[pct-l] Hiking style

[ned at mountaineducation.org]

Hi, Diane,

The problem, here, is that my thru hiking experiences happened in 1974 (pct) 
and 1980 (cdt) before leaving the trail became the norm. It was my 
expectation to hike from Mexico to Canada without leaving the trail. I 
carried 17 days of food at a time through the snow from KM to Mt. Rainer. 
People drove my resupply boxes out to me. I mailed my boxes to ranger 
stations, P. O.s in towns I walked through, ski areas, park employee's 
homes, etc.. I wanted to hike as slowly as possible and still reach Canada 
by early September by leaving "early." A nice 17mpd was my average. I had 
plenty of time to hike side trails, climb peaks, fish, read about the 
history of an area while still in it, do laundry, and so forth because that 
is what I wanted to get out of my hikes.

No, everyone is not the same. Everyone does not want the same things out of 
their hiking experiences. You didn't meet anyone who hikes like me because 
that was not the hiking ethic at the time you hiked.

The point is, plan your hike the way you want it based on why you're out 
there in the first place, prepare for that experience the way you want it to 
happen, and expect Plan B.

Regarding food, I knew that I would need to eat for 4 while hiking over 
snow, so I brought lots of food. Yes, it weighed a ton, but I was strong by 
then and cared more that I have enough food than have a light pack at that 
point. The point, here, is to know yourself before you're out on your 
expedition and have to starve between resupply points.



Ned Tibbits, Director
Mountain Education
1106A Ski Run Blvd
South Lake Tahoe, Ca. 96150
    P: 888-996-8333
    F: 530-541-1456
    C: 530-721-1551
    http://www.mountaineducation.org
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Diane Soini of Santa Barbara Hikes" <diane at santabarbarahikes.com>
To: <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Tuesday, September 07, 2010 3:12 PM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Wearing out of gear


>
> On Sep 7, 2010, at 12:38 PM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:
>> In describing all of his preference differences, Miner makes
>> another good point, which illustrates this "style" differences
>> between us. I don't like leaving the trail and adding miles by
>> going out and back often. I don't like the idea of descending
>> thousands of feet empty and having to ascend it again heavily
>> resupplied.
>
> I don't think you have thru-hiked. Maybe not everyone is the same,
> but I don't think I met a single hiker that wasn't exactly like me in
> this aspect: After a point you are so hungry all the time that you
> basically hike as fast as you can between each possible resupply
> opportunity, viewing each and every one like the Emerald City of Food
> where your every food fantasy will come true. Far from being an
> annoyance or a hardship, frequent resupply means caloric survival. I
> don't care how much food you carry, either. A friend of mine carried
> 30lbs of food through the Sierras and he was starving to death by the
> next resupply. Most resupply places are conveniently located. Many
> are right on the trail. Some are only a mile or two away. A few are
> far, but when you are that hungry you'd almost buy a plane ticket to
> India to get fed.
>
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