[pct-l] miles per day

[fdumville at earthlink.net]

I hiked from Campo to Ashland in 2006. I averaged about 16 miles per day,
not including zero days. Less through the Sierra and more afterward. 
I started at the kick-off hiking with the thru-hikers, I dropped behind
them in the Sierra to hike a slower pace when my wife joined me. When she
went home I hiked alone but also with section hikers and the last of the
thru-hikers. It was all good and I am glad I got to experience the trail in
different ways. 
Don't worry about your miles per day. Being a long section hiker you have
the freedom to set your own pace without worrying about making the required
number of miles to get to Canada. Do what feels right for you at the time.
Hike longer days or stop early. Take an on trail nero or zero. I think
you'll find the 15 mile per day pace is a more enjoyable experience.

Snap

> [Original Message]
> From: Diane Soini of Santa Barbara Hikes <diane at santabarbarahikes.com>
> Subject: [pct-l] miles per day
>
> About how many miles per day do you do? I'm planning out my schedule  
> at 15 miles per day. I hear most people do about 20 but in all my  
> life even at my fittest, my feet seem to give out at about mile 16,  
> and that's without a big backpack on my back. I'm not sure I can hike  
> 20 miles every day.
>
> But I also worry that 15 miles will be too few, I'll get bored, I'll  
> get fit and then start pushing myself to 20 miles a day and my  
> schedule will contract too much. Then my hike will be over too soon.  
> (I'm only going to Oregon, either to Ashland or to Crater Lake.)
>
> Has anybody ever hiked the PCT at 15 miles a day? Did it work out? I  
> realize maybe you can't get to Canada at that pace, but does that  
> seem like too few miles per day to be an enjoyable experience,  
> especially if you're probably going to be alone most of the time?
>
> Thanks,
> Diane
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