Value Schools Board Member and His Personal Everest

Tom on Mt. Whitney
Tom can't resist deviating from the path to summit Mt. Whitney. Although Forester Pass is technically the highest point on the PCT, Mt. Whitney is just off the path and slightly higher, at 14,508 ft.

Value Schools’ board member Tom Levee left California’s southern border at the end of March. His goal: to hike the entirety of the Pacific Crest Trail's 2,660 miles, from the country’s southern border to its northern, advancing through California, Oregon, and Washington.

During his first week in April, Tom was given the trail name “The Rabbit.” We now know why: he has already traveled over 2,200 miles and is now in Washington State, weeks ahead of his predetermined schedule.

Tom has pushed through snow, slid over ice, and rerouted for fire; he’s summited the highest peaks and searched for water in the driest of deserts. He’s done all this with wind-ripped tents, trail-torn shoes, and more blisters than he can count. 

Imagine running a marathon. Now imagine hiking a marathon every day for the last four months. Tom hikes from dawn until dark, sometimes over 30 miles a day, through some of the roughest and most beautiful terrain on the West Coast.

Thus far, Tom has inspired donors and has helped raise over $90,000 for our We Climb campaign.

Tom on the mountain!

Tom rested in Mammouth, CA after one of the most difficult sections of his journey. "I have been hiking with three incredible very experienced mountaineers. Pilot, Pack Mule and Twister. I would not have been able to do this without them. Their knowledge and experience have literally probably kept me alive. I had never done hiking in the snow, let alone doing it over 12 and 13,000 foot passes where the trail is non-existent because it is covered in snow." Tom spent four days resting before continuing on the trail.

If you haven't already, join Tom during the last days of his trek! 100% of the proceeds of Tom's 2,660-mile hike go to building a new state-of-the-art campus for Everest Value School. 

Tom smiles through each of his challenges and blisters, and we are cheering and following him as he gets ever closer to the Canadian border.