[pct-l] Foot care question and how many days between resupply?

[Steven Mueller]

Gary thanks for the detailed info.  I was planning on the Goldbond (sending 
travel size bottles in my resupply boxes) so the feedback is great.

So 5 to 6 sounds better for me, that would be about 24 drop boxes (which is 
what worked out for me with 2 each at 12).  I'm planning on hiking from Lone 
Pine and a resupply at Vermillion (they are there from mid-April so they say 
for fishing expeditions), but was planning on a resupply at Touleme but that 
will be closed when I go through.  Can you suggest an alternate?

Thanks,

Flying Tortoise

-----Original Message----- 
From: Gary Wright
Sent: Monday, January 03, 2011 10:27 AM
To: dvsteven at hotmail.com
Cc: pct-l at backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Foot care question and how many days between resupply?


On Jan 3, 2011, at 12:49 PM, Steven dvsteven wrote:
> Does anyone use any type of foot powder when hiking?  Does it seem to gunk 
> up in socks (unless of course you wash yours everyday or carry enough 
> between resupplies)?

Goldbond power.  I use it before putting shoes on in the morning and 
generally at every break. It was my practice to take socks and shoes off at 
every break to air everything out. Before starting out again I would swap 
socks with the pair that was hanging off by pack from the last break, add 
BodyGlide to problematic areas on my feet, add a dash of Goldbond to my feet 
and shoes.

For me, the combination of frequent airing out of feet and socks along with 
the Goldbond really helped keep foot funk  at a tolerable level.  Goldbond 
can also be a leveraged as a deodorant for the rest of your body in a 
pinch--perhaps before Yogi-ing a ride at a trailhead.

> Also how many days do you plan to average (or did you average) between 
> resupplies?  I'm planning on between 8 and 12 days on my upcoming thru.

8 to 12 days sounds high except for the High Sierra.  Other than that 
section I think my longest resupplies were 6 nights and 7 days of hiking. 
If you go from Kennedy Meadows to VVR that is generally 10-11 days of hiking 
(including Whitney).

My longest sections:
  Tuolumne to Echo Lake:     153 miles, 6n/7d  (no resupply at Sonora Pass)
  Mojave to Kennedy Meadows: 133 miles, 6n/7d  (no resupply at Walker Pass)
  Ashland to Crater Lake:    111 miles, 5n/6d  (no resupply at Hyatt Lake)
  Agua Dulce to Mojave:      108 miles, 4n/5d  (no resupply at Anderson's or 
Hiker Town)
  Ollalie to Cascade:        103 miles, 4n/5d  (no resupply at Timberline)
  Kennedy Meadows to Kearsarge: 103 miles, 5n/6d (including Whitney)
  Kearsarge to VVR:              90 miles, 5n/6d

Cascade to White Pass can be long also (147 miles) but I resupplied at Trout 
Lake cutting that section into two parts of 82 miles and 64 miles.

Some of those milages I estimated a bit. I often had some sort of trail 
magic on those long sections (i.e. Sonora, Walker, Andersons) or was able to 
purchase snacks (i.e. Hyatt Lake, Timberline, Hiker Town).


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