Megan's Post-Grad PCT Hike!!

Hello friends, family, and strangers!

I am asking for your help. This summer, I will be taking the five-month and 2,650-mile journey of a lifetime hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, a National Scenic Trail that runs through California, Oregon, and Washington, border to border, Mexico to Canada.

My goal with this fundraiser is to raise $2 per mile, for a total of $5300.

As many of you know, I am a full-time student at Sonoma State University. This spring, just a few weeks before I begin my hike, I will be graduating with my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, ending a 12-year journey and beginning a 2,650 mile one. My intention with this hike is a reset. I am carving out time to let the last 12+ years sink in and integrate all I have learned. I know the trail has some healing magic in store for me and I look forward to getting to know myself and this land more deeply than I have before.

A long-distance thru-hike like the PCT is expensive and I am doing everything I can to resource myself for this mental, physical, and logistical challenge. This is where you come in. Here are some examples of how your donation helps make my dream a reality:

$5 - much-needed shower

$20 - shipping for two resupply packages

$40 - water filtration system

$80 - bear canister

$100 - one of many pairs of shoes

$200 - ultralight down jacket

$500 - satellite phone and emergency beacon subscription

$1000 - monthly cost of life on a long-distance trail

The average cost of a thru-hike like mine is $1000 per month for food, time in trail towns, and gear. That said, my research has helped me determine my goal of saving $10,000. This will pay for things like pet care, an emergency fund, transportation and lodging, hike disruptions (like wildfires or injuries), and money to buffer my return to civilian life after I complete the trail.

My start date is May 29, 2022, northbound from Tehachapi. Once I reach the Northern Terminus at the Canadian border, I will "flip flop" back to Tehachapi and hike south to the Southern Terminus at the Mexican border.

I am honored to receive your support in making my dream a reality! You can follow along on my journey on my Instagram @megansprague. Stay tuned for updates!