Claire in Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite in a Solstice Pro Sun Hoodie and Aspect High Rise Base Layer Bottoms
Every summer, we work with a few Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) hikers as Ridge ambassadors. Meet one of this year's ambassadors: Claire Dornbush. We caught up with Claire mid-hike to hear about trail life and her favorite gear as she treks from Mexico to Canada.
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What’s your trail name?
Big Rig
When did you start your hike? When do you expect to finish?
I started April 28, and hope to finish by late September! But really I just hope to finish, ya know?
How many miles do you hike per day?
So far I’ve been averaging in the low 20s per day, but that didn’t happen right away. It took some building up, and there are days I only walk 10ish miles. If it’s an easier day with less elevation change, I’m pushing the upper 20s.
Claire at Thousand Island Lake in the Mammoth Lakes, CA area wearing her Solstice Pro Sun Hoodie
What inspired you to hike the PCT?
I have lived right off the PCT in Mammoth Lakes for a few years now. Every year around this time, I'd begin to see (or smell) the flocks of hikers coming through town.
In the last year or so I began to feel very stuck in a rut and knew I needed to do something different, and the PCT came a-calling! My short-term two-year plan coincided well with doing a dream such as this, so I made it happen.
How did you prepare for this hike?
Living in my little mountain town, I feel like I was training for it by doing the activities that I already loved: backcountry skiing and gym workouts primarily. But honestly, I feel like the only truly effective training would be something like trail running. Or anything getting you to move strongly and confidently on uneven terrain.
That said, the most important thing on training and prepping physically for this is to start the trail slow. It's hard to be hiking short days and having people blow past you, but you'll be thankful down the trail when you've got your trail legs and they've got their overuse injuries.
As far as gear prep... don’t get caught up too much in saving tiny amounts of weight. There are a number of ultralight items I had when I started the trail that I no longer carry or now carry a non-ultralight version of. Consider weight and packability, but also consider practicality and ease of use.
What is your favorite Ridge Merino gear on the trail?
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the undies! My sun hoodie is a close second, but the Merino underwear has to take first place. I've been wearing the boy shorts as well as the classic hipster briefs. Not only are they comfortable, but they've helped reduce chafing.
All my Ridge gear has helped me stay balanced temperature-wise, and the moisture-wicking helps with the sweat factor. Everything dries quickly! Now that I've made it to the Sierra, the sun hoodie has been keeping me warm on cold nights in addition to keeping me protected from the sun.
Claire's PCT socks: Minaret Hiking Socks: odor-resistant, lightweight and comfy for miles and miles
Any more PCT gear takeaways?
My favorite piece of gear actually has to be my Alpha Direct hoodie. It's a hard thing to find and get, but it's a perfect ultralight mid layer.
I initially packed an inflatable pillow that quickly got a hole in it, so I gave up on having a pillow at all. At the beginning of the trail I had packed some ultralight camp shoes (like 2 ounces) but I found they just weren't practical. I ended up buying some Teva Sandals instead that are heavier but cute and practical.
What's your favorite trail snack? Favorite zero day food?
My favorite trail snacks have been Nerds Clusters and cheddar potato chips. Also a classic Snickers! I'm a sucker for chocolatey sweets and gummy goodness.
My favorite foods on a zero day are cinnamon rolls, burritos (shoutout to Latin Market in Mammoth) and really just any well made but "unhealthy" food. I'm also a big fan of buying a whole carton of berries or fruit and demolishing that.
Claire (left) and a fellow hiker in Tie-Dye Solstice Sun Hoodies
How has life been on the trail overall so far?
It's been such a blast getting to know all of these seemingly normal (at one time anyway) folks who have set out to do this ridiculous trail.
I think trail names are interesting in that there are a ton of people whose names are because of one small moment that happened on a trail... whether they tripped over a rock, talked highly of a specific food, or had a catchphrase they said often. Sometimes it could be something as silly or dumb as one article of clothing they have.
After a while you become nose-blind to you and your fellow hikers' stench. By about day four, your metric for how bad you can smell and look gets to new lows. You almost begin to relish it... but you also relish that good hot shower even more.
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The Pacific Crest Trail goes through 26 National Forests, 7 National Parks, 5 State Parks and 4 National Monuments. According to the PCT Association, the average thru-hiker takes five months to complete the trail. Only 600 to 1,000 people thru-hike the PCT each year, but hundreds of thousands of people use the trail each year for day hikes, backpacking trips and section hikes.
Happy hiking, Claire!
