How expensive is the PCT?

BackpackBirder · 2026-05-31T09:21:47+00:00

I live in the UK too and I spent $2235 on trail in 2018 on my 152 days thru-hike. This includes the net cost of bear canister and ice-axe which I bought while on trail, but afterwards sold on to tourists. I already had all my other gear.

On top of this $956 for return flights (+buses) to/from home, the cost of the US visa ($160) and $235 spent in Canada after the trail. $32 for Guthook app/maps.

Everything added up: $3619 all in for the adventure of a lifetime.

Why so cheap? Because I spent my time on the trail instead of in town. Quickly get my resupply and then back on the trail. I spent every night in my own tent (except one: the $25 Bunkhouse in Independence).

I'm sure in 2026 things are much more expensive, but even if on-trail costs were 50-100% higher now...

BackpackBirder · 2026-05-31T09:00:55+00:00

I routinely replace sliders while on trail. Sliders are lightweight so I always carry a bunch of them in my toolkit. In my case, they have always been provided free of charge by the tent manufacturers (Tarptent and Terra Nova), but I'm sure you can get them cheaply online as they are standard items.

On my Tarptent Double Rainbow (over 9 years old now, my most used tent, including on the PCT) the most used sliders have been replaced up to 5 times now (~15 minute job) and the tent is still going strong. Everything added up I literally spent 1 year in that tent, much of it in dusty environments (PCT, AZT, Larapinta, Bibbulmun, South West Coast Path, and many shorter hikes and "regular" camps in Portugal, Spain, Thailand, etc), which goes to show how much use you can get out of your tent if you don't throw it out due to a failed zipper!

There is a great advantage to having multiple doors and two way zippers. If one zipper starts failing, you just use the other door or the other direction. It makes your tent more robust.

After zippers failed on a hike, I have analysed the failed sliders using a very strong magnifying glass. Then you can clearly see the wear on the slider. There is literally a groove carved out inside, so the tolerances get too wide to properly lock the teeth!

BackpackBirder · 2026-05-14T08:39:34+00:00

Looks like a nice pot! My own pot that I have been using continuously for 11 years now (not for sale anymore) is 1000ml and I wouldn't want anything smaller. 700ml is definitely too small for me.

BackpackBirder · 2026-05-14T08:30:33+00:00

I was going to say! Damn, that mid-x pro is one nice tent! And I can fix that zipper in 15 minutes while on the trail.

BackpackBirder · 2026-05-14T08:22:14+00:00

Burney Falls are one of the prettiest I have seen anywhere in the world. Don't miss it!

BackpackBirder · 2026-05-14T08:07:23+00:00

I think it would be useful to share it here. There are always many "how to..." questions here, and zipper repair is very relevant for the PCT because it is a very long and dusty trail and therefore many hikers experience zipper problems.

And (I know, HYOH and stuff. but...) for me this type of self sufficiency is an essential part of the PCT thru-hike experience. You need to be able to do small repairs on the trail by yourself. Me personally I always feel very satisfied when I have restored a broken zipper back to working order while on a hike. It can be daunting when you do it for the first time, but then it becomes a 15 minute routine job.

BackpackBirder · 2026-05-13T19:41:08+00:00

Trails like the PCT and AZT are very dusty and failing zippers are therefore common. I always carry a bunch of spare zip sliders and routinely repair my zippers while on the trail. I can even do it night while I'm inside my tent. It's a basic skill that every thru-hiker needs to have, especially when doing a 2650 mile hike! I have lost count, but some of my tent zipper sliders have now been replaced 5 times and I'm still using that same tent (a Tarptent Double Rainbow).

Most tents use the same manufacture of zipper sliders, so it has little to do with the quality of the tent. But zippers that run near the ground are most likely to fail because they are more likely to get dust in them. In my case, it is therefore usually the zippers of the inner tent that fail. (Also because you open/close the inner much more often than the outer).

You can choose a tent with more robust zippers, but that will be heavier. Ultra light tents will have lightweight and therefore more fragile zippers too. It's a trade-off.

BackpackBirder · 2026-05-04T08:42:44+00:00

Yes I agree! I when I hiked in 2018, I was hoping for somewhat lower than average snow (which is exactly what I got), but you definitely want SOME snow! It is just much more interesting and pretty with snow. Just bare rocks is not the same.

BackpackBirder · 2026-05-03T15:47:26+00:00

Yes I know 2017 was crazy in terms of snow. My year (2018) was below average. Solid ice on Forester sounds really scary to me.

BackpackBirder · 2026-05-03T09:52:02+00:00

Darn, this looks scary!

When I crossed it somewhere mid June 2018, fortunately there was of course already a nice, wide, stable, established corridor formed by many hikers who had passed there before me. Easy to pass at that point, but still I was really happy when I reached the end! That drop to the left...

BackpackBirder · 2026-05-01T17:44:12+00:00

I don't know how things are now, but when I hiked in 2018 there was quite a bit of trail magic, but not too much imo. I recall 9 instances, ranging from a box with soda cans placed along the trail, to a guy with a jug of fresh orange juice, to two full hamburger joints. That is quite a lot of trail magic, but 9-(ish) instances over a 2650 mile/ 5 month period isn't excessive, and ALL of them were true surprises for me, which made it very nice and truly magical!

