Pacific Crest Trail Photo Gallery by Rob Rathmann at pbase.com

Pacific Crest Trail

I reached Canada on October 6th 2005 at 5:49 pm, 146 days after leaving the Mexican border. I was cold, hungry, soaking wet & alone in a freezing rain. Even under these terrible conditions the smile on my face was visible from space & my shout of joy heard round the world. My online journal documenting my PCT hike can be viewed here.

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Ross		25-Jan-2019 16:15
Nice report and great photos, thanks!

Jay Thompson		07-Dec-2012 17:52
I couldn't let you leave 2012 without a signature... Great journal. You are an inspiration for those of us looking into doing long hikes.

Matt Willis		11-Oct-2011 00:38
Hi, Great work on the elevation profile. Would you be able to email a printable version of it? I'd like to be able to write notes on it. thanks

Natalie Zensius		14-Nov-2010 07:11
Your PCT elevation profiler is fantastic! Thaks so much for creating this.

Jim Smart		23-Aug-2010 02:57
Your photos and trail insights are great. Every couple of years I look and read thru the whole site. Having thru-hiked the AT in 97 and the PCT in 99 and done my best to hike the CDT in 2000 and 2001 (still not finished) I find I can spend hours reliving my experiences just by sitting down and visiting your website (Your pics are better than mine!). Your entry from August 12th, 2005 "The essence of thru-hiking" was spot on. Thanks for a job well done! Jersey Jim

Sophia		20-Aug-2009 05:21
Enjoyed looking through your photos. My husband is section hiking WA right now and looking at your photos made me happy, as I could get a feel for all the beautiful things he is seeing.

Andrea Dinsmore		30-Jul-2009 20:47
Great looking elevation maps. Like the info that pops up when you run the mouse over the points. Keep up the super work. PCT MOM

Guest		06-Jun-2009 20:55
I love your site - the elevation charts are awesome and the pictures are great! I've been able to follow my sister and her boyfriend along the trail as they hike this year using your charts and pictures... And your site has helped me figure out where to meet them - and how hard my hike is going to be when I do!! Congratulations on finishing the trail!!!

Omar Morales		08-May-2009 00:01
Awesome work on the elevation application man, great photos, specially the ones when you are at peaks.

Karijn		12-Jan-2009 10:38
Great adventure! Great website! Your photos are absolutely beautiful, thank you so much for sharing them. You inspired me to decide to do the trail myself one day...

Ric AKA Cisco Kid		16-Sep-2008 14:41
I been wanting to do the Pacific Coast Trail since 1969...I finally retired and looking forward to part of the PCT...thanks for your info on PCT.

Gail aka Wheeew		20-Mar-2008 14:20
Bearcant! I wanted to print out your profile maps for my upcoming hike, but find they don't print out. I'm leaving in about a week, so hope there's a way you can send them to me.

Rebecca		30-Jan-2008 04:29
Your elevation profile thingie is really cool. BooBoo ME>GA 2007 PCT 2009?

Seth K Schulz		15-Dec-2007 05:05
Bearcant, you journal and photo's are great! What a midadventure. My wife is looking worried at the thought that I may attempt such a journey. I busted a gut several times, especially the picture of you looking on in disgust as the 500lb'er mowed your pack.

Chris		13-Dec-2007 19:37
What a great site. You are setting the standard of how to use technology to showcase your outdoor pursuits. Nice work!

Steve-O		11-Dec-2007 01:35
Thanks for sharing your PCT photos!!! Oh, and your .org is DOPE!!! Hands down, the best I've seen.

Rich		23-Nov-2007 07:29
Thanksgiving today. Driving to the Berkshires, I mused what it would be like to do a thru hike. I've enjoyed week-long trips in Yosemite and the Sierras nearly every summer for the past 2+ decades, but never more than a week. Found your journal and did the entire PCT in one long "sitting". Thank you for sharing this chapter in your life. Congrats on simply doing what you set out to accomplish.

Tom (coyoteman)		16-Nov-2007 22:43
WOW...what a wealth of info!!...im planning my trek from march-october of 2008 and this will help me GREATLY with my advanced planning!..thank you for the site and info..:)...wonderful pictures too!

Ken R.		27-Oct-2007 15:57
Real nice photos. Not sure people realize how much effort it takes to hike all day long and put energy into capturing good photos. Hope you make yourself a great photo book.

Linda		09-Sep-2007 05:21
Your photography is stunning! It takes my breath away. Thanks for sharing.

Guest		31-Jul-2007 15:53
Exceptional work here.. Thanks for the awesome elevation profiler and pictures..

Blue Sky		22-Jul-2007 17:56
hey there! just wanted to say thanks a million for your awesome elvation profile pages! they are great for getting a look at the trail.

Monte Dodge		06-Jul-2007 07:07
Great collection here on the Pacific Crest Trail... Vote

David Craft		01-May-2007 14:03
I love what you have done!

