The Pacific Crest Trail Hiker's Handbook, Second Edition

Blast from the Past

Published in 1996, this book was the predecessor of Beyond Backpacking and Trail Life.

Excerpts from

The Pacific Crest Trail Hiker's Handbook

By Ray Jardine

Published by AdventureLore Press, Ray and Jenny Jardine

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Excerpt from Preface:

...The Pacific Crest Trail leads along this marvelous crest from Mexico to Canada. Some 30 years in the making at a cost of millions of dollars and incalculable hours of labor, it is a walkway of unprecedented diversity and genuine awe. As such, Congress has granted it the status of National Scenic Trail.

In my mind, the construction of the PCT was an investment in the American future, on par with the purchase of Alaska or the funding of the space program. Decades ago, people with vision acted on their dreams, and left us with a national treasure. And rightly so, for of the thousands of hiking trails in this country and abroad, the PCT is unique in many ways.

It is one of the longest continuous trails on earth. And with its length comes unparalleled diversity. Diversity of elevation, from 140 feet at the Columbia River to 13,200 feet at Forester Pass; of temperatures from below freezing in the High Sierra and North Cascades to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the deserts; of weather patterns from continuous weeks of fine weather to periods of heavy rain, perhaps laced with strong winds, lightning and even snowfall. And of course it displays a strong diversity of flora and fauna, from the desert chaparral to the exposed lichens above timberline. For the hiker making way along this trail, these elements can change frequently and often with surprising abruptness. The trail through southern California, for example, traverses mountain ranges one after the next, each interspersed with a section of low desert. One day the hiker will be at 8,500 feet trudging through snow, and a few days later at 2,500 feet sweltering in the heat.

At last count, this National Scenic Trail leads through two dozen National Forests and 33 congressionally designated Wilderness Areas. It wanders through seven National Parks and six State and Provincial Parks. Blend in a National Monument, a National Recreation Area, four BLM Management areas, and several parcels of private land, large and small, and we have a recipe for an unparalleled hiking adventure.

And yet, we celebrate not the trail, but the wild places it passes through. The trail is merely a means of enjoying the end. It is also a long, winding invitation to shed the ennui; a beckoner of souls who would travel its higher regions, if only for a few glorious weeks or months.

The PCT offers an exemplary, extended, yet convenient wilderness experience. It rarely leads us within sight, sound, or smell of civilization. And it often affords exceptional views. We can stand on a high vantage and scan unlimited miles in every direction. What do we see? Prominent landmarks on the horizon behind us which a week earlier had stood on the horizon ahead. And forests and lowlands everywhere empty of cities, highways, and the rising dust of progress. The air will be clear and silent, accented only with the chortle of a raven or whisper of breeze in the pines.

Ironically, this massive tract of unsullied land is easily accessible. We need not travel to the far corners of the earth in order to find the "tonic of the wilderness," as Thoreau put it. Nor do we have to use air drops for food resupplies. Post offices and backcountry resorts suffice. These "resupply stations" are spaced several days apart, and as we reach one, we can load our backpacks with provisions mailed to ourselves earlier, and set off again into another vast stretch of backcountry. And we can repeat the process for a few weeks at a time, or for several months. Exemplary, extended, yet convenient.

Unlike its eastern counterpart, the Appalachian Trail, the PCT could not have followed every ridgeline and climbed every mountain along the way. The Crest is often so rugged and lofty that such a trail would have been nearly impossible to build, and even then it would have eliminated all but the most exceptional athletes and exposed them to great risk. So the PCT planners compromised. They wound the trail in and among the highlands in the most pleasing and safe manner. They made it sufficiently challenging to hold our interest, without sacrificing the pure wistful pleasures of the experience. They routed the trail up and down the mountainsides in gentle switchbacks designed to free our minds from the bodies' exertions and allow them to alight on the beauties of the surroundings.

In the same vein, the PCT planners showed great wisdom when they routed the trail away from towns. Distance is a great barrier to those who do not respect the land and who would come into its pristine regions to paint its rocks and leave its forests littered with spent cartridges and empty beer cans. It is also a great barrier to those who would menace the hikers.

And who are these hikers? Just about anyone it seems; for the PCT makes no distinction between the young and old, rich and poor, fit and flabby, Type-A and carefree. It knows nothing of race, gender, or creed. Nor does it care whether hikers pass through in groups, pairs, or singles; equipped with high-tech or Army surplus. And it has been known to grant passage to the handicapped person of particular grit. The only traits it insists on, and this at times emphatically, are perseverance and a willingness to shed whatever misconceptions do not align with reality.

