[pct-l] best places to buy your own food:

[jason moores]

Outpost,

I've found Mt. Laguna and VVR to be extremely expensive and Cajon is limited to gas station grub though you could grab a few sandwiches from Subway if you don't mind walking to the other side of the highway(not an issue if you stay at the Best Western-ask for the hiker rate, if they still want to charge you $80+ ask to speak to the manager, she was upset to hear that we had paid full price in '09. In '10 we paid $45+tax). And you can always carry chicken mcnuggets to get you to Wrightwood which has a good grocery store and angles Rob & Susanne will pick you up and return you to the trail-head.

While in Tehachapi/Mojave consider sending yourself boxes to KM, Independence, Reds Meadow, Toulumne Meadow, KM North. If you exit the Sierra at Kearsarge Pass you can set up boxes in Lone Pine or Bishop. Reds and Toulumne are insanely expensive. The hitch down to Bridgeport(Sonora Pass) can be brutal, try hitching west to KM North. They have inexpensive dorm rooms, an ok restaurant and ok selection of food in the store which is mostly geared towards fishermen. More importantly it's a great place to unload your bear can.

Tahoe is full service, no problems with Truckee, Sierra City was meager but doable, Belden is a ruff place to buy as you go, Quincey & Chester have super markets, Old Station is very limited, Burney has a large grocery store, Burney State Park is very limited but a good place for ice cream and a soda and worth the detour to see the falls. 

Well, that's as far as I've hiked on the trail. I did live in Ashland last winter and you'll have no problem stocking up for Oregon. I've also spent two summers in Stehekin where you will find a very limited selection in the store but many hikers supplement their food from the bakery. Another option for Stehekin: Most residents of Stehekin get their groceries by calling down lake to Chelan, placing an order and receiving their goods the next day when the ferry arrives(call before 3:00/e-mail is also an option). All you need to do is give them a credit card number. You could also call ahead to Chelan (Red Apple Market) and have your food sent up if you plan to stay at the resort, just call the resort and request that they pick up your box at the dock and hold it till you arrive. I've held several boxes for hikers in the past without issue and I believe Molasses will be working there again this summer while I'm on the trail - very hiker friendly folk in Stehekin.

Jackass



> Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2011 06:03:09 -0800
> From: paulrobisonhome at yahoo.com
> To: pct-l at backcountry.net
> Subject: [pct-l] best places to buy your own food:
> 
> so as i started planning,  in my mind i had thought i would do about half and 
> half mailing and buying.
> 
> but as the trail goes on, there seems less and less good places to buy my own 
> food.
> 
> right now i have 24 places i am mailing food and only 7 i am buying.
> 
> the 7 places i am buying food are:
> 
> mt laguna ( 2.5 days)
> idyllwild ( 5 days)
> big bear ( 5 days)
> cajon pass ( 1.5 days)
> Saufley's ( 4 days )
> VVR ( 2 days)
> Mammoth lakes ( 6 days)
> 
> ... and possibly Tahoe.
> 
> so, 5 of my 7 are in the first 500 miles.
> 
> 
> am i mising any other places with good grocery stores to buy food from?  
> 
> ... i don't want to get by on gas station foods;  but for those who have hiked, 
> particularly the northern sections...  do any places in your mind that had a 
> full on store offer good resupply options?  i know nothing of towns like Lone 
> Pine, or Bridgeport etc.  what would have a safeway, etc. and what wouldn't.
> 
> 
> thanks guys so much for your time,
> ~Paul
> 
> 
> 
>       
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