[pct-l] Starting Slow

[David Thibault]

Joan the only issue is that unlike the AT you may have to carry 3 to 4 days
of water if you start out with 3, 5, 7, then 10 miles.

There are several long stretches without much water right off the bat on the
PCT - unless you get a wet year of course.  If this is a dry year, you may
find it becomes difficult to do low mileages because you can't carry the
water needed to go that slow.  The heat of So Cal will also increase your
water usage.  I live in So. Arizona so I am very used to the dry climate.  I
was surprised how many people were surprised how much water they needed to
drink - as they were coming from wetter climates and there bodies had not
adjusted to the arid conditions yet - it can take a week or two.

Best of luck.  Enjoy the journey - It is truly amazing!

Day-Late  (AT'07, PCT '09 - and hoping to do them both again when I can)



Joan wrote:
> .
> Subject: [pct-l] Starting Slow
> To: PCT <pct-l at backcountry.net>
> Message-ID:
>        <e077f40e1002041701pb6aec9cnfc19fb7f8025a42e at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
> The "fit for a thru-hike thread" made me wonder what the opinion was on
> starting with lower mileages.  I am starting after Kick-Off and my plan is
> just to carry a lot of water and go at my own pace.  It seemed like from
> previous threads that other hikers feel like they need to hike 20s right
> out
> of the gate.    I started off really slow when I did the AT (3 miles, 5
> miles, 7 miles, 10 miles), and I found it helpful mentally and physically.
> It not that I  *can't *hike a 20 the first day I just don't really
> *want*to.
>
>
> .
>