2026 PCT Hiker Seeking for WFS

Howdy!

I'm going to be hiking north on the Pacific Crest Trail in 2026. I'm starting early in the season, and I anticipate reaching Kennedy Meadows South early in the season before it's traditionally passable. Given I may need to wait 1-3 weeks (or longer) for the snow to melt, I wanted to put feelers out and see if there were any permies in the area that would be willing to host me while I wait out the snow to melt. I'm basically working off of this https://www.postholer.com/snow/Pacific-Crest-Trail/1 to estimate my entry, but I won't really know until I've reached Kennedy Meadow South what the actual situation is.

I'm currently anticipating arriving there late May/early June, with the average entry time into the Sierras around June 15th.

I currently am living on my family's homestead in South Louisiana. I've been down here the last two years helping out on 10 acres. Some of the things I've worked on down here:

- Hugelkulture mounds, I'm obsessed with them!
- Lots of experiments with polycropping
- Electrical for our workshop/office
- Automated chicken coop (water, food are covered up to two weeks alone, door that automatically lets them in and out at night/morning respectively)
- Currently rebooting a citrus orchard after a particularly bad winter last year
- Converted my Chevy G30 van into a camper van w/ solar
- Built a drone

My day job has been as a freelance web developer, but I've also worked with other small farms in the area with various projects like helping out with their livestock, digging canals w/ excavator, repairing boats, repairing and using farm implements, basic metalworking skills, etc.

I'm a pretty handy guy and am comfortable with minimal training on most tools, but I primarily have an affinity for electrical projects, permaculture/garden stuff, and mechanical repair (tractors, cars, appliances, etc). Also of course happy to help with any tech related problems

Given that I'll be coming through off my hike on the PCT, I won't have any of my tools with me, but my intention is to meetup with like-minded people and spend some time meeting others and sharing stories and skills while on my hike across the west coast.

Even if you're not exactly around KMS but are near the PCT corridor, feel free to reach out!

I envy you.  The PCT is one I never crossed off my list.

John F Dean wrote:I envy you.  The PCT is one I never crossed off my list.

Have you hiked any other long trails?

I have done the AT.  Tried it from Maine to Georgia and washed out in Mass.  A couple of years later began in Georgia and made it.  Hiked the Boundary Water Canoe Area West to East. Took the Grand Canyon a number of times . Also spent a good deal of time in the Canyonlands of Utah.

John F Dean wrote:I have done the AT.  Tried it from Maine to Georgia and washed out in Mass.  A couple of years later began in Georgia and made it.  Hiked the Boundary Water Canoe Area West to East. Took the Grand Canyon a number of times . Also spent a good deal of time in the Canyonlands of Utah.

That's awesome! Hats off to you for attempting a SOBO hike on the AT. Going south on any trail is tough. I thru'd the AT NOBO and have also done a few smaller trails spontaneously since then.

Boundary Water Canoe Area looks really cool, never heard of that one. Why did you hike as opposed to paddle if you don't mind me asking?

Hi D,

Although I have a canoe, I am not great using it.  If the water gets at all rough, I am upside-down. I have zero judgement in evaluating rapids and how to approach them.  To add to that problem, I am not a great swimmer.  And to maximize those two issues, I am fearless …not because of being brave but because of being stupid.

John F Dean wrote:Hi D,

Although I have a canoe, I am not great using it.  If the water gets at all rough, I am upside-down. I have zero judgement in evaluating rapids and how to approach them.  To add to that problem, I am not a great swimmer.  And to maximize those two issues, I am fearless …not because of being brave but because of being stupid.

There's a fine line between bravery and insanity.

I was having exactly that convo when talking with a friend about long distance hiking yesterday 😆

I met my wife in Tahoe while we were both thru-hiking in 2012. We are now about 1000mi north of Kennedy Meadows and 50 miles west of the Marble Mtn section of the PCT in the Siskiyou Mountains of Del Norte County California. We are out of the way from anywhere (unless heading to the put in for paddling the epic North Fork of the Smith), but you’d be welcome. This goes for the OP, or any long distance hiker who carries a desire for reciprocity and stewardship. Send me a PM if interested.

We have 25 acres off grid on the edge of 6 Rivers NF, and always plenty of work to do. It is increasingly stuff I need a second pair of hands for as I have largely knocked out what I can alone. We wouldn’t expect too much though, and would hope you could see our local mountains, redwoods, rivers and coast while here too. We just finished a flush toilet cob outhouse, and extra water tanks to supply it and a tiny house on wheels we have. So we can now accommodate campers much better. I also guide river, bike and hiking trips and have been a backcountry and education ranger, so I could help find adventure opportunities while here.