Just a Girl and a Backpack

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  • Backpacking Tips & How To’s
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  • Backpacking & Thru-Hiking,  California,  Lady and Minority Hikers,  Leave No Trace,  Pacific Crest Trail,  SOBO PCT 2021,  Solo Hikers,  Trail Journals,  Trails,  Trip Itineraries,  Ultralight,  United States of America,  West Coast

    PCT 2021: Kennedy Meadows South to Lone Pine

    October 21, 2021 / 2 Comments

    Here is the 12th installation of my PCT trail journal (about 1 week off the present timeline as a safety precaution). I feel that this leg of my PCT journey is a completely different journey from the one i started in July. I have quite a bit of different gear, I’m preparing for freezing temps and snow and rain, many of my original resupply spots have closed for the winter, I’m going north bound, i took a month and a half break, there will be fewer and fewer hikers, i have more experience and better know my limitations, the trail is now riddled with fire closures. So much has changed!…

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  • Backpacking & Thru-Hiking,  Blog Updates,  California,  Lady and Minority Hikers,  Leave No Trace,  Oregon,  Pacific Crest Trail,  Safety,  SOBO PCT 2021,  Solo Hikers,  Trail Journals,  Trails,  Ultralight,  United States of America,  West Coast

    PCT 2021: Hiking-Hiatus for California National Forest fire closures

    October 9, 2021 / 1 Comment

    Here is the 10th installation of my PCT trail journal. I’ve been off trail for awhile now (4/5 weeks?), first because of an Oregon fire closure, then I decided to avoid all of the smoke and fires in OR by driving down to the Central Sierra with my dad, then because the smoke was even worse in the Sierra, then all of the National Forests in CA closed down for safety reasons. I had decided to wait out the fire closures while visiting my boyfriend in Florida, then had an exposure to COVID-19, so we’ve been waiting that out and getting tested. Thank you for your patience, and I hope…

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  • a large crowd gathered in front of a stage
    Backpacking & Thru-Hiking,  Lady and Minority Hikers,  Leave No Trace,  Oregon,  Pacific Crest Trail,  SOBO PCT 2021,  Solo Hikers,  Trail Journals,  Trails,  Trip Itineraries,  Ultralight,  United States of America,  West Coast

    SOBO PCT 2021: Mile 491.2 Cascade Locks to Mile 579.2 NF-42/Lionshead Fire Closure

    September 11, 2021 / 0 Comments

    Here is the 9th installation of my PCT trail journal. Read on for details on the section of the PCT from Mile 491.2 to Mile 579.2, PCT Days 2021, and to see images of beautiful scenery

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  • Backpacking & Thru-Hiking,  Lady and Minority Hikers,  Leave No Trace,  Oregon,  Pacific Crest Trail,  SOBO PCT 2021,  Solo Hikers,  Trail Journals,  Trails,  Trip Itineraries,  Ultralight,  United States of America,  Washington State,  West Coast

    SOBO PCT 2021: Mile 423.7 Trout Lake to Mile 505.6 Bridge of the Gods

    August 30, 2021 / 4 Comments

    Here is the 8th installation of my PCT trail journal (about 2 weeks off the present timeline as a safety precaution). Follow my thruhike in section-by-section blog posts, or in daily posts on instagram or facebook (@JustAGirlAndABackpack.Blog). Please attribute all spelling/grammar errors to autocorrect and exhaustion at the end of the day. I heard that my blog posts are hard to read, and I totally agree with you. So I’m trying something new this time to try to make it more user friendly. Scroll through my post below and let me know what you think. Statistics for my journey so far are as follows: Trail stats: day 46; 557.4mi hiked;…

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  • Backpacking & Thru-Hiking,  Oregon,  Pacific Crest Trail,  Ultralight,  United States of America,  Washington State,  West Coast

    Sobo PCT 2021 Series (part 7): White Pass to zeros at Trout Lake/Hood River/White Salmon

    August 23, 2021 / 2 Comments

    Here is the 7th installation of my PCT trail journal (about 2 weeks off the present timeline as a safety precaution). Follow my thruhike in section-by-section blog posts (for the most part without pics due to technical difficulties), or in daily photo and text posts on instagram or facebook (@JustAGirlAndABackpack.Blog). Please attribute all spelling/grammar errors to autocorrect and exhaustion at the end of the day. Statistics for my journey so far are as follows. Trail stats: day 39; 470.6mi hiked; 2.2mi skipped; 49.1 extraneous miles; record day = 23.5mi; avg 12.1 mi/day (w/ zeros); avg 14.7 mi/day (w/o 7 zeros); 6 nights night hiking. Town stats: 7 zero days; 13 luxurious…

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  • snowy Mt. Rainier in the distance with timber forests in the foreground
    Backpacking & Thru-Hiking,  Lady and Minority Hikers,  Leave No Trace,  Pacific Crest Trail,  SOBO PCT 2021,  Solo Hikers,  Trail Journals,  Trails,  Trip Itineraries,  Ultralight,  United States of America,  Washington State,  West Coast

    Sobo PCT 2021 Series (part 6): Nero at Newcastle/Snoqualmie Pass to White Pass

    August 15, 2021 / 0 Comments

    Keep reading for my 6th installation of my PCT trail journal.

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Who is the Girl Behind the Backpack?

Kirsten Cook

Kirsten Cook

hiking the world before it gets dark

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