Parents Anthony and Donna Barnett with Julia [center] at the PCT Southern Terminus
Julia Barnett – Packing for the PCT
Julia is a 17-year-old from Seattle, Washington hiking the PCT during the summer prior to her senior year in high school. I was her driver on several occasions in Idyllwild and found her observations refreshingly unvarnished, colorful and succinct. She is by far the youngest PCT hiker I’ve met. I spoke with her about chronicling her trek while driving to the Black Mountain trailhead. She agreed to provide her unique impressions and experiences on one of America’s most awe-inspiring and challenging hiking trails… I will be updating this column regularly for the next few months. HP
Planning for the PCT
Why did you want to do this trip?
“When I first heard of the PCT it sounded like a horrible idea, so hard, bugs, 5 months in a tent. In reading descriptions by hikers about their excitement and the magic I wondered how’s that even possible? I’m a very intense person. I had a sense of curiosity. I got a bug in my brain, and I knew it would drive me crazy until I understood it. I knew I had to live it to understand it.”
How did you get buy-in and set a date?
“I sold the idea to my parents in 2022. I broached the idea to them by repeating statements like: “wouldn’t that be crazy if I did the PCT? Really, what if I were to do it? I’d totally love to do it! Slowly the idea got legs and became – I’m so excited to be doing this I want to go in 2024. Then we had a couple of conversations about the Sierras and its dangerous river crossings. To solve that problem, I proposed skipping the Sierras because I only had 3 months. After all, I’d have the Garmin satellite communicator. They could see my trail progress update every 3 hours, and they agreed to fund the trip. I figured the expense of going wasn’t that much more than the cost of having me around all summer if you include the expense of summer camp.”
“I registered with the PCT on October 1, 2023, the first possible day. By mid-November I received my start permit for May 25, 2024. I knew then the trip was real, but school wouldn’t finish till mid-June! In the spring I spoke to my high school advisor – explaining my dilemma I asked if I could skip the last 3 weeks of class? He was great, ‘absolutely’ he said! He also offered me a lot of confidence, even reassuring my parents, and he spoke to the head of school to open the way for me to leave on time.”
How did you go about getting organized?
“Planning became an obsession during the summer of 2023. Logistics is the hardest part. I knew I could never be prepared enough yet I thought I had a lot of time. My parents agreed it would be the trip of a lifetime and they let me take the reins entirely. They did buy me a first aid class but otherwise they didn’t double check my preparations. I did an insane amount of research on gear and food. I bought a dehydrator and created food packs, I even spent 5 hours researching an umbrella – to find the most functional, not the cutest, not the most expensive.”
“There were many problems to solve, like how do I plot stops on the trail, how much food do I need, where do I send my food parcels, what day should they arrive so the Post Office is open? I needed a power bank, what’s the best sleep situation, and the right clothes? But it was the backpack that received the most attention. I was researching constantly, trying them on wherever I could. I have a short torso so many backpacks didn’t fit. Special orders would take 10 weeks. I felt I’d waited too long to decide. Such a big mistake – mom warned me I was going to self-sabotage due to my natural inclination for indecisiveness. When I finally decided – I ordered a custom pack from Atom Packs; it was outrageously expensive and was coming from the UK. But oh no, it wouldn’t arrive until June 9th. I had to pivot. I looked at all kinds of options even at Wall Mart or renting a backpack.”
“I babysit for a neighbor who works for REI – so I asked her if I could borrow a backpack for a few weeks. She poured through her gear closet and ultimately loaned me an Osprey. But three days before I was leaving my original backpack miraculously arrived from the UK with a heartfelt note saying: “Good Luck on the Journey – we’ve got your back!” I was so touched! When I returned the Osprey to my neighbor, she slyly asked her toddler son to wish me well, reminding me that my mind is the strongest thing I own, and to have a fabulous experience. I shed a few tears of relief…it’s happening!”
[This article was written without the assistance of AI]
