When Cheryl Strayed released Wild, a book detailing her life-changing experience hiking the Pacific Crest Trial in 1995, she couldn't have anticipated the impact it would have. Then in 2014 when Reese Witherspoon was cast as the author in a feature film by the same name and the story became a phenomenon that brought a ton of visibility to the mammoth of a trail.
The PCT covers 2,650 miles from Mexico to Canada across the western United States and has changed vastly since Cheryl Strayed walked her famed 1,100 miles. From wild fires to policy changes at the Northern Terminus, here are the things you should know about if Wild has piqued your interest in an epic adventure on the PCT.
Technology in your pocket
You may have guessed this but one major change on the PCT since 1995 is the access to and widespread use of technology. In the nineties, hikers would use data books for long distance hikes like the PCT. A data book gives the distance between land marks and as a hiker you estimate the time between landmarks based on your average hike time. It was more mind work and also a good motivator to track your progress and keep your pace.
Now with the use of GPS and the often times spotty cell towers, data books are a thing of the past. If you're using a data book in 2025 you'll get strange looks from other hikers as they use their iPhones to tell them where they are.
More than navigation, advancements in technology have led to lighter gear, and hikers can maintain much more frequent contact with their loved ones back home. The faces glowing with the light of their screens may feel like a downside to those seeking refuge in the wilderness but for rescue crews GPS has created a much needed ability to locate and help injured and lost people. These advancements have saved lives and limbs on the PCT.
Temperatures are rising
Unless you've been hiding under a rock, you have heard about the fires in California, Oregon, and Washington in the past few decades. As those are the three states that the PCT traverses, it shouldn't come as a surprise that nearly 250 miles of the trail have been completely charred. According to Science Advances, an online science journal, since the year 2000 fires have quadrupled in size and have become three times more likely compared to the prior two decades.
This is an outdoor activity requiring strenuous breathing through areas where smoke is potentially in the air. It is becoming more important than ever to research your travel timing so you can anticipate the different fire seasons along the PCT before starting. Some experts are saying that the days of traveling from southern terminus to Northern terminus in one shot may be coming to an end. For more information on what scientists predict for the future of the PCT visit the Pacific Crest Trail Association page.
An ever changing culture
With more visibility comes more people. If you start your hike now, you will still find your trail family or "tramily" as the friends you make on the hike have come to be known. You'll also see an influx of social media influencers and people who are new to outdoor etiquette. The frightening truth of 'doing it for the Gram' is that often safety is secondary to that same outdoor etiquette. It is more important than ever to have patience with fellow hikers and share your knowledge with them to preserve the safety and experience of everyone on the trail.
The good news is that the culture of the trail may be ever-changing, but it does not mean it is changing for the worse. The small towns which rely on tourism along the PCT are grateful for the tourism dollars and you should feel good about helping keep those communities afloat.
If you want to get out and see what you can learn about the Western United States and yourself, you should take on this adventure, even just a section of it. There will always be fellow wanderers, there will always be small-town hole-in-the-wall bars to meet people, and there will always be breathtaking views to make core memories. Following in the foot steps of Cheryl Strayed may look different now, but it will still be the life-changing and life-giving experience it has always been.