Baker City Retiree Tackles 2,650-Mile Pacific Crest Trail at 62

Nancy Zelick spent 25 years studying semiconductors for Intel. Six months after retiring in September 2025, she was standing at the southern terminus of the Pacific Crest Trail near Campo, California, pack on her back, pointed north.

The Baker City resident, 62, started her solo northbound thru-hike on March 15. She has since covered roughly 266 miles through California, with Oregon and Washington still ahead before a projected finish at the U.S.-Canada border sometime in October 2026. The full route runs 2,650 miles.

What makes Zelick's attempt striking is how modest her long-distance resume was heading into it. She describes herself primarily as a day hiker, and the PCT is her fifth multi-day backpacking trip. Her prior outings included the Elkhorn Crest National Recreation Trail near Baker City and the Rogue River Trail in Southern Oregon. None of them came close to PCT scale.

The challenges that lie ahead include Sierra Nevada passes that top 13,000 feet, snowmelt-swollen river crossings, and rugged volcanic terrain through Oregon and Washington. She acknowledged the difficulty but said she remains "highly motivated to finish." "It's worth it to me," she said. "I love the experience and I love the challenge."

Zelick has owned a home in Baker City since 2015. The hike has family roots: her husband Randy completed a 1,200-mile section of the PCT in 2021, and Nancy supported his journey as his resupply crew. That close-up look at what a thru-hike demands helped shape her decision to attempt one herself.

Averaging 15 to 20 miles per day, Zelick said she misses motel nights, a breakfast that does not come from her pack, and time with family and pets. But the scenery keeps pulling her forward. "No picture can describe what I'm seeing on a daily basis," she said.