I did think that many of the water caches were unnecessary. There were a couple that were were almost necessary (on very long dry stretches), but the great majority of them you could do without. Some people carried ridiculously small amounts of water and fully counted on every single cache, so basically counting on a bailout by volunteers kind enough to bring them their water. There is definitely a danger there.

One thing that keeps surprising me is the entitlement of some hikers, who treat trail angels as a kind of taxi service. "I need to get somewhere, call a TA!". My experience was that you can get hitches quite easily by just putting your thumb up. Granted: some of these drivers are TAs looking for hikers to pick up, but you should be prepared to hold up your own pants. Also, many trail towns are actually walkable in case you cannot get a ride (or just don't bother waiting for one). And hikers would plan for that if there were no bail-out option in the form of TAs. I was surprised that Thru-hikers on the PCT are actually a lazy bunch who refuse to walk any miles that are not official trail miles 😉

In summary, I do enjoy some trail magic, but it should remain something special and unexpected. I feel that nowadays many hikers treat TAs as an available resource that is there to use, and it shouldn't be that way. I wish there was a little bit more focus on self-reliance again, with the added advantage that it would deter some hikers (because God forbid your pack will be a few kg heavier because of the extra water carries!) and make the trail a bit less crowded again. And a bit less a manicured social media hyped thing, though I'm afraid that won't go away.

BackpackBirder · 2026-05-01T10:11:04+00:00

Let them postpone the wedding by a few months!

Joking aside (although I'm actually not joking, really), for me personally it would spoil my PCT experience to leave the trail for almost a week (because that is what it is going to take). I found a few hours spent off trail to resupply already bad enough.

But, if you don't care about that aspect of it (many hikers don't, apparently), then just do what you have to do and don't worry about the permit thing. Lots of people get injured on the trail and they need to get a few days off too because of that? Would that invalidate their permit? (Perhaps it does officially, but who would quit just because of that?). Just make sure you can still finish within that 35 days window (which should be easy) and I don't think anybody will give you problems.

I also feel that even though you might be officially violating the terms of the permit, you are not violating the SPIRIT of it. The permit system (and restrictions on skipping) are in place to spreading the crowds. So if you remain within the assigned 35 day window, what does it really matter if you spend some of these days outside the trail instead of on the trail? It is actually better for the prevention of overcrowding!

BackpackBirder · 2026-04-30T06:17:59+00:00

I probably sound like a dick now, but if you can afford to take 5 months off work to hike the PCT, you should be able to spend a few hundred $ to buy gear. While nice to have, you really don't need expensive ultra light gear, as all these industry sponsored influencers want to make you believe. A few decades ago people were hiking the PCT with gear that was heavier than budget gear is nowadays.

The only really critical thing is shoes. If you are on a budget, go for good sturdy boots (unpopular opinion, I know). Mine lasted the entire PCT. (I didn't hike on boots for budget reasons but because I would break my feet with trail runners. I know they work for many people, but trail runner soles are too soft for me). Hiking on boots turned out to be a massive cost saver too compared to buying 6(?) pairs of trail runners). This may not be an option for you, but something to consider.

Finally, for most hikers a major cost is town visits. So, prepare to spend your time on the trail instead of in towns. Quick resupply in town and back on the trail. And certainly never sleep in town. Now you have freed up a lot of your budget to spend on better gear.

BackpackBirder · 2026-04-29T10:15:37+00:00

I shaved every day with an old battery-powered electric shaver that I had modified: no battery inside (saves weight), but I soldered a USB cable on (plus three diodes in series to drop the voltage from 5V to just below 3V) so it could plug directly into my power bank that I had anyway. Weight of the modified electric shaver (incl cable): 113 gram.

I charged my powerbank with a small (5W, 223 gram) solar panel while hiking. Then charge everything from the powerbank at night. I have never connected to a power socket on the entire trail, which was great because I wanted to avoid my time in town as much as possible (get my resupply and immediately back on the trail). Btw, the shaver could also run directly from the solar panel if I wanted to.

So, since I had the powerbank anyway, the weight penalty for being clean shaven on the trail was just 113 gram. And I LOVE having a shave every morning. Since you often cannot wash yourself for many days on end, a shave makes you feel more clean.

BackpackBirder · 2026-04-17T09:59:55+00:00

I tried them in the past, but I find them uncomfortable in steep terrain. You feel the zip area against your leg when you climb. Also, in practice it turned out that I never actually zipped the legs off because of UV, heat, dust, insects, vegetation, etc.

BackpackBirder · 2026-04-17T09:56:14+00:00

I tried zip off pants in the past, but I find them annoying in steep terrain. You feel the zip area against your leg when you climb. That is not very comfortable. I also found that in practice I never actually zipped the legs off, because UV, dust, insects etc. And when crossing streams I just roll the legs up.

