[pct-l] Help

[Gail Francis]

Hi Tim,
You asked some good questions about having a hiking partner. I've noticed that most people on this list seem to dislike the idea, and for myself I prefer to do a solo PCT this year, but in the past I have had some very good experiences with having a hiking partner and I have known tons of people who did long-distance hikes with a partner, so thought I'd share what I think is good to look for in a hiking partner. 

First, it's a good idea to talk up front about your expectations if one of you gets hurt. At what point do you stick together and what point does one person go on without the other? I knew a family of seven that hiked the entire AT together and they made a pact at the beginning that if one person dropped off, they would all drop off. Some members said the only thing that kept them going at times was the knowledge that the whole family was depending on them to hang in there. But for other people, that just wouldn't be a good commitment to make. 


Second, it is worth putting a little bit of thought into your style of hiking. I have a few different friends I do a lot of hiking with, and the ones that I would not be comfortable doing a long-distance trek with are the ones who don't keep a clean camp or who don't think about the impact we are having on the wilderness as we hike. For other people, other factors might be really important.

Thirdly (and lastly for now), I have one friend that I have hiked with often for long stretches. The first year we went out together (the first backpacking trip for both of us, and we were out for five weeks), we decided that if a conflict arose as to the best route, whether to stop and filter water, or whatever, that we would always defer to one person. We flipped a coin and the first year, I was the Decider. We wrote it down on waterproof paper "Gail will always be right" and carried it with us. I don't think I ever exercised that authority, but it was kind of a fun way to decide in advance how to resolve disputes. Next year, he was the Decider, then me the following year again and so forth.

Having a hiking partner can be fun, offer some security, give you a bit of confidence, and occasionally give you someone else to blame for something dumb you probably would have done anyway. Even if you don't stay together the whole time, you can really form a strong bond too. Hope some of this advice is helpful and either way hope to see you on the trail!
Gail

 
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http://gmfranci.wordpress.com/