PCT Day 99 – PCT mile 1313.4 to Chester (1332.8)

July 12, 2026

Total PCT miles: 19.4

Non PCT miles: 0

Total: 19.4 miles / 31.2 km

Total elevation gain: 2805 ft

Total elevation loss: 4406 ft

Steps: 43822

I was up early, just as the sun started to outline the mountains far off in the distance. I should have stayed and watched the sun rise from where I was because it was spectacular. But instead I had made the decision to start hiking as the sky was being illuminated in bright reds and oranges. No doubt due to the pollution from nearby wildfires. One started yesterday between here and Quincy.

I over did it yesterday and my body was letting me know this. My sciatic nerve on my left side was on fire radiating pain down my entire leg. I’ve been having issues with my sciatic nerve since the Sierra. Some days it really bothers me and others it does not. But nothing was going to stop me from reaching my goal today. I took my time and took lots of breaks.

Today I reached the halfway point of the Pacific Crest Trail.

When I stood at the Mexican border 99 days ago, I honestly wasn’t sure I would ever make it here. I knew the statistics and my own personal tract record having only done 200 miles in 2018. I knew how many people start a thru-hike and never reach this point. Between the desert heat, my ankle injury early in the hike, the Sierra Nevada, my sciatica, and all the unknowns that come with walking across a country, this milestone always felt incredibly far away.

Yet 3.2 million steps later here I am.

One of the things I’ve learned over the last 99 days is that thru-hiking can be deceiving. On any given day, it often feels like you’re not accomplishing much. You wake up, pack your tent, and start walking. By the end of the day you’ve covered another ten to twenty-something miles, crawl into your sleeping bag, and when the sun comes up, it feels like you’re starting all over again. Back at zero miles for the day.

But that’s the beauty of this trail.

Progress isn’t measured by one incredible day. It’s built one ordinary day at a time. Every climb, every blister, every early morning, every tired step slowly adds up. You don’t notice it happening until one day you look behind you and realize you’ve walked 1,325 miles from Mexico… and Canada is now only 1,325 miles away.

The halfway marker itself is surprisingly understated. There’s no giant monument or elaborate sign. Just a simple concrete marker with “PCT Midpoint” engraved on it. One side reads “Mexico 1325 Miles”, the other “Canada 1325 Miles.” That’s it. After everything it takes to get there, I think its simplicity makes it even more meaningful.

The night before, some incredibly kind trail angels gave me a small bottle of champagne. It seemed only fitting to carry it the final miles and celebrate at the halfway marker. Standing there, raising the bottle in the middle of the forest, was a moment I’ll never forget.

As if reaching halfway wasn’t emotional enough, Mel somehow found another way to surprise me. She put together a gift with more than 70 video messages from family, friends, and my colleagues back home, all wishing me well on the rest of the journey. Watching those familiar faces from thousands of miles away was incredibly special, and I can confidently report that it definitely did not make me cry.

(Okay… maybe just a little.)

Reaching the halfway point also came with one of the toughest decisions of the hike. After a lot of thought, I’ve decided to skip approximately 300 miles of Northern California, from Chester to Seiad Valley. My goal has always been to walk every mile of the Pacific Crest Trail, so this wasn’t a decision I made lightly. But I also have another adventure waiting at the end of September, and I want to finish the trail with enough time to spend a little while at home with Mel, my family, and friends before heading off to New Zealand.

Rather than spending the next two months constantly racing the clock, I’ve chosen to make a strategic skip through a section many hikers consider less iconic than what lies ahead. While I won’t be walking every mile, I’ll be hiking every remaining mile from Seiad Valley to Canada, and I know I’ll arrive at the northern terminus with memories and experiences that few people are fortunate enough to have.

Today isn’t the finish line. There are still 1,325 miles between me and Canada, and I know there will be plenty of difficult days ahead. But today also proved something I wasn’t sure of back on April 5.

I belong out here.

The trail has challenged me, humbled me, and changed me. It has taught me that big goals aren’t accomplished all at once. They’re achieved by showing up every single day, putting one foot in front of the other, and trusting that all those ordinary days will eventually become something extraordinary.

Halfway to Canada.

Let’s go.

After about 30 mins I left the 1/2 way marker and started my way to the trail head only 8 or so miles away. I’m not sure if It was the champagne or the emotions but my sciatic nerve finally calmed down and I was making good time.

It was hot and there wasn’t a lot of water in this stretch so when I finally got to the first stream I’d seen all day I drank 2 liters of nice cold water! I arrived at the trail head at around 1500 and waited for GunSlinger to arrive. He’s section hiking the parts of the trail he missed in 2023 due to fires and the record snow year and had his car at the trail head. I’m grateful for the ride into town he provided and wish him well in completing the rest of the PCT this year.

One of the highlights of this section wasn’t on the trail at all—it was meeting Dale in Chester. After I posted on Facebook looking for advice on getting from Chester to Seiad Valley, Dale reached out and offered a place to stay for the night. I pitched my tent in his backyard, enjoyed my first real shower in days, caught up on laundry, and we shared a fantastic homemade chili over great conversation. It turns out he’s originally from Canada, so we had plenty to talk about. Trail angels like Dale are a reminder that the PCT isn’t just about the miles—it’s about the incredible people you meet along the way. Next week he’s heading out on his very first overnight backpacking trip, and I wish him nothing but the best. Thanks again, Dale, for your kindness.