Emily hikes to change lives through KOTO

Emily has now been thru-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail for 9 weeks and completed nearly 900 miles of the 2,600 total. The experience has been more challenging than expected. Tacking high elevation every day with steep climbs and descents, attempting to walk 20 miles each day is taking a toll on her body as she tries to plan nutrition appropriately for the extra energy required to sustain this strenuous activity over the 5 month journey.

California is the biggest section of the Pacific Crest Trail, covering 1,200 miles of trail. Starting in the desert, there is water scarcity combined with dry and hot weather during the day but dipping down to below freezing at night. Highlights of the desert section include hiking to the summits of San Jacinto Mountain and Mount Baden Powell. Although in the desert, there is still snow at elevation and appropriate clothing and equipment are required alongside a tent, sleeping bag, food and water.

The Sierra Nevada mountain range stretches over several 100 miles in California and comes after the desert. Tall mountain passes have to be hiked and climbed over everyday, this is one of the most challenging sections of the PCT due to the side effects on the body at altitude and the huge elevation changes every day travelling up and down snowy passes. Emily has found this section the most challenging due to the uneasy exhausting sensation felt above 10,000 feet of elevation every day. This section included a side journey to summit Mount Whitney which is 14,500 feet and the highest point of elevation in the contiguous USA.

Although extremely challenged, Emily feels rewarded for her efforts as every day there is beautiful scenery to enjoy and new people to meet on the trail. She feels fulfilled as she accomplishes her dream of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. Furthermore the commitment to support KOTO students through this fundraising project remains a big motivator to continue hiking even on the bad days. Emily should complete hiking all 2,600 miles by the end of August.