[pct-l] Entry to USA from Canada on the PCT

[dbooth at cyberone.com.au (david booth)]

Inaki,
last year I hiked from Manning Park to Cascade Locks. I also had a lot
of trouble finding out about entry to USA.
I also had a lot of good and some misleading advice from the pct-1 list.

I would strongly recommend the hike north south starting in early
August.
The border crossing does not need any paperwork at all. There is no one
there to see your papers. I started the hike via the Castle Creek trail
just 7 km (?) past Manning Park so I did not start exactly from Manning
Park.
I relied upon :
1. I had a passport to prove who I was.
2. I had an I-9 Form which is for entry into USA and a stamp in my
passport to prove I had entered.
3. I had a PCT Thru Hikers permit to prove what I was doing (you need to
only travel 500 miles on the PCT to be eligible).

I had planned to fly into Seattle from Australia so I could get the I-9
on entry at the airport.
Then I changed my plans and flew direct to Vancouver. I planned to take
a bus across the border passing through US immigration there to get the
I-9 then to recross into Canada (they don't care if you re enter). Then
I planned to do the hike.
The main need for the I-9 is when you finally leave USA to go home you
need it.

What actually happened is that all transit flights through USA require
foreign passengers to exit the plane and "enter" USA including getting
the I-9 (and now a photo and fingerprints). This happened when my flight
passed through Honolulu. So I now as if by magic had the I-9 and the
stamp in the passport.

You could possibly do the same if you fly to Canada via say Seattle,
transiting in Seattle. Or else fly to Seattle and get the bus to
Vancouver.

The alternative route around the storm damage at Glacier Peak looks good
(you can download it from the pcta site).

The hike from N to S was great (best I have done in 30 years of hiking
in Australia and New Zealand) and was made even better by meeting more
than 50 thru hikers on the trail who had hiked all the way from Mexico.

Let me know if you need any more help. For example I have produced a
backward listing (in excel) and profiles of the hike from the data book
as it is hard to read in reverse. Also read  Hobbit's web page for a
great account of the N-S hike with pictures and maps.

I hope this helps your planning.

best regards
David Booth
Carmans Man
Canberra Australia