Pacific Crest Trail Gear List

I have three outfits: merino wool long underwear for sleeping, a skirt and long-sleeve button down for hiking, and a dress for town. Additionally, I’m loving my La Sportiva Bushidos and my Arc’teryx down jacket. [Avry Martinson]

Sleep is important. I am taking my Marmot Plasma 15. It is built for guys (so it’s a half a foot too large), but ridiculously warm, compressible, and comfortable. Plus my trusty Thermarest. [Avry Martinson]

A comfortable pack is a must — I finally settled on this Deuter after months of trying ultralight options. It is cushy! I’m using the Nemo Obi 2p Tent. [Avry Martinson]

I am obsessed with the Platypus Gravity Filter — it weighs a little more than other options, but it’s so much faster. I have a MicroRocket, titanium cook wear and cup, and an Ursack to keep rodents (and bears) at bay. [Avry Martinson]

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The Pacific Crest Trail wanders through 24 national forests, 37 wilderness areas, and 7 national parks, passing through 6 of North America’s 7 eco-zones. It starts in the desert, heads through the High Sierras, and ends in the dripping forests of Washington State.

That is a lot of change. I’ll be experiencing huge temperature and terrain variance. So what do you take on a trip of this magnitude?

Above are a few shots of what I’ll be carrying for the next five and a half months.

All in all, I am carrying 17 pounds of gear (that weight doesn’t including food and water, but does include everything I’m wearing and my footwear). That is a far cry from the 12 pound base weight I was aiming for, but I have a feeling that I’ll be jettisoning items on the road.

I love everything in my pack (and the pack itself!), so the additional weight seems worth it (at this point). I’ll let you know what stays and what I send packing.

Note: What isn’t with me is my bear canister, ice ax, microspikes, and heavy-duty rain gear. Those items will be meeting me further along the trail (if necessary).

Also, I haven’t pictured my insane amounts of electronics. I’m carrying an external battery pack and quite a few cords so I can stay connected and blogging while on the trail.