Julia’s Trail Tales – Part 8: PCT Days Festival and the Circuitous Journey Home
By Holly Parsons
Correspondent
Julia is a 17-year-old from Seattle, Washington who began hiking the PCT
alone on May 25^(th) during the summer prior to her senior year in high
school. I was her driver on several occasions in Idyllwild and found her
thoughts refreshingly unvarnished, colorful and succinct. She is by far
the youngest lone PCT hiker I’d met. She agreed to provide her story
hiking one of America’s most awe-inspiring and challenging trails. This
is the final article chronicling her journey.
“After battling many fires on trail I circled home to Seattle for a
brief rest. Not ready to embrace the comfort of my bedroom, I slept on a
couch for one night. The following day I got back on trail and spent
four days hiking 75 miles from Snoqualmie to Stevens pass – then hitched
back to Seattle to pick up my car.
“Both hitches back to Seattle proved surprisingly enjoyable. Both
drivers were open-hearted, interesting and young! One was a couple near
my age. We exchanged contact info and I’m sure we’ll remain friends.
They even drove me home. I introduced them to my parents; plus a few
people I didn’t know, since my parents are now hosting PCT hikers.
Really a nice experience.
“After a few hours home, I picked up my car and headed to Leavenworth, I
zeroed for a day, bunked in at a hotel with Turtle one night – then
stayed on another night by myself. I also had a glorious swim in the
Wenatchee River and ate a lot – as always.”
Julia’s experience at PCT Days and Hike to the Northern Terminus:
Annually, The PCT Association sponsors a two-day PCT Days Festival for
north bound through hikers on Thunder Island in Cascade Locks. It’s a
not to be missed event celebrating their rigorous and rare achievement.
Of the almost 6000 north bound “through” permits issued in 2024,
approximately 15-35% will complete the 2700 mile journey.
This year, the Class of 2024 gathered to renew connections, make new
friends, trade experiences, hug, dance and share great food provided by
sponsors. The festival features everything hiking, from backpack repair
to “Wild” recipes. Trekking and gear companies offer deals on equipment
and presenters teach essential nuances to thrive on future treks. Hikers
were even enticed to explore the breathtaking terrain found in the
Owyhee Canyon Lands, Hells Canyon and The Blue Mountains of Washington.
“At PCT Days I found my trail family!! Walmart, Joe, Jason, Jailbait,
Cody, Eric and Etienne! I got to camp with them again! I got to say good
night and good morning to them – each day! I saw Cami who I first met in
the early desert days and renewed with many hikers I’d met on trail. The
first night we all got soaked under an arcade awning due to a huge wind
and lightning storm – but that was fun too!
“I need more gear – but the shopping wasn’t as helpful, much was sold
out. “
More Gear?
“I am by no means done trekking; I’m going to re-hike a few places on
the PCT with Joe in 2026. We’re starting at the top of the Sierras’ and
will hike north from there overlapping the PCT but on the John Muir
Trail. And I want to hike the Appalachian Trail in 2027.”
Northern Terminus – the Beginning of the End:
“Walmart and I left PCT Day’s and drove to Mazama, then on to
Leavenworth for dinner. We visited Hidden Valley Summer Camp for about
an hour, and I renewed with my camp friends. I’ve been going there each
summer since I was 9 years old!”
“We left my car in Mazama and hiked to Harts Pass WA. It’s the beginning
of the last section of the PCT leading to the Northern Terminus. It was
a two-day hike, beautiful, hard but not terrible, very normal – it was
amazing. Then we arrived at the border! As we approached everyone
cheered for us – then we too joined the cheering as more hikers
arrived.”
“Everyone was doing shots, playing music, dancing, and I signed the
register. It was a big moment!”
“Because I had a PCT Canadian Entry permit I continued to hike north.
Walmart didn’t have a pass, so he hiked back on foot to Harts Pass to
pick up my car and drove to my home where he would await my return.
“I hiked 8 miles into Manning Park – the nearest point to get off the
PCT. I was so conflicted. I made my way down the bank of the Skaist
River below and cried and cried about leaving the PCT.
“I then hitched into Vancouver and spent the night before boarding a
train home to Seattle the next day.
“But wait! Before that… I love virgin pina colada’s! After checking into
my hotel and still in my hiking clothing I began hunting through
downtown Vancouver for a bar that even made Pina Coladas.
“It was beginning to feel futile. Just as I was giving up and heading
back to my hotel, I spied the Georgia Hotel bar was open! I smelled
terrible. I told them I was 17 so they sat me on a couch. They called me
Miss Julia and I ordered 2 oyster plates with caviar and 2 virgin Pina
Colada’s for my dinner. It was the perfect celebratory end to my hike!”
Is the Reason You Initially Started This Journey the Same Reason Today?
“No. I initially started due to sheer curiosity. Nothing about the PCT
appealed to me. Why would anyone do it – I continuously wondered? I’m
going to find out. I’m going to consume it – or (conversely) – it’s
going to consume me. I also realized that my life [as a teen] was
becoming infinitely more complicated and I wanted to take control by
growing up on purpose.
“Halfway through the hike, I got my 3^(rd) reason. I realize: through
hiking is now my life! The beauty, the challenge, setting up camp,
chores, the people, the towns, filtering water, I love the lifestyle. I
love it all! I feel so lucky to have found this in my life. Gratitude
constantly overwhelms me for the entire thing!”
Where Are You Now?
“Walmart and I are driving back from Boze where we stayed for two days
with Joe, a member of our trail family. He was a wonderful host, and it
was great seeing him off trail.”
“School doesn’t start for a week. Now we’re thinking of hiking more of
WA. – maybe tomorrow, maybe tomorrow!! Walmart is driving and looking at
me side eyed? Or, we might go to Burning Man…?!”
This concludes Julia’s wonderous Trail Tale’s on the PCT. She started
the hike standing on the Southern Terminus wearing a sunhat decorated
with sunflowers and that came to be her trail name. In the end,
sunflowers decorate her hair and to some degree define her in ways I
doubt she initially thought possible.
Early on I had no sense of how her story would unfold. On reflection, I
believe we’ve witnessed a teen experiencing the ultimate journey to
emancipation…freedom from imposed constraints.
Her joy is contagious, and her commitment to personal expansion, is
palpable. I suspect her appetite for visceral experience will continue
to run deep in a life sure to include more adventure in the almost
unimaginably beautiful world just outside her back door.
