Yes! There is this really awesome app called FarOut. You will need to download the app and create an account. It’s free. Once you create an account, follow me. My username is deelev. You can find more information here. I will periodically send check-ins along the trail and you’ll be able to see where I am!

The average thru-hiker takes 4-6 months to hike the PCT. I hope to do it in about five months and finish about mid-September before the snow arrives in northern Washington.

I have spent a lot of time thinking about what I will be carrying. I’ve probably spent too much time, as I’ve vacillated between various items, stressed over whether I am carrying too much weight, and worried I will not have something I need. But then I realized I will be able to fix things as I go. Here is what I am starting with: My Packing List.

Yes, you can! I’d love treats and letters, particularly things I can’t buy and can share (we all know cookies are the source of all friendships). All you need to remember is the three Cs: cookies, chips, and candy (any form is good, but I do love peanut M&Ms, snickers, Swedish fish, gummy bears. I could go on). Other things that are good are jerky and dried fruit. Please don’t send me bars.

A few other tips:

• Write my name in huge letters on multiple sides of the package and make the package easily identifiable. LOTS of other hikers are also getting packages.

• Write “Hold for PCT Hiker” and my ETA (see below for ETAs).

  • If sending to a Post Office, address it as follows:

    My Name General Delivery Town Name Post Office Town, State, Zip Code

• Tell me you are sending me something and give me the tracking number. While surprises are nice, I won’t know to pick up a package if I don’t know it exists!

• Priority USPS is likely the best means of delivery. Some places are more remote so it might take longer than you’d expect for packages to arrive.

• Please, please don’t go overboard. I can only carry (and eat) so much.

Here are the addresses of the places I expect to stop and approximately when: PCT Resupply Places. I may update this as I go along to add places, as I really have no idea what I am doing at this point. These are just my best guesses based on never having hiked 2,650 miles.

Mari is safe and sound with her grandparents. She will be able to stare down squirrels from her perch on the window and will never be short on treats. Perhaps she and my parents’ dog will be friends when I return! Anything is possible!

I sure will miss the munchkin.

My job has been awesome and let me take a leave of absence while I take on this hike. I’m incredibly lucky to have such amazing colleagues and a boss who didn’t blink an eye when I asked to do this.