Every video of yours I watch, my resolve to thru-hike deepens. I am determined to make it happen, and I don't know that I would be without your channel. Thank you Dixie!
There is beauty in the desert that’s hard to explain until you have seen it in person. Thank you for the great videos of your journeys and hope to see you out on the trail sometime
I looked forward to your PCT vlogs as much as the AT ones, but you definitely had a certain pep in your step and energy on the AT that was remarkable. I love the comparison to a first love. I think that’s exactly what it was with the AT, and if you hiked it again I wonder if it wouldn’t have the same magic. Can’t wait for your CDT vlogs. You are a real inspiration!
While I have not though hiked ether, I have section hiked both. I would say PCT will strip away things you don't need in your life a lot more due to the isolation and more of a survivor mode you go though. I know for me when ever I have had times of great struggle in my life I find I want to hit a section of the PCT a lot more to find that clarity PCT can offer.
@@nocturneowl2660 seems like the AT allows for more mistakes but you start ups and downs right away. PCT and CDT start with much more level walks. Much less water and towns though.
@@nocturneowl2660 According to Dixie, physically it's not. More climbing up and down on the AT and usually takes longer, even though it's a little shorter in distance. I'm not a hiker so I don't know personally.
Thank you for this video. After watching dozens of your videos, these are the exact questions that had been floating around in my little pea brain. Now that I’ve seen this video, I think I have sufficient information to BEGIN making a plan. Thanks again.
And here I am trying to plan for the Wonderland trail. 93 miles is like a weekend road trip for you. Just discovered you. You have shown me much in 2 days. You are an inspiration and your love of life is infectious.
I absolutely think where you are from plays an important aspect of preference. I am from the PNW and lived near Damascus, Va for a decade and 1/2. In my opinion, give me the rugged terrain and the actual mountains of the PCT any day.
Im set on on the PCT. Growing up my dad used to talk about the AT all the time and the dream of completion. However, when I saw the West the first time...colorado, AZ, NM, Utah, Cali, etc...i realized how much more the western landscape appeals to me (I'm from Indiana). I have seen Maine, NH, Mass., Va., georgia, SC, etc. And to me the east or the "Green Tunnel" is just boring in comparison to the "Big Skies" of the West.
You are so awesome. Can't wait for the CDT. I was so proud of you completing the PCT, I was crying while watching you at the monument. I love my life, but I'm more than a little jealous of your adventures. Thank you so much for sharing them.
I'm not a hiker but I enjoy watching your videos. For me, the stunning beauty, grandeur, and drama of the PCT made the PCT videos much more compelling than the AT videos..
Love this! I am trying to decide between the AT and PCT. I did the Camino de Santiago, Frances route, this summer, completely unplanned. We were on a surf trip in France and went to visit a friend in St Jean Pied de Port and I realized that is where the Camino started. I sent a text to my husband and told him where I was and that I would like to come back next year and do it and he replied "Why wait, you are already there." So I gathered what I needed over the next 1.5 weeks, not finding a backpack until the day before I left. A friend sent me a PDF of the distance between towns, and that is what I used to guide me. LOL! I started walking after my friends and daughter flew back home to the US. You hike over the Pyrenees on the first day. Whew! We walked about 16-24 miles a day, and up and over 3 mountain passes. I watched your PCT updates when Wifi was available, as I walked across Spain and on the hard days they kept me motivated to keep going. I tell you all that because I don't consider myself a Barbie, but your Episode 18 gave me pause about the Sierras. Rough terrain is one thing, but the rivers and snow pack and me being a 52yo mom to 4.....like you said, it is mentally tough. The AT sounds so much like the Camino in regards to the Tramily and camaraderie. The no man left behind is practiced, and everyone gets very close. Decisions, decisions. Thank you for posting this as it was very helpful!
Jody M Wow! Way to have an amazing adventure on the spur of the moment. Good for you! I hear the Camino is a spiritual awakening. I wonder if it is because of the Camino's legendary status, or if any trail becomes a spiritual experience. Would love to hear your take on that.
Thank you! For me it was otherworldly. It is really hard to explain. Pretty life changing for me. When you go you just won't come home the same. The Frances route feels like you are walking in another century. Very old world and the buildings and homes are centuries old. Most of the towns you walk through have a church or Cathedral and they are ancient. For me personally, I went in them at each town and prayed, cried, and felt comfort there because it is not an easy walk. The history is palpable...you will see castles, ancient artifacts, and the path is worn into a tunnel at some areas in Galicia by the passage of thousands of people over centuries. The presence of the Templars linger over all of it as they were protectors of The Way. You will see people living in homes that are hundreds of years old and they don't have much but it is more than enough. The food is all fresh. The coffee is amazing, and the bonds you form with your trail mates is amazing.I told one of the young men I walked with that I was afraid I would not be able to finish and he said "Well, that is when I will carry you". In Galicia the feeling is that you are in medieval times. It is overwhelmingly beautiful like nothing you have ever seen. And for me the presence of God was there like I have never experienced before. They say the Camino provides and they are not kidding. We would be absolutely exhausted after a 20 miles and out of food and low on water and come around a corner and to see fruit trees dripping with plums of every color hanging over the path. Many people who walk are not religious, but they have their own unique spiritual experience. The Cathedrals will blow your mind. You have to walk into one to truly be able to understand. Especially Santiago de Compostela....the butafumerio, the tomb of St James (Santiago). Watch the movie They Way and you will get a small feel of the spiritual part of it. What it does not portray is how hard it is. It is not an easy hike. I highly recommend going. Do it. Don't spend much time planning or thinking about it. I had the bare minimum and it was enough. Do the Frances route....it is like time traveling to the year 1200. Buen Camino!!
Jody M Jody M I am from the South West of France, and I am curious to know where you start your trail and wich road did you take! I mean which town and countries did you cross? Because there are a lot of differents starts and roads (camino frances, camino del norte,...) so if somehow you see my message i would really like to know! Sorry for my english, I am learning! Thank you!
looking at trees for over 2000 miles would drive me crazy, wait until she does the CDT, everybody ends up staggered by that trail as it is both scenic and challenging on many levels such as non existing trail where you have to use your GPS just to keep going in the right direction
It's funny, I grew up in the mountains of Upstate New York, and when I moved to Syracuse and later Ohio, where it's flat, I made friends and we talked about the terrain. I missed the mountains, and a woman I worked with said she'd miss the open blue skies. It's like Dixie alluded to, your personal experience influences your perception.
