A Journey on the Pacific Crest Trail with Sean Jansen

Sean Jansen is a rare human being who delights in the most amazing and intimidating of experiences. From driving solo to the further outreaches of desolate Baja coastlines to braving Northern California’s frigid large surf, to taking off for years on end to travel the world, he’s always got an adventure up his sleeve–which is why I didn’t flinch when he told me about trekking the ENTIRE  Pacific Crest Trail.

Born and raised in San Clemente, California, Jansen grew up surfing San Clemente’s wide variety of waves and absorbing the beach culture lifestyle. He currently enjoys chilly surf breaks, incredible nature preserves and a solid Eel River IPA about 950 miles north of his hometown in Humboldt county. Since a Lower Trestles session in 2010, he’s been a good friend of mine and has continually motivated me to surf harder, go outside of the proverbial orange bubble and enjoy nature.

According to the Pacific Crest Trail Association, this infamous PCT stretches 2,650.10 miles from Mexico to Canada. PCT spans across mountain ranges, valleys, deeps forests and deserts–a photog’s dream for pictures a-la National Geographic.

To no surprise, Jansen hiked 131.06 miles beyond the calculated amount: 2,781.16 miles.

I recently caught up with Jansen about his hiking journey of epic proportions:

1.) What made you want to hike the entire PCT?

It was kind of like a culmination of a bunch of things.

I was living with my parents in Montana and was working construction saving every single penny. Within three months, I had saved several thousand dollars saved and had the option to go travel again, but I was kind of bored of traveling, as weird as that sounds. I wanted to do something different. A friend posted on Facebook that he was going to hike the PCT and that kind of re-invigorated my desire to want to hike.

I think it was just going to be an awesome thing that would further push my career to a higher level as a photographer and journalist. I can only imagine the images I would be able to capture if I were to be in nature every single day while experiencing the beauty the Lord has blessed us with on this planet. I think that’s the number one reason—just to get away from everything and go experience nature out there beyond highways, beyond jet planes–beauty that your own two feet can show you.

It’s your own will power to see the beauty that I’ve seen and that’s probably the number one reason.

 

2.) How did you mentally and physically prepare for this journey?

Mental preparation was really bad, I didn’t mentally prepare at all. My cousin decided to give us a ride to the southern terminus, which was only a 2 hour drive from San Clemente. My friend was getting all giddy in the car saying “Can you believe we’re about to do this?” and I’m just like “No, not really.”

It’s not that I wasn’t excited, I just wasn’t overwhelmed by the emotions of 90 percent of the people. It wasn’t until I woke up one morning on the trail and was like “Holy crap, this is actually happening.” And after I hiked the first 10-100 miles, that’s when it was really setting in. I  was realizing that I’m really out there and really doing this to see what I can really do.

The whole purpose of the trail was for me to learn every ounce I could learn about myself and the trail.  The mental and physical preparation was all a giant learning process. I would never change it to this day.

 

3.) What were some challenges you faced? Biggest challenge?

Every day was a challenge, mentally and physically. The trail was a challenge, because it changes every single day. You go from the desert, to the mountains, back to the desert, through snow, rain and wind.

You have to face challenges with other hikers–whether you accidentally fall in love with someone within the first week and you broke up with them and you have to keep seeing them. There were challenges dealing with friends that you got to know really well, but they decided they wanted to hike faster and took off and you never saw them again.

In every way you can think, there was a challenge. I kept saying the number one word of the trail was “change.” Everything about the trail and you changes with every step you take. You change personally, physically and the trail changes–so I can’t really pinpoint a challenge.

As photographer, I had to take off my backpack, pull out my camera (which weighed a couple of extra pounds), and put the camera back in the bag while everyone walks on. The photography aspect was my biggest challenge because:

1.) You’re carrying more weight and     2.) You have to get really creative. ……It’s exhausting, but it was worth it.

 

4.) Any close encounters with wildlife?
Yes absolutely—but I was never nervous or uncomfortable. You would hear stories about people who would have terrible encounters with wildlife—where they got charged at by a bear, for example.

In Oregon, well past dark, we always sleep with food inside of our tent. I literally had a bear scratching at my tent where my friend would’ve been. The next morning, there was fresh bear scat around my entire tent.

In Oregon and Washington, we would always hear Elk bugles ferociously close. That was probably the scariest of what we came across on the whole trail because once we got to Oregon and Washington, it was during their mating season and they’re notoriously territorial and aggressive.

 

5.) What supplies were you carrying along the way?

Beyond the fact that I’m a photographer and a fly-fisherman—I had a 65 liter backpack, which was overkill. It was way too big, which was a little surprising for what people think. One of my biggest concerns, before I started the trail, was where I was going to get water every day. So what you find out on the trail, was at least once a week, sometimes a little longer, you would get a re-supply of food because you would come across a highway or town.