The Meaning

What is the meaning of the PCT experience? Naturally, this varies with the individual. But in my mind a multi-month journey along this national treasure can be a perfect example of the long-distance hiker's dream. First and foremost it is an escape from structured, citified living; a temporary withdrawal from our fellow metronauts. It is a return to Nature, and possibly a journey in search of what parts of ourselves might lie within its deserts, forests, and far-flung mountains. Trail life can be a time of rising early, of traipsing wet footed through meadow grass, and later of feeling the luxurious warmth of the morning sun. It can be a time of ambling through quiet, hallowed forests, and perhaps in the same day, of laboring to gain a high vantage, and finally in conquest to feel the supremacy of the mountaineer.

A rejuvenation of self

Trail life is also a time of gaining better control of ourselves, and of expanding our capacities for personal growth. It is a time of shedding lethargy; of losing weight perhaps, and of growing stronger and healthier. It can be a time of meeting kindred spirits; of relating to other distance-hikers whose aspirations and experiences generally parallel our own. It is also a chance to discover innumerable out of the way places, inaccessible to mechanized travelers and in fact unknown to most people.

Distance-hikers rely almost entirely on their own resources. Turning their back on the demoralizing world of politics and crime, they alone decide the course of the day's events. In toil and privation, and in joys inexpressible they will be awakening their senses and gaining better understandings of their strengths and weaknesses, and of their natural surroundings - the biosphere that sustains all life. And in surmounting the many problems along the way they will be forging self confidence. Thus equipped, they no longer need compare themselves with their contemporaries back at home in order to interpret their own self images.

The trail lures these restless buccaneers ever onward. Granted, the way is garnished with toil and fatigue, but they are the right kinds of toil and fatigue. And of course the wilderness features the usual adversities of snowpack, mosquitoes and so forth. But adversities only strengthen those who learn to accept and adjust to them, who are open to personal growth. So indeed, the journey is a test of abilities: not only of physical strength and stamina, but of adaptability as well. It is truly, a test of selves.

The Handbook

This Pacific Crest Trail Hiker's Handbook is a collection of trail tested information and instruction addressing all the aspects of planning, preparing, and actually hiking the PCT. It is also a manual in the art and skills of ultra-long-distance hiking relevant to just about any trail. It's main focus is on the thru-hike: the long and distinguished journey afoot, border to border in a single season. For after all, the full benefits of long distance hiking come only when we have fully attuned, usually after a month or two on the trail. However, most people cannot afford that much time away from work and family. So they hike the PCT in segments, spending a weekend or a week on the trail, and returning year after year. These folks, too, should find a great deal of useful information in these pages. For after all, the techniques are designed to increase hiking efficiency, safety, and enjoyment. And what works for the long distance hiker should work as well for the weekend hiker.

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Excerpt from the "Packweight" chapter:

As an ultra-long-distance hiker, every additional ounce on your feet and back will magnify itself against you two and a half thousand times. Don't try to conquer Nature by dragging along items of luxury and comfort designed to resemble what you are leaving at home. They will only subtract from your comfort while on the trail. And remember that the trail is long. Make it easier on yourself by carving your packweight. Start during your training hikes and continue right on through to your final resupply package pick up.

Ray's myth-busters

Myth: The longer the hike, the more gear it requires.

Fact: The longer the hike, the less gear it requires. This is because the more weeks and months you spend on the trail, the more efficient your methods will become, and the more confidence you will gain. A month into the hike you will begin to rely more on your skills rather than purely on your equipment.

Myth: According to tradition, the backpacker needs a comprehensive load of equipment for a safe, comfortable, and enjoyable trip. "It's better to have something and not need it," the saying goes, "than to need it and not have it."

Fact: A comprehensive load of equipment is extremely heavy. Carrying a heavy load for two and a half thousand miles is neither safe nor enjoyable. The gear might provide comfort once you reach camp, but if you are trying to hike long distances, then by the time you reach camp you are likely to be beyond needing comfort. All you will need is a place to collapse from exhaustion.

Myth: Tradition also holds that this equipment must be rugged and durable.

Fact: For the person prone to dropping it off cliffs, yes.