I do too. I’ve been hiking for over a decade...I live in New England and although I love being in the forest and cozy trails, I would also love to experience The broader vistas and scenic hikes like in Northern California, Montana, Colorado etc. I hope to one day be able to hike and explore in the west with my family
Dixie, I could listen to you read the phone all day . . . but having said that, you also have some truly outstanding insights. I've section hiked 1/3rd of the AT so far and even before I'm done you have me thinking about the PCT! You are an inspiration. Keep hiking. Keep putting together these awesome videos. And keep being you. Hike on! Tortoise
I have never completed either trail and I am looking to do the PCT. Very interesting to hear such positivity in comparison to the PCT. I’m surprised you have such a preference and it makes me now want to do both!
'Dixie', I really enjoyed following you along your thru hike of the PCT. I hope to be able to do the same for your hike of the CDT. I live not far from a section of the CDT in Colorado. Have a wonderful holiday season and a great winter.
Good morning Dixie from Erwin, TN just below Indian Grave Gap on the AT. Congratulations on your PCT thru hike. Having lived all over the US growing up I settled here in 1974 and have never regretted it. Even though I truly loved our time out west I am partial to these Appalachian mountains. I have become a lot more involved with the hiking community here the past 2 years helping out with the shuttle business and hostel. I look forward to the hiking class of 2018. Come back and see us when you can.
Hello, from Burnsville, NC! I was doing a short day-hike with my little girl on the AT where it crosses Hwy 19 near Erwin, and ended up meeting a thru-hiker that I dropped off at the hostel down there just a couple days ago. Hope all is well, and thank you for all you do!
For PCT I'd definitely recommend taking a 73cm/2m handy talkie (HT) amateur radio. It has much better coverage than cell phone. Typically put out five watts that can hit a repeater up to 40 miles away. A repeater transmits your voice at high power up to a 100 mile radius or more. There are over 20,000 repeaters. Google "Pacific Crest Trail Repeater Guide" to learn about it.
Dixie, you are a gift from the Universe. I think you are so strong, focused and so extremely knowledgable and willing to share your knowledge. I feel so inspired by you.
I always heard PCT hikers complaining about difficulty hitching but I never really had too much of a problem. Maybe a handful of times but, if I had to guesstimate, I'd say I had around a 90% success rate.
One of the reasons I love your videos is because you are an extrovert and not afraid to get right in there and share everything with us. However, I’m more of an introvert and it’s sounding like the AT wouldn’t be super-pleasant for me. Constant references to community, frisbee matches, trail names, everyone sleeping nearby in groups and stuff (shudder). Sounds like pct is just right for me to day dream about!
It's not as bad as it sounds on the AT. You can just as well hike alone and not sleep in the shelters. In fact, a lot of people prefer to sleep in their tent outside the shelter vs in a room full of 10 people. If you're really THAT introverted then a long distance hike probably isn't for you regardless of where it is.
Dixie, An excellent analysis of the two trails. Very well done. You covered all aspects of it including the psychological, as well as philosophical challenges of thru hiking. Much more informative really that the typical "here's what I carry" videos. There are plenty of those out there. Thank you for that. If you also enjoy reading about other people's hiking adventures you may like Colin Fletcher's "The Thousand Mile Summer". He hiked from Mexico to Oregon in 1958. The PCT was relatively new and had not seen quite as many boots at that point. I will keep an eye out for your other videos. You have a wonderful attitude about nature and the hiking experience. Happy trails my friend.
Appalachian Trail Distance: 2,175 miles Total Elevation Gain/Loss: ~515,000 feet average days - 165 Average mile and elevation: 13.2 miles and 3120 feet Pacific Crest Trail Distance: 2,650 miles Total Elevation Gain/Loss: ~315,000 feet average days - 154 days Average mile and elevation: 17.2 miles and 2045 feet Because the Elevation Gain/Loss counts both up and down and you end up at about the same elevation, you can half the elevation to get the climb per day. While the AT has more elevation, it is ~550 feet more of climbing for 4 less miles per day. Given the AT's lower average weight because of lower average distances for food and water, it would seem like the AT should be shorter, but there is a question of lose of miles because of additional town stops. If the average distance between town stops on the AT is 50 miles and on the PCT it is 70 miles, while it seems like this should make the AT faster because of less pack weight, often hikers will spend a 1/2 day in town. The day you get into town you often end before you would otherwise and start later then otherwise. So on the AT, your start day you do 15 miles out of town, then 20 miles on a full day then 15 miles getting into town, averaging 16.7 miles while the PCT your start day you do 15 miles out of town, then 20 miles on your 2 full day then 15 miles getting into town, averaging 17.5 miles. One interesting know that supports the idea that the increase towns slows the average time are the fastest know times for both. The AT's FKT is ~45 days while the PCT FKT is ~65 days.
Interesting analysis. I live in Atlanta and I'm off this weekend to do another section of the AT in north Georgia. It doesn't matter which section I pick, I'm in for a rollercoaster ride of ups and downs.
The green tunnel didnt even exsist until VA for me since I started in the snow. Got to watch the seasons change and spring come alive right until I hit the mid atlantic and then had constant diverse change that progressed until Katahdin. Best 6 months of my life, the AT has my heart forever.
I switched to a hammock for second AT thruhike. I have done only sections of the CDT and lots of desert and western mountain trekks using a tarp when not cowboy camping.
Dear Dixie, thank you so much for this informative summary video. I've been following your hikes and TH-cam posts and am addicted to your channel. Just wonderful.
Part of the start and finish issues with the PCT vs AT is that the AT chose two view points as the end points while the PCT chose to finish and end at the US border covering the entirety of the Pacific Crest that lies within the US. The PCT could have started with a climb up Mount San Jacinto and finished at the north end of the Goat Rocks for a dramatic start and finish, but there is something to be said for the idea of covering the entirety of the US Pacific crest. The southern terminus of the CDT will be anticlimactic too, but the CDT will be even more remote and more wild than the PCT. For me that is the point of leaving the modern world behind and going backpacking, to get away from civilization and have that quiet and sometimes powerful voice of nature speaking to my heart and soul.
Hey Dixie, please continue being so awesome :). You are inspiring me so much! I am planning to do the GTA (Grande Traversata delle Alpi) next year, which is about 1000km from the italian/swiss border almost down to French/Italian Border :). Greetings from Austria! :)
Hey Dixie, Thanks for this ''comparisons'' video,.. you answered a lot of questions many of us had...Blessings to you, take care and thanks for the smiles...CHEERS !!
Dixie-I followed your PCT adventure from the start, and just began watching your AT videos. It seems like the AT is much more social & fun! Great job with both. You're an inspiration!
