Trail of a Lifetime: Bahraini Hiker Takes on US Pacific Crest Trail
By Habib Toumi
MANAMA: A Bahraini adventurer and traveler set to conquer one of the most challenging long-distance hiking routes in the world has covered half of the 4,260-kilometer Pacific Crest Trail.
For many adventurers, the Pacific Crest Trail is more than a path—it is a great adventure. Stretching from the arid deserts near the Mexican border to the misty forests of Washington state near Canada, it is a trail that challenges even the most seasoned hikers. For Bahraini adventurer Ali Saeed Marhoon, this iconic route is the stage for an epic journey that was years in the making.
A Dream Deferred, Now Realized
The seeds of this journey were planted back in 2021. “It was something I had been planning for a long time,” Ali recalls. “But like so many things, the pandemic forced me to put it on hold.” Now, several years later, he is finally on the trail, carrying not just a backpack but a long-held dream, driven by adventure and self-discovery.
Ali’s trek began in early May at the southern terminus of the PCT near Campo, California, hugging the Mexican border. Over more than five months, he will hike solo through California, Oregon, and Washington, encountering searing deserts, snowy mountain passes, volcanic landscapes, and old-growth forests. He will be sleeping in a tent, cooking on a portable stove and collecting water from rivers and streams.
His journey will end at the Canadian border—without ever stepping into either neighboring country.
“The entire trail is within the United States,” he explains. “I’m not crossing into Mexico or Canada—just moving through a wild, continuous corridor of American wilderness.”
More Than Miles
What sets Ali apart is not just his physical stamina or logistical preparation. It is his philosophy of adventure.
“For me, adventure isn’t about speed or competition,” he says. “It’s a space to disconnect from the noise of modern life—to unplug, slow down, and connect with the natural world in a deeper, more meaningful way.”
This intention to experience rather than conquer guides his pace and priorities on the trail. While many hikers focus on beating the clock, Ali is focused on being present, on achieving his ambition.
Not His First Summit
Though the PCT is considered one of the toughest long-distance hikes in the world, it is far from Ali’s first foray into the wild. His resume reads like a global atlas of adventure.
He has trekked to the Everest Base Camp in Nepal, explored remote alpine routes in Kyrgyzstan, and completed the renowned Tour du Mont Blanc, a 170-kilometer loop through France, Italy, and Switzerland.
In the United States, he previously tackled the Colorado Trail, another demanding long-distance hike through the Rocky Mountains.
His backpacking journey has also taken him across Asia, from the jungles of Sri Lanka and Malaysia, to the cultural heartlands of India, China, and Indonesia, and the mountains of South Korea.
A Journey Beyond the Physical
Though his travels span continents, Ali feels that the kind of majestic silence in the mountains cannot be found anywhere else. Mountains teach patience, humility, and presence.
Onward, Northbound
As of now, Ali continues his northbound journey on the PCT—day by day, step by step, carrying a vision rooted in personal growth, quiet resilience, and a profound love of the outdoors.
Whether navigating sun-scorched switchbacks or sleeping under a canopy of stars, he is part of something much larger than himself: a global community of hikers, dreamers, and seekers chasing meaning across mountain ridges and through winding forests.
For Ali, the Pacific Crest Trail is not just a physical test. It is the realization of a long-held dream the continuation of a personal mission to explore the world one trail at a time – on foot, and with purpose.
