[pct-l] About how many thru hikers per year

[Donna "L-Rod" Saufley]

There have been no consistent records kept that I am aware of, so I'll share what we see anecdotally.  For the past few years we've hosted approximately 300 at milepost 454.4 nobo (Agua Dulce).  How many have dropped off since the border is tough to say, though I know there is a fair amount of attrition further south.

99% of hikers hike north.  Some years there's been only one sobo hiker that makes it through to Agua Dulce.  The biggest sobo year we've ever had was 1997, when there were two dozen sobos.  We thought that was normal!  Not.  2006 came in second with 14.  

Not terribly scientific, but I hope it helps answer your question.

L-Rod

-----Original Message-----
>From: Steve Fosdick <hikin_steve at yahoo.com>
>Sent: Jul 5, 2007 10:41 AM
>To: pct-l <pct-l at backcountry.net>
>Subject: [pct-l] About how many thru hikers per year
>
>L-Rod wrote:
>   
>  > Bottom line, if you're not prepared to be alone -- with the skills,
> > equipment, and mental fortitude to be out there by yourself, it could have
> > a fundamental effect on your hike.  
>   
>  Being alone has never been an issue for me. It gives me the opportunity to work on the book I'm writing and to think! I agree with the comments you made regarding the social aspects of the hiking experinece (or lack there of!). I could see that someone might use that as an excuse to end their hike, but I seriously doubt that would be enough for me to quit. More likely would be an injury, as was the case on my 55 mile PCT hike last summer in Oregon.
>   
>  I"m also making plans to do a coast to coast bike ride (LA to DC) in 2008. Not sure yet if the bike ride will be prior to or following the hike, and I'm fairly certain that the ride will be solo for the very same reasons as my hike will be solo.
>   
>  Thanks again for your response.
>   
>  I'm still waiting for an answer to my original question: About how many thru hikers are there on the PCT each year? What percentage hike North?
>   
>  Hikin_Steve
>
>
>
>       
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