In a typical backpack, you would carry food, tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, clothing, a lighter, cooking gear among other stuff.  The average pack weighed without food or water was about 20 pounds. Some of us even carried solar panels on our backpacks to charge our gear. I had my camera gear and two batteries, one lens, a couple of filters and a tripod, which was an additional 7 pounds.

At my heaviest point, which was in the desert section where I carried 8 liters of water, my pack weight about 70 pounds. But as I drank water and ate food, my pack became lighter each day. Everyone else was in the 45-50 pound range.

 

6.) Any special secret spots you can talk about?

In the big bear area, there was this section of trail called the Deep Creek and a lot of us liked this because there was a hot spring. I followed a day hiker to a cliff jump spot, which was 200 yards off trail and I just ended up spending a day and a half there doing nothing but cliff jumping in 90 degree heat.

There was also lake with a waterfall along the John Muir trail section of the PCT that looked it was in either Tahiti or New Zealand—like it didn’t belong in California.

 

7.) What was your most memorable moment?

Of course, when you walk towards that northern terminus, seeing the border of Canada after hiking for 180 days straight—that is something I will never ever forget along with the people I did it with. I will never forget that.

It’s really just the small moments that create a giant memory. It changes your life, I get emotional thinking about it. There are so many small memories that create this giant pandemonium moment.

 

 

 

8.) How did your feet feel at the end of the journey?

As far as feet goes, the beginning section was rough because of the blisters and the new stage your feet are going to get into, then towards the latter section of the trail is where injuries occurred. I probably took a week off total.

The first month, every single day, I was popping blisters and covering them up with some sort of bandage. Towards the middle stage of the trail, I was fine, but towards the latter session of the trail, I started getting plantar fasciitis in Oregon—where the muscles in your feet just don’t want to work and you can’t bend your toes. It was very painful, but with a couple of days rest, ice and Ibuprofen, I was fine…and whiskey helps.

 

 

 

9.) Any epic life lessons you want to share?

Photo Courtesy: Sean Jansen

In retrospect, it’s really funny. I’m a total weirdo and I connected with every single human on that trail and all of us were weirdos, which worked out. We just didn’t care what people thought of us or about how bad we smelled in public. It was a huge life-changing opportunity, especially being from San Clemente, where in high school, image was everything. The whole trail was a life lesson, appreciation of everything—nature, yourself, other people around you.

10.) Do you foresee more long-distance hiking in the near future?

A lot more. In 2017, I’m going to do the Appalachian trail, which goes from Georgia to Maine.

In 2018 I’m hoping to hike the Continental Divide trail, which goes from Mexico to Canada. There’s a trail in Europe that goes from France to the Czech Republic. There’s definitely one in New Zealand that goes the entire span of the country.

Hiking is 100% part of my life now. Slow and steady is the best way to see the Earth.

Photo Courtesy: Sean Jansen

Check out more of Jansen’s PCT photos as well as tons of amazing surf, nature and travel pictures.

Springtime Stroll

In an effort to not waste a beautiful day, I took a Saturday stroll through beach-side neighborhoods in search of spring blooms and other interesting views.

6 Things to Remember when Hiking to Havasupai

There are times when a suburban surfer needs a change of scenery from the drive-park-pay-surf routine….or even just the general surf routine. Waves are an amazing and hypnotizing force of nature, but sometimes there is a reason to strike outside of the aqua bubble world and explore parts of nature that offer other forms of incredible beauty.

I CONFESS: I’m not only a wave junkie, but also a nature-loving, granola-eating, outdoor FREAK.

Havasupai–not to be confused with the infamous Lake Havasu–is a Native American reservation located on the north rim of Arizona’s iconic Grand Canyon. The Supai tribe is comprised of over 600 members who have lived in this beautiful canyon area for more than 800 years. The tribe’s name, Havasupai, literally translates to “people of the blue green water.” The opaque blue-green rushing streams along with several picturesque waterfalls attract thousands of visitors each year where the water remains a temperate 70 degrees Fahrenheit and weather conditions, at times, fickle. Take one photo of this place and you will feel like a regular National Geographic photog.

A ten mile hike from the hilltop known as “Hualapai” will get you into some of the most breathtaking scenery and peaceful campgrounds.

Here are some tips to consider:

1.) BRING WATER!

And plenty of it. It may be hot and muggy or cool and crisp, but no matter the atmosphere’s conditions, your body will need some consistent consumption of good old fashioned H2O. One liter of water weighs approximately 2 pounds and you will need at least 2 liters for the 8 mile hike into town. We also carried an extra 16 ounce water bottle each and dedicated it to electrolyte dissolving tablets. This was an immense help, especially on the hike back to the hilltop…and it wasn’t even hot.

