Category: Pacific Crest Trail

PCT Update 13 (Final): Whisper

9.25.2018 - Kyle Soeltz
12 minute read

It's day 151 . I shake the ice off of my tent as I peel it open to watch the last sunrise I will see on the Pacific Crest Trail. The air is cold and still, I lie in my sleeping bag dreading the… Continue Reading »

PCT Update 12: Countdown

9.4.2018 - Kyle Soeltz
7 minute read

I vividly remember my first moments on trail like they were yesterday. Dennis, his dad, and I sat in the back seat. Dennis's brother Tom sat in the passenger seat and Tom's partner Ken was driving… Continue Reading »

PCT Update 11: Wonder and Woe

8.26.2018 - Kyle Soeltz
7 minute read

Our speed continued to be fast and when we couldn't up the pace any further we pushed the time instead. Most mornings we would be hiking around 6:30AM, and we would go until 8, sometimes even 9 at… Continue Reading »

PCT Update 10: Smokescreen

8.13.2018 - Kyle Soeltz
6 minute read

On another scorchingly hot afternoon I made my way to the last town of California all alone. In just a few more days I would be crossing into Oregon, the first state line I would walk over since I… Continue Reading »

PCT Update 9: Midpoint

7.26.2018 - Kyle Soeltz
9 minute read

The climb out of Belden was steep and hot, a precursor for what was to come. Across the valley we could see lush pine forests providing shade and shelter for the creatures and visitors that passed… Continue Reading »

PCT Update 8: Light Through the Forest

7.13.2018 - Kyle Soeltz
6 minute read

We split an Uber with two other hikers and were deposited in front of a casino hotel. The quiet serenity of the mountains and trees was suddenly replaced with bright lights, billboards, and the sounds… Continue Reading »

PCT Update 7: Down Time

6.28.2018 - Kyle Soeltz
5 minute read

We were out of food and toilet paper, our extra batteries were all dead and our phones running on their last drops. Twelve straight days through the High Sierra had completely depleted our resources… Continue Reading »

PCT Update 6: Into the Sierra Nevada

6.16.2018 - Kyle Soeltz
9 minute read

It has been close to 2 weeks since any sign of civilization. Even longer than that since we were last in a real town, and by real town I mean a place that doesn't run purely on generators as there is… Continue Reading »

PCT Post-Desert Gear Update: What Worked, What Didn't, and What I'll Be Taking Into the Sierra

5.29.2018 - Kyle Soeltz
9 minute read

With the desert section behind me I feel it is a good time to look back at all of the gear changes that took place over that 700 miles. There were some pieces that shined greater than expected and… Continue Reading »

PCT Update 5: Marathon Through the Mojave

5.16.2018 - Kyle Soeltz
5 minute read

In the middle of the blistering heat and barren landscapes sits a place with shade, running water, and even air conditioning. Run by a couple of "trail angels" out of their own home is Hiker Heaven… Continue Reading »