(upbeat music) - I would say the culture of the PCT, in general, people are kind of like ultramarathon-ing.

Thru-hikers are really trying to finish the entire 2650 miles more or less, in one hiking season.

There's a big concept on trail called "hike your own hike."

It kind of just means "do what you want."

And that's really what I live by.

I didn't want to do the trail really, really fast.

I think that's really admirable that people want to do that, but that's not how I "hike my own hike".

So I just take my time and just kind of meander my way up trail.

I really enjoy myself.

It just feels so joyful and it brings me such gratitude to be in the outdoors.

- Known as "Aloha" on the trail for her colorful floral shirts.

Kim Matsudaira is a thru-hiker who has trekked from the California Sierras to the Washington Cascades on the Pacific Crest Trail.

Today, she'll share the basics of through hiking and why she loves the PCT.

From the landscapes to the community.

- So this has everything I need for the PCT.

This is my home.

- (laughs) (ukulele music) - I put everything that's easily accessible within reach on the outside of the pack.

So, for example, you're always going to want to have water.

So these carry my water bottles.

This right here is my toilet kit.

Has a trowel, has a bag for toilet paper right here.

And then another extra bag for dirty toilet paper.

I carry two pairs of underwear on trail.

I know.

- What?

- I know.

Fishing pole.

This is my little, like, tackle box right here.

My pad that I sleep on.

Snacky items.

First aid kit.

This is a map.

You always want to have a compass A toothbrush, toothpaste kit.

Good to know, good.... - Dental hygiene is important.

(laughs) - That's still happening.

Okay.

- This is my bear can.

- Whoa.

- I have all my food in here and then all of my kitchen cookware.

- Did you call this a stove?

- It is my stove.

- (laughs) - I know.

- This is amazing.

I love it.

(laughs) - And then this is my tent right here.

- It's your house.

Okay.

- This is my house.

(laughs) Oh, and then the last thing I have is my sleeping quilt.

- You're not reading books because that is heavy.

So you're just, like, experiencing.

You're.... - Mostly experiencing.

So I do have my phone and it does have Netflix on there.

- Okay.

- I was watching a show called Centaur World.

(laughs) - Thanks for showing me your crib.

(laughter) - My name is Kimberly, and I am a thru-hiker.

I would actually say I'm a section hiker.

- Okay.

- Meaning that I like to do big sections.

- Did you grow up in the outdoors?

- I did.

My dad, he really wanted us and pushed us to be in the outdoors.

He would take us fishing and foraging for mushrooms and clam digging and camping and all the things.

And even though, you know, it was three girls that he had, he was like, I'm going to make them do it anyways.

And so, yeah, I really appreciate my father for pushing us to roll in the mud.

(laughs) It wasn't until a couple of years ago that I decided I wanted to do the PCT or the Pacific Crest Trail, and before that, I never wanted to do it.

Because why would you want to be on trail for months at a time?

- That is my big question.

Why?

(laughs) - So I just had the time.

I was working in a corporate job.

I got really burnt out, so I quit.

When I met people since I live in Seattle who have done it, and I would always ask them, you know, why do you want to do the PCT?

And they say, oh, it changed my life.

So I wanted to experience that for myself.

I never really wanted to do it, but I wanted to see what the magic was about.

- And have you experienced that magic?

Is it indeed magical or...?

- I have experienced the magic.

It is indeed magical.

(inspiring music) - Where are we right now?

We are here somewhere special for a particular trail.

- We are.

So right now we're at Cascade Locks.

Behind us is Bridge of the Gods, which is super iconic, kind of the final state of the Pacific Crest Trail if you're going north.

So it's a really spiritual, often times emotional point in people's journey.

And, right now we're at PCT Days where a bunch of hikers reunite, to celebrate thru-hiking and long distance hiking and the outdoors.

- In your experience, have you often found that there are other women of color in the outdoors, women of color on the PCT?

Or do you find that you're often the only?

- There are not that many people of color?

I think part of that comes from history.

A lot of groups that were focused on the outdoors were really for white people or for white men especially.

Also, it comes from a sense of culture as well.

Like a lot of my immigrant friends who are maybe second generation now, their families and prioritize being a part of the outdoors.

It was, oh, let's immigrate to the United States and be a lawyer and doctor, right?

Find success here, right?

And build a life.

And so I think part of that leaves out the importance of going outdoors and things like that.

The PCT community is really special, and it's not just with the people who are hiking on trail.

It's also with people who are helping you along your journey, like there's people called trail angels who are like an angel, like they come and feed you out on the trail like hot dogs in the middle of nowhere.

Or it's someone, maybe, who gives you a hitch, a ride into town.

And so I think the community is really special in that it's just full of love and empathy and kindness.

(upbeat music) Are you ready to set up a tent?

- Let's do it.

- What do you think of this spot?

- It's made for us.

Perfect.

(laughter) - Put this down and I'll help you orient it while I take off my other stuff.

And then you just kind of want to spread it out.

- Okay.

- And cool.

Yeah.

So that's kind of going to be where our tents set up is.

What do you think?

Looks good.

- It's tiny.

(laughter) This is the tent?

- This is the tent.

- (laughs) - This is it, baby.

(laughs) - Wow.

- Is it roomy?

No.

(laughs) - No, but it is, it is really genius that you use your own equipment.

Like something that you already have with you.

That's really.... - Yeah, because it just saves on weight.

And then it's.

It's also wonderful because you just think about how do you reuse items also that you already have, - Yeah.

- which I think is, yeah, so genius.

- Four months of this.

- Four, yeah.

- Four months of this.

- I don't know if I could do it.

It's aspirational.

(laughs) (inspiring music) - I really try to, when I'm in the outdoors, really see what's around me.

Nature can teach you so much.

Just being on trail and looking at the different trees and the plants, you start to notice patterns.

So grateful for the trees that gives us oxygen and all these plants and everything like that, and even the changing of the seasons.

The gratitude I feel for nature, I feel for people in my life as well.

I'm so grateful for my friends and family that I have.

I'm grateful for my own health.

To be able to have the ability to be outdoors is such a big, a tremendous thing.

It makes me really happy.

(laughs)