Regarding "Pure" through hikes, I imagine the most difficult trail to do a pure through hike would be the North Country Trail. The thing that will make a pure through hike so difficult, is what we michiganders ( Michigan residents ) call Big Mack: The Mackinaw Bridge. You are only allowed to hike across Big Mack a total of 10 HOURS per year ( 5 hours on Memorial Day and 5 hours on Labor Day ) and you can only hike Big Mack North to South.
Karen W, the AzTrail (820 miles) can be looked at as a miniature version of the PCT. If you're considering thru-hiking and starting at the southern terminus, March may be a good month to start. The first 25 passages are pretty much desert. But, the desert sections are a combination of low basins and high mountains with the trail reaching 9200 feet within the first six miles of the border with Mexico. Passages 27 through 43, start at the top of the Mogollon Rim and consists of pine forests and high desert/chaparral with elevations consistently over 6500 feet. (Except for the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon which drops down to around 2400 feet from 7200 feet at the South Rim.)I highly recommend visiting the Arizona Trail Association's website. Their detailed passage descriptions include pending weather conditions and access points for remote trailheads. I'm currently section hiking the AzTrail and currently at the Babbit Ranch north of Flagstaff heading north.
Another nice discussion Dixie. I think you are spot on with your description in the differences of the 2 trails. There were times I wanted you to stop the PCT ! , but really glad you finished it.
Love the comparison Dixie! Do you think you could make some "ultimate guides" for each of the big sections of the PCT? Like "Ultimate Guide to the Desert Section of the PCT" where you would address the big issues of that spot? For desert, the water scarcity, the snakes/scorpions, heat etc? And then one for the Sierra and maybe for the Cascades? That would be amazing!
The AT sounds like the tougher of the two I've heard from others as well. But the difference is or as I interpret it, that the AT's sense of community among hikers helps you get through it and makes the mental aspect more bearable despite its physical challenges and how it inter-twines with the mental. Planning to do the AT if things work out for me with the job next year.
Thank you so much for this video and your personal views on the two trails. Whenever I do watch peoples PCT videos I love the near constant wide open views but at the same time really miss the forest and forest floor life and features such as can be found on the AT. I think the CDT will have some great memories as well.
Thank you Dixie! I recently moved from WA to VA...and am a hiker and backpacker although no thru-hiking. It was really nice to hear your comparison of the trails, while I'm still missing my Great Pacific NW - you're right on in my experience. Like how you had moments on the PCT where you felt you might not make it out - it IS WAY out there! The hardest thing here so far is the weather- the humidity specifically. A short backpack on the AT convinced me to stay at the lake until summer is over! I'm really enjoying your videos, your videography is so well done, very impressive. And I love your attitude and approach to your invisible audience and to hiking and to nature. Thank you!
Love this channel. Better than anything on TV these days. I really enjoyed the PCT videos over the early AT ones. Early AT vids looked like a frat party most days. I did enjoy the Maine section of the AT quite a bit. The PCT looks tough, rough, harsh and beautiful. It appeared much more isolated. The 62 mile hike on the PCT was incredibly compelling. Dixie, your channel rocks, and I am really looking forward to your third through hike! Keep up the great content!
Hey Dixie! I signed up for PCT2018. I am really thankful that you shared your own experiences in such incredible detail! I agree with you, each trail is special in it's own way. I believe climate change is having a devastating effect out West, and I want so badly to see the trail more like the 2016 year. I fear that in the future it will be more desolate, more smoky, arid and harsher than before. That feeling of the trail sucking your life is something a lot of the vegetation and animals are feeling too I'm sure. I want to see the PCT at it's best, and I think that means sooner rather than later. Good luck on the CDT next year! From what I have read and seen of the CDT it may pose the biggest mental challenge yet. I hope you convince Perks to rise to the challenge once again!
Love your adventures, Howse pass from Alberta Canada to British Columbia might be a good challenge for a future trek. My group would like to have you along one day and I think you could make a great video series about my back yard. Keep up the great work
Another great video Dixie. I think the purist in you is going to be challenged by the choose-your-adventure nature of the CDT. But like everything else so far, you will conquer it with your usual grace and intelligence. I can't wait to see you get your triple crown.
Dixie I completed the AT ( purist) on October 4th 2017 and now I am considering the PCT! Your review was fantastic and very thorough. Thanks for your honesty and information, I found it quite useful! I think I get it now!
The two trails seem to be so different. The natural beauty of the west was captured beautifully in your videos. With the rocks and roots along the the footpath here in Pennsylvania, it is a challenge to look up from the trail path without risking a face plant. Thanks for sharing your trail adventures. Looking forward to your PCT E book.
Hello Dixie, Very good video! Congratulations for completing the PCT! Your perseverance, resilience and strength of character are an excellent example to others. I will attempt to thru hike the PCT in 2018 and I look forward to comparing the experience with my thru hike of the AT in 2016. Take care and happy trails! Rich or Alpenglow
Dixie! I just discovered your videos about three days ago. Thank you for the tips and for taking me on your journey with you. I will be doing my first ever Thru Hike on the AT next spring!
Funny, I m hiking the PCT next year and never had the desire to hike the AT at all until this video. And I'm FROM VA! Haha! So maybe in 20-9 I'll hike the AT! Thanks Dixie! We just love you to pieces! Can't wait to see you on the CDT! Happy hiking!
I camped a few weeks on the Appalachian in November and wow it cold , you needed serious gear or else , in April the nights get cold for sure. Winks Lisa
First i just want to say how amazing your videos was of these 2 hikes! The one thing I wished you would had done in both videos was talk about what month/date you was in more often. I may had missed it but I don’t remember you saying when you started or finished each hike.
My God girl you are fantastic!! If anybody was on the fence as to should they do it or not, you just gave the best explanation on how to get off that fence. Thank you so much.
To me it's like choosing between apple pie a la mode and strawberry cheesecake. How can you go wrong if you are fortunate enough to experience either? Good presentation, incredible hiker woman!
Dixie, great job on finishing the PCT. Thanks to you and your team for sharing the videos along your journeys. Love your channel and the videos are the best.
A plethora of valid and useful information once again from our beloved Dixie. Great stuff. Im so looking forward to your triple crown completion next year.
I grew up near the PCT in the desert, and it definitely is a different experience than the AT (which I've hiked long segments of). The way I would put it is that the AT is better if you want to get out of town, the PCT is better if you want to get away from civilization itself. You also run into fewer cults on the PCT for some reason.
