[pct-l] caching

[Bob Bankhead]

Possible? Certainly, but IMO, it's more of a hassle to do than to just carry more food or hitch out to town. The hassle factor rises significantly if you have to rent a car, FIND the (usually) unmarked trail/road junction, park, lug everything in, find a site, dig, dig again when the first spot turns out to be 6 inches above a boulder larger than your car, etc. You get the idea. 

Legal? Probably not, but they have to catch you first. We're talking food caches here, not water. I suspect water caches would be ok if common sense was used in selecting the locations.


Other than at Sonora Pass, I can't really think of another place along the PCT between Mojave and Canada where the benefit of caching exceeds the time and effort required to hike or hitch to a local resupply point - which coincidentally probably offers REAL food and fermented beverages. Well, OK, maybe atop Stevens Pass, but do you really want to miss the Dinsmore's? Come on; that would be like skipping Sauffley's in Agua Dulce. Everyone knows it's just not a true thru-hike if you do! (yes, I know, HYOH)

Some would suggest that the area around Kearsarge Pass in the Sierra would qualify for caching, but the bears and rangers are really active there; too much risk you could lose all to one or the other. It is also extremely rocky in this area so digging is difficult; digging deep possible only with dynamite, picks, or a combination of the two. Some have successfully left supply packages in Sierra bear boxes, but supposedly rangers check these occassionally and remove same to prevent this. YMMV. 

That said, I've cached only twice on the PCT. At Sonora Pass, my partners dug one in at the day use campground (in retrospect, not the smartest place considering how the rangers patrol it) but had a hell of a time finding it again since they dared not mark it in any manner. They should have moved on up the trail a few hundred yards north of the campground boundary. 

Atop Etna Summit, it was a much more private, secure, and easily recognized spot.  In retrospect, this was an unneeded cache as Etna is such a great trail town - not to be missed - and it's an easy hitch. I wound up going down anyway because I really like the place. The B&B's Hiker Hut is a hoot.

Wandering Bob