[pct-l] PCT with kids

[DA]

Amen,

I am a new backpacker, 44 years old. My first backpacking experience was last year.  I hiked on a PCT thru hiker pass(more than 500 miles) 1117 miles.  However I did this from Truckee, Soda Springs/pooh corner to Tehachapi.(Sic? Sp?) I had only done 13 day trips in the Quetico/boundary waters area canoing as a 12,13, and 14 year old.  I will be leaving Monday to do 15 days of hikes in Yose then PCT to Whitney then back to Tahoe.  I am in love with the sierras, and it (The PCT) was a fun contouring long beautiful piece of cake.  I went off trail and looped to find more up and down, less contour, and off the beaten track places. I am not a tru thru, I met many. But if a cancer surviving, bad eyesight, over weight person like me loved it then any child surely will.
 Treat it like school. 
 Listen to the wilderness, leave absolutely no trace, ( sorry lost cookie monster last year at five lakes switch backs) and have fun and hike at your own pace, you will never want to leave.  This list is fun!

Been a member for 2 years and posted three times maybe 4.  Thanks everyone see ya this summer.

And in some way donate to the PCTA

Thanks,
Caddieman
Sent wirelessly via BlackBerry from T-Mobile.

-----Original Message-----
From: Stephen Clark <rowriver at hotmail.com>

Date: Mon, 1 Jun 2009 17:21:00 
To: <pct at fisler.ch>; PCT<pct-l at backcountry.net>
Subject: Re: [pct-l] PCT with kids



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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> Pct-l mailing list
> Pct-l at backcountry.net
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l

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