August 22, 2017 – Months to years worth of planning and preparation go into thru hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. In addition to figuring out gear and getting your body into hiking shape, you also have to decide what – and how much – you’re going to eat.

Hiking the full PCT takes 4-5 months. Trying to carry enough food to sustain you for that amount of time is impossible, leaving PCT thru hikers with two choices when it comes to food: either prepare, pack, and ship meals to predetermined stops on the trail, or plan to buy food along the way.

Using Resupply Boxes to ship meals and other supplies is common for folks with dietary restrictions or who are particular about trail food. Buying food along the trail is a way to support local businesses and assure you aren’t beholden to the post office.

In my case, I’ll be hiking the 511 miles of the Washington State PCT in about 30 days. That still requires way too much food to carry! A PCT hiker will consume between a pound and two pounds of food per day, so on an eight-day leg one can carry as much as 16 pounds of weight. To manage my food, I’ll be resupplying my trek with the goal of never carrying more than about a week’s worth of nutrition. I should also mention – calling it “food” is a stretch for those of you who know that I am a cook/foodie!

Here’s my plan (you can revisit the overall trail map here):

  • My first section is 148 miles from the WA border to White Pass. I’ll have 8+ days of provisions when I start, making this the longest section without resupply.
  • At White Pass is a store about half a mile down the road that accepts delivery packages for PCT hikers. I have mailed my resupply box there. It will contain 6+ days of food to get me from White Pass to Snoqualmie Pass.
  • Upon reaching Snoqualmie, I’ll come home for a couple days of well deserved rest and enjoy a hot shower, warm bed, and REAL FOOD. I will also resupply my pack for the Snoqualmie to Stevens Pass leg.
  • Since I’m a member of The Mountaineers, I’ve planned to cache a resupply box at our Mountaineers lodge next to the PCT on Hwy 2. This box will contain 7+ days of provisions to fuel me for the hardest leg of the journey from Stevens Pass to Stehekin on the North end of Lake Chelan.
  • I will mail my last box to the Stehekin post office containing 5+ days of food which should get me to the finish 11 miles across the border in Canada.

Along the way I will take advantage of eating “normal food” whenever I possibly can. Hopefully there will be a place or two along the way to grab a burger, beer, and most importantly: ICE CREAM! As you may remember, my current meal plan doesn’t account for my need for frozen, delicious ice cream.

As this journey quickly approaches and I feel the excitement, nerves, and anticipation that one might expect before confronting a big new challenge, my thinking returns to why I’m doing this. I’m humbled thinking of the great and intimidating unknowns that many Kindering families initially confront and eventually conquer. Their spirit and courage will be a continual inspiration for me on the trail during both the good times and those more trying.

And, of course, I’ll have Kindering’s mascot Courage to help me too – being a lion stuffed animal I’m admittedly not sure what he eats, though I assume he’s a carnivore and will turn up his nose at my oatmeal… See you on the trail!

Want to get involved? Learn more and consider supporting Trek for Tots!