Pass to Pass – Hiking on the Pacific Crest Trail for Parkinson’s

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2021 hikers off the trail

We successfully completed seven 2021 hikes on four trails in three states. Congratulations to all our hikers! As this year’s T-shirts say:

  • 34 “Parkies” (people with Parkinson’s)
  • 36 support hikers
  • 2,200 miles
  • … with cranky llamas

We are gathering photos and testimonials, and completing fundraising acknowledgements.

Trip recaps

See the blog for day-to-day reports from the 2021 hikes and a big thank you to our many supporters. Also:

  • 2021 Trip 7 compilation video (John Muir Trail section hike in California): Hike for Elite Hikers in High Sierras video compiled by support hiker Eric Matson (23 minutes, MP4 – H.264 format, file size 2.51GB)
  • 2021 Trip 1 compilation video (White Pass to Chinook Pass in Washington) compiled by support hiker Eric Matson (27 minutes, MP4 – H.264 format)
  • 2020 Trip 2 compilation video (White Pass to Chinook Pass in Washington): MP4 video by Eric Matson

What’s coming for 2022

We’ll soon be recruiting Parkie and Support Hikers for 2022 ( by October but you can send contact us forms at any time). Donations pay for the llamas and most hike expenses; there is no registration fee. Participants are expected to supply their own gear and food. Transportation help can be provided to trailheads from Sea-Tac or Portland airports for out-of-state hikers who are flying in. Parkies do not need a support hiker, however, if you wish we can match you with one of our volunteer support hikers. For more information, contact us at passtopass.org/contact.

We will have a post-hike discussion with the board and trip leaders about our successes, challenges and growing pains this year and expect to post more information to help Parkies know about the level of difficulty, stamina and provisions for a successful hike. There will be more online forms and checklists and mentoring from past hikers.

PasstoPass.org 2021 Trips

  • Washington Trip #1  White Pass to Chinook Pass (Northbound PCT) July 30- August 4, 2021- difficulty rating moderate, 30 miles- Trip Leader Dave Baumgart 425-462-1155 evenings
  • Washington Trip #2– Chinook Pass to White Pass (Southbound PCT)  August 4-9, 2021-difficulty rating moderate, a little less elevation gain than trip #1, 30 miles Trip Leader Linda Lee 425-210-0216
  • Washington Trip #3– Goat Rocks, Berry Patch to Walupt Lake  August 10-15, 2021-difficuly rating moderate’ plus, 25-32 miles with options Trip Leader Linda Lee 425-210-0216
  • Washington Trip #4  Walupt Lake to Berry Patch August 15-20, 2021 difficulty rating moderate plus, 25-32 miles with options, George Trifonov 425-753-4103, evenings
  • Oregon Trip #5  Three Sisters Wilderness Devils Lake to Lava Camp (Northbound PCT ) August 6-11, 2021- difficulty rating easy, 25 miles Trip Leaders Rich Denman 503-709-3054, Julia Chapman 503-638-2430, and Jerry Jones 503-516-6058
  • Oregon Trip  #6 Three Sisters Wilderness Lava Camp to Devils Lake (Southbound PCT) August 11-16, 2021- difficulty rating easy, 25 miles Trip Leader Derek Torry 626-826-7298
  • California Trip #7 A section depending upon permits of John Muir Trail- Horsehoe Meadow to Onion Valley Trailhead, July 6-14, 2021, most difficult, 51 miles, full packs, not llama supported, Trip Leader Derek Torry 626-826-7298

Testimonials and Stories

PasstoPass.org History

In  early 2016, Bill Meyer met with Ken Kisch to discuss how to make it easier for people with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) to backpack. We decided to use pack animals to carry some of the gear and have support hikers to help as needed. We knew we would need sponsors and donors to fulfill our mission and keep it affordable.

  • The first year (2016) our hike was from Stevens Pass to Snoqualmie Pass with pack train, wranglers and horses.
  • The second year (2017) we hiked from Rainy Pass to Suiattle River trailhead with llamas and the llamas were more flexible and still carried enough weight to ease the packs of the people with PD.
  • The third year (2018), we did two hikes: Harts Pass to Rainy Pass and Rainy Pass loop through Stehekin and Rainbow Pass.
  • The fourth year (2019) we had a spring trip at Joshua Tree National Park and three relay hikes from Chinook Pass southbound, 124 miles through Goat Rocks.
  • Year 5 (2020) had three loop hikes from Chinook Pass to White Pass then back to Chinook then back to White for a total of 90 miles.
  • Year 6 (2021) we expanded our offerings, organizing seven hikes on four trails in three states.

MISSION STATEMENT:

  • Raise awareness about Parkinson’s Disease and its symptoms
  • Demonstrate the benefits of exercise in managing the symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease
  • Provide opportunities for people with Parkinson’s’ Disease to participate in backcountry activities

Sponsors

Show your support to sponsors who gave so generously to our event. Click on the logo below to learn more about them.

selkirk