Myth: The backpack may feel very heavy now, but it won't be so bad once you get in shape.

Fact: Initially, a 60 pound pack feels merely heavy, including when training with it at home. After the first 100 miles of actual PCT hiking it will feel more like a crushing burden. If you are striving for high mileage days, the heavy pack will steepen every hill, magnify every mile, and drastically reduce your daily mileage while making you far more prone to injury. And in the process it will sap your enjoyment. Never will you accustom to it, and always will the act of taking it off bring immense relief.

Why, then, do hikers carry heavy loads? Generally, I imagine it is for these reasons:

They are trying to be prepared for any and all unforeseen occurrences, falsely imagining that great quantities of equipment will provide greater margins of safety.

• This rationale generally stems from a lack of knowledge regarding human ability, adaptability and the environment. Heavy-duty, superfluous gear can actually subtract from the hiker's safety.

They may be easily persuaded by advertising.

• One ploy with advertisers is to obscure the relative heaviness of their products. For example, they will describe an item weighing 8 ounces as "featherweight." Imagine a bird having feathers weighing half-a-pound each. The poor creature would weigh about 400 pounds. Who benefits from this nonsense - the backpacker struggling along under a ponderous load of "lightweight" gear, or the manufacturers selling it?

They may be dragging along as many creature-comfort impediments as possible, trying to simulate the comforts of home.

• Those who demand the comforts of home might prefer staying at home.

They learned their methods from people and organizations they respect, such as from their parents, the Boy or Girl Scouts, or the military.

• Were these "authorities" proficient long distance hikers?

They might be trying to impress others.

• Are we to take backpackers lumbering beneath 60 pound packs as macho and experienced, or as comically (or sadly) uninformed?

When Jenny and I set out from Campo on our second PCT hike, our packs weighed 22 pounds each. This included a 2-1/2 day supply of food, and all the clothing and equipment needed for the first month. The gear list on page 131 reflects the same level of expertise for one person hiking autonomously. The packweight in that chapter is also 22 pounds. This does not include food or water, but it does include the clothes and shoes the hiker would be wearing.

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Endorsements

America's leading authority on lightweight long distance hiking shares his secrets.

The Pacific Crest Trail Hiker's Handbook is two books in one. First, it details how to plan and prepare for a journey along the Pacific Crest Trail. And second, it details the latest techniques for efficient, injury-free, and enjoyable hiking. The author is eminently qualified to write this book, with more than 20,000 miles of hiking to his credit, including three trips along the PCT. He writes mainly for the determined distance hiker, but many of his methods are equally useful for the weekend backpacker. And what makes the book unique is its innovative approach. Most of its material is original.

Endorsements

For The Pacific Crest Trail Hiker's Handbook

Anders I. "My congratulations for an excellent book. The "Ray Way" is starting in Sweden too."

Abe A. "Based on 35 years of backpacking experience I can honestly say that The PCT Hiker's Handbook rates among the top books on the subject."

Johnny A. "I found the Handbook extremely helpful in my preparations."

Michael A. "If there was ever a book perfectly suited to the hiker's needs, The PCT Hiker's Handbook is it. It is filled with fresh, new and vital information - not the same old rhetoric. Believe me when I say that the Handbook will become a classic! Bravo! for your effort."

Danica A. "A wonderful source of practical inspiration."

Matt A. "I'm really glad that I got a hold of the Handbook - I doubt that I could have organized it in the last month-and-a-half without it. The itineraries made it easy."

Andy B. "Thank you for writing the Handbook. It has been very helpful to us long distance neophytes."

Scott B. "The PCT Handbook is informative and a pleasure to read. I'm sure its valuable advice will be helpful during my upcoming trip."

Jonathan B. "The PCT Hiker's Handbook is one of the best books I have ever read. It has an extraordinary combination of detailed practical advice coupled with spiritual and emotional insight. Jardine's joy in hiking, his love of Nature and of God, and his commitment to serving others shine through his words."

Tod B. "The handbook is a great asset to the hiking community. I recommend it frequently."

Bruce B. "I enjoyed the book and have employed some of its ideas to good advantage. In fact, the footwear discussion was so revolutionary that I wrote to Nike, recommending they hire Ray Jardine as a designer."

David B. "The Handbook opened my eyes and changed my way of thinking towards hiking principles I had always considered standard practice. Great information!"