I love your videos Dixie!! I've been feeling cooped up in school and watching you always makes me feel like i'm taking a little vacation XD. I can't wait to thru-hike myself. thanks for all the tips - I've been going back and forth on which hike i'd want to do first. Excited to hear your breakdowns on the PCT!
I grew up in CA and wasn't even back country outdoorsy as a child, and smokey the bear principles regarding forest fires are still with me. I could tell you about proper fire safety and how to put out a fire in my sleep. It's serious on the west coast...and that was before the droughts and rampant fires.
Thanks for posting. Thought you might start glowing at 31:35 : ) Your passion and "cross the line" ethos for all of this were pretty well blazing in this vid Alice.. er, Dixie, I mean Jessica! Thanks again dahlin'.
If you're thinking of doing the AT, just a heads up, last year 2017 the last snow storm we got was May 5th. So while it's unusual, it can happen. (we had 5 snow storms from feb 23- May 5th with a low temperature of -8 degrees.)
Followed you on the PCT and went back and watched all you AT videos. Watching Scoutmaster on his hike right now. Sobo going north starting in January gives a different perspective. Should give it a look.
I did PCT North to South I took 3 months but I had no time or money limits I'm retired USMC I'm slowly working my way to Maine but I'm slow my truck is old thanks for the in site
AT is special to me, but I'm from Georgia. I've read several books and watched a zillion videos about the AT, and it's fascinating. The trail community on the AT is, too. Great video, Dixie, as usual! Thanks for sharing your experiences.
here they have a 8 day bicycle event called RAGBRAI Registers ( newspaper)Annual Great Bike ride across Iowa. (that will google) There are roughly 12 thousand registered participants but there are many tag a longs that do a day or part of a day (usually the last part because the host town is the scene of a major party) think sturgis. So the numbers of actual riders vary each day.
Would love to see someone like you do a video series of a through hike of the Superior Hiking Trail (northern Minnesota). It would be like a section hike on one of the long trails, but I don't think it gets the credit it is due for the beauty of the trail and views, etc.
Thank you Dixie. This may help me make the decision whether to thru hike the A.T. again, which I dearly want to do, or to hike the PCT, which is the great unknown.
thanks Dixie. I would love to do all three trails but want to do the AT first. those are the first videos i watched starting with RedBeard. and still watching AT videos today. along with the other trails.
Wearing an AT tee gives it away! ;) I do think the vastness of the PCT looks massively impressive. I've only sectioned some of the AT. Hope to get on the PCT some day.
If you are hiking for views alone, think of this perspective. The views of the first 20 PCT miles will blow away the views of the first 200 AT miles. Now think about how the rest of the PCT will look like. I've lived and hiked near both trails and it's hard to beat the PCT for its beauty. Every corner is like a jaw dropping painting. Good luck on the trail.
The PCT was first hiked in the 70's, I do not know the guy's name, but I remember he used a pack donkey in the desert for water. It may not have been finished it was still possible to hike from Mexico to Canada.
jimmie montgomery yes, I remember the National Geographic did a spread on one of the first guys to do the PCT. I think he did it with his brother in the 70's. don't remember a donkey in the story, but it's been a few years. And I also remember that he had to do a lot of his own navigation, as the trail was so new.
Great comparison of the two trails! You're always very helpful and insightful. Of course you did a NOBO for both thru hikes. Have you ever considered doing a video regarding your experiences with Flip Flop hikers? Comparison of NOBO, SOBO, Flip Flop ...
Wow Dixie! A very comprehensive vidio! A lot of info presented seamlessly. kudos to the editor as well. Your relaxed, unscripted approach was joy to watch. I also follow Darwin on the trail, but your recipe for relating your experience's makes me feel like I was there... side note. I still can't find one of your first video's where you read from your journal. The (I've Got Grit) one.
It is all to prepare you for Maine , lol, etc The other hikers I am following also go through the same thing about here. Who knew your change up, would be a challenge.
You've convinced me. I'm going to do one of these hikes soon. Probably the pct. I've had three multi level spinal fusions and recovered well so I'm not too worried about that. Plus I don't want to do thw whole thing maybe 2/3 would do it for me. On my bucket list.
Thanks for all of the videos you make Dixie! You've really inspired me to go for the Triple Crown one day. Keep safe and keep hiking! I'm rooting for you 😀
Every video of yours I watch, my resolve to thru-hike deepens. I am determined to make it happen, and I don't know that I would be without your channel. Thank you Dixie!
3 years passed, did you have your hike yet? Curious.. heheh
There is beauty in the desert that’s hard to explain until you have seen it in person. Thank you for the great videos of your journeys and hope to see you out on the trail sometime
ya the desert is amazing
I live in the High Desert of Northeastern Ca..and i agree . Love to hike up here. and Lassen park is only an hour away. Peace
I looked forward to your PCT vlogs as much as the AT ones, but you definitely had a certain pep in your step and energy on the AT that was remarkable. I love the comparison to a first love. I think that’s exactly what it was with the AT, and if you hiked it again I wonder if it wouldn’t have the same magic. Can’t wait for your CDT vlogs. You are a real inspiration!
While I have not though hiked ether, I have section hiked both. I would say PCT will strip away things you don't need in your life a lot more due to the isolation and more of a survivor mode you go though. I know for me when ever I have had times of great struggle in my life I find I want to hit a section of the PCT a lot more to find that clarity PCT can offer.
oooh. survivor mode... eck.
Level 1: AT
Level 2: PCT
Level 3: CDT
Level 4: Mars
Darrell Lim 😂😂😂
@Darrell, are you saying, AT is the easiest one?
@@nocturneowl2660 seems like the AT allows for more mistakes but you start ups and downs right away. PCT and CDT start with much more level walks. Much less water and towns though.
@@nocturneowl2660 According to Dixie, physically it's not. More climbing up and down on the AT and usually takes longer, even though it's a little shorter in distance. I'm not a hiker so I don't know personally.
Thank you for this video. After watching dozens of your videos, these are the exact questions that had been floating around in my little pea brain. Now that I’ve seen this video, I think I have sufficient information to BEGIN making a plan. Thanks again.
And here I am trying to plan for the Wonderland trail. 93 miles is like a weekend road trip for you.
Just discovered you. You have shown me much in 2 days. You are an inspiration and your love of life is infectious.
I absolutely think where you are from plays an important aspect of preference. I am from the PNW and lived near Damascus, Va for a decade and 1/2. In my opinion, give me the rugged terrain and the actual mountains of the PCT any day.
