"Who is the ideal candidate to be a Dirtbag?"

We love to work with all people determined to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. No matter your age, gender, creed, nationality, or race, we are excited to read your application! We specifically look for individuals with a deep love for the outdoors, a keen eye for great photography & videography, and a unique motivation or reason for embarking on this crazy journey.

"As a Dirtbag, what am I responsible for?"

We don't ask much of our Dirtbags, we want their trip to be a period of exploration. All we need from you is use the gear and food we send you and document/share your honest feedback. Dirtbags in the past have committed to two Instagram posts per month that were C.D.S. related and have uploaded photos and videos to a shared folder that Joe Chocolate Co. and our co-sponsors can use at our discretion.

"If I am picked, what can I expect to receive?"

Each Dirtbag will be allotted 6+ care packages sent as needed to the nearest post office or trail-angel. The care packages range in size, weight, and contents to accommodate for pack sizes. Generally, each dirtbag will receive:

• • • $1,500 cash - $500 can be received before the beginning of the hike, the remaining can be used at any point and for anything we can legally send in the mail
    • Gear and food from our co-sponsors
    • An unlimited supply of Joe Chocolate, including test products and baked goods from our cafe
    • Words of encouragement from our teams and previous Dirtbags
    • A warm welcome at PCT Days at Cascade Locks AND in Seattle (including a couch to crash on if you need!)

"How do you pick your Dirtbags?"

The C.D.S. is a democracy. We read through every single application thoroughly, create a highlighted profile for each potential Dirtbag, and distribute a poll to each of our co-sponsors to vote on. Inclusivity and diversity are factors we take very seriously in the voting process.

"Are there any specific rules I should be aware of?"

Naturally, there are a few rules we ask our Dirtbags to follow:

• • • You must be thru-hiking the entire PCT in 2020 with a start date between April 15th and June 1st
    • You gotta be North-bounding the hike
    • You should try not to flip-flop, but we understand conditions can make this easier said than done
    • Outside of trips into town, you need to walk the PCT, no alternate forms of transportation
    • Don't apply as a couple or a group, the C.D.S. is intended to sponsor individual hikers

We truly look forward to seeing your applications and working with our 2020 Dirtbags!