[pct-l] Time for hunting/gathering?

[Edward Anderson]

For my 2011 PCT ride SOBO from Sierra City to Horseshoe Meadows I plan to take 
my time (allowing six weeks) and be able to supplement the food that I carry 
with fresh trout and pick leaves and shoots that I know of for salads - and wild 
onions for my trout stew. I plan to arrive at my camps early to allow time to 
enjoy the place, take care of my horse, fish, gather plants, and sometimes take 
a warm shower. Of course, my horse will be grazing every day. I also feed him 
processed horse feed that I will have in each of my seven resupply locations. I 
strongly believe in "leave no trace" camping and usually set up my camps well 
off the trail and far away from the hiker camps - which, I believe, are 
sometimes contaminated. My horse is hobbled while grazing and I scatter his poop 
well before leaving camp.

MendoRider

. 
________________________________
From: "ned at mountaineducation.org" <ned at mountaineducation.org>
To: Diane Soini of Santa Barbara Hikes <diane at santabarbarahikes.com>; 
pct-l at backcountry.net
Sent: Thu, December 9, 2010 11:47:22 AM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Time for hunting/gathering?

Diane commented that there really isn't time for hunting, gathering, 
foraging, fishing...

I beg to disagree. It is all a matter of your schedule. If you leave early 
enough and plan for easier daily mileages, say in the high teens range, once 
you're in shape, you'll be able to accomplish those miles early enough in 
the day to spend the afternoons doing whatever you want enjoying where you 
are!

On the pct and cdt, I planned for 17mpd with a day off on-trail per week. 
Once I was in trail-shape, about 2 or 3 weeks in, I was able to knock off my 
daily miles early enough to fish, photo-tour the area around the area where 
I camped, explore a side canyon, wash my clothes, take a nap in the sunny 
meadow, write, climb a peak, or forage for wild edibles.

If the general concern is that starting "early" means confrontations with 
more rain or snow, then just plan and train for it. Put a little "mountain 
man" in you, able to handle whatever the mountains test you with. Only makes 
you more confident, experienced, and wise and potentially more safe. 
However, if you're out there to set land speed records, that's a different 
story. I went March 14th to Sept 2nd and had snow from KM to Rainier and it 
didn't slow me down or in any way make my trip more difficult. Just give 
yourself more time to enjoy the trail, especially in snow!



"Just remember, Be Careful out there!"

Ned Tibbits, Director
Mountain Education
1106A Ski Run Blvd
South Lake Tahoe, Ca. 96150
    P: 888-996-8333
    F: 530-541-1456
    C: 530-721-1551
    http://www.mountaineducation.org
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Diane Soini of Santa Barbara Hikes" <diane at santabarbarahikes.com>
To: <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Wednesday, December 08, 2010 5:36 PM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Food Dehydrator Tips or Recipes?


> Actually the reason I was interested in pictures of edibles was not
> so much for the native ones on the trail but for the weeds that grow
> in my yard or in other impacted places.
>
> When hiking the PCT there really isn't time for hunting, gathering,
> foraging, fishing or anything of that nature in any substantial
> manner. A few little onions or miners lettuce sprigs here and there
> or perhaps a fish or two, but that's about it.
>
> Diane
>
> On Dec 8, 2010, at 10:00 AM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:
>> There's enough people hiking the trail these days that i'd think
>> we'd have to be
>> careful what we harvest and eat.  obviously wild onions are almost
>> invasive;
>> but be careful about heavily subsidizing your food with wild plants
>> from near
>> the trail,  at least walk off trail a bit if you do.
>>
>> hope this doesn't sound like bitching.
>>
>> how do others feel about eating edibles you find as you walk the
>> trail?  is it
>> considered taboo?
>> ~Paul
>
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