British Hiker Smashes PCT Record

My stomach had completely shut down during the detour. I could barely move

Hikers usually spend in the region of five months completing the trail, with many of them opting to challenge themselves to take on the PCT without outside support, carrying all their own equipment and supplies for the duration of the trail, co-ordinating their own resupply points in towns along the way.

As a result, FKTs on the PCT are divided in to supported and self-supported categories. Being self-supported, Josh faced multiple adversities along his route, enduring multiple overuse injuries, jogging through tendinitis and bruised ribs from colliding with a tree. He also suffered severe heatstroke and a 25,000 calorie deficit after taking a diversion owing to a trail closure caused by wildfire.

‘My stomach had completely shut down during the detour. I could barely move,’ said Josh. ‘I was puking, pooping, and pissing everywhere. I tried to move on once it cooled down. Packed my stuff up, stood up, and collapsed.’

Northbound thru-hikers on the PCT will usually embark on the route in mid-April to early May, whilst those travelling Southbound will generally start in late June to early July, this is in order to avoid snow covering on the trail. In recent years, the route has become increasingly unpredictable as wildfires routinely change the course and length of the hike, and navigating alternative trails makes record keeping difficult.

Hikers can expect to walk around 19 miles a day in order to reach the end before the conditions deteriorate. For Josh, trying for an FKT thru-hike of the PCT involved covering on average, a gruelling 48 miles per day.