Im set on on the PCT. Growing up my dad used to talk about the AT all the time and the dream of completion. However, when I saw the West the first time...colorado, AZ, NM, Utah, Cali, etc...i realized how much more the western landscape appeals to me (I'm from Indiana). I have seen Maine, NH, Mass., Va., georgia, SC, etc. And to me the east or the "Green Tunnel" is just boring in comparison to the "Big Skies" of the West.
You are so awesome. Can't wait for the CDT. I was so proud of you completing the PCT, I was crying while watching you at the monument. I love my life, but I'm more than a little jealous of your adventures. Thank you so much for sharing them.
I'm not a hiker but I enjoy watching your videos. For me, the stunning beauty, grandeur, and drama of the PCT made the PCT videos much more compelling than the AT videos..
Love this! I am trying to decide between the AT and PCT. I did the Camino de Santiago, Frances route, this summer, completely unplanned. We were on a surf trip in France and went to visit a friend in St Jean Pied de Port and I realized that is where the Camino started. I sent a text to my husband and told him where I was and that I would like to come back next year and do it and he replied "Why wait, you are already there." So I gathered what I needed over the next 1.5 weeks, not finding a backpack until the day before I left. A friend sent me a PDF of the distance between towns, and that is what I used to guide me. LOL! I started walking after my friends and daughter flew back home to the US. You hike over the Pyrenees on the first day. Whew! We walked about 16-24 miles a day, and up and over 3 mountain passes. I watched your PCT updates when Wifi was available, as I walked across Spain and on the hard days they kept me motivated to keep going. I tell you all that because I don't consider myself a Barbie, but your Episode 18 gave me pause about the Sierras. Rough terrain is one thing, but the rivers and snow pack and me being a 52yo mom to 4.....like you said, it is mentally tough. The AT sounds so much like the Camino in regards to the Tramily and camaraderie. The no man left behind is practiced, and everyone gets very close. Decisions, decisions. Thank you for posting this as it was very helpful!
Jody M Wow! Way to have an amazing adventure on the spur of the moment. Good for you! I hear the Camino is a spiritual awakening. I wonder if it is because of the Camino's legendary status, or if any trail becomes a spiritual experience. Would love to hear your take on that.
Thank you! For me it was otherworldly. It is really hard to explain. Pretty life changing for me. When you go you just won't come home the same. The Frances route feels like you are walking in another century. Very old world and the buildings and homes are centuries old. Most of the towns you walk through have a church or Cathedral and they are ancient. For me personally, I went in them at each town and prayed, cried, and felt comfort there because it is not an easy walk. The history is palpable...you will see castles, ancient artifacts, and the path is worn into a tunnel at some areas in Galicia by the passage of thousands of people over centuries. The presence of the Templars linger over all of it as they were protectors of The Way. You will see people living in homes that are hundreds of years old and they don't have much but it is more than enough. The food is all fresh. The coffee is amazing, and the bonds you form with your trail mates is amazing.I told one of the young men I walked with that I was afraid I would not be able to finish and he said "Well, that is when I will carry you". In Galicia the feeling is that you are in medieval times. It is overwhelmingly beautiful like nothing you have ever seen. And for me the presence of God was there like I have never experienced before. They say the Camino provides and they are not kidding. We would be absolutely exhausted after a 20 miles and out of food and low on water and come around a corner and to see fruit trees dripping with plums of every color hanging over the path. Many people who walk are not religious, but they have their own unique spiritual experience. The Cathedrals will blow your mind. You have to walk into one to truly be able to understand. Especially Santiago de Compostela....the butafumerio, the tomb of St James (Santiago). Watch the movie They Way and you will get a small feel of the spiritual part of it. What it does not portray is how hard it is. It is not an easy hike. I highly recommend going. Do it. Don't spend much time planning or thinking about it. I had the bare minimum and it was enough. Do the Frances route....it is like time traveling to the year 1200. Buen Camino!!
Jody M Jody M I am from the South West of France, and I am curious to know where you start your trail and wich road did you take! I mean which town and countries did you cross? Because there are a lot of differents starts and roads (camino frances, camino del norte,...) so if somehow you see my message i would really like to know!
Sorry for my english, I am learning! Thank you!
She said Frances route, from St Jean Pied de Port.
Thank you so much for your videos! I really appreciate your taking the time to educate us and let us travel "with" you on the trail.
That bench seat is ready to BREAK!
🤣
Every video I watch of yours makes me more and more excited that I'll be doing the 80 in March and I can't wait
I guess, I`ll have to walk both trails and judge for myself
This is the way.
Thanks, Dixie! I was hoping you’d do a comparison video. Great info. Thanks again!
I feel like I could tell you were a sometimes less enthusiastic while watching the pct vlogs. You're a trooper for pushing through!
Maybe Kali It was a tough year out there! Worth it, though :)
I prefer the broader vistas and the more grand terrain of the western trails...Thanks for the hikes Dixie!!
same here!
looking at trees for over 2000 miles would drive me crazy, wait until she does the CDT, everybody ends up staggered by that trail as it is both scenic and challenging on many levels such as non existing trail where you have to use your GPS just to keep going in the right direction
It's funny, I grew up in the mountains of Upstate New York, and when I moved to Syracuse and later Ohio, where it's flat, I made friends and we talked about the terrain. I missed the mountains, and a woman I worked with said she'd miss the open blue skies. It's like Dixie alluded to, your personal experience influences your perception.
Lol, having lived most of my 49 years in CA, I enjoy the the idea of the green tunnel & lots of water .
I do too. I’ve been hiking for over a decade...I live in New England and although I love being in the forest and cozy trails, I would also love to experience The broader vistas and scenic hikes like in Northern California, Montana, Colorado etc. I hope to one day be able to hike and explore in the west with my family
Dixie, I could listen to you read the phone all day . . . but having said that, you also have some truly outstanding insights. I've section hiked 1/3rd of the AT so far and even before I'm done you have me thinking about the PCT! You are an inspiration. Keep hiking. Keep putting together these awesome videos. And keep being you. Hike on! Tortoise
I have never completed either trail and I am looking to do the PCT. Very interesting to hear such positivity in comparison to the PCT. I’m surprised you have such a preference and it makes me now want to do both!
This helped a lot I plan on being a triple crowner someday but I think I will start with the pct since I'm in the Pacific north west
'Dixie', I really enjoyed following you along your thru hike of the PCT. I hope to be able to do the same for your hike of the CDT. I live not far from a section of the CDT in Colorado. Have a wonderful holiday season and a great winter.
