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San Diego man attempting Pacific Crest Trail calls it quits

George Haley started the trek months ago in Southern California and made it to Oregon where he hit a rough patch.

SAN DIEGO — A San Diego man who sought to hike the Pacific Crest Trail in full has called in quits. George Haley started the trek months ago in Southern California and made it to Oregon where he hit a rough patch. But he is vowing to tackle the feat again in the future.  

News 8 first shared George's quest to walk the Pacific Crest Trail in early May as he headed north. Along the way he came across plenty of Mother Nature’s surprises - especially rattlesnakes. He also started to make friends on the trail. 

RELATED: Pacific Crest Trail: San Diegan on a 2,600 mile journey

Our second installment with George came in July, who was then in real mountain country far from any civilization and really out by his lonesome. At that point, in the Sierra Nevada, there was still plenty of snow left from the winter to deal with, but George was making pretty good time  

Along the trail, George had a lot of firsts like his first bear encounter in Lake Tahoe.  

RELATED: San Diego couple opens home to Pacific Crest Trail hikers

RELATED: Wild Encounters: San Diego man hiking Pacific Crest Trail shares pictures of bear

On July 18, he was heading into Burney Falls - basically at the half-way point on his journey. Well into Northern California with Mount Shasta in sight, George was focused and the Oregon border just beyond.  

But doubt started to creep in July 24. The hiking day in, day out was starting to take its toll.  

But there were voices of support on George’s Facebook pasts.   

"Just look how far you have gone,” wrote follower Bonnie Plein. “However far you go will be fantastic.”  

On Aug. 8 when George was in Oregon, Jill Haley wrote: “So cool. Congratulations on a huge accomplishment. You've walked California.”  

But then on Aug. 9, George posted a different kind of message writing “Ashland, Oregon sucks!” and commenting “Not going to go into details but anything that could go wrong has gone wrong.... Can't wait to leave this town.” 

Apparently there was some thievery and George fell victim but he pushed on. By Aug. 17 he was in Crater Lake and based by the number of pictures he shared – he was he inspired.   

But the trail had worn George down and on the Aug. 29 he wrote a post that read in part:  

“5 months ago today, March 29th, I stepped on the PCT.... hard to believe I've made it this far....  I’m in the final push heading to cascade locks [sic] where I will end this hike for this year.... Next year or the year after I will come back to cascade locks and hike thru Washington to the northern terminus and complete this hike. To all those people who have been supporting me and enjoying my videos and pics, THANK YOU!” 

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