For a long time now I've received a PCT feed whenever the trail makes the online news, and for the past few years the number of times it's been mentioned has grown exponentially, for reasons all too apparent to us. Whether this is a good thing remains to be seen; though it's certainly a good thing for those who had never heard of the trail and have since decided to hike it. The PCTA aims "to preserve, protect and promote the trail," but the latter is obviously incongruous with the former. Most the promotion has nothing to do with the PCTA, but rather with a book and its resultant movie. Before that, a postage stamp and the more endemic, though popular, trail journals.
No doubt, it's a different trail than it was just ten years ago. Or perhaps the same trail but a different experience.
Today's news...
This Guy Lost 50 Pounds Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail — And Took a Selfie Every Day to Prove It