Good morning Dixie from Erwin, TN just below Indian Grave Gap on the AT. Congratulations on your PCT thru hike. Having lived all over the US growing up I settled here in 1974 and have never regretted it. Even though I truly loved our time out west I am partial to these Appalachian mountains. I have become a lot more involved with the hiking community here the past 2 years helping out with the shuttle business and hostel. I look forward to the hiking class of 2018. Come back and see us when you can.
Hello, from Burnsville, NC! I was doing a short day-hike with my little girl on the AT where it crosses Hwy 19 near Erwin, and ended up meeting a thru-hiker that I dropped off at the hostel down there just a couple days ago. Hope all is well, and thank you for all you do!
For PCT I'd definitely recommend taking a 73cm/2m handy talkie (HT) amateur radio. It has much better coverage than cell phone. Typically put out five watts that can hit a repeater up to 40 miles away. A repeater transmits your voice at high power up to a 100 mile radius or more. There are over 20,000 repeaters. Google "Pacific Crest Trail Repeater Guide" to learn about it.
As long as you're properly licensed. If not, that trip could cost a LOT more than expected.
Dixie, you are a gift from the Universe. I think you are so strong, focused and so extremely knowledgable and willing to share your knowledge. I feel so inspired by you.
I always heard PCT hikers complaining about difficulty hitching but I never really had too much of a problem. Maybe a handful of times but, if I had to guesstimate, I'd say I had around a 90% success rate.
One of the reasons I love your videos is because you are an extrovert and not afraid to get right in there and share everything with us.
However, I’m more of an introvert and it’s sounding like the AT wouldn’t be super-pleasant for me. Constant references to community, frisbee matches, trail names, everyone sleeping nearby in groups and stuff (shudder). Sounds like pct is just right for me to day dream about!
It's not as bad as it sounds on the AT. You can just as well hike alone and not sleep in the shelters. In fact, a lot of people prefer to sleep in their tent outside the shelter vs in a room full of 10 people. If you're really THAT introverted then a long distance hike probably isn't for you regardless of where it is.
Dixie, An excellent analysis of the two trails. Very well done. You covered all aspects of it including the psychological, as well as philosophical challenges of thru hiking. Much more informative really that the typical "here's what I carry" videos. There are plenty of those out there. Thank you for that. If you also enjoy reading about other people's hiking adventures you may like Colin Fletcher's "The Thousand Mile Summer". He hiked from Mexico to Oregon in 1958. The PCT was relatively new and had not seen quite as many boots at that point. I will keep an eye out for your other videos. You have a wonderful attitude about nature and the hiking experience. Happy trails my friend.
Appalachian Trail
Distance: 2,175 miles
Total Elevation Gain/Loss: ~515,000 feet
average days - 165
Average mile and elevation: 13.2 miles and 3120 feet
Pacific Crest Trail
Distance: 2,650 miles
Total Elevation Gain/Loss: ~315,000 feet
average days - 154 days
Average mile and elevation: 17.2 miles and 2045 feet
Because the Elevation Gain/Loss counts both up and down and you end up at about the same elevation, you can half the elevation to get the climb per day. While the AT has more elevation, it is ~550 feet more of climbing for 4 less miles per day. Given the AT's lower average weight because of lower average distances for food and water, it would seem like the AT should be shorter, but there is a question of lose of miles because of additional town stops. If the average distance between town stops on the AT is 50 miles and on the PCT it is 70 miles, while it seems like this should make the AT faster because of less pack weight, often hikers will spend a 1/2 day in town. The day you get into town you often end before you would otherwise and start later then otherwise. So on the AT, your start day you do 15 miles out of town, then 20 miles on a full day then 15 miles getting into town, averaging 16.7 miles while the PCT your start day you do 15 miles out of town, then 20 miles on your 2 full day then 15 miles getting into town, averaging 17.5 miles. One interesting know that supports the idea that the increase towns slows the average time are the fastest know times for both. The AT's FKT is ~45 days while the PCT FKT is ~65 days.
Interesting analysis. I live in Atlanta and I'm off this weekend to do another section of the AT in north Georgia. It doesn't matter which section I pick, I'm in for a rollercoaster ride of ups and downs.
Continental Divide Trail 2019!! Book It Dixie!
The green tunnel didnt even exsist until VA for me since I started in the snow. Got to watch the seasons change and spring come alive right until I hit the mid atlantic and then had constant diverse change that progressed until Katahdin. Best 6 months of my life, the AT has my heart forever.
I switched to a hammock for second AT thruhike. I have done only sections of the CDT and lots of desert and western mountain trekks using a tarp when not cowboy camping.
Dear Dixie, thank you so much for this informative summary video. I've been following your hikes and TH-cam posts and am addicted to your channel. Just wonderful.
Part of the start and finish issues with the PCT vs AT is that the AT chose two view points as the end points while the PCT chose to finish and end at the US border covering the entirety of the Pacific Crest that lies within the US. The PCT could have started with a climb up Mount San Jacinto and finished at the north end of the Goat Rocks for a dramatic start and finish, but there is something to be said for the idea of covering the entirety of the US Pacific crest. The southern terminus of the CDT will be anticlimactic too, but the CDT will be even more remote and more wild than the PCT. For me that is the point of leaving the modern world behind and going backpacking, to get away from civilization and have that quiet and sometimes powerful voice of nature speaking to my heart and soul.
Hey Dixie, please continue being so awesome :). You are inspiring me so much! I am planning to do the GTA (Grande Traversata delle Alpi) next year, which is about 1000km from the italian/swiss border almost down to French/Italian Border :). Greetings from Austria! :)
Did you do it, and if so, how was it?
Fantastic review Dixie! Can’t wait to see your post from the CDT next year!
Hey Dixie,
Thanks for this ''comparisons'' video,.. you answered a lot of questions many of us had...Blessings to you, take care and thanks for the smiles...CHEERS !!
Dixie-I followed your PCT adventure from the start, and just began watching your AT videos. It seems like the AT is much more social & fun! Great job with both. You're an inspiration!
Regarding "Pure" through hikes, I imagine the most difficult trail to do a pure through hike would be the North Country Trail. The thing that will make a pure through hike so difficult, is what we michiganders ( Michigan residents ) call Big Mack: The Mackinaw Bridge. You are only allowed to hike across Big Mack a total of 10 HOURS per year ( 5 hours on Memorial Day and 5 hours on Labor Day ) and you can only hike Big Mack North to South.
Very good comparison between the two trails. Come do our Arizona Trail it has a little of everything
azcolby40 Thank you! I've heard it's nice :)
I'll second that.
