Pacific Crest Trail — Licensed Product & Partnership Program

Pacific Crest Trail — Licensed Product, Partnership & Fundraising Program

I developed the Pacific Crest Trail program as a much larger initiative than simply creating a line of merchandise. It combined licensed product development, nonprofit partnership building, fundraising strategy, product sourcing, ecommerce, wholesale, branding, merchandising and long-term program development around one of the most recognized long-distance trails in the country.

The program was built in partnership with the Pacific Crest Trail Association (PCTA), with 20% of the purchase price of every participating PCT product donated back to the organization to help protect, preserve and maintain the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail. That meant the commercial model had to do two things at the same time: create products people genuinely wanted to buy while also generating meaningful ongoing support for the trail.

I worked through the licensing and approval process, product concepts, sourcing, manufacturing, packaging, pricing, ecommerce presentation and overall commercialization strategy. Certain products incorporating the official PCT shield also required coordination around U.S. Forest Service approval and brand-use requirements, adding another layer of compliance and partnership management to the program.

The product strategy expanded well beyond basic souvenir merchandise. I developed concepts across multiple categories, including USB-C digital keepsakes, trail-map ornaments, terminus-inspired products, metal ornaments, portable power banks, journals, apparel, hats and accessories. The Memory Vault products added another dimension by combining a physical PCT keepsake with digital storage, allowing customers to carry trail information, photographs and personal memories in the product itself.

A major part of the project was developing products that felt relevant to the actual PCT community. The goal was not to simply place a logo on generic merchandise. Products were designed around trail culture, hiking, travel, memory keeping, outdoor utility and the experience of completing or supporting the Pacific Crest Trail.

I also developed the ecommerce side of the program, including dedicated PCT collections, product positioning, promotional strategy, donation messaging and a broader assortment structure covering digital keepsakes, power banks, apparel, hats, ornaments, accessories and additional trail-focused merchandise. Wholesale and retail opportunities were also considered so the program could reach trail communities, outdoor retailers, gift shops and other appropriate sales channels.

The project included fundraising and organizational relationship development as well. The 20% donation structure created a recurring revenue stream for PCTA tied directly to product sales rather than relying on one-time fundraising alone. I also explored ways to connect the brand more directly with hikers and the trail community through outreach, trail-angel activity, product testing and feedback.

One example of the program expanding beyond standard merchandise was the Teddi Boston 50th Anniversary project, recognizing her historic 1976 southbound solo thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail. That work involved developing commemorative products and messaging around a meaningful piece of trail history, showing how the platform could also support storytelling, recognition and special-edition programs.

This project demonstrates my ability to build a program from the ground up that connects product development, sourcing, licensing, nonprofit fundraising, organizational partnerships, ecommerce, wholesale strategy, branding and commercialization into one coordinated initiative.

It also reflects the kind of work I do best: taking an opportunity that initially looks like a product idea and turning it into a much broader business, partnership and revenue program with a clear purpose behind it.