Rafter Jack ( Patterson )		23-Apr-2007 14:00
This is phenominal ! What might I ask is your e-mail address for the PCT trail ? Have you done other trails ? Which ? Thank you ! Rafter Jack ( Patterson )

Bill		22-Apr-2007 21:07
I've saved this site to my favorties and have been returning now and then to get a taste of the exhilaration of your PCT hike. If you or any reader out there can recommend a good one week trip on the PCT or similar High Sierra trail in early July- perhaps out of Yosemite on a slightly less traveled and bear infested trail - then please email me at wthomsjr@comcast.net. Thanks, Bill.

Guest		18-Apr-2007 05:36
Just wanted to let you know I appreciate your elevation profiler but even more so, all of your great photos! I hope to get out and do the trail in 2009, if all my ducks line up. Thanks for sharing!

MOLLY BIER		25-Mar-2007 00:52
THANK YOU FOR YOUR JOURNAL, IT WAS BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN, AND HAS SEALED THE DEAL FOR ME.....I HAVE TO DO THE PCT.....I HAVE BEEN CONTEMPLATING IT FOR YEARS. I COULD'NT HELP BUT WELL UP WITH EMOTION ON THE LAST ENTRY, AND WAS WANTING MORE. THANKS AGAIN...EVER THINK OF WRITING A BOOK?

Guest		19-Mar-2007 16:39
Awesome website. Its a great tool to use before my hike. I plan to start April 10 Scuba

Rafter Jack		09-Mar-2007 13:10
Great job ! I haven ' t had a chance to look at closely . Do remember - what was his name ( ? ) in his seventies out there ( along A T ) with his wife ( eventually folks said her trail name became ' Dildo ' ( ? ) - to match his which rhymed and I still can ' t think of . ,. . nice gal / did all his , ' go-fer-ing ' . ) This was about 2002 and he had a big hand held device that sent elevation info back to his ' home ' base from a backpack he carried ; she was at base - local motel , etc . as they moved north ( actual name , Alice , I think . ) I did A T and to S Lake Tahoe on Pct - so far . Best , Rafter Jack

Bill Jensen		07-Mar-2007 20:51
Awesome website!!!!! Wish there had been this kind of info back in 1977. Bill - PCT Class of 1977

Pete		06-Mar-2007 16:00
This is great! Is there a way to save the profiles to a ".jpg" file so I can print them on the back of my maps? Thanks, Pete

Tom Bache		06-Mar-2007 00:54
Great site -- thank you

Meadow Ed		05-Mar-2007 22:33
Thanks for putting this together............Looks great!

Footslogger (Mark)		05-Mar-2007 22:06
Thanks for putting together those elevation profiles. They will proved invaluable for my PCT thru-hike

Guest		01-Dec-2006 19:15
bloodstained graphing barrage frequent friendliness barnstorm .

Frank		20-May-2006 22:05
Great blog. I hiked the trail from Manning Park to Hiway 20 in 1972. Couldn't even get USGS topo maps of the area back then, so it felt very remote. Hart's pass to Manning in a day is a real feat. That section took me 2.5 days & I was young back then. I plan to do the I-90 to hiway 2 section this summer. If I live long enough I'll eventually finish the Washington section.

dre		24-Mar-2006 01:18
Highly enjoyable journal, you have put together here. You had me engaged through out all 146 days. How you manage to calculate the mile when the picture was taken? Just by date and memory?

Bob		23-Mar-2006 05:06
I enjoyed your blog. I want to hike and backpack again. I am almost sixty years old though and haven't really done it since the late eighties. My back is very messed up so I hesitate to go out alone and have just done day hiking for the past several years. Luckily I live within a very short drive of several PCT trailheads so I can get out for varied day hikes and feel like a packer again for a half day or so. I live in Siskiyou County CA near Etna and Mt. Shasta. I really enjoyed your photos of the bear that ate your gear. My biggest fear of camping alone in the wild at night is Mt. Lions and Bears. I have seen one or two lions and many tracks on my hikes and had one bear encounter that was not anywhere near as fearsome as yours since I was in a campground with friends and family, but he really could not be dissuaded and ate most of our food! Again, I enjoyed sharing your adventure and your photos and blog are great. You should think about rewriting it as a book. Thanks.

Hobbles		17-Mar-2006 04:52
Awesome website bud. Wish I had the time and computer skills to put one together myself. - Hobbles

Jackalope		16-Mar-2006 20:21
I don't believe I have read and looked at the pictures of the entire trip in one sitting...it is that good!! WOW!! Thanks for the great job. I am really looking forward to returning to the High Sierras this year.

Thunder Thighs		15-Mar-2006 22:12
Fantastic journal. One of the best I've seen. Just the right type of commentary and the photos are incredible. The stats along the top of each entry are most welcome. Thanks

Mimi		14-Mar-2006 23:01
wow, your trail journal is awesome! Best one I've ever seen with all the elevations, miles per day, etc etc See ya at the KickOff! I am Mama's Boy's mom and my husband and I are hoping to complete the PCT this year NOBO.

Judith Gustafson		25-May-2005 21:45
I'm so glad your camera was found and mailed ahead to you! your photos are extraordinary, I'm reliving my '03 PCT So. Cal section hike through your photographs. Especially the filthy feet and socks! Thanks for the Eagle Rock photo, I was out of film when I passed by. Hike on! Two Legs

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