Normally I despise going off trail, but I could already tell I’d need more salts than I’d bargained for when I’d done my supply shop in San Diego. 

On my way to Boulder Oaks I saw my first nope rope – thankfully not a rattler, though – and was glad to put my feet up and eat lunch when I reached the campground. I’d meant to stop for max an hour but ended up staying for two, commemorating 1% of the trail completed with the other hikers gathered there, picking up my PCT hang tag, and listening to the ranger’s overview of the upcoming sections. 

At 3pm I resumed the trail, a warm climb in the afternoon heat. It beat me and I decided to stop for the day at Kitchen Creek. I was soon joined there by an American couple, and we passed a pleasant evening getting to know each other. 

Although it had been a fairly warm day, as soon as the sun dipped behind the mountain it grew chilly. We all bundled inside our tents before it was even dark.

Day 3 – 17 May 2026: Wild Winds

📍 Mile 54.7 | 🥾 41.84 km | ⛰️ +1,566m / -1,156m 

I couldn’t believe how dirty I was when I woke up this morning. There had been a bit of wind last night and fine sand had clearly blown into my tent and covered my face and everything else I’d left strewn out of my pack. I’d never been this filthy once on Te Araroa, even in some of my longest stretches without a shower. No doubt I can look forward to getting even dirtier still on the PCT. 

The first few miles were exposed to the sun and I was glad that I’d stopped at Kitchen Creek last night rather than pushing on further. But as I approached Long Canyon trees started to appear and the trail became surprisingly shady. I was grateful. As I approached Mount Laguna the trail became busier with day hikers and trail runners. I had yet to see many other PCT hikers, though. 

I decided to resist the temptations of town and continue on the redline. It was absolutely worth it. There was a stunning view down into a desert valley. It was obviously incredibly dry down there; everything was pale yellow and white, the hills seemed to be made purely out of loose rock. I’ve never seen anything like it before, and it made me excited about the rest of the SoCal section. 

I overshot my planned water stop by almost a kilometre. With no other sources for the next 10 miles I had no choice but to do what I hate doing and backtrack. At least the trail through this section had become shady once again. A cool wind also started to blow which was very welcome. 

Outstanding views of the desert below continued to appear; and then Garnet Peak came into view. Initially I was mad at the trail for hiding the best views of it from me, but eventually I arrived at a short spur to lookout that was well worth the effort. Its jagged slopes were mesmerising. 

Not long after that, the wind really started to pick up. I was soon battling against a strong headwind that seemed determined to stop me from taking another step; or, when I turned around a corner, attempted to blow me sideways into the scrub. From then on the day became less about gazing at the view and more about making it to camp ASAP. 

At Pioneer Mail picnic area I came across another PCT hiker, and as we both refilled our water two more hikers arrived. We all decided to keep pushing on together to find a campsite that was hopefully sheltered from the wind. Two miles later we came to a wash in between shrubs that looked like it was as good as we were going to get. We took turns pitching; everyone helping keep the tent in question from flapping away in the wind. Ample rocks were necessary to reinforce the stakes in the sandy ground. Finally done, we all retreated to our tents for what we anticipated would be a long night. 

Day 4 – 18 May 2026: Lunchtime Shakedown

📍 Mile 77.1 | 🥾 36.81 km | ⛰️ +669m / -1,574m 

I hadn’t had the best sleep last night. At least not until after 2.30am when the wind finally stopped trying to launch my tent into the air. But I’d agreed with Chloe, one of the hikers I’d met yesterday, that we’d set off at 7am. So I was up and breaking camp early.

Thankfully it was a lovely and calm morning. The trail sent us over gently rolling hilltops which made it easy for us to chat as we went. A few miles in we dropped our packs and started strolling to an off-trail water source, but a hiker coming back from it told us it wasn’t the nicest water and there was another source in only 3 miles. We backtracked and started heading for the next one. 

When we got there, there was quite a gathering of other hikers, all drying out their tents and eating an early lunch. Every single one of us made the same mistake with the water. It came from a tank with a rather large pipe and crank handle that, if nudged just a millimetre too far, sent water gushing out like it was a fire hose. 

When Chloe and I set off again we started winding down into a valley, and the heat grew noticeably as we went. For the last few miles we weren’t talking much as our energy faded. It was a relief when we arrived at the next water source, our planned lunch stop. We joined two other hikers in the shade, where we chatted easily for an hour. Then Chloe pulled out all the contents of her pack, so the three of us could give her a shakedown. It was my first ever shakedown of someone else’s pack, and I really enjoyed it. I think it was extra fun to have Anna and Kurt offer different views on how to minimise pack weight than the ways I do. But all this fun also meant that I didn’t resume the trail until 4pm.

I’d been hoping to make it to Julian tonight, but that now looked unlikely. The afternoon miles were beautiful, though, as I traipsed high above a valley that gradually started to glow orange and pink as sunset approached. I spotted a skunk, which I had not at all been expecting to see, and followed him up the trail for a few metres – trying to keep a safe distance. I made it to the highway underpass just after 7pm. It was too late to try hitching, so instead I joined a group of other hikers already pitched there for the evening. Feels like a mandatory PCT experience, anyway. Who needs a shower? 

Day 5 – 19 May 2026: Free Pie!

