[pct-l] New thru-hiking opportunity

[gwschenk at socal.rr.com]

Thanks for posting this link!

---- Diane at Santa Barbara Hikes dot com <diane at santabarbarahikes.com> wrote: 
> Anyone who is thinking the thru-hiking season is over, don't despair.  
> Now's your chance to attempt the Condor Trail!
> 
> The Condor Trail traverses the length of the Los Padres National  
> Forest. It's about as long as the Tahoe Rim Trail. It's way more  
> rugged and wild than the Tahoe Rim trail or the PCT or the JMT.  
> You'll have to resupply but there's nowhere to go for that so you'll  
> have to figure out how to get someone to bring food to you. It's more  
> of a route than a trail so route-finding is key. The trails are on  
> the map but they aren't always on the Earth, so it's full of  
> adventure. It'll take you all day to go 10 miles in some places! If  
> you get off the trail it might take you all day to go 2 miles! I've  
> been there, done that.
> 
> More information is available here:
> http://www.condortrail.org
> Click on the map on the home page. The route is color-coded based on  
> trail condition/existence.
> 
> Interesting article on the Condor Trail
> http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/Carving-Out-the-Condor-Trail.html
> 
> Pictures of an epic 10 day winter trip on the Southern portion of it
> http://picasaweb.google.com/AvocadoHunter/CondorTrailSpring2010
> 
> Portions of this route are how I hiked from Santa Barbara to the PCT  
> in Spring 2009.
> 
> This trail is not for newbies. It's still mainly a few people's  
> dream. But portions of it exist and are in good shape. So if you are  
> jonesing for some great backpacking this fall or spring (fall meaning  
> all the way into November and spring meaning March - May), this is  
> some spectacular hiking country.
> 
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