Clash of the Titans: Comparing the Appalachian (AT) and Pacific Crest (PCT) Trails

It has been almost 2 months since my attempt to thru hike the PCT came to an abrupt end near Stevens Pass.  When I mention to people that I hiked the AT and then made this attempt on the PCT invariably I get asked some version of: “Which one is harder?” or “Which one did you like best?” There has been much written about these questions by a variety of folks.  Here are my $0.02 worth.

Disclaimer(s)

 I’m biased in many ways.  First, I didn’t finish both trails.  I completed the AT, but only managed 1,000 of the 2,650 PCT miles.  Second, there is what psychologists term the “recency effect” – it has been five year since I hiked the AT so my memory of hiking the PCT is much fresher.  Third, I am a “senior (AARP?)” hiker, a distinct minority on long distance trails, so some of my observations might be less relevant.  Then there is COVID.  Even after the acute effects of the pandemic in 2020 ended, COVID presented challenges that simply weren’t present in 2017.  Finally there are what I will call “health effects”.  On the AT I was pretty much in perfect health the entire 5 months.  On the PCT karma caught up with me and I endured multiple health issues, the most notable being a bout of COVID and then the icing on the cake – catching the norovirus somewhere north of Snoqualmie Pass.  Throw in a visit to the Tehachapi ER for severe dehydration and a few other issues and there would be good reason to suspect that I might look at the PCT with a jaundiced eye. 

Nevertheless, I think I can be objective here.  Below I lay out six ways to compare these two trails.  Still, caveat lector.

Elevation Gain

Based on the Farout app, the AT averages 208 ft in vertical elevation gained for every mile walked.  For the PCT the average is “only” 165 ft.  Before my attempt on the PCT people told me that the PCT was easier and that “if you averaged 15 miles/day on the AT you can average 20 miles/day on the PCT, no problem”.  I bought this lock, stock and barrel and was then surprised (my exact words were a bit stronger) when I found that I had considerable trouble managing 20 PCT miles a day.  The PCT goes through a more extreme environment (a desert) for the first 600+ miles and you are also at a much higher average elevation on the PCT versus the AT (the air is a bit thinner).  Taking all of this into account, I consider this issue to be a draw between the AT and the PCT.

PUDs and MUDs

Many AT thru hikers (myself included) constantly complained about the “pointless” (PUDS) and “meaningless” (MUDs) ups and downs you encounter on the AT.  Trail planners seem determined to take you up and down every peak they can find in the Appalachian Mountains.  Not so on the PCT.   There were plenty of long and sometimes steep climbs but with few exceptions you were never forced to get to the top of some mountain.  A side trail was always there if you wanted to summit something (like Mt. Whitney or Mt. San Jacinto).  Even bypassing these side trails, the PCT gives you plenty of magnificent views.  Anyone who has hiked in the Goat Rocks Wilderness section of the PCT knows what I mean.  I give the PCT the nod here for avoiding PUDs/MUDs.

Tread Condition

Much is written about the condition of the tread on the AT, especially in northern Pennsylvania (“the place where boots go to die”) and then there is Maine which seemed like nothing but roots and rocks and granite slopes.  But the PCT was no picnic.  In Washington and especially Oregon, the PCT follows something called the “Cascade Volcanic Arc”.  This means that you get terrific close up views of Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams and Mt. Rainier.  There are also long stretches of trail in central Oregon where you walk on lava fields.  I was totally unprepared for this and did a fair amount of bitching as I hiked these areas.  Anyone who has walked the PCT approaching McKenzie Pass knows what I am talking about.  This led me to mutter about central Oregon being the real place where boots go to die.  Nevertheless, if I am being honest, the AT definitely has more difficult tread overall.  As a hostel owner in Connecticut said about the roughly 300 AT miles in Maine “The AT in southern Maine is bat shit crazy hard.  The rest of the AT in Maine is just crazy hard”. 

Water

Water is heavy.  Every liter you carry adds 2.2 lbs to your pack weight.  With few exceptions when I was on the AT, water was plentiful and often available right at your campsite.  You never really worried about how much water to carry during the day.  Many hikers carried no more than a liter at a time.  The PCT is a completely different animal.  Going north, the first 600+ miles are dominated by desert terrain.  With few exceptions every day involved a complicated calculus for how much water to carry.  In the extreme heat of the desert your need for water escalates just when the availability of H2O is tenuous.  In the section between Tehachapi and Walker Pass, some folks recommend carrying 7 liters.  Do the math on that one – that is an extra 15+ lbs in your pack. I found this constant planning mentally exhausting.  Without doubt, water management on the AT is far easier than on the PCT.

Camping

Do you like camping every night where there is a shelter with a roof, a nearby water source, a privy, and several dozen other campers?  Or do you prefer camping with just a few others but no access to a shelter or privy?  The former is the case on the AT, the latter is what you usually find on the PCT.  For me, I favor solitude so I preferred PCT camping.  Still, there is the tp issue.  On the PCT you need to bag your used tp, not bury it.  Near the end of a 5 or 6 day carry, the section of my pack where my used tp was stored began to smell interesting.  Overall, the AT seemed easier in this regard.

Fellow Hikers

As a “senior/AARP” hiker I felt in the minority on both trails.  Thru hikers on both seem invariably in their 20s or early 30s.  Meeting another senior hiker was always a welcome novelty and provided opportunity for commiseration as we compared our average pace with all the young bucks and beckies.  I did notice differences however.  First, the frequency of encountering solo female hikers on the PCT was significantly higher.  Secondly, there appeared to be more socializing on the AT than the PCT and “safety meetings” seemed far more frequent on the AT.  On the AT when you encountered other hikers you often stopped to chew the fat for a while. On the PCT, hikers were more mission focused and often nothing more was said than “happy trails” as you passed.  Or maybe PCT hikers just didn’t want to spend time chatting with an old fart.  Being an introvert, I was more comfortable with how this worked on the PCT.

Summary

From my perspective it’s a mixed bag.  Water management is easier on the AT while the tread/track conditions make for somewhat easier walking on the PCT.  The PCT also gets my nod for avoiding PUDs and MUDs.  I think elevation gain is a toss up between the AT and the PCT.  Extroverts will probably find the AT more enjoyable if a social camping experience is important while introverts will find the PCT easier if you prefer limiting your interactions with fellow hikers.