The Pacific Crest Trail. Brian Johnson

      Since taking early retirement from his career as a physics and sports teacher, Brian Johnson has found time for three thru’-hikes of the Pacific Crest Trail, a 2700-mile round-Britain walk, six hikes across the Pyrenees from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, a hike along the Via de la Plata from Seville to Santiago, and a single summer compleation of the Munros (Scotland’s 3000ft mountains), as well as climbing all the Corbetts (Scotland’s 2500–3000ft mountains) and the Grahams (Scotland’s 2000–2500ft mountains).

      He has also completed a 2200-mile cycle tour of Spain and France and done multi-week canoe tours in Sweden, France, Spain and Portugal.

      In his younger days, Brian’s main sport was orienteering, and he has now been able to return to the sport after recovering from long-term injuries. He competed at a high level and coached both Bishop Wordsworth’s School and South-West Junior Orienteering squads. He also surveyed and drew many orienteering maps. He has walked and climbed extensively in Britain, the Alps, the Pyrenees and California, often leading school groups.

      As a fanatical sportsman and games player, Brian competed to a high standard at cricket, hockey, bridge and chess. His crowning achievement was winning the 1995/96 World Amateur Chess Championships. He now concentrates on orienteering, bridge and bowls.

      Brian hikes under the trail name of Ancient Brit.

      Other Cicerone guides by the author

      The GR10 Trail – Through the French Pyrenees

      The GR11 Trail – Through the Spanish Pyrenees

      Walking the Corbetts Vol 1: South of the Great Glen

      Walking the Corbetts Vol 2: North of the Great Glen

      © Brian Johnson 2017

      Second edition 2017

      ISBN: 978 1 85284 920 7

      First edition 2010

      All maps and photographs by the author

      Printed in China on behalf of Latitude Press Ltd

      Dedication

      To all those trail angels who make life so much easier for the PCT hiker.

      Thanks

      The author has been unable to re-hike the PCT for this updated edition, but has relied on extensive notes provided by David Jordan who hiked the trail in 2016 and the comprehensive information available on the internet (see Appendix B). The author and publisher would like to thank David for his invaluable contribution to the book and for his article on the challenges of the Pacific Crest Trail, which appeared in the January 2017 edition of Cicerone Extra.

      Warning

      The Pacific Crest Trail is designed as a summer trail to be hiked when it is free of snow and the creeks are relatively low. You should be aware that navigation could be difficult and the trail could be dangerous when there is snow in the mountains or when the creeks are running high because of snowmelt. The maps in this guide will not be adequate for navigation when snow covers the trail. If you hike the PCT you will be going into high mountains, wilderness areas and deserts. You might be faced with severe storms, fording unbridged creeks and hiking through long waterless sections in high temperatures. Mountain and wilderness trekking can be dangerous, carrying the risk of personal injury or death.

      While every effort has been made to check that the information in this guide is accurate at the time of going to press, neither the author nor the publisher accept responsibility for damage of any nature (including damage to property, personal injury or death) arising directly or indirectly from use of the information in this guide.

      Information on fire damage to the trail has not been updated.

      Updates to this Guide

      While every effort is made by our authors to ensure the accuracy of guidebooks as they go to print, changes can occur during the lifetime of an edition. Any updates that we know of for this guide will be on the Cicerone website (www.cicerone.co.uk/920/updates), so please check before planning your trip. We also advise that you check information about such things as transport, accommodation and shops locally. Even rights of way can be altered over time. We are always grateful for information about any discrepancies between a guidebook and the facts on the ground, sent by email to [email protected] or by post to Cicerone, Juniper House, Murley Moss, Oxenholme Road, Kendal LA9 7RL, United Kingdom.

      Front cover: Crabtree Meadows in the High Sierra (Section 30)

      CONTENTS

      Map keys

      Overview map

       Preface

       INTRODUCTION

       A geologist’s delight

       Weather patterns

       Plant and wildlife

       What the walking’s like

       Planning

       Preparation

       Wilderness hiking

       Equipment

       Using this guide

       THE PACIFIC CREST TRAIL

       Southern California

       1 Campo to Van Dusen Canyon (Big Bear City)

       2 Big Bear City to Agua Dulce

       3 Agua Dulce to Kennedy Meadows

       The High Sierra

       4 Kennedy Meadows to Tuolumne Meadows

       5 Tuolumne Meadows to Interstate 80 (Donner Pass)

       Northern California

       6 Donner Pass to Interstate 5 (Castella)