Unless you are hiring a mule or have the extra Benjamins for the helicopter ride, you will be carrying everything. With all of my gear (clothes/food/water/toiletries etc.), my pack weighed about 20 pounds. This will drain you, especially if you’re not used to the added weight. The terrain varies from soft sandy riverbed to boulders, which will give your calves an added workout.

Case in point: make sure your body is well hydrated–drink, fool.

2.) BUG REPELLENT and MOSQUITO NETTING!!

I couldn’t emphasize these items more! Unless you are wary of the extreme chemicals in bug sprays or you enjoy being eaten alive in small portions,  invest in some heavy duty bug repellent. Mosquitoes are a-plenty due to the lush vegetation and water supply among many other factors (Google ‘perfumed lotions’ + bugs). They will hunt you down.  If you are camping or sleeping in your car, triple check your mosquito netting application and don’t doubt that these guys will do what it takes to make you their midnight snack.

I discovered sand dollar-sized bumps on my forehead, arms and legs in the middle of the night…eventually, I attempted my best mummy impersonation at 3 a.m. with the mosquito netting.

The only real success? –> Dave smashing the crap out of them against his brand new car ceiling (sorry, sweetie). We lured them towards the dome light while his ninja-like reflexes obliterated their existence.

Teamwork, folks.

3.) CAMERA:

Well, this is a no-brainer! Any will do because no matter what you bring, you’re going to score stare-worthy pictures no matter where you point and shoot. I recommend a camera that is durable, lightweight and possibly water-proof.

There were times where I was a little worried about slipping on the rocks and sacrificing my expensive lens to the river gods, but alas–my surfing skills paid off. ;) If your feet aren’t scratched to oblivion or resemble truck tire tread (thank you, Uppers!), water shoes are a wise investment for this trip. Save your rock dance moves for low tide at Trestles or when you aren’t toting an expensive piece of equipment. (Note to self: invest in water housing…)

If you are a photog snob and simply can’t live without custom settings and controllable shutter speed, your DSLR’s extra weight on the hike will be justified with frame-able photos in the end. There’s a reason why so many photogs are skinny!

Busting out the smart phone? Invest in a water/dust/shock-proof case for your pocketbook and mental sanity. Just know you will have to save the insta, eff book and tweet posts for later.

4.) HIKING SHOES WITH A GOOD GRIP

There are several different types of terrain once you begin your initial hike. Your shoes not only need to be comfortable, but-more importantly-they need to have a good grip. As I mentioned, the ground varies from soft riverbed sand and ankle-deep pebbles to dirt, boulders and, at times, mud. Conversation among your compadres might become quieter as your focus will shift to the ground–literally. The ground conditions can become slippery, especially when you are hiking down into the canyon. Make sure you maintain a focus–nothing sucks more than a twisted ankle–believe me.

If you have the grapes to hike down the semi-treacherous route to Mooney Falls, not only is your shoe’s grip essential, but you also need think “spiderman” with your hands. One false move could result in a serious injury. Be careful–but know the climb (not hike) to this spot is completely worth the sweat.

Oh, and if your feet are on fire by the time you get to town, I highly recommend soaking those doggies in the rushing creek. It provided me with an uncanny cartoon-like relief.

5.) KEEP SPARE CLOTHES IN THE CAR

Before your hiking adventure commences, remember to leave behind a extra set of clothing inside your car for when you return. After trekking the canyon through heat-or possibly rain!- in addition to working up a considerable sweat while hiking the 2,000 foot elevation climb on those killer switchbacks, everything will be soaking in your own broth. In addition to dust and mud stains, the heat might bake this concoction into your clothes. Wonder why you don’t have to pee as much? The proof is all over your clothes! :)

There are no public showers at the hilltop, so avoid this smelly recipe for perma-car stench. Unless you want your car to smell “eau de you,” have spare clothing on hand for the trip home.

At the very least–> clean chonies!

This is a life-saver, especially if you have a long drive ahead of you.

 

6.) HAVE FUN!

Havasupai is considered sacred land to the Supai people as they share a close connection to the beautiful water that flows through their village. It is important to always show respect as well as enjoy the natural surround. There are tons of opportunity to not only challenge your body physically, but also kick back and mentally unplug. As in all things in life, work-life balance is very necessary. Take the time to relax, unwind and UNPLUG. There’s no phone signal, internet cafe or wifi for miles, so just accept it and go with the flow. Take photos, make friends, smile at the locals, try some fry bread and contemplate what life was like without the almighty Google!

Cool fact: Supai is one of the only towns that receives mail via horseback.

True story, just ask Charlie Chamberlain!