[pct-l] From a Newbie

[Scott Bryce]

On 10/5/2011 12:37 PM, Joel Hawk wrote:
> 1.	Will one "have" to walk through snow in order to complete the
> full 2600 or if given enough time and the right set of circumstances,
> could one complete those sections of the trail when there is no snow?
> Yes, I'm cold adverse.

Given the right set of circumstances, you may not have to, but you would
be better off to decide that hiking in snow is inevitable and prepare
yourself for it.

Trying to skip your way around snow doesn't always work as well as you
may want it to. If you skip the Sierra to avoid snow, you could easily
find yourself farther north before the snow there has melted.

The other way to avoid snow would be to start late, but then you would
need to contend with hot weather and long waterless sections, as well as
the threat of early season snow in the north Cascades.

If you are section hiking, then you can easily avoid snow by hiking
certain sections in August or early September.

> 2.	Can anyone offer a checklist of items for the backpack?  With my
> approach, I would be able to juggle what I pack based on the
> specific segment I'd be hiking at the time.

You really need to decide for yourself what you need to carry. You might
want to look on other people's lists for ideas, but don't follow them as
though they are THE definitive list. We have a broad range of hikers
here from heavy haulers to extreme ultra lighters. One list may have
more gear than you need to carry, while another may have less gear than
you need to keep yourself safe.

> I would call myself an entry to intermediate skill level without
> much overnight experience.  That's probably where I'll need the most
> advice.

I would suggest that you shoot for a base weight of about 15 lb. You may
not have the skills necessary to survive with less gear, nor the
strength to carry more than that. As you gain experience, you should be
able to shave a few pounds off of that. If you are planning to hike 2 to
3 day segments, a 15 lb base weight should be easy enough to carry for 3
days at a time.