[pct-l] Planning first solo PCT hike

[Sean 'Miner' Nordeen]

Having a gun isn't necessary.  As a general rule, having a gun in a US National Park (at least without a legal concealed carry permit) is illegal and your proposed trip will pass through 3 National Parks.  Most hikers do not carry a weapon of any sort and don't have any trouble as you are safer on the PCT then you would be in a major US city.  I'm a gun owner, but I felt no need to carry one on my PCT hike last year.  It would have only served as a large lead weight in my backpack.  I've learned that the lighter my pack is, the happy my body is walking.

As for hiking with others, it depends on when you are hiking and where.  Some parts of the PCT gets a lot of traffic from people just out for a few days while others places only see people near trailheads so thru-hikers are the only real traffic.  If you are hiking during the time that the majority of thru-hikers are on that section of trail, then you'll see plenty of people.  If you are hiking later, you may be alone for days.  It depends.

Trail names are for anyone hiking the trail; so you qualify if you want one.

-Miner

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Check my 2009 PCT Journal out at http://www.pct2009.lifesadventures.net/Journal.php