[pct-l] 2012 Hike Planning Session: 10 Questions

[Tim Gustafson]

So, I just dumped out my hiking gear box, and went over each piece of
gear that I own and made two piles: stuff that will come with me on my
2012 PCT section hike, and stuff that won't.

I'm planning on hiking about the first 180 miles starting during the
last weekend of April this year.

While going through all my gear, I came up with the following questions:

1. I currently have a Kelty Mount Shasta 20 degree bag.  It's a big
tight across the chest, but other than that it's in great condition.
Is this a worthy bag for the first section of the trail in April/May?
Is this overkill?  Should I get a lighter 30 degree bag instead?  I've
heard some chatter about quilts instead of bags, but I'm a little
skeptical I guess.  I'm a big guy - 6'3" - and it's not always easy to
fit inside "one size fits all" gear, so I wonder if a quilt would be
better or worse for me than the bag I already have.

2. My tent is a Eureka Solitaire one-person.  It packs very small and
fits easily inside my bag with all my other gear - it doesn't need to
be lashed to the outside.  But, it's not a free-standing tent; you
need to use the stakes or it just falls in on itself.  I'm guessing
it's not always easy to find stake-able ground in the desert sections.
 And it doesn't really have any room for gear inside the tent - a
bummer if it's raining and you want to work on something in your bag,
or just keep it dry.  Should I invest in a free-standing tent?  Any
recommendations for a suitable tent?

3. Is four liters of water storage enough?  I have a Pur "Hiker"
series filter (I believe that brand/model now belongs to "Katadyn" - I
bought my filter probably 10 years ago, and have just recently
replaced the filter element) so I can filter along the way as needed,
but will 4 liters be enough to make it from one reliable source to the
next?

4. Waterproof matches or magnesium fire starter?

5. I'm planning on going without a stove; I've heard people say this
is a very viable option.  It certainly saves weight and bulk.  Any
comments on going stove-less for the first 180 miles?  Any suggestions
as to what foods to bring?  I'm thinking a combination of regular
trail mix, Cliff's bars, dried fruit and so on.  I'm vegetarian, so
jerky and that sort of thing is out of the running.  Anything else I
can/should bring?

6. As for clothing: are the "high-tech" options worth it?  Should I
get the super-wicking underwear?  The zip-off rip-stop pants?  The
high-tech shirts?  And, how much clothing should I bring?  I'm
thinking two sets of undies, pants, shirts and socks, so that I can
switch off each day and let one set air out and dry while I'm wearing
the other.  Is this overkill?

7. Do I need a bear can at this stage of the trail, or will just
hanging a food bag do it?

8. I'm planning on bringing my cell phone and my eReader and was
wondering if anyone had any experience with using a solar charger -
you know the kind that you tie onto the back of your pack while you're
walking to charge up your gear.  Any thoughts?

9. Any reason that a simple single-blade folding knife would not be
enough?  I have a Leatherman tool, but I'm having a hard time thinking
of a time on the trail when I might need a metal file or a Phillips
screwdriver.

10. Currently, my bag and all my gear, not including clothes, water or
food, is 21 pounds.  That sounds pretty good to me, but I was
wondering what feedback people might have about that weight.

Thanks in advance for any advice you all can give!

-- 

Tim Gustafson
tjg at tgustafson.com
http://tgustafson.com/