{"id":5056,"date":"2024-03-26T20:02:53","date_gmt":"2024-03-27T03:02:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/yetihikes.net\/wordpress\/?p=5056"},"modified":"2026-04-14T06:17:51","modified_gmt":"2026-04-14T13:17:51","slug":"pct-day-1-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yetihikes.net\/wordpress\/2024\/03\/26\/pct-day-1-2\/","title":{"rendered":"PCT Day 1 \u2013 It Begins at Mexico"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Day 1<\/p>

Start: Mexico<\/p>

Finish: Hauser Mountain<\/p>

Daily Mileage: 8.8<\/p>

Trip Mileage: 8.8<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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I have wanted to hike the Pacific Crest Trail since I hiked the Appalachian Trail way back in 2008. Circumstances finally lined up and I got my opportunity this year and a permit for 3\/26 which is a tad earlier than the traditional April start dates, but appealed to me so I could get through the desert before it got too hot and into the Sierra before the snow melt got too high. But you can never know how it will go when applying for the permit in November. It has been a stormy winter though mainly rain. As I start out, I\u2019m not sure what the conditions ahead will hold for me, and if I will encounter impassible obstacles, but I will deal with them as they are dealt.<\/p>

I spent the night in San Diego after meeting up with some good friends for one last send-off. I took the morning shuttle out to the trail with 4 other prospective thru-hikers \u2013 a German couple, Sean, an Australian, and Dan from CA. Sean, Dan, and I chatted for most of the trip which turned into me sharing my long distance backpacking advice since this will be their first long distance trail and differences between The US and Australia.<\/p>

I got some surprises on the differences between our countries. Sean thought Americans were much friendlier, and was amazed at our \u201cnormal\u201d displays of patriotism like with the American flags that fly everywhere. Apparently there isn\u2019t nearly as much patriotism in Australia.<\/p>

After grabbing some last minute supplies, we were dumped at the border wall and the PCT monument that marks the trail\u2019s terminus. I had seen many pictures of it over the years, and it didn\u2019t seem real to finally see it in person. It was, however, exactly as pictured, so that part of it was straight forward. Sean, Dan, and I took a group shot for our start pictures, collected our permits to put on our packs, and set off on our journey north. Or at least 0.4 miles to the campsite they were staying at for the night so they could start tomorrow which was their start dates.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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