What is the PCT?

Trail Overview: from the Pacific Crest Trail Association website

Zigzagging its way from Mexico to Canada through California, Oregon and Washington the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) boasts the greatest elevation changes of any of America's National Scenic Trails, allowing it to pass through six out of seven of North America's ecozones including high and low desert, old-growth forest and alpine country. Indeed, the PCT is a trail of diversity and extremes. From scorching desert valleys in Southern California to rain forests in the Pacific Northwest, the PCT offers hikers and equestrians a unique, varied experience. Located within driving distance of San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento, Portland, and Seattle, the PCT is both easily accessible and blissfully wild at the same time. Whether you'd like to explore the PCT for weeks on end, or just a weekend, it offers the best of the West - the Mojave Desert, the Sierra Nevada and Mt. Whitney, Yosemite National Park, Marble Mountain and the Russian Wilderness in Northern California, the volcanoes of the Cascades including Mt. Shasta and Mt. Hood, Crater Lake, Columbia River Gorge, Mt. Rainier, and the remote Northern Cascades.

Over the past decade the PCT has become a favorite target of thru-hikers and thru-riders (the hearty souls who attempt to hike or ride an entire long-distance trail in one "season"). Each year, in fact, an average of 300 hikers attempt to cover the full length of the PCT (thru-riders are more rare but increasing in number). Thousands of other hikers and equestrians enjoy this national treasure each year, some traveling only a few miles in the course of a day hike. Whether you visit the PCT for a few hours or for a few weeks you'll surely find a uniquely Western scene that will rejuvenate, inspire and surprise you. Two thousand six hundred and fifty miles of adventure and discovery are waiting.

Roxi's Story

Roxi's story begins in the backwoods of Pennsylvania. I first met her in the summer of 2006 at the Dessin Animal Shelter in Honesdale, PA. She was scared, shaking, underweight, and the most beautiful Shepherd I'd ever seen. She had been relinquished to the shelter at 2.5 years old because she was "too much to handle". Spending a short time with her it became abundantly clear that she needed a job, a BIG job. She had an overwhelming drive.... in every direction. This is a dog that would thrive as a police dog or search-rescue dog, lying on the couch all day is just not her style. And so I adopted her and she became my new project, and best friend. Through the summer and fall we worked hard everyday and she soon earned her Canine Good Citizen title as well as mastering basic obedience and off-leash work. She was my constant companion and we became a team, and slowly, the same incredible energy that landed her in the shelter helped create the most driven and magnificent dog I've ever worked with.

We had a goal, and a deadline. In March of 2007 we embarked on an epic adventure and it was my job to get her ready. We thru-hike the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine as a fundraiser for the very shelter that brought such a beautiful soul into my life. It was exactly what the doctor ordered and Roxi met and surpassed every challenge we faced while on the trail. She didn't just survive, she thrived where many other traildogs were forced to go home. You can still check out our journey at www.traildogs.blogspot.com Between then and now we have lived on St Kitts in the Caribbean while I was attending vet school. Every day was filled with running on the beach and hiking in the rainforest. But all good things must come to an end and while I finish up my clinical year of vet school here at LSU we are planning for our next big adventure. Graduation is coming fast and before we know it we will be in the remote Northern Cascades in Canada heading south, thru-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. We are so excited to be able to turn this soul searching journey into a very real benefit for the homeless pets of Louisiana. Roxi's story is a perfect example of why a shelter is so much more than a building with cages. An animal shelter is an active part of the community and an invaluble resource for helping animals find loving homes where they can thrive. Different dogs have different needs and not every home is a good fit. Roxi wasn't cut out for the couch, but she is certainly the prefect traildog!!!

Beginnings of something GREAT!

Greetings! My name is Laura and I’m hiking the Pacific Crest Trail with my rescue dog Roxi as a fundraiser for the Terrebonne Parish Animal Shelter in Louisiana. I am a recent graduate of Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, hailing from a small town in Northeast Pennsylvania. I grew up volunteering at the animal shelter and have always been involved in animal rescue and rehabilitation wherever my adventures take me. Even during my time in Baton Rouge, Louisiana I have assisted in multiple placements and transported over a dozen dogs up to PA where they are eagerly adopted. I am very exciting about turning my soul-searching journey into a positive impact for the small town of Houma, LA. This trip is my way of making a difference in this amazing place. Every animal rescue in Louisiana struggles to do the best they can with minimal resources. I was blown away with the knowledge and passion of the people at the Terrebonne Parish Shelter and I could not be more excited to be able to help them achieve their goals. Houma is just one small community in an area of the country that has a HUGE pet overpopulation problem, one of the biggest in the US. I know TPAS will be an invaluable asset for years to come in their tireless efforts for the homeless animals in their little corner of the world.

The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) is a 2,650-mile national scenic trail that runs from Canada to Mexico through Washington, Oregon, and California. Zigzagging its way through six out of seven of North America’s ecozones, the PCT boasts the greatest elevation changes of any of America’s National Scenic Trails. It will take us 5-6 months to traverse through alpine mountains, rainforests in the Pacific Northwest, old-growth forests, scorching desert valleys in Southern California, and a diversity of extremes. This trip is truly a massive undertaking and an epic adventure!!

My hiking companion is a rescue from my local shelter in PA and we completed the Appalachian Trail in 2007. Roxi is a truly amazing partner and I am incredibly lucky to be able to share this adventure with her. June 15^th marks our first day on the trail starting in Canada and we will be making out way to Mexico through some of the most remote and wild places in the US. During our journey, I will be posting an online journal so everyone can have a chance to follow this awesome adventure. After the trip, everyone is invited to an evening of amazing photos and stories from the trail. These will be hosted in Honesdale, PA, Baton Rouge, LA, and Houma, LA in early December.

Roxi and I invite you to join us our adventure and make a big difference for the homeless animals of Louisiana. Of course any donation is greatly appreciated, no matter how small. Please consider helping make this the biggest fundraiser EVER for TPAS. If we all do a little to make this world a better place, we can accomplish big things together!!! Happy Trails!!! Laura & Roxi

Happy Trails!!!

Laura & Roxi