[pct-l] PCT ATLAS, GUIDEBOOKS, YOGI'S BOOK, and DATA BOOK...

[Diane at Santa Barbara Hikes dot com]

On Dec 17, 2008, at 4:59 PM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:

> Re: The Book of Lies
It became the book of lies when it started taking data points from  
the second California guide book. The Southern California guide book  
does a good job of choosing landmarks, choosing the high points, low  
points or other somewhat obvious things. It was not perfect at all,  
but you got a decent sense of what you were in for.

The Northern California guide book was not like that. It seemed to  
choose data points illogically. And it would say things like "descend  
to a creek" which you had been well trained by the So Cal book to  
believe meant you would descend to a creek and cross it when what it  
now meant was you will descend and a creek will be somewhere in the  
vicinity but you're never going to see it unless you guess the right  
switchback in the trail that's closest to it.

As for needing a map, I did not find a map to be a requirement, even  
in snow. The maps I bought (the Harris maps, I think) had 200 ft  
contour lines. This was not precise enough to find the trail under a  
patch of snow. The best a map could do was give you a clue where you  
were headed. Most of the time, in areas without snow, the trail was  
so obvious. Follow the foot prints. Read the signs. Look for ducks.  
Remember what general direction you are going (usually North or  
West.) Look for evidence of the high quality of construction (water  
bars, wide, gentle trail etc.) that characterizes the PCT. It's not  
like you're in a tunnel and can't see ahead. Half the time you're  
looking at where you're going to spend the next hour or more hiking.  
If I was confused, I would read the guide book. It usually described  
the confusing places. The trick is to stop and end your confusion as  
soon as you have it and don't stubbornly forge ahead. Lessons learned  
in chaparral country, I guess.

Anyway, sometimes I would ask hikers or others I'd meet along the way  
for info. It wasn't so much because I needed it but I just wanted to  
talk. I hope I didn't annoy anyone.