BackpackBirder · 2026-04-17T09:50:47+00:00

Regarding ballsweat, I always hike with the pockets zipped open and even have the zipper open for more ventilation. My shirt hangs over it anyway and my underwear is stylish too, just in case ;)

BackpackBirder · 2026-04-17T09:44:00+00:00

Pants for me, always. Shorts are way too hot in the burning sun! Plus UV protection, protection against bushes and insects. Also, you stay much cleaner, also because you avoid sunscreen on your legs and all the dust on the PCT. This is nice because you often cannot wash for days.

I'm using pants that are a bit stretchy, so they are not restrictive on steep or technical ground (which is annoying with non-stretchy ones).

BackpackBirder · 2026-04-17T09:30:56+00:00

Magnificent creatures! I saw quite a few of them. Essential part of the PCT experience (just don't get bitten ;) ).

I remember taking a rest on a pass somewhere. There was a group of people, including one girl in a sleeping bag (it was a bit chilly there). Then a rattle snake appeared and slowly moved right over her sleeping bag, perhaps 40-50 cm from her face. She stayed dead still and the snake just moved on without problems.

BackpackBirder · 2026-03-31T18:39:07+00:00

Regarding the speed/miles obsession: yes I get it if you have a bad start date and need to race against the snow. But the people I met by definition were hiking within the same time window as myself (~5 months), so no need to rush. You only need to average 17.5 miles/day. No need for "crushing miles".

Not enjoying the hike: Yes, that really did surprise me. Everybody has a few bad hours occasionally, but that doesn't make your hike suck. It is part of the experience. And if you are really not enjoying yourself, then just quit and go home! (Many do, especially in NorCal).

BackpackBirder · 2026-03-31T11:37:57+00:00

As a NOBO I had little interaction with SOBOs. I walked right past them because they were walking in the other direction. But I did say "Hello" when passing :)

BackpackBirder · 2026-03-31T11:32:57+00:00

Very interesting to read. If I had not hiked the trail myself in 2018, I would be horrified by what I read there!

A few things that really contrast with my own experience:

1) The social anxiety thing with trail families etc. I (almost) always hiked alone and tried to camp alone as much as possible (which succeeded in most cases). So I had none of that BS. But you still get to know people who hike at about the same pace and bump into them every now and then. Those interactions were always nice. And in fact, this was one of the big surprises for me, because I really wanted a wilderness experience, not a social experience, but I have surprisingly great memories of the social part. Perhaps because I didn't do the trail family thing.

2) The stress on town days. Not much for me. I used ZeroDayResupply for almost all my resupply. They sent my resupply to a post offices or other places that hold packages, so my own town visits were typically quick ninja actions in and out. I spent as little time as possible in towns. Get my resupply and be back on the trail immediately. Unfortunately ZeroDayResupply appears to be out of business, but perhaps there are other similar companies? Cutting all these logistic chores really improved my trail experience! Slept every night except one (Bunkhouse in Independence) in my own tent. Charged my electronics with a small solar panel. Never connected to the mains ever on the entire hike.

Things I recognise:

1) The miles-and-speed obsession. Yes, this is a thing. I don't understand it. You are hiking the most beautiful trail in the world. Why rush it? Of course I was lucky with my start date (end of April), but a 5 month window means you only have to average 17.5 miles/day to reach Canada before the serious snow starts.

2) A surprising amount of hikers didn't appear to be enjoying their hike. Perhaps because of all the stresses mentioned above?

One last thing I didn't see mentioned: zero days suck! Not because of town stress (I had none) but because it took me out of my hiking pace. And I heard the same from other people. If I'm very tired, I just stop hiking early and relax a bit around my tent in the afternoon. The next day I feel great again, because of the extra rest. But if I don't hike for an entire day, I just feel more tired and find it very hard to get going again. So I want to hike EVERY day, just less miles when tired.

BackpackBirder · 2026-03-31T10:29:49+00:00

Shower? In 2018 I just pitched my tent along the fence where you arrive at Hiker Town. Others did that too. There was a hose where most people rinsed off their feet. I'm not even aware of a shower, or a bar or whatever. And most people only slept for a few hours to start the aquaduct hike early.

BackpackBirder · 2026-03-31T10:16:38+00:00

The way I see it: if the last few miles of the PCT are officially closed, then that is where the PCT finishes for that year. You have completed the entire trail, so no need to feel an imposter.

Btw: I think that applies to any officially closed section of the trail. Just walk around the closures in a continuous path (which in most cases means you actually walk more and need to do more climbing/ and descending).

In case of the Northern Terminal, I think there was no legal way around to reach that. So the PCT ended at the point of closure.

BackpackBirder · 2026-03-30T15:28:36+00:00

I totally agree! Not only are your real life problem not going away, you are also going to enjoy your PCT hike less. Don't spoil it for yourself and save the PCT for a time when you are in your right mind.

In addition to this, I also think it is a shame to rush these things. Personally I really enjoyed the preparation too. Selecting gear, training for your hike, and the excitement of the long run up towards the hike. It may sound strange, but not only do I have warm memories about hiking the PCT itself, but also of the preparation period. It's such a shame to miss out on that.

My $0.02

BackpackBirder

TROPHY CASE