[pct-l] Young hikers

[Bill Burge]

I hope they have a good time and the memories of a lifetime, but...

How young is "young"?

Are they _completely_ without experience?  They should do a lot of  
research and prep for something like this and approach it as if there  
would be NO help available.

The Sierras are tough, especially if they haven't had the  
"conditioning" of the lower half of California to get them ready for it.

Also, while it seems that there is "lots of help", that fades a bit  
into the Sierras as roads and cell phone signal becomes less  
available.  Non-hikers do a LOT of support in So Cal because the  
population density and network of roads makes it so possible.

"On trail" support in the form of hikers starts to get more dispersed  
in the mountains.  Depending on their timing and location, it might be  
days before another hiker passes them.  If they are in trouble at that  
point, an ultralight hiker with barely enough supplies for themselves  
and a first aid kit the size of a pocket wallet may not be able to  
offer much more assistance than, "I'll tell someone you're here when I  
get to the next ranger or town."  It's a sort of unfair position to  
put the other hikers in some level of responsibility for people with  
no backcountry experience.

BillB


On May 28, 2009, at 7:49 AM, Karen Lafferty wrote:

> My girlfriends son, Derek and his friend are attempting to hike from  
> Kennedy Meadows to Northern CA.  They haven't had any real  
> experience hiking, but are determined.  I know what wonderful people  
> are out there on the trail and I am sure if they need any help,  
> there will be people out there to help because that is just the kind  
> of people hikers are.  I just wanted to thank you ahead of time and  
> you all are definitely in our prayers as all of you hike on the trail.
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