I’ve been debating for a while now whether or not to request donations for my PCT hike. When I drove a tuk tuk across India and climbed Mt Kilimanjaro, my friends, family and often random acquaintances were extremely generous, raising substantial amounts of money for Round Table India and Cure Cancer Australia.
This time I’ve decided to do something a little different. Ideally my objective for this hike is to not only challenge myself, but to inspire those around me to step outside their comfort zone and undertake their own personal challenge. Also, because everyone has their own passion or cause which they believe deserves support or funding, I’m putting the onus back on you.
In support of this journey, my request from you is to make a pledge to either:
1. commit to your own personal challenge/goal, and/or
2. donate to a cause you strongly believe in.
My success will be measured by the number of comments I receive on this page, detailing either your personal challenge/goal (with a date or timeframe), and/or your chosen cause, your donation amount (optional), and a link to their website for more information.
Thank you for your support and I look forward to receiving your comments!
Mexico to Canada 2013 
Ok, so I should at least be the first one to comment on this. My donation of $25 (forgive me as I’m unemployed) has gone to the Pacific Crest Trail Association, (https://www.pcta.org/donate/#why-give) who are the only nonprofit organization dedicated solely to protecting the Pacific Crest Trail. This trail will be my home for 5 months and my small contribution is to thank the thousands of volunteers who protect and maintain the trail every year.
Hi darling, my donation of $100.00 has gone to Cure Cancer Australia. This is a Foundation I like to support in all their research. Having dealt with cancer in my family, I know that the research is such an important part to find cures for this illness. You, my darling, doing this Pacific Crest Trail, not asking for donations but finding a way for people to donate to special organizations, is fabulous. I hope that you have a lot of success with it. Have a great experience on the Trail. Love always Mutti xx
Thanks Mutti for your thoughtful donation and for being the first to comment on this page! X
My personal challenge/donation: To spend a week on a PCTA trail maintenance crew, helping to reestablish the trail in the Packwood Glacier / Goat Rocks area of Washington (approx. mi 2285), where “the trail tread has succumbed to creeping talus, and is now merely a scramble across a steep sideslope.”
Project description: http://www.pcta.org/volunteer-project/sasquatch-crew-at-packwood-glacier-part-1/.
The challenge part was to contribute as much as I could to the strenuous labor involved in this rock-intensive project. The donation part was the cost of traveling from So. Cal. to Washington to participate.
I just returned from this project yesterday. I was introduced to a lot of tools — rock bars, pick mattocks, McLeods, hazel hoes, Reinhart grubbing tools, rock rakes, rock slings and ladders — and I’ve gained a whole huge respect for what it takes to create and maintain the PCT. Some of the rocks the crew moved and placed weighed 4 times what I weigh. A lot of the rock work won’t even be visible once the trail work is complete. I also helped the crew co-leader from the Forest Service chop a trail through a long snow field. Three other crews are going in for one week each to complete what our crew started.
I’ll post a link to photos once they’re online. Of course, as with many volunteer projects, I’m sure what I got out of it personally far outweighed what I was able to contribute, so I’m probably in net negative territory in terms of my donation.
I like to think that your $25 donation to PCTA helped pay for the costs of this PCTA project, and later on, you’ll be seeing the tangible evidence of the project. It’s a stunningly beautiful section of the PCT, with Mt. Rainier, Mt. Hood and Mt. St. Helens encircling it, and big, open vistas all around this high-elevation section of the PCT in Washington.
Thanks for inspiring others to commit to a challenge and donate to a worthy cause!
–Betty
Betty congratulations for stepping up to this challenge and for helping all PCT hikers travel safely and happily through this section of the trail. I’m so glad you learned so many lessons from the experience and could share them with us. I really appreciate it and will think of the hard work you and the team put in when we walk through that section!
Photos of the PCTA trail project are here: http://packwoodglacier.wordpress.com/
A great experience — thanks again for the inspiration! (And my suggestion, when you get to this part of the trail: take the PCT Alternate – Old Snowy; it’s even more spectacularly scenic than the main trail, formerly designated the stock trail, since it’s up on the crest, and you can see our trail work from above.)
I chose your #1 by committing to my own personal challenge/goal. Since 2006, when I first heard about the PCT, I have been wanting to hike it and raise awareness for Multiple Sclerosis. My dad has had this since 2000. In April 2013, after I finish Dental Hygiene school, I will finally have the chance to pursue this dream!
Pacific Crest Trek for MS, also on Facebook, where I posted your crazy video about the mountain lion! That was insane; go you!
Can we be friends? Haha! It’s hard to find hard core adventurers like me! 😉
You rock sista!! Thank you so much for sharing your pledge for your PCT adventure! How exciting!! Hit me up for questions anytime, would love to share any advice you need! 🙂
Hi Rozanne,
Joan and I have made a donation to Religious Teachers Filipini Missions (www.filipiniusa.org) in recognition of your incredible journey. I’m sure you’ll be hearing from Sister Mary Beth Lloyd, who runs their schools in Africa and South America, aimed primarily at AIDS orphans.