[pct-l] Thru hiker questions

[krb84108 at yahoo.com]

Hello everyone!

I am looking at doing a thru hike in 2011 and I’d like to start getting budget/gear list together.  I have found a lot of information already but wanted to talk to more people who have actually done it.  I bought an older version of Yogi’s handbook and am probably going to get the PCT Atlas but wanted to get more beta and thoughts than what are provided in these guides.

-Are traction aids required starting in Kennedy Meadow?
-If so would Katoohla Micro Spikes meet this need?
-Is an ice axe necessary and if so from where to where on the trail?
-I was looking at getting a bag that can take me down to 25-30 F and still be warm.  Is this a good target?
-I was planning on using a Neoair for my pad.  Any thoughts on this surviving the trip or parts of the trip (say North of Kennedy Meadows)?
-About how many pairs of footwear should I budget for the thru hike?
-Is good replacement footwear easy to do on the trail or do I need to plan on shipping myself some on the hike?
-I will probably be using my esbit stove along the trail I’m guessing I will need to plan on shipping myself tabs along the way.  Am I correct in this assumption?
-I’ve seen a lot of estimates for cost to hike the trail and while I admit it’s going to vary from person to person, how much should I budget for assuming I have all my gear to start out with?  If you could break this into approximate $ for food, hostels, etc  and resupply gear (shoes/socks/anything that breaks) it would be helpful. 

Thanks in advance for any help.  If I’m posting this in the wrong place please point me in the right direction.

Best

Ken