The AZ looks amazing. If one were to go northbound, what month would be good to start? Is it similar to what Dixie showed about the CA desert?
Karen W, the AzTrail (820 miles) can be looked at as a miniature version of the PCT. If you're considering thru-hiking and starting at the southern terminus, March may be a good month to start. The first 25 passages are pretty much desert. But, the desert sections are a combination of low basins and high mountains with the trail reaching 9200 feet within the first six miles of the border with Mexico. Passages 27 through 43, start at the top of the Mogollon Rim and consists of pine forests and high desert/chaparral with elevations consistently over 6500 feet. (Except for the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon which drops down to around 2400 feet from 7200 feet at the South Rim.)I highly recommend visiting the Arizona Trail Association's website. Their detailed passage descriptions include pending weather conditions and access points for remote trailheads. I'm currently section hiking the AzTrail and currently at the Babbit Ranch north of Flagstaff heading north.
Thank you, galiuros. Great info there. Have lots of fun on your hike!
I’ve done like five day hikes in the high Sierras I can’t believe you did the ones you did kudos
Another nice discussion Dixie. I think you are spot on with your description in the differences of the 2 trails. There were times I wanted you to stop the PCT ! , but really glad you finished it.
Love the comparison Dixie!
Do you think you could make some "ultimate guides" for each of the big sections of the PCT? Like "Ultimate Guide to the Desert Section of the PCT" where you would address the big issues of that spot? For desert, the water scarcity, the snakes/scorpions, heat etc?
And then one for the Sierra and maybe for the Cascades? That would be amazing!
The AT sounds like the tougher of the two I've heard from others as well. But the difference is or as I interpret it, that the AT's sense of community among hikers helps you get through it and makes the mental aspect more bearable despite its physical challenges and how it inter-twines with the mental. Planning to do the AT if things work out for me with the job next year.
Thank you so much for this video and your personal views on the two trails. Whenever I do watch peoples PCT videos I love the near constant wide open views but at the same time really miss the forest and forest floor life and features such as can be found on the AT. I think the CDT will have some great memories as well.
Thank you Dixie! I recently moved from WA to VA...and am a hiker and backpacker although no thru-hiking. It was really nice to hear your comparison of the trails, while I'm still missing my Great Pacific NW - you're right on in my experience. Like how you had moments on the PCT where you felt you might not make it out - it IS WAY out there! The hardest thing here so far is the weather- the humidity specifically. A short backpack on the AT convinced me to stay at the lake until summer is over! I'm really enjoying your videos, your videography is so well done, very impressive. And I love your attitude and approach to your invisible audience and to hiking and to nature. Thank you!
Love this channel. Better than anything on TV these days. I really enjoyed the PCT videos over the early AT ones. Early AT vids looked like a frat party most days. I did enjoy the Maine section of the AT quite a bit. The PCT looks tough, rough, harsh and beautiful. It appeared much more isolated. The 62 mile hike on the PCT was incredibly compelling. Dixie, your channel rocks, and I am really looking forward to your third through hike! Keep up the great content!
Hey Dixie!
I signed up for PCT2018. I am really thankful that you shared your own experiences in such incredible detail!
I agree with you, each trail is special in it's own way. I believe climate change is having a devastating effect out West, and I want so badly to see the trail more like the 2016 year. I fear that in the future it will be more desolate, more smoky, arid and harsher than before. That feeling of the trail sucking your life is something a lot of the vegetation and animals are feeling too I'm sure. I want to see the PCT at it's best, and I think that means sooner rather than later.
Good luck on the CDT next year! From what I have read and seen of the CDT it may pose the biggest mental challenge yet. I hope you convince Perks to rise to the challenge once again!
Great comparison of the two trails and lots of good information. Thanks for sharing! Love that old bench, really shows its character.
Love your adventures, Howse pass from Alberta Canada to British Columbia might be a good challenge for a future trek. My group would like to have you along one day and I think you could make a great video series about my back yard.
Keep up the great work
Another great video Dixie. I think the purist in you is going to be challenged by the choose-your-adventure nature of the CDT. But like everything else so far, you will conquer it with your usual grace and intelligence. I can't wait to see you get your triple crown.
Dixie I completed the AT ( purist) on October 4th 2017 and now I am considering the PCT! Your review was fantastic and very thorough. Thanks for your honesty and information, I found it quite useful! I think I get it now!
Right on pretty lady. All trails are special and unique in their own way. I loves that part!!!!
Thanks for your videos! I thru-hiked the AT NOBO in 2014 and I'm itching to get out on the PCT. This is helpful!
I plan to thru hike the AT in 2021. If you end up doing your second thru hike of the AT that year I would love to meet you!
The two trails seem to be so different. The natural beauty of the west was captured beautifully in your videos. With the rocks and roots along the the footpath here in Pennsylvania, it is a challenge to look up from the trail path without risking a face plant. Thanks for sharing your trail adventures. Looking forward to your PCT E book.
Hi Dixie. Just discovered your channel and binge watched your vlogs. You've inspired me to get back out there. Thank you. ❤
Hello Dixie,
Very good video! Congratulations for completing the PCT! Your perseverance, resilience and strength of character are an excellent example to others. I will attempt to thru hike the PCT in 2018 and I look forward to comparing the experience with my thru hike of the AT in 2016.
Take care and happy trails!
Rich or Alpenglow
Dixie! I just discovered your videos about three days ago. Thank you for the tips and for taking me on your journey with you. I will be doing my first ever Thru Hike on the AT next spring!
Funny, I m hiking the PCT next year and never had the desire to hike the AT at all until this video. And I'm FROM VA! Haha! So maybe in 20-9 I'll hike the AT! Thanks Dixie! We just love you to pieces! Can't wait to see you on the CDT! Happy hiking!
I camped a few weeks on the Appalachian in November and wow it cold , you needed serious gear or else , in April the nights get cold for sure.
Winks
Lisa
First i just want to say how amazing your videos was of these 2 hikes! The one thing I wished you would had done in both videos was talk about what month/date you was in more often. I may had missed it but I don’t remember you saying when you started or finished each hike.
Thank you! I didn’t talk about my current location with dates on trail for safety reasons. I started the AT 03/29/15 and the PCT 04/03/17.
My God girl you are fantastic!! If anybody was on the fence as to should they do it or not, you just gave the best explanation on how to get off that fence. Thank you so much.
I love hearing you talk! Interesting and relaxing at the same time.
To me it's like choosing between apple pie a la mode and strawberry cheesecake. How can you go wrong if you are fortunate enough to experience either? Good presentation, incredible hiker woman!
