ADZPCTKO--the organization

ADZPCTKO has gone legit. While we continue to offer a low-key gathering to aspiring thru-hikers, we recently incorporated and are currently seeking 501c3 charitable status. Aside from our shared love of the Pacific Crest Trail and those who aspire to hike it, ADZPCTKO has no connection with other organizations, including the Pacific Crest Trail Association and ALDHA-West (more about those groups, below).

So who can you blame for this event?

Directors

Organizers

Jeff "Rogue" Bohannon	Erin "Teatree" Brown	Ryan "ProDeal" Christensen
Megham Cramer	Alix "Breeze" Eastman	"Meadow Ed" (aka "Manyon") Faubert
"Chef Paul" Fitzner	Dawn "Belcher" Galli	Paul "Capt. Bivy" Freiman
Judith "Two Legs" Gustafson	Charlie Jones	Garrett "Special Agent" Keeler
Christine "Ceanothus" Kudija	Sam Merten	Mike "Justcheckin" Reynolds
Tom Reynolds	Bob Riess	Christopher "Freefall" Sanderson
Jan Siechert	"Warner Springs Monty" Tam

ADZPCTKO, PCTA, ALDHA-W, OU812

There's been some confusion about who's behind ADZPCTKO. ADZPCTKO cofounder (and confounder) Tom Reynolds explains all:

The ADZ is not about the trail. That is the job of the PCTA and they do it well. When Greg, and others, talk about giving something back to the trail they are not talking about the rivers, the mountains, or the dust. They, who have received kindness from unnamed Trail Angels, become Trail Angels themselves by giving back to the current thruhiker. That's what the ADZ is all about. Trail Angels all, be they past thruhikers, section hikers, or not hikers at all; be they human or Spirit; they try to make it easier for a human being to fulfill his or her goal.

The ADZ is not about honoring the thruhiker who attains his or her goal. That is the job of ALDHA-W and they do it well. The ADZ is about honoring those who strive to attain their goal. ADZ occurs at the beginning of the journey, not the end. It honors those who resign from the normal world and enter the zone of the long distance hiker; a zone of challenge and simplicity; of camaraderie and solitude; of effort, failure, and reward. We are there with them on the long dry march to Scissors Crossing, over the daunting cornices of the high Sierra and the long green tunnel. We are there when they attain their goal but we are also there when their feet are covered with blisters. We are there to encourage, to help you attain your goal, but mostly to honor you because you tried.

It's all about kindness. That is the ADZ, kindness. Humans being kind to other humans. Nothing more and nothing less.

Hardworking organizers Katy Warner and Greg Hummel being harassed by paparazzi.