Back to the PCT

I’ve signed up for the PCT again. And yes, it’s still nerve-wracking to snag a good start date. It’s anything but easy to get hold of a date that really works.

In March, there’s a big chance of heavy snow. In May, you’re dealing with meltwater. And by late May, the desert is already far too hot. April is actually the ideal month to start the PCT from Campo.

Campo is way down south, right near the Mexican border and the wall. That’s where it all starts again. And so does the familiar ritual: refreshing, refreshing, refreshing… hoping a date suddenly opens up.

And then, out of nowhere: End of March . No hesitation—I grabbed it. It’s not April, but if I take it easy, I can stretch things a bit in the Mojave Desert. Hopefully that way I’ll hit the high mountains just before the deep snow.

So, we’ve got a date 🎉
And that means: planning all over again. 🥳

29 November

We’re flying into San Diego this time, with a layover in London. There’s enough chaos in the world already, and I prefer to keep a bit of distance from it. Still, sometimes you’re just dependent on the grown-up world: flights, customs, and whether everything runs smoothly.

But I’m not letting that dictate things. I’m planning this run-up with a positive mindset, heading toward the start monument. Or… as I would have said in 2024: the end monument 😂

So the flight is booked. A hotel is arranged, close to the REI store — basically the U.S. version of Bever — and the shuttle to Campo is locked in as well.

During this hike I’m adding an extra challenge. Purely to slow myself down a bit and avoid slipping into autopilot. Along the trail I’ll be doing SOTA or POTA.

SOTA stands for Summit on the Air and POTA for Park on the Air. In short: you activate a summit or a park using Morse code, trying to make as many contacts as possible with as little wattage as possible.

8 February

The backpack is ready. The routes are set. Everything that could be prepared has been prepared.

Now comes the waiting. That restless kind of waiting, where your head is already on the trail, but your body is still at home. Waiting for that one day when plans fall away and the walking begins. When lines on a map turn into dust under your shoes, snow in the mountains, and trail as far as you can see.

Along the way, I mostly share what I experience via Journi. I’ll post those stories later on gostravels.com as well, in English, but keeping things updated while hiking doesn’t always work.

The run-up is done. The logistics are in place. The mind is already moving ahead.
Let that beautiful PCT résumé day come. 🥾🏔️