Tracking my 2022 Pacific Crest Trail Thru-Hike: Stats, Gear & GPS Insights
In April 2022, I set out to thru-hike the 4,250 km Pacific Crest Trail, tracking every step with the Garmin Instinct Solar 2S. Over 140 days, I logged 4051 km, 123,970m elevation gain, and an average speed of 5.2 km/h. This post covers my PCT hiking stats, smartwatch performance, and GPS tracking insights, plus how I used my Garmin for navigation and daily Strava updates.
Tracking My 2022 Thru-hike with the Garmin Instinct Solar 2S
As a scientist, I love numbers and stats, and my smartwatch played a crucial role in monitoring my pace, distance, and elevation gain in real time. Having these insights was not only rewarding but also practical for navigation, no constant need to check FarOut to gauge progress. Additionally, I could upload GPS files from the trail, making the watch a backup navigation tool in case my phone battery died.
Before starting my thru-hike, I switched from the Garmin Forerunner 45 to the Garmin Instinct Solar 2S for its longer battery life. While the watch recharges using solar power, in full GPS tracking mode, it still required power bank charging every other hiking day (about 24 hours of continuous tracking per charge).
Despite the demanding conditions of a PCT thru-hike, I found the Garmin Instinct Solar 2S to be a reliable, durable watch with excellent battery life. Every day, I documented my journey with Strava activity posts, photos, and personal insights. Find them here.
This map was made using daily GPS data from my 2022 PCT thruhike, recorded with a Garmin Instinct Solar 2S watch. For convenience I used a compressed gpx file which displays a simplified version (less data points) of the route. Skipped sections due to forest fires are indicated by a fire symbol and a straight line.
Total distance covered: 4051.1 km
Total elevation: 123,970m
Average speed: 5.2 km/h
Moving time: 837h50
140 days on trail
15 zero's (days without hiking)
124 nights on trail
16 nights in a bed
4 pair of shoes
3 black bears
16 rattle snakes
4 rainy days
1 ankle injury
7 pain killers
70 km on my biggest day
32 km on average
251 miles of closed trail
14,505 ft highest point