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Like a thru hiker, time marches on...

ADZPCTKO 2015

New for 2015: Two ADZPCTKOs!

The dates for ADZPCTKO have been confirmed, and there's something new for 2015: two ADZPCTKOs! The dates are:

• Wednesday afternoon, April 22, through Friday morning, April 24, 2015
• Friday afternoon, April 24, through Sunday morning, April 26, 2015

You can attend either session, but not both. All the important events and seminars will be presented at both sessions.

Registration for ADZPCTKO 2015 begins in early March. We'll begin posting more information about ADZPCTKO 2015 in late January.

RIP Strider
Photo: Monte Dodge	ADZPCTKO co-founder, president and wagonmaster, and giant of the PCT community Greg "Strider" Hummel passed away December 31, 2014, succumbing to ALS. ADZPCTKO will go on without him--but it sure isn't going to be the same. Rest in peace, friend.

Check out the ADZPCTKO online store

Did you pick up a T-shirt at KO? No? Well it's not too late...because we just opened our online store! You'll not only find our latest T-shirt, featuring words of wisdom from PCT legend Billy Goat, but also T-shirts from previous years, in men's and women's styles. Oh yeah: insulated travel mugs and travel wallets too. Remember our motto: All shirts guaranteed to be as wrinkled as shown in the photos.

ADZPCTKO 2014

ADZPCTKO 2014 was held April 25-26 at Lake Morena County Park.  Friday was a beautiful day at Lake Morena (which isn't much of a lake any more), and visitors enjoyed seminars, vendor displays, and the special camaraderie of the trail community. Not long after the conclusion of the PCT Short Film Festival on Friday evening, gusty winds and rain showers swept through camp--providing proof that SoCal sections of the PCT are not just hot, dry desert. (Snow fell at higher elevations throughout southern and central California.) It was a cold, soggy night for some campers, but this lesson could not have occurred at a better place and time: Lake Morena County Park has a few buildings where folks could get warm and dry, and during KO--with advice from vendors and Wolverine Shakedowns--they were able to fix any shortcomings in their original gear selections.

Including day visitors, we had nearly 1000 people at Kick Off.

Lost and Found

We ended up with a handful of items in the Lost and Found box at the registration tent. If any of these items sounds like something you're missing, let me know:

• Thin black wool/polyester gloves
• Buff
• Eyeglasses in small cylindrical metal case
• USB adapter cable
• Eyeglasses and medications in large black case
• Sunday Afternoons hat
• Orange rain shell

Each year the ADZPCTKO organization reserves the entire park, so you can't book a campsite through the park reservation system. Instead, you make your reservation on this site when registration opens in March. All campsites are shared; we fill each site to the maximum capacity allowed by the park (8 campers). When you make a reservation, it's not for a "campsite"; rather, you're reserving one of the eight spaces in a campsite.

In 2014, registration for different groups of people began on different days, starting with 2014 thru hikers on March 3, and ending on March 20 after everyone had a shot at registration.Check the registration page for details. Check back here periodically for more details, or follow us on Twitter (@adzpctko).

Did someone say "bandana"?

Learn all about the tradition started by 2002 thru hikers Gottago, Yogi, and Cupcake, and learn how you can get a bandana too!

Who should attend ADZPCTKO?

Our focus has always been on Pacific Crest Trail thru-hikers, and the weekend events are designed primarily for these intrepid hikers. If you:

• Are attempting to thru-hike the PCT in 2015, you can get needed permits and we offer seminars, up-to-date information on trail conditions, last-minute equipment checks, an opportunity to get to know your fellow hikers, and plenty of inspiration and guidance from those who've gone before.
• Are planning a thru-hike attempt in the next few years, you can see (and buy) state of the art equipment from vendors who specialize in ultralight gear for long-distance hikes, learn more about the trail experience and the beautiful country that the PCT traverses, and join the trail community.
• Have completed a substantial portion of a thru hike, you can reconnect with others you hiked with, and share your pictures, your knowledge, your joys, and your harrowing experiences with a new generation of hikers.

If you're not in one of these categories, ADZPCTKO is probably not for you. Although we'd love to throw it open to anyone and everyone who has a passing interest in the PCT, we no longer have the space to do that. Come on back when you're ready for your thru hike!

What's New for 2014?

• Free azblaster for every thru hiker and anyone else who wants an LNT alternative to toilet paper. Reduce unsightly trash, reduce fire risk (I know some of you still burn your TP!), and improve sanitation. Courtesy of 2013 thru hiker Steve "Blast" Halteman.
• Our efforts to "go green" have expanded. By eliminating single-serving beverage bottles, we'll greatly reduce our waste. We also plan to eliminate the use of disposable cups and ask folks to bring their own cups/mugs/bottles or other beverage vessels.
• New competition categories in the PCT Short Film Festival. Submit your entry by April 12, so you can see it on the big Tyvek screen at ADZPCTKO!
• New vendors include Clikstand and High Sierra Attitude.
• ADZPCTKO information booth in the vendor display area. Buy our cool merch (red T-shirts for 2014, plus a limited supply of collectible T-shirts from earlier years; neck wallets; and insulated travel mugs), find out what you need to know, and volunteer to help!

What to Do Now

• If you're hiking the PCT this year--or you want to know who is--check out the 2014 Pacific Crest Trail Registry, maintained by Yogi's Books. Add your own name here.
• Do you have the next great idea for long distance hiking gear/clothing/gadgets? Are you looking for a venue to display/sell your products to the hiking community? If so, we invite you to apply to be part of the first annual New Gear Exhibit at the 2014 ADZPCTKO. We have two easy requirements: (1)  Your products must be useful to current PCT hikers. (2)  You must get along with others (you'll be sharing vendor space with other entrepreneurs). If this sounds like you, shoot Jackie "Yogi" McDonnell (ADZPCTKO Vendor Coordinator) an email ASAP and describe what you'd like to exhibit/sell.
• Get your video ready for the PCT Short Film Festival. Submit your entry by April 12.
• Need a ride to/from Kick Off? Check our Ride Board.