Elgin Sons of the American Legion (SAL) Squadron #352 member Landon Wenger was the guest speaker at the group’s January 2025 meeting. Wenger shared pictures and details to the membership and guests in attendance about his more than five-month journey on the Pacific Crest Trail.
In 2012, he set out on this 2600-mile hike that goes from the California/Mexico border to a point in Canada just over the border. Along the way he experienced the mental and physical challenge of completing this trek from elevations near sea level to heights as high as 14,000 feet.
A couple interesting facts that he shared were that his shoe size went from 12 to 14 during this time, he went through six pairs of running shoes over the course of the trail and lost more than 25 pounds. Wenger explained that for him, a running shoe style was much preferred over the standard hiking shoe/boot.
Timing of the hike was critical. The hikers needed to start late enough that snow melt through the Sierra Nevada mountains allowed for passing and snow in the Cascades in the Pacific Northwest could not have accumulated to allow time for the hikers to go through.
Landon disclosed that his time in the Cascades was probably his favorite part of the hike as the vistas and scenery were the most beautiful.