📍 Mile 89.9 | 🥾 20.28 km | ⛰️ +627m / -273m 

I’d been warned about noise from the highway but I’d slept solidly through it. By 7am I’d broken camp, walked slightly down the road to the Stagecoach Monument and stuck my thumb out in the hopes of hitching to Julian. I only had to wait a few minutes before a trail angel pulled over to offer me a ride. 

In town, I beelined straight for coffee and breakfast at the bakery, which was delicious. The avocado toast was Aussie cafe standard. Then I walked down the road to resupply at the supermarket. The options were limited and expensive; I found myself doing laps until I’d finally worked out a plan. Then it was time for the famous free slice of Mom’s pie. I ordered the rhubarb and strawberry with cinnamon ice cream and … 10/10. I’d found Anna and Kurt at a table inside and joined them as we all waited for our electronics to charge. 

I’d planned to be in and out of Julian ASAP, especially with plenty of people having warned us of the difficulty of the climb out of Scissors Crossing in the late afternoon sun. But I’d dawdled so long, chatting to the other hikers who trickled in, that I had to take the 2pm shuttle back to the underpass and ended up beginning the climb at 2.30pm – in the main heat of the day. But I think I got lucky: for most of it, there was a light breeze that helped keep me cool. The landscape was also incredible, a whole bunch of totally new plants. My favourites were the barrel cacti. 

As the sun began to set I decided to aim for a small campsite about a mile and a half before the Third Gate water cache. I was held up for a bit by a snake – not a rattler, but no idea what it was – on the path. It didn’t move for ages – I thought it might be dead but wasn’t willing to take the risk. Instead I clambered up and around on the hillside above it. It was annoyingly slow, but I was glad I’d done it when I looked back and saw that the snake had moved further onto the trail. From there it was a short distance to my campsite of choice, and my first night camping alone on the PCT. I pitched quickly as the first stars began to emerge, then burrowed into my quilt, which is starting to feel like home. 

Day 6 – 20 May 2026: 100 Miles Down

📍 Mile 109.5 | 🥾 32.06 km | ⛰️ +724m / -821m 

I’m managing to wake up a little earlier every day. Today I’d broken camp and was on the move by 6.50am, quickly covering the mile or so to the Third Gate water cache. There I ran into several other hikers who were eating breakfast and stocking up for the day. In chatting to them I ended up spending much more time eating my own breakfast than I’d intended, so when I set off on trail again the day was starting to get quite warm. 

For most of the morning the trail was on the eastern, sunnier side of the hills. When it crossed over to the western side it was a lot cooler with more shade. I saw the most hikers I’ve seen yet on trail this morning; no doubt because we’d all been planning our hike around the water cache. 

I crossed the 100 mile mark – although if there was a marker I missed it – and made it to Barrel Springs for lunch. In hindsight that was probably a mistake. I spent an hour there so when I set off again it was 1pm and approaching the heat of the day. Thankfully it was only 4 miles to the next water source, a creek, where I took my first siesta of the trail, lying beneath a shady tree next to the creek for an hour and a half as I waited for the day to cool off. 

At 3.30pm I set off on the final four miles to Warner Springs, determined to make it before they closed so I could have my first shower of the trail. It sent me through a totally new landscape, large meadows of long yellow grass. Of course, on the way I stopped at Eagle Rock to admire it. There another hiker caught up to me and we ended up walking into Warner together. It was nice to have a pacer. 

I had a glorious shower, did my laundry in a bucket, and sat with the four other hikers there as we ate dinner while the sun set, to the tune of a few coyote howls. 

Day 7 – 21 May 2026: Dust Attack

📍 Mile 126.9 | 🥾 28.43 km | ⛰️ +1,068m / -449m 

I was back over at the Warner Springs community centre at 7am when it opened, gathering my now dry laundry and charging my electronics. As I sat there, other hikers began to trickle in, including Chloe, Kurt and Anna. It was nice to see the familiar faces and catch up on their hikes. 

Around 9.30am, later than I’d intended, I set off on trail. It was a gentle climb but the day was already growing hot, forecast to hit 85 degrees (29 Celsius). After 10 kilometres I stopped at a creek, the last water source before Mike’s Place, my destination for this evening. I took a siesta in the shade for almost 3 hours and it was the most peaceful, tranquil experience I’ve had on trail to date. 

I resumed the climb a few hours later. It was warm and the trail was exposed to the sun pretty much the entire way. I struggled not with the heat or the elevation gain, but with the desert dust. It started with my left eye: I couldn’t keep it open for more than a couple of seconds. It watered all afternoon. Soon my nose joined it, positively dripping. A few hours later I turned my head to take in a view, but in the process managed to get dust in my right eye as well. I took a few steps but, unable to see where I was going and not wanting to accidentally step on a snake I couldn’t see, dropped my pack and spent some precious water washing my face thoroughly. It only really solved the right eye; the left eye and my nose weren’t much improved. 

The dust attack was a shame; it seemed like there were some excellent views, especially when the trail crossed to the eastern side of the hills and entered a boulder-strewn landscape. But the dust was so frustrating I just couldn’t appreciate it. It was a huge relief when the arrow to Mike’s Place appeared on the trail. I made fast work of that final stretch to the PCT Shack, rather surprised to find only one other hiker there when I arrived. We said hello and then I picked out a spot under the verandah to cowboy camp for the first time on the PCT.