Dixie, great job on finishing the PCT. Thanks to you and your team for sharing the videos along your journeys. Love your channel and the videos are the best.
A plethora of valid and useful information once again from our beloved Dixie. Great stuff. Im so looking forward to your triple crown completion next year.
I grew up near the PCT in the desert, and it definitely is a different experience than the AT (which I've hiked long segments of). The way I would put it is that the AT is better if you want to get out of town, the PCT is better if you want to get away from civilization itself. You also run into fewer cults on the PCT for some reason.
What kind of cults are you speaking of?
@@SteveRoy88 Twelve Tribes, specifically.
Dixie, you’re amazing! Thanks so much for going all these miles and sharing your experience. You kick @$$‼️
I thru hiked the AT in 2015 as well it took 119 days. ( Jax from Jacksonville Fl. )
I love your videos Dixie!! I've been feeling cooped up in school and watching you always makes me feel like i'm taking a little vacation XD. I can't wait to thru-hike myself. thanks for all the tips - I've been going back and forth on which hike i'd want to do first. Excited to hear your breakdowns on the PCT!
I grew up in CA and wasn't even back country outdoorsy as a child, and smokey the bear principles regarding forest fires are still with me. I could tell you about proper fire safety and how to put out a fire in my sleep. It's serious on the west coast...and that was before the droughts and rampant fires.
Thanks for posting. Thought you might start glowing at 31:35 : ) Your passion and "cross the line" ethos for all of this were pretty well blazing in this vid Alice.. er, Dixie, I mean Jessica! Thanks again dahlin'.
If you're thinking of doing the AT, just a heads up, last year 2017 the last snow storm we got was May 5th. So while it's unusual, it can happen. (we had 5 snow storms from feb 23- May 5th with a low temperature of -8 degrees.)
Followed you on the PCT and went back and watched all you AT videos. Watching Scoutmaster on his hike right now. Sobo going north starting in January gives a different perspective. Should give it a look.
I did PCT North to South I took 3 months but I had no time or money limits I'm retired USMC I'm slowly working my way to Maine but I'm slow my truck is old thanks for the in site
AT is special to me, but I'm from Georgia. I've read several books and watched a zillion videos about the AT, and it's fascinating. The trail community on the AT is, too.
Great video, Dixie, as usual! Thanks for sharing your experiences.
here they have a 8 day bicycle event called RAGBRAI Registers ( newspaper)Annual Great Bike ride across Iowa. (that will google) There are roughly 12 thousand registered participants but there are many tag a longs that do a day or part of a day (usually the last part because the host town is the scene of a major party) think sturgis. So the numbers of actual riders vary each day.
Would love to see someone like you do a video series of a through hike of the Superior Hiking Trail (northern Minnesota). It would be like a section hike on one of the long trails, but I don't think it gets the credit it is due for the beauty of the trail and views, etc.
Thank you Dixie. This may help me make the decision whether to thru hike the A.T. again, which I dearly want to do, or to hike the PCT, which is the great unknown.
thanks Dixie. I would love to do all three trails but want to do the AT first. those are the first videos i watched starting with RedBeard. and still watching AT videos today. along with the other trails.
Wearing an AT tee gives it away! ;) I do think the vastness of the PCT looks massively impressive. I've only sectioned some of the AT. Hope to get on the PCT some day.
If you are hiking for views alone, think of this perspective. The views of the first 20 PCT miles will blow away the views of the first 200 AT miles. Now think about how the rest of the PCT will look like. I've lived and hiked near both trails and it's hard to beat the PCT for its beauty. Every corner is like a jaw dropping painting. Good luck on the trail.
Great commentary. Looking forward to your adventures on the CDT.
I really enjoyed the video, but I was so distracted by the flex in the bench seat! Time to replace that wood!
Chris F Hahaha. Yeah, I was worried I was going to fall through. It's an old bench and I'm not sure anyone ever sits on it.
It's a good thing you're a mere slip of a girl... my fat ass would be earthbound in mere minutes!
Great video! Which I prioritized hiking earlier in my life, now my body slows me down, bad foot, bad back, etc. and hence my trail name “hop along”. 🤗
The PCT was first hiked in the 70's, I do not know the guy's name, but I remember he used a pack donkey in the desert for water. It may not have been finished it was still possible to hike from Mexico to Canada.
jimmie montgomery yes, I remember the National Geographic did a spread on one of the first guys to do the PCT. I think he did it with his brother in the 70's. don't remember a donkey in the story, but it's been a few years. And I also remember that he had to do a lot of his own navigation, as the trail was so new.
Great comparison of the two trails! You're always very helpful and insightful. Of course you did a NOBO for both thru hikes. Have you ever considered doing a video regarding your experiences with Flip Flop hikers? Comparison of NOBO, SOBO, Flip Flop ...
Wow Dixie! A very comprehensive vidio! A lot of info presented seamlessly. kudos to the editor as well. Your relaxed, unscripted approach was joy to watch. I also follow Darwin on the trail, but your recipe for relating your experience's makes me feel like I was there... side note. I still can't find one of your first video's where you read from your journal. The (I've Got Grit) one.
Oh my goodness I thought your real name was Dixie
I did for about a year lol
What is it
@@1Deejay7 jessica
Same
Omg, I saw a comment one where someone called her 'Jessica'... And I almost corrected them!! 😳🤐
So happy I kept my mouth shut! 🤣
In the desert you can remember your name ...Dixie, thanks for the great comparison video.
Great video and excellent detail information. Thank you for sharing. You are a great source for information for the hiking community.
It is all to prepare you for Maine , lol, etc The other hikers I am following also go through the same thing about here. Who knew your change up, would be a challenge.
You've convinced me. I'm going to do one of these hikes soon. Probably the pct.
I've had three multi level spinal fusions and recovered well so I'm not too worried about that. Plus I don't want to do thw whole thing maybe 2/3 would do it for me.
On my bucket list.
Rattlesnakes! I saw dozens on the AT. More than I have ever seen in Texas, including my 10 years as a desert backpacking guide.
Cool comparison Dixie Doodle Dan Dee. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for all of the videos you make Dixie! You've really inspired me to go for the Triple Crown one day. Keep safe and keep hiking! I'm rooting for you 😀
Thank you for your insight, Dixie. I feel like I get a real inside look through your videos.
Dixie, You appear to have a better time and more fun on the AT. Hope that you make it to TrailDaze in Damascus next year. Keep on Hiking!
Body changes? Do you feel your body has changed more since your thru hikes?