[pct-l] shipping food for two hikers

[Bob Bankhead]

Jenna:

A lot depends on how committed you are to staying with your partner(s) for
the entire trip. In practice, this really only works for spouses and
parent/child hiking pairs, and even spouses have been known to split up on
the trail. A few marriages have ended that way as well.

If you do combine multiple hiker's resupplies into one box, be sure to
address it to BOTH (or ALL) of you so any one of you can pick it up or
ordered it forwarded/returned to sender if need be. If any member of your
group is delayed, all of you are most likely delayed because you have the
late party's resupplies. 

Personally, I don't like combined packages and never use them. Too many
things can happen on the trail - someone may drop out, take a different
route, or just get on a different schedule. Even when hiking with others
(except with my wife), I find it wiser to send individual boxes, but to have
each person's box addressed to all of us so any one of us can pick up - or
forward - any or all boxes. Sometimes, you'll have to send a runner ahead to
get to the PO before it closes for the weekend.

I use USPS Priority Mail flat rate boxes. Which size depends on what I'm
sending. The nice thing about PM - if it fits in the box, it ships. CAVEAT:
you cannot alter the size of the box in any manner. Also, some resupply
locations either prefer or can/will only accept deliveries via UPS or Fed-Ex
(ask before you send). Some places, like Muir Trail Ranch on the PCT/JMT,
will only accept 5 gallon plastic pails (they keep the mice out). Again,
know before you go.

If you use a bounce box, be careful. To send it to a place with no outgoing
mail is to be stuck with it.





. 

-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
On Behalf Of Jenna Whippen
Sent: Sunday, April 15, 2012 8:15 PM
To: pct-l at backcountry.net
Subject: [pct-l] shipping food for two hikers

Hi everyone,

My hiking partner and I are finishing up our food preparations for our thru
hike this year.  We decided on mailing most of our food and buying the
remainder on the trail.  How did other people that hiked in groups of two
send their packages?  Did you send both hikers' food in one box or
seperately?  If you sent them together, what boxes did you use (flat rates,
regional flat rates, none of the above) and what sizes.

Thanks.
-Jenna
.