Jack B. "I enjoy Ray's ideas and enthusiasm immensely and also his willingness to share it! My eyes have certainly been opened."

Steve B. "The Handbook has been unbelievably helpful in my adventure planning."

Dennis C. "It's the journey, and we're going, thanks in no small part to the Handbook!"

Frederick C. (Retired pilot United Airlines) "This year, as in years past, I've found myself adopting more and more of the techniques and advice of my backpacking guru - Ray Jardine. A roaring round of applause for his PCT Hiker's Handbook! This one small volume may, indeed, be changing a whole generation's thinking on how to approach not only long distance trails, but backpacking in general. It seems to be approaching almost cult status. The book is without peer."

Scott C. "The Handbook fills a real gap in the overall picture. It's a very worthwhile source of information for anyone contemplating much hiking. I made some major changes in my thinking, and experimented with many of the book's ideas. The Handbook, along with the Wilderness Press guidebooks should be all the planning material one needs to plan to hike the PCT."

Randy C. "Great insight. Very candid and readable. Backed with real I-can-taste-it experience."

Fred C. "Contains lots of helpful information."

Tom C. "The PCT Hiker's Handbook is the most unique hiking book on the market - there are no others that even come close."

Karl D. "(PCT 91, LT 92) I have found The PCT Hiker's handbook to be excellent; very well organized and clear. I even saw a number of its ideas being used by AT through-hikers last summer."

Dan D. "I might as well praise the PCT Handbook while I'm at it. When I first read it several years ago it was like receiving a breath of fresh air."

Ann E. "A wonderful book!"

John & Sandy E. "Full of good ideas."

David F. "A very valuable resource."

Al F. "Thank you for the insight of writing the Handbook."

Pete F. "I enjoyed reading The PCT Hiker's Handbook (several times). It is loaded with good things that make it a very worthwhile addition to backpacking literature."

Denny F. "My copy looks more like rainbows of colors with many parts underlined and highlighted."

Tom F. "A friend recommended I order the Handbook and take advantage of some of the wisdom it contains."

Steve F. "The Handbook has been very valuable to me as I plan my PCT walk this summer."

Jeff G. "Invaluable in planning our through-hike."

Judy G. "The Handbook helped us tremendously to prepare for the PCT. We avoided several major mistakes. Thank you for sharing your knowledge."

Paul G. "I almost have your book memorized. Thanks for all your help."

Andrew H> "I read the Handbook for the third time and still found gems of useful information."

Brandon H. "Humbled by a lack of long-distance trail miles, we are open to the innovative and trail-tested wisdom Ray Jardine describes in The PCT Hiker's Handbook."

Dennis H. "Very good job, very informative. The Handbook is a MUST-READ for all hikers. I'd never been west before and it helped prepare me for hiking out there. Enclosed is a check for three more for my friends. Send them ASAP please!"

Ray H. "I wouldn't have tried the PCT without your book. I doubt I would have succeeded without your advice and information."

Garrett H. "The PCT Hiker's Handbook has been an incredible inspiration and technical juggernaut!"

J.H. MD "I really enjoyed The PCT Hiker's handbook. I frequently found myself saying "Yes! Right on! That's what I think too!" or "Yes! I thought I was the only one who had thought of that!"

Phil H. "Useful as well as provocative...new, fresh approaches to age old challenges."

Rick H. "Thanks for making it easier for the rest of us."

C. H. USMC "Just received and finished reading the PCT Hiker's Handbook. Enjoyed it. However, I now find I need more. Please send me the PCT guidebooks."

Matthew J. "An excellent book. Very good reading."

Marc J. "A very stimulating book, with innovative ideas!"

J. J. "I found many nuggets of information."

Alan J. "I was climbing in Yosemite Valley when Jardine was there, and have used the "Friends" protection devices since the beginning. So I have been familiar with his name for quite awhile. I was therefore surprised and glad to see The PCT Hiker's Handbook. Jardine seems to have successfully put the same inventiveness and attention to detail that he used to create "Friends" into his hiking book, in a straightforward and well organized format. In an insecure person, such a considerable background might have come through in the book as a sermon or a chance to brag. Instead, it is honest, practical and warm. He has done a fantastic job."

Wallace K. "I just finished reading the Handbook. Very enjoyable! Good information."

Lynnea L. "Thanks for sharing your experience with others; we really appreciate the time and effort you put into the Handbook."

