Just renewed my subscription to the "other" backpacking magazine and recieved the book,"The Best Trails in America". Thumbing through and reading about the PCT makes me think I would like to try hiking it. It seems to be easy as far as permits go. Hiked the JMT last year and if it wouldn't have been for my friend making all the plans, don't think I would have gone. Is it as easy as the book says?

I didn't finish this year, but the hardest thing for me was planning my meals. Aside from figuring out where to get it and how much to carry, it's just walking.

Eugene. It wasn't the hike that was hard. Had no problem with that. It was the planning to get permits that my friend went through that was difficult. In "The Best Trails in America" book, it doesn't sound like you have to make plans in advance to get permits. Just pick up free, self-issued permits at the trailheads. True??

If you're doing a thru hike you only need two things that are both very easy to get. First is a thru hike permit that you get from that PCTA that takes care of all the permits. Second is the entry permit that allows you to enter Canada from the trail instead of a major entry point.