Hi y'all!

 

On March 13th 2022, I will begin a 2,650 mile hike on the Pacific Crest Trail, stretching from the US/Mexico border in California, all the way to the US/Canada border in Washington.

 

After moving to a new city months before the pandemic started, I ended up alone in a new place, depressed, and started thinking about my mental health and what made me truly happy. I knew I needed to get outside, spend time being present, and focus on my well being. This is where the PCT came in. A true adventure and opportunity to work on who I am, challenge myself, and hopefully help others.

 

I have been working towards this goal for over a year, and finally received my permit to make it all possible. This has not come easy. I quit my job, moved across the country, and sold most of my belongings to be able to make this dream come true.

 

While I am taking on this challenge alone, I am looking for your support! This journey takes about 4-6 months, and costs anywhere from $4,000 - $9,000 to complete. I have spent over $5,000 so far on gear & food for resupply packages, and that cost will continue to go up as I am living on the trail.

 

If I average walking 21 miles a day, taking 1 slow day a week, It will take about 145 days to complete.

If I average walking 19 miles a day, taking 1 slow day a week, It will take about 160 days to complete.

 

That’s roughly 160 breakfast’s, 160 lunch’s, 160 dinners, plus loads of snacks to maintain the 3,000 - 4,000 calories a day I will need on trail. These costs add up fast with daily food, resupply packages, initial gear, gear replacements, monthly rent back home, phone bill, insurance, etc.

 

My GoFundMe goal is to raise a little over a $1.00 a mile during my trip to help with remaining costs, and also raise money for The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, where I have a separate donation page set up. As someone who has personally struggled with mental health, as well as other members of my family, I know how hard it is to get help. Being able to donate towards research & treatments for others experiencing the same difficulties is really important for this journey.

 

If you would like to support my hike, or make a direct donation to my AFSP page, every dollar makes a difference. No donation is too big or too small! I will be documenting my trip with photos, journaling, videos, & audio recordings, that I would love to share with you as a collection upon my completion.

 

Follow my hike on my IG @ericmasters

See all my gear, weights, and cost here https://lighterpack.com/r/8j4a0x

Donate directly to my AFSP page https://supporting.afsp.org/campaign/Masters-Walks-the-Pacific-Crest-Trail-

 

Thank you for your support, and thank you to everyone who got me here

 

See you out there!

 

Eric