[pct-l] PCT with kids

[Stephen Clark]

When my son was preteen we did large sections of the JMT and other trails in Yosemite and Sequoia. 

>From time to time I would ask him about his desire to do the entire PCT with me and he always said, "Yeah dad, let's go!" 

I felt he was a bit young then so put it off for awhile, then life got in the way, and I finally got around to having the time to start the PCT this year. 

When I ask my son if he was ready to do this with me as he had said (he's 20 now), his response was, "Yeah, right dad!" So, if yours is interested and you feel he's experienced enough and he feels he's trained enough... DO IT! 

As an educator and psychologist I would say just don't push him. If he's tired and you need to "zero" at a time you may not feel you need the zero... take a zero. If he's burn't out at any point, take him off the trail and pick it up again later. You don't want to turn him away from it permanently.

Oregon Bound

> From: pct at fisler.ch
> To: pct-l at backcountry.net
> Date: Mon, 1 Jun 2009 23:57:22 +0200
> Subject: [pct-l] PCT with kids
> 
> Whats your opinion: Is it possible to do the PCT with a 12/13 year old  
> boy who is experienced with hiking, outdoor camping etc. and  
> "normally" trained? Is it fun or just stress? I did read the book  
> "Zero Days" about "Scrambler" (11 years) and it didnt quite convince  
> me to do it with my son... :-)
> 
> Have you hiked the PCT (or large parts of it) with kids or heard of  
> people doing it? Impressions? Comments? Thanks in advance, still a  
> year to go but I'd be curious to hear from you.
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