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Over the past few months, the Polygiene team has followed Sarahann’s brilliantly documented hiking adventures on the Pacific Coast Trail (PCT). The second half of her adventure saw her traverse more than 1,600 miles of US wilderness, equipped with several pieces of Polygiene-treated equipment. Having successfully reached the Canadian border in late September, we caught up with the intrepid adventurer to find out more about the experience, what she loved about hiking such an enormous distance, and how her Polygiene kit helped keep unpleasant odors at bay.
Like many, I came to the PCT searching for adventure, solitude, and a break from the hustle and bustle of daily life. After several years living in Los Angeles, I felt completely disconnected from nature and was desperate to change this.
In May 2024, I showed up at the PCT Southern Terminus on the U.S. – Mexico border and set off hiking the first 1,000 miles to Lake Tahoe. By my last day of the 2024 season, there was no doubt I would come back to complete the trail. In July 2025, I restarted, aiming to make it all the way to Canada. This time around, with some experience under my belt and a better idea of what awaited me, I think I was most excited for the physical challenge, the opportunity to meet new friends, and the leg that would take me through Washington state. I was quite literally buzzing with excitement when I took those first steps on the trail in 2025!
The PCT is a 2,650-mile journey from Mexico to Canada. It traverses some of North America’s most iconic landscapes, including Mount Whitney, Yosemite National Park, Crater Lake, and the Goat Rocks Wilderness. When I first started the trail, I had almost no backpacking experience and felt completely out of my depth!
But once you’re walking, you quickly learn that the PCT is much more than a hiking trail. It’s a community. Within hours of starting, I met a group of people I’d go on to hike 450 miles with. We walked together through heat waves, dodgy river crossings, and snow traverses. We were each other’s cheerleaders, shoulders to cry on, and adventure companions. We became a Trail Family.Another great thing about the PCT is the sheer amount of hiking-specific lingo you pick up – a trail family is a Tramily. Throughout my PCT journey, I was lucky to be a part of several tramilies. Whether these groups lasted a few days or several months, they were the bedrock of my PCT experience. I loved that we were complete strangers pulled together by a shared passion for the outdoors. I loved the enthusiasm with which we supported one another. To me, the opportunity to form these lifelong connections is what makes the PCT truly special.
To me, hiking has become a meditative experience. After about 10 miles, I enter a flow state where my body knows what to do and my mind calms down. In these moments, I appreciate the subtle beauty of leaves budding on trees, the distant calls of birds, and the crunch of soil beneath my feet. I feel calm, connected, and ready to continue hiking. And these experiences are truly beautiful.
There were too many highs to count! If I had to choose, it might be the night spent on the Sierra Buttes fire tower in Northern California. I arrived at 10:30 pm and set up my sleeping mat in a small rocky alcove. All night, the wind whipped around the rocks at ridiculously high speeds. I had nightmares of my shoes being blown off the mountain top. When the wind inevitably woke me up, I opened my eyes to the clearest view of the Milky Way I had ever seen. In the cloudless sky, the stars seemed to go on forever. That morning, I watched the sun slowly creep over the horizon, lighting up the mountain ridges in deep red and gold hues. It was nothing short of magical.
I had very few low points on the PCT. But I definitely had rough days. These tended to be on very wet or very long days, when my body was exhausted, but I knew I had to keep walking. I usually distracted myself with an audiobook. Or I’d chat with a friend to pass the time. These moments were few and far between, and, on the whole, I was just so grateful to be out on the trail!
There are A LOT of things to consider when setting out on a long hike. It’s physically challenging, but you also have to consider food, water, and gear carefully. I’d typically carry four or five days of food with me, checking my map to locate the next food stop and then working my way backward. I used the trail app FarOut to track water, and was always mindful of my consumption (being caught without water is dangerous!).
Gear-wise, I replaced my shoes every 500 miles to ensure I had proper foot support. This often meant ordering a pair of shoes three weeks in advance, shipping them to a destination several hundred miles ahead, and crossing my fingers they’d be there when I arrived!
New thru-hikers are also often surprised by the mental exertion of long-distance hiking. Spending 10+ hours a day alone with your thoughts can be scary and strange at first. My mind would jump all over the place, and I lacked my regular social outlets to process my thoughts and feelings. This forced me to turn inward, think more critically, and learn to cope with physical and mental challenges independently. It’s made me a stronger person – but it’s been a journey to get there.
I LOVED my Polygiene-treated equipment. All of it was manufactured from quality materials, suited for long-distance hiking, and stayed fresh way longer than other gear. I loved that I didn’t have to worry about smelling awful after extended periods of time in the backcountry – a privilege most thru-hikers don’t have. This became apparent whenever we piled into a shared hostel and people took off their shoes, causing the room to reek of sweaty feet. Thanks to my Polygiene-treated insoles, my shoes smelled like I’d gone on a casual walk to the grocery store, not through 400 miles of mud and rivers. I used my Polygiene-treated gear daily for two months and 1,500 miles. During this time, I washed my clothes every seven to nine days while in town, and I never washed my non-clothing gear. I was seriously impressed at how well the Polygiene treatment prevented odor buildup. My non-Polygiene clothes absolutely stunk after a day or two of sweat buildup. But my Polygiene clothes rarely smelled. In fact, I sometimes skipped laundering my Polygiene clothes – a big deal when you don’t know when your next laundry stop is!
Maybe my Montane Protium Lite Hoodie and Sleeping Bag Liner. The hoodie was exceptionally warm for its weight, and I loved the tight-fitted hood and deep pockets. I used the hoodie instead of a puffy jacket throughout California and Oregon. Despite heavy daily use, it never smelled! I only washed it once. By skipping washes, I can tell the hoodie is going to last much longer than it would if I were constantly throwing it into the wash. My sleeping bag liner, the NEMO Tracer Blaze Sleeping Bag Liner was also an incredible piece of kit. I regularly opted to sleep without my tent and “cowboy camp” under the stars. My previous sleeping bag developed a distinct funk after several months of use, but the liner kept my sleeping bag as fresh as Day 1! I can’t wait to bring it on more adventures.
Hiking the PCT has really brought home the importance of US public lands. The PCT crosses seven National Parks and 26 National Forests. These areas are open to everyone, maintained by our government, and are a haven for plants and animals to live relatively undisturbed.
I was constantly impressed by the care and maintenance of the PCT in these areas. It’s not easy for rangers and volunteers to maintain hiking trails, as it often requires them to carry heavy hand tools over very long distances. I also loved seeing the wildlife – bears, snakes, birds, toads, squirrels, pikas, and more. I know that many of these species would be under threat if not for our public lands. I’m so grateful the US has invested in habitat protection and responsible recreation.
The PCT has certainly changed me physically and mentally. I feel much more at peace, capable of embracing uncertainty, and more comfortable in my body. During the first few weeks after finishing the trail, I’ve had strong urges to go hiking or running just to git rid of some excess energy! In the long term, I’m considering a career in outdoor guiding or land conservation. Encounters on the PCT also meant my list of bucket list hiking trails has expanded considerably – the Arizona Trail, Continental Divide Trail, and Hexatrek have all been added!
The Polygiene team would like to thank Sarahann for taking the time to share her experience and talk to us about the PCT. Completing the trail is a phenomenal achievement, and we’ve all loved following your progress. Here’s to your next adventure!You can keep up to date with Sarahann’s hiking adventures via Instagram.
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