Hikertrash
I took all these pictures of myself while I hiked and I needed to do something with them so I made a video. The trail takes its toll on a body and you can definitely see a change in through hikers as they travel north.
Watch the beard grow!
Throughout the second half of my time on the PCT, I conducted a personal project to explore a novel way to document the trail. I took two portraits of each thru-hiker I passed. One tight facial portrait and one foot portrait. This I managed to do with 49 different hikers, and all with the minimal amount of lightweight gear in my pack.
Below you will find some highlights of the series. The full project can be viewed on my personal website. Special thanks to Soapbox and Ms. Frizzle, without whom this project would not exist.
Hiker Trash: noun: a term used to describe thru-hikers and all of their hairy, dirty, grunginess. They are typically characterized by their far-beyond disheveled appearance and god-awful smell. These are people that set out to complete a 2,663 mile hike along the Pacific Crest Trail, a long distance trail spanning California, Oregon and Washington. I consider them my friends and comrades. They put aside their daily lives in ‘the real world’ to spend about five months walking in the woods and experiencing life and nature. They attack a pile of food like no human you have ever seen, and they do it without remorse or shame. The nomadic community created by Hiker Trash is one of the most beautiful and ephemeral tribes a person can experience. For the five months I spent on the PCT, everyone I met treated me as one of their own. They were my tribe. I was their kin.
They embrace the constant and daily challenges presented by the grueling terrain, merciless pace, and mercurial weather. All in the name of making it from Mexico to Canada armed with nothing but sheer force of will and their own feet. It is with perseverance and grit that every thru-hiker is able to put one foot in front of the other. The pounding on a thru-hiker’s foot is constant and brutal. The cost of their dream is shown in their battered and bruised feet. Their indomitable spirit and fortitude is shown in their faces. These are their faces. These are their feet.
Iceman
Joaquin
Pot Luck
Trail Dancer
Mr. President
Snail Trainer
Polar Bear
Quickdraw
Cheers,
Jonathan
2500 miles down, 163 left to go. SO CLOSE.
With less than 200 miles left until we reach the Canadian border, I can almost taste the finish. We have wandered so far in this journey, but never wavered. It's crazy to think that in two weeks I'll be back in the Midwest. The trail has become normal life at this point. The finish doesn't simply mean the end of this trail, though. It also means parting ways with some incredible friends and a way of life I have enjoyed to the fullest. I don't think I ever could have guessed how much of an impression this experience would have on me.
I could ramble forever about what 2500 miles means. Instead, I'll leave you with a few photos of some beautiful hiker trash and the knowledge that we'll be done within a week.
Butters
Ms. Frizzle
Soap Box
Pedi
Cheers,
Jonathan
As much as I love sharing scenic views from the trail, most of life for a PCT hiker is walking, camping and spending time with hiker friends. These are the simple moments.
The boys are back outta town.
Setting up tents.
Dinner
Riding in the back of a pickup on the way back to the trail. Checking more activities off the American bucket list.
This is how you don't get scurvy.
Blogging in our sleeping bags.
Swimming in a dammed up lake
It's hot and we're tired.
Waiting for cars give us a hitch.
Peeing off the side of a mountain.
Searching for "gold" in rivers.
Finding ourselves exhausted by the mountains.
Sleeping on top of Muir Pass in the Muir Hut.
And then we keep walking.
Cheers,
Jonathan (Pedi)
Ok, I don't think we'll be finding Easter Eggs on the trails. We stink, we walk funny, we dress in goofy clothes, and we will eat anything - we've become hiker trash.
Today has been rough. The first few days are behind us and we are taking a break at mile 91 as I write. We will be crossing our 100 mile marker! However, the desert sun is beating down and as another hiker said, "there are bodies under all the trees." We are seeking out shade. It's hot, water is short and the tallest tree is close to 5 ft tall. Every day I am drawing on my experiences with Double H and Philmont to help make things easier.
Day 1 I was extremely excited to be on the trail, maybe even nervous with anticipation. Our trail angel, Girl Scout dropped us off at the border, we snapped some pictures and we were on our way through the desert, putting distance between ourselves and the border patrol.
Day 2 brought sore muscles, but new friends and I was able to dole out backpacking tips. We were playing leap frog with a Belgian guy and a German all day and finally we decided to hike together. We hiked over 20 miles to our next camp and went from the desert to Ponderosa pines and the scenic town of Mt. Laguna.
Day 3 was more incredible scenery and the landscape opened up to vistas overlooking the enormous Noble Canyon. A long day of walking on trail with solid rock on one side and a 2000 foot drop on the other side.
Day 4 was a long one, but was a blast: fighter jets, bridge beers, camping in the desert. During lunch we found water at a fire tank. If there hadn't been water there we would have been in trouble - no other water for 30+ miles. Jonathan had/has terrible foot problems so I hiked ahead (thinking if he needed help I'd find more water and closer road access) while he laid up with hiker friends. Half an hour later I hear yelling behind me. I turned as fast as I could to see Jonathan bolting down this mountain ridge trail, flying by other hikers. He's yelling for me to take video. After he passes me, I cinch down my straps and run after him. That evening we hiked to Scissors Crossing to find beer stored in a cooler, left by a trail angel. Perfect.
Side note: we had to leave the bridge hangout - lots of people were showing up at the bridge and we needed sleep. From our hillside campsite we saw bikers and some guy with a search light on his car drive by the bridge so I think we made an excellent call when we moved on.
I feel like all my experience from working at Double H has made me more prepared for the desert, mentally. And I have been extremely lucky, very few blisters. Been trying to get some good pictures and teach the guys some skillz! As a group we have taken on our trail personalities, are growing accustomed to walking all day, taking notice of our surroundings and getting past our aches and pains.
-Dan (no drawings yet, just pics!)
Southern Terminus
Afternoon of Day 1
Day 3 - tons of ridge walking, breaking for a snack!
The ridge we were walking along (day 3). Jonathan is in the middle someplace.
Day 4 - Scissors Crossing, the bridge vortex. We founds water, beer, trash collection and things got strange.
