u/Affectionate-One6255

Hey fellow hikers. I am a long-time lurker, but this is my first post. Trying to think this through out loud because I've been going in circles for DAYS and could use some outside eyes.

I always wanted to hike the PCT (and maybeeee I will be able to do so in the upcoming years I HOPE SO), but because some health scares in my family reminded me of the fact that life is short, I pulled the trigger and I took two weeks of unpaid leave (all I got unfortunately) and just said "go for it NOW". I am a German, working in Tennessee right now, propably heading back to Germany next year. This trip was my finding closure of my US-chapter kind of thing. So it holds emotional value to me too.

The original master plan (12 weeks of planning, fully mapped out): NOBO, Cascade Locks → White Pass, Section H, ~148 miles, maybe further depending om my pace. Starting Aug 22. Full itinerary built around a conservative pace, bed stops included if needed (Carson, Trout Lake, Packwood), rest day built in, bear can bought, gear tested on loaded trial hikes. The best thing: My mom (said health scare candidate) is flying in from Germany to meet me and pick me up at White Pass when I finish, and we've got a whole second half of the trip planned together — a couple days in Rainier or Olympic NP, then wine country in Oregon, then the coast. It's honestly beautifully mapped out and I feel good about it. Comfortable, even.

The problem: WILDFIRES ... and an injury in my foot that I got from a fall two months ago weeks before trail that is now healed up and I am cleared, but hence the possible exits and town stops make me feel safe.

The backup: I panic-researched basically every alternative on the West Coast (and BC, and Colorado, and and and) over the last couple days, and landed on a real backup: a JMT permit, northbound from Cottonwood Lakes, booked and paid ($11 so that’s nothing). Fire conditions in the Sierra are genuinely calmer right now. But:

• It's my first solo long-distance backpacking trip. My real experience: Camino Portugués solo (~400km), Moselsteig, 5 days in Albania, but those were all hut/hostel-to-hostel, not true backcountry camping. My actual wilderness experience is a Zion overnight and 3 days on the AT, and I wasn't alone for those.
• JMT northbound means immediate high altitude (Forester Pass, 13,153 ft, by day 3), mandatory bear canister (different system than what I trained on), and a realistic window of only 10-12 hiking days given my travel constraints
• As I said, I also had a foot injury a month ago (still recovering, been resting/focussed weight-training instead of loaded hikes for the last 4 weeks) which has already cut into my training window. The JMT feels more remote, less exit if shit hits the fan, longer food carries (more weight on my foot...)
• And logistically, it disconnects from my mom's whole visit...different airport, different region, more moving pieces. Not unsolvable, but annoying so shortly out from my trip.

Where I'm at: Section H feels safe and ready. I trust the plan, I trust my prep. The PCT was always a dream of mine and this feels like a teaser, a sneak peak. The JMT is genuinely a dream trail and gorgeous and smoke-free right now, but it feels like I'd be attempting a harder, higher-stakes trip with a fraction of the preparation, purely because of circumstances outside my control.

I've got a decision point this Sunday where I'll check conditions one more time and make the call.

Also wondering: Should I give up on the hiking portion entirely (worst case, would hate that), I'm on unpaid personal leave for this. . . wondering if it's worth trying to cancel that leave if I'm not hiking, vs. just still taking the time to travel with my mom instead.

Has anyone been in a similar spot... bailing on a planned WA/OR section for fire reasons and pivoting somewhere else last minute? Did you regret the pivot, or regret not doing it? Any red flags in my thinking here I'm not seeing? What does your gut tell you, because mine is GANZ DURCHEINANDER (very confused).

Thanks for reading this novel. And Thanks for your advise. I am in a decision paralysis. 😅

Edit: I’ll be doing the TRT as my first solo adventure ⛰️❤️ thanks for all the tips! This one feels right!

Hey fellow hikers. I am a long-time lurker, but this is my first post. Trying to think this through out loud because I've been going in circles for DAYS and could use some outside eyes.

I always wanted to hike the PCT (and maybeeee I will be able to do so in the upcoming years I HOPE SO), but because some health scares in my family reminded me of the fact that life is short, I pulled the trigger and I took two weeks of unpaid leave (all I got unfortunately) and just said "go for it NOW". I am a German, working in Tennessee right now, propably heading back to Germany next year. This trip was my finding closure of my chapter here kind of thing. So it holds emotional value to me too.

The original master plan (12 weeks of planning, fully mapped out): NOBO, Cascade Locks → White Pass, Section H, ~148 miles, maybe further depending om my pace. Starting Aug 22. Full itinerary built around a conservative pace, bed stops included if needed (Carson, Trout Lake, Packwood), rest day built in, bear can bought, gear tested on loaded trial hikes. The best thing: My mom (said health scare candidate) is flying in from Germany to meet me and pick me up at White Pass when I finish, and we've got a whole second half of the trip planned together — a couple days in Rainier or Olympic NP, then wine country in Oregon, then the coast. It's honestly beautifully mapped out and I feel good about it. Comfortable, even, which after two months of prep feels like a real accomplishment.

The problem: WILDFIRES ... and an injury in my foot that I got from a fall two months ago weeks before trail that is now healed up and I am cleared, but hence the possible exits and town stops make me feel safe)

The backup: I panic-researched basically every alternative on the West Coast (and BC, and Colorado, and and and) over the last couple days, and landed on a real backup: a JMT permit, northbound from Cottonwood Lakes, booked and paid ($11, mostly refundable). Fire conditions in the Sierra are genuinely calmer right now. But:

• It's my first solo long-distance backpacking trip. My real experience: Camino Portugués solo (~400km), Moselsteig, 5 days in Albania, but those were all hut/hostel-to-hostel, not true backcountry camping. My actual wilderness experience is a Zion overnight and 3 days on the AT, and I wasn't alone for those.
• JMT northbound means immediate high altitude (Forester Pass, 13,153 ft, by day 3), mandatory bear canister (different system than what I trained on), and a realistic window of only 10-12 hiking days given my travel constraints
• As I said, I also had a foot injury a month ago (still recovering, been resting/focussed weight-training instead of loaded hikes for the last 4 weeks) which has already cut into my training window. The JMT feels more remote, less exit if shit hits the fan, longer food carries (more weight on my foot...)
• And logistically, it disconnects from my mom's whole visit...different airport, different region, more moving pieces. Not unsolvable, but annoying so shortly out from my trip.

Where I'm at: Section H feels safe and ready. I trust the plan, I trust my prep. The PCT was always a dream of mine and this feels like a teaser, a sneak peak. The JMT is genuinely a dream trail and gorgeous and smoke-free right now, but it feels like I'd be attempting a harder, higher-stakes trip with a fraction of the preparation, purely because of circumstances outside my control.

I've got a decision point this Sunday where I'll check conditions one more time and make the call.

Also wondering: Should I give up on the hiking portion entirely (worst case, would hate that), I'm on unpaid personal leave for this. . . wondering if it's worth trying to cancel that leave if I'm not hiking, vs. just still taking the time to travel with my mom instead.

Has anyone been in a similar spot... bailing on a planned WA/OR section for fire reasons and pivoting somewhere else last minute? Did you regret the pivot, or regret not doing it? Any red flags in my thinking here I'm not seeing? What does your gut tell you, because mine is GANZ DURCHEINANDER (very confused).

Thanks for reading this novel. And Thanks for your advise. I am in a decision paralysis. 😅