Gretchen & the Trail

Gretchen & the Trail

May 4, 2019

Gretchen & the Trail

Gretchen & the Trail

May 4, 2019

We're going to hike the Pacific Crest Trail!

And by "we", I mean "I"- it turns out you can only edit a free honeymoon registry so much, so please pardon the "we", "our", "the couple", etc... Oh well, on with it!

The Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail is an approximately 2,650-mile-long continuous footpath that begins at the Mexican border southeast of San Diego and ends at the Canadian border northeast of Seattle. I plan to hike the entirety of this trail, transported only by my own two feet, carrying everything I need on my back, during the summer of 2019.

There is an extensive network of volunteers along the trail who help out hikers like me, providing them with clean water, snacks, a ride to a resupply location or mail drop, sometimes even welcoming them into their homes for a shower and hot meal. These people are lovingly known as "trail angels", and are often met with extreme gratitude for the goodies, assistance and morale boost they provide. Some friends and family members have asked if they can help me with my trip in any way, so I have found a way for those people to be trail angels from home!

While I have done numerous backpacking trips in the past, none have been nearly as extensive or intimidating as this. I will go days, maybe weeks without showering, sleeping somewhere soft, or using a toilet. I will endure extreme desert sun, tired and likely blistered feet, swarms of mosquitoes, massive burned areas, and a race to beat the snow in the Cascade Mountains. I will also meet a huge variety of like-minded individuals, see incredible sights and be totally immersed in nature for five months. I have a good idea what I have signed up for, but I won't truly understand until I am there.

With that in mind, I have come up with this registry of items and experiences that will make my journey more comfortable, more memorable, and (obviously) more affordable. Any of you incredible and generous souls who opt to sponsor any portion of my hike (no matter how big or small) will receive a good old fashioned, handwritten postcard from me along the trail. It's the least I can do in return for you supporting me on this grand adventure. Thank you to all of you wonderful trail angels both at home and across the country- you keep me trekking!

Our Registry

Gear
Creature Comforts
Hiker Hunger
PCT Hot Spots & Side trips
Show All
  • $0-$50
  • $50-$100
  • $100+
  • All
Cancel
High quality socks are one of the most important things you need to protect your feet on a thru hike, but they don't last forever. Fortunately Darn Tough socks have a lifetime guarantee, so I should only need a couple pairs.
Gift Fulfilled
Cancel
Most thru hikers go through 4-5 pairs of shoes on their trek, and quality shoes aren't cheap! Since feet swell and change along the way, I can't buy these ahead of time. I'll order them along the way and ship them to a future mail drop point.
Gift Fulfilled
Cancel
A bear can is a necessary evil in wilderness areas, keeping food safe from animals and those animals safe too. Reflective tape & bright stickers help identify my can in a group and find it if a bear moves it. Your gift gets me tape or some cool sticke
Gift Fulfilled
Cancel
Sponsor a Shower- Part of thru-hiking the PCT is being okay with being dirty, but that doesn't mean taking a shower on a Town Day isn't a priority - IT IS! A warm, hot shower can make any dirty hiker feel like a million bucks.
Gift Fulfilled
Cancel
Sponsor a load of laundry: While I won't be carrying much clothing along the trail, the few items I have will get pretty stinky in a short amount of time. Each gift includes quarters for wash/dry and detergent. Having clean clothes on trail? Priceless.
$1000
4/10
$100
Giving Portions
Give This Gift
Cancel
Sponsor A Campground Stay: Campgrounds/backpacker sites are trail highlights because they have awesome things like picnic tables, pit toilets, garbage cans, running water and sometimes even a bear box to store food in. Each gift covers a one-night stay.
Gift Fulfilled
Cancel
Sponsor A Hotel/Hostel Stay: Hotels are great trail morale boosters. They have a bed, showers, AC/heat, WiFi to update my blog and social media, electrical outlets to charge my electronics, flush toilets and sometimes laundry facilities.
Gift Fulfilled
Cancel
Sponsor a Snack- Hiker hunger never goes away! It is hard to pass through town without getting something to raise the spirits. Your gift will be used for a town snack, such as a couple of avocados, a smoothie, pastry or some other wondrous treat.
$500
47/100
$100
Giving Portions
Give This Gift
Cancel
Sponsor a Town Meal- When all you've eaten in days is rehydrated from vacuum-sealed packets cooked months ago, a fresh, hot meal is incredible for both your taste buds and your morale. Each gift equals one meal purchased in town, tax & a 20% tip.
$2500
4/25
$100
Giving Portions
Give This Gift
Cancel
Sponsor a Resupply Box- I will be mailing myself packages along the trail full of food for each section. Some places charge to hold packages, and postage isn't cheap, but it is totally worth it for healthy, home-cooked meals.
$5000
12/20
$100
Giving Portions
Give This Gift
Cancel
Sponsor a Supplemental Resupply- I can't mail myself everything, especially not fuel for my stove. I'll have to find this and extra items for my resupply boxes (such as fresh fruits/veggies, bagels/pitas, etc) in trail towns along the way.
$2000
18/20
$100
Giving Portions
Give This Gift
Cancel
Sponsor an Epsom Salt Foot Bath & Cold Root Beer @ Warner Springs Community Center: This stop is incredibly hiker friendly, and will be my very first resupply stop of the trip. After nearly 110 miles of desert, soaking my tired feet will be heavenly!
Gift Fulfilled
Cancel
Sponsor a day in Big Bear, Mile 265: This hiker-friendly town has a hostel with all the amenities (including pancakes!), a free shuttle around town, a post office to pick up my resupply box, and even some vegan restaurant options.
Gift Fulfilled
Cancel
Sponsor a night at Hikertown, Mile 517: An old movie set in the middle of the Mojave Desert, Hikertown is now an oasis for PCT hikers. I can get a room, a shower, resupply, do laundry, and pretend I'm in a spaghetti western, all in one place!
Gift Fulfilled
Cancel
Sponsor a side trip to Yosemite National Park- the PCT comes very close to this iconic park and I plan to hike down into Yosemite Valley to explore its splendor. This gift covers park fees, permits, and the shuttle back to the PCT.
Gift Fulfilled
Cancel
Sponsor a stay at Burney Falls Guest Ranch, Mile 1410: While the falls are right off the PCT, I would love to explore them without a pack. The guest ranch has all the amenities I could want (including a pool!) and I can pick up a resupply while I'm here.
Gift Fulfilled
Cancel
Sponsor and All-You-Can-Eat Brunch Buffet at the Timberline Lodge, Mile 2094.5: Hikers talk about this buffet for miles. After dining here, I’ll spend an hour waiting out my food coma before getting back on trail.
$2500
1/1
$100
Giving Portions
Give This Gift
Cancel
Sponsor a Brew or Two at Cascade Locks Ale House, mile 2155: Cascade Locks is the last trail town before crossing the Bridge of the Gods and entering Washington state. I will resupply here and refresh with a sandwich or snack and a cold one (or two)!
$2000
1/1
$100
Giving Portions
Give This Gift
Cancel
Sponsor my Trip Home: Assuming I can finish all 2650+ miles of this trek, I need to find my way to Vancouver or Seattle and fly home. Your gift will help cover the cost of shuttles, bus fares, an overnight stay or two and my flight back to Cleveland.
Gift Fulfilled
A Gift of Any Amount
I'm Giving
$
$000
Continue to Checkout