About

Introducing Purple Haze

Hi, my name is Mike Elliott, aka Purple Haze. My original intention, way back when after graduating from high school, was to hike the Pacific Coast Trail, especially after reading “High Adventures of Eric Ryback” and getting the now primitive PCT maps, three big ones to cover the whole trail! I ended up on a different adventure that summer – a road trip from Arizona to Canada with some high-school buddies in my 1964 Ford Galaxie (sold it for $30 on finish). I did eventually hike most of the John Muir Trail but then went on to college, started a career in the minerals exploration and mining industry, got married, had twin boys, raised a family, and lived and worked around the world. No regrets, but I never forgot there was something else I wanted to do.

First backpacking trip with my Dad, Grand Canyon, 15 years old

I retired in late 2010, and we moved to Arizona, where I just happened to meet my wife while going to the U of A, 30 years earlier. I hiked the Arizona Trail (AZT) as a shake-down hike in 2012 and haven’t stopped since.

Trail Name

For the 2013 Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) hike, I acquired the trail name of Purple Haze:

  1. Jimi Hendrix song written and record in 1967.
  2. Lager beer brewed with raspberries by the New Orleans brewery, Abita.
  3. Dry fly (fly fishing) tied and made popular by Montana guide.
  4. The name of my fantasy football team.
  5. I am told a strong strain of cannabis.

All of the above are true but the Purple Haze has been one of my most productive (and visible) dry flies on western rivers and lakes for several years.

Purple Haze dry fly

Triple Crown

After many long trails and nearly 12k miles hiked on these trails over several years, Mrs. Haze told me I should hike the Appalachian Trail before I get too old and get my Triple Crown. I asked but never got the definition of “old”. Nevertheless, I did finish the AT in 2024 and got the Triple Crown!

Purple Haze, Triple Crown Award at the American Long-Distance Hiking Association – West (ALDA-West), 9/24

Not finished yet, I hiked a good portion of the West Highland Way in Scotland with Mrs. Haze later in 2024 and I started the Desert Winter Thru-Hike early in 2025.

Why the Blog?

Nearly all of my trail journals can still be found on http://www.trailjournals.com. However, with increasing advertisements and site downtime, I decided to transfer my existing trail journal posts, add more pics and start new trail journals on this blog.

The major reasons for my posts are to update my family and friends along the way on these journeys. I also seek to encourage other prospective and curious hikers just as I have been encouraged my hikers before me. Both of these reasons still hold true for me. That “transfer process” was a bit arduous but kind of fun in that it re-kindled some old, but good memories. Mrs. Haze calls it “chair hiking”!