This is my “Pacific Crest Trail Why” – With a dog.

The Pacific Crest Trail is a daunting adventure, stretching 2,650 miles (4,265km) from Mexico to Canada. While my partner Seth plans to complete its entirety; I plan to hike the longest dog friendly stretch that spans half the country. We will walk 1300 miles with the great company of my dog, Chloe Rue. While this hike will begin next summer in 2023, Chloe and I have begun to take strides (literally) to improve our strength and endurance for the undertaking! Do you want to learn more about our planning? Keep an eye out on our Pacific Crest Trail series as we dive into our physical, mental, and dog-knowledge training program to help prepare us for this grand adventure.

You can find the rest of the PCT series listed here!

My human “Why”

Why am I hiking the PCT? This is a very popular question, and though I am no Cheryl Strayed who hiked to find her way back to herself in the popular book and movie adaptation called, “Wild” I definitely respect the importance of remembering my “why” while on a very physically demanding journey.

Have you ever experienced the feeling when your body ACHES from your head through your toes, and then you notice your cheeks also hurt from smiling too much? Yet the pain is really nothing compared to the jubilant freedom that is your very soul while exploring within nature. It’s happened to me, a couple of times. The first time I ever did a hike that exceeded 10 miles was by myself at the age of 24 in Glacier National Park. It was called the Highline Trail, which stretches across the park at a grueling 14 miles. It was my first solo adventure after I started my journey as a traveling occupational therapist. I remember climbing on top of a rock for lunch, where I sat on its hard surface. I was eating an apple with this expansive mountainous view in front of me that was more than breath taking. It felt like my entire spirit could run wild, because the wilderness that lay before me, matched the wilderness inside me. I realized then, how deeply I loved to hike long distances. It became a meaningful experience to my life to allow the wilderness to take over my soul and welcome that emotion into my life.

Now at the age of 24 you are probably wondering what on earth kind of ‘wilderness’ I was struggling with. Traveling by yourself can be lonely. In fact, I relished every moment of my traveling journey, but those first few contracts were very difficult. I remember having a patient hit me for the first time (as they were confused, agitated and acted out). I remember going to a place where I had no connections, no friends and simply had a job. I was also figuring out my finances for the first time on my own, and learning how to be truly independent, away from any influence from my family. It was a beautiful experience, but there was a lot of fear to cope with. Thankfully, this long walk on top of the world was exactly what I needed to cope with the life changes. I think everyone has a wilderness in their soul, and taking time to sit with the massive conglomeration of emotion that tangles itself up each day (like motorcycle hair, but internally) is massively therapeutic. On occasion though, there is something we can physically do to help us cope with life and for me, that is backpacking.

Now, when I lay under a world of stars as they reflect perfectly off a lake before me, during a backpacking trip around 3 Fingered Jack Mountain during a new moon; or when I watch the maddeningly blue McKenzie River race its way around me at sunrise, or when I breathe the pure, rich mountain air at the top of South Sister- I can feel the wilderness in the world. I can be completely free from everything and anything society could try to use to influence me.

To experience that feeling, yet adding the physical challenge that is 1300 miles north bound from California to Canada is my ‘why PCT’. I am so excited to give my mind one absolute direction (NORTH) while my soul can sing with purposeful freedom and my body can ache with the strength it yearns to use. I am hiking the pacific crest trail to embrace the wilderness that is within me, as I explore the stunning wilderness that is a part of this world.

My Dog’s “Why”

Now, while my personal ‘why’ makes sense, many folks bring their dogs onto the trail without a real understanding of how difficult it is to backpack with a dog. The trail ultimately becomes ‘their dog’s’ trail and each day the priorities of my dog become more important than my own priorities. While 1300 miles is completely asinine for most dogs to walk, Chloe has her own ‘why’ and maybe I sound crazy for believing that. Chloe is a dog who is happy sleeping on the couch. However, she truly finds purpose in being my partner on the trail. After spending the first 5 years of her life in 42 US states on our travels, and having my back by alerting me to moose, goats, suspicious humans walking behind me; and even having the sense to alert me to not live somewhere I was looking into- Well, Chloe finds her purpose as a dog in being my partner.

This is in addition, to her clear love of being in the wilderness. While she was rescued from a river at 10 weeks old, covered in ticks which eventually lead to a brief battle with limes disease; Chloe becomes BEYOND excited when we undertake backpacking trips. It has lead to her staying on a leash 100% of the time, because she will wear herself out running to each log, and back to me over and over for miles each day. As we currently walk 10 miles on our hiking trips for training, and hope to achieve 15 before we start the trail, she finds so much joy in the wilderness.

That is not to mention, the peace that is apparent she enjoys as thoroughly as I do. I have caught Chloe having moments where she sits next to me, and simply stares at the views the same as I do. Will I ever understand what she can see? Or how it makes her feel to be deep within the wilderness? Maybe not. However the connection I have with my girl is incredibly deep, and I can’t help but sense that she can sense my peace which helps her feel it herself.

Either way, the physical, mental and skills training we have embraced this year has been an absolute joy to experience together. With Seth and myself having just found out our official PCT start date is March 18^th, the planning has begun! Hiking 10 miles with Chloe was much easier for her than it was for me (mostly due to horrific blisters and the need for new shoes which I officially have!) and our next adventure is a week-long winter backpacking trip nearby in Oregon.

So tell me- have you ever experienced that feeling I mentioned that propels me forward toward crazy goals? What’s a pivotal traveling memory you have experienced? And what inspires you to bring your dog with on your travels? Comment, email, or share your thoughts! As always, thanks for reading! Happy trails and happy tails to you all.

Barking Embarkers