Dustin L. & Julia B. "Had a great impact on us, and inspired us both."

Richard L. "The writing is clear and substantive."

Steve L. "The book is much more than practical. Ray puts the experience of grandeur into fanciful words of achievement. Words that inspire dreams."

Alfred L. "A fine book. Has much useful information for we Eastern backpackers."

George M. "It is the only "how to" book in my experience that goes way out on a limb with radical ideas and makes no concession to conventional wisdom. It revolutionized my thinking and was a major ingredient in my success."

Jerry M. "How do you thank someone for inspiration and dream building? The PCT Hiker's Handbook has been a constant source of motivation for me."

Dick M. "Keep the new ideas coming."

Jim M. "I have enjoyed the Handbook immensely."

Tom M> "Most comprehensive."

Mary M. "Thank you for your genuine human caring and motivation in your books and examples."

Scott M. "An outstanding job on the book! It's great!!!"

Ward N. "Your Handbook has been like the answer to a prayer! It is an immense help and especially so when one is planning a PCT hike but has not hiked any part of the PCT and is 3,000 miles away."

Julie N. "I have found The PCT Hiker's Handbook extremely helpful. It has changed the way my husband and I approach our section-at-a-time journey on the PCT."

Jason O. "Your book impressed me for its content and style. I've sold my friends on many of its ideas, citing your book with weighty authority. They are all quite impressed with the logic of these snippets. Your gospel, it seems, is getting out."

Chris O. "Many thanks for sharing your knowledge of long-distance hiking techniques. Your and Jenny's more extensive experience convinced us to give your ideas a try. And, we're glad we did!"

David P. "Essential reading in preparing for any long hike."

Ruth P. "I find the Handbook extremely informative and inspiring."

Charles P. "Thanks for all your help and your contributions to the hiking community and the planet."

Robert P. "Sounds like you're on to something that will make the wilderness experience even more pleasurable!"

Rob R. "I have read The PCT Hiker's Handbook several times and am constantly referring back to it. Its ideas, experience and practical knowledge have been invaluable in planning my hike. It has made an astronomical contribution me and to all thru-hikers. A wonderful book!"

Steve Roper (Originator The Sierra High Route and author of its guidebook): "Never have I seen such a detailed treatment of long-distance hiking. And I especially enjoyed browsing through the philosophical sections."

John R. "I was quite taken with the book's concise format and attention to detail."

Carl S. "An incredible source of sensible backpacker's know-how."

Jeff Schaffer (Principle author and cartographer, the PCT Guidebook) "Contains a lot of very crucial information. Long distance hikers need such a book."

Libby S. "The Handbook is very well read. Along the trail Jardine's name is mentioned by nearly every hiker out for longer than the weekend. He's made people rethink this whole thing - and that's good!"

Scott S. "The Handbook touched on several important subjects that have never been mentioned by other writers. It was a real eye opener for me, and I learned some important lessons. Jardine's stealth camping, for example, is an idea whose time has come."

Frank & Diane E. "We found The PCT Hiker's Handbook to be very enjoyable reading and chocked full of information. Unfortunately, we purchased our copy only a month before we started our hike, and had already spent dozens of hours developing our itinerary. If only we had learned about the Handbook earlier we could have saved all of that planning time!"

Curtis S. "Jardine has become something of a backpacker's guru here in my area. If someone had told me a year ago that I would be hiking in tennis shoes and swearing off freeze dried food, I would have laughed. Now I get a good laugh thinking of what I used to put myself through! The PCT Handbook has certainly helped me to reduce my packweight."

Richard S. "I can't say enough about The PCT Hiker's Handbook and the well of experience from which it flows. Utterly absorbing."

Chris T. "Jardine has carefully considered all aspects of backpacking and has come to some startling conclusions. His PCT Hiker's Handbook challenges many standard views and is a refreshing and important addition to the literature of backpacking. I recommend it highly."

Karl U. "The PCT Hiker's Handbook helped pave the way for the most incredible journey of my life. I found it invaluable during my preparations. As much as a PCT through-hike is a wilderness experience, it is also a physical and logistical task, and one's preparation must reflect this. The trick is to minimize any problems associated with the hike so that you can enjoy yourself. Several hikers I've met did not plan enough (mostly out of arrogance) and they have been humbled. So, step number one is to read this book thoroughly. I've read it twice and think it's outstanding. It really accelerates the learning curve."

