In the summer of 2021 when I was 21 years old, I filled up a backpack, ditched deodorant, and embarked on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). Weaving from the border of Mexico up to Canada, this trail takes, on average, five months to complete. It consists of backpacking in the wilderness, carrying everything one needs to camp, eat and stay sane. While starting a long hike like this solo is very common, the most frequent question I received while hiking is, “You are not hiking alone, are you?” So here I will dispel why I hiked alone, the perks and challenges, and what I learned in my two months on the trail.
Hi, I’m Ava. I’m a recent graduate and I have been exploring our world for a few years now and I am happy to share my story with you.
Big smiles on day two on trail in Lake Morena, CA.
So why go alone?
For me, this was simple– I wanted to hike my own hike. I wanted to walk at my own pace and open myself up to meet new people. This is something I have learned again and again; when I try new things alone, be it hiking, surfing, or even coffee shop sitting, I appear more approachable and often find myself connecting with new people! Furthermore, I didn’t have anyone vying to live out of a backpack for months on end, so rather than miss out on an epic journey because I didn’t have a hiking partner, I decided to simply go for it. I am so happy I did.
Aside from feeling more open to meeting new people, hiking and camping alone empowered me to take care of myself in many new ways. I became more aware of my need for solo reflection time, enjoying hours of walking alone, hearing only the birds and my humming, weaving with the wind. I remember feeling nervous for my first few nights camping alone, but I had backpacked many times before and felt confident in all the skills I needed to pick out a safe camp spot, set up my gear and rest easy.
Perks of hiking and camping alone:
- choosing a pace that feels good for my body
- singing aloud without inhibition
- abundant space to think and reflect
Incredible sunrise from the summit of Mount Whitney; the hard climb up was well worth it!
Of course, there were challenges of hiking alone, too; there were times when I was lonely and found myself more prone to missing my family and friends. But what is special about a thru-hiking experience like the PCT is that hiking alone doesn’t mean you are without community. I was constantly meeting new people, hiking, and camping with new friends for days or weeks. For me, this created a beautiful flow of having as much social and solo time as I felt I needed.
Challenges of hiking and camping alone:
- Setting up my tent in the wind was sometimes frustrating without help
- Not splitting weight for communal items (tent, stove…)
- Riskier to be alone in bad weather or animal encounters
Enjoying a ramen meal at sunset near 1000 Lakes, CA.
Though I didn’t have five months to finish the whole trail, I learned so much about myself in the ten weeks I spent backpacking. From beginning at the Southern Terminus in Campo California and snaking my way up just north of Yosemite, I got stronger, marveled at natural beauty from the desert to the Sierras, and took time to dance, paint, read, and sing. I made new friends and befriended myself on a deeper level than I’d known possible. I learned to bathe quickly in quarter campground showers and how to resupply enough food in towns to power up mountains. I cried, and I delighted in jumping in lakes and smelling wildflowers. It was a journey of self-exploration as much as it was an external voyage. I am so grateful that the PCT fosters a healthy and safe environment for solo hikers. I can’t wait to get back out on the trail, and if I go alone again, I might download a few more podcasts!
Story authored by Ava Adoline Eucker, a freelance writer and avid traveler from Portland, Oregon. With a background in journalism, she loves connecting with people and sharing their stories, especially when they overlap with her passions for sustainability, land stewardship, and being in nature. Ava loves backpacking, swimming in the ocean, and making time to read and have soulful chats. On her website, Rewilding Child, she shares stories of her adventures, poetry, features, and meditations on living a full, beautiful life.
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