Thru-hiking refers to completing the entirety of a long-distance trail without extended breaks. This sounds hardcore, and in some ways it is. However, as I began to explore the blogs and YouTube docos PCT alumni have contributed to online discussions, it quickly became clear that those of us who’ve done overnight hikes in Australia have probably experienced more remote backcountry than the PCT traverses. Here in Aus, outside of the major cities and biggest regional hubs, towns are few and far between whereas, along the PCT, hikers are rarely more than a short hitch (or even a walk) away from a town with supermarkets, motels, and other comforts.  Photo thanks to Michelle and Patrick Brock