Bill V. "I couldn't sit still after reading it!"

Margie W. "Excellent book! I feel very fortunate to have encountered Jardine's expertise."

Ian Wade (Former Vice President, Outward Bound USA; Current Programs Director, Pacific Crest Outward Bound; past president, American Mountain Guides Association): "The PCT Hiker's Handbook is refreshingly more informed than any other. I enjoyed reading it immensely."

Greg W. "I've read The PCT Hiker's Handbook a few times and find it extremely valuable."

Brent W. "Very positive inspiration."

Bill W. "I view the Handbook as some sort of personal watershed in my mountain traveling style."

Andrew W. "Enclosed is a check for a third Handbook, for a friend. Thank you for writing this wonderful book."

Scott Williamson "The book fascinating, valuable and loaded with very good ideas and techniques. I recommend it to anyone planning a long hike."

Thomas Winnett, (President & CEO, Wilderness Press) "All trekkers and would-be trekkers are in Jardine's debt for his excellent and extensive advice for long-distance walking."

Bob W. "I just finished reading the PCT Handbook, and want you to let you know how much I liked it. Who would not enjoy having their most aberrant behavior, i.e, preoccupation with fractional ounces, legitimized by an authority in the field?!"

Joel Z. "I've put many of its suggestions into practice."

THE AMERICAN HIKER "Ray Jardine is best known among mountaineers for inventing the "Friend," an invaluable tool for technical rock climbing. But among hikers, he and his wife, Jenny, may be better known for their lightweight approach to hiking. Their typical pack weights are remarkable, and their PCT Hiker's Handbook is a superb first stop for those in the dreaming stage. Even if you're not planning to hike the PCT, Jardine's philosophy of traveling lightly through the landscape is a good one, and is well presented. Virtually all hikers, no matter how experienced, will pick up invaluable tips for the trail. This book would be a welcome addition to any backpacker's library."

ADVENTURE WEST "An entertaining and informative book written from the personal experiences of a well-traveled hiker, Ray Jardine. This is not a guidebook as the title implies, but rather a compendium of notes and first-person informative accounts packaged in the form of a manual to aid any long-distance hiker in both planning and preparation as well as the art and skills of long-distance hiking. A worthwhile read, even if your trailwise goals are somewhat less ambitious."

WILDERNESS PRESS "A perfect how-to companion to our 2-volume guide to the Pacific Crest Trail. It tells you just about anything you would possibly need to know in order to be fully prepared for the difficult task of walking from Mexico to Canada. The book has wonderful advice for any hiker preparing for a long, or medium distance trail. Author Ray Jardine and his wife Jenny have hiked the whole PCT three times, and the wealth of knowledge they have accumulated is invaluable."

The Herald, Everett WA "Long-haul hikers should hike quickly to the nearest bookstore and ask for The PCT Hiker's Handbook. The book is crammed with good information."

The Great Outdoors, Chris T. "The Pacific Crest Trail Hiker's Handbook is the most interesting and thought-provoking work on backpacking I've come across in years. Although it does contain specific information for prospective Pacific Crest Trail walkers, most of the material is worth studying by any long-distance backpacker. And I mean studying. There is a great deal in this book that needs thinking about. Since I bought it I've read it three times, and will probably read it a few times more."

Great Expeditions, Robert F. "Anyone contemplating a multi-month thru-hike of the PCT, or shorter jaunts, can't do without The PCT Hiker's Handbook. I'm not given to hyperbole, but this book is a gem! Unlike the factual reportage-type writing in many hiking books or guides, Jardine's prose makes this book a standout. Right from the words on the dedication page the author grabs hold of the reader's interest and never lets go.

While essential for everyone heading out on the PCT, every hiker can benefit immensely from this book. Jardine is a wilderness instructor, very experienced long-distance backpacker, mountaineer, rock climber, sailor, pilot and sea kayaker. He has much hard-earned knowledge to impart and does it well. And in the process he calms our fears about potential injuries, bears, ticks, snakes, potable water, insects, poison oak, crossing snow covered trails, fording rivers, and more. He also cuts through the hype associated with modern backpacking equipment and clothing.

This book is needed in every hiker's library. And as the principal author of the PCT Trail Guides said, "Jardine's advice just might save your life."

Mark M. "All I can say is thank God for The Pacific Crest Trail Hiker's Handbook. Once I actually started practicing its wisdom I found it to be profound."