[pct-l] New Hiker!

[mkwart at gci.net]

Helen:

Congratulations on deciding to do long distance backpacking!

I have sectioned hiked the entire PCT and was alone 95% of the time. I 
also completed the Colorado Trail last September. I am a single female. 
The times that are most dicey for me were the hitches to towns for 
re-supply/zero days. I minimized this by hooking up with non-hiking 
friends who lived in the area and were willing to pick me up. Many 
people have their parents get involved with support of this kind for 
them. Also, more times than you would think there are other hikers 
hitching at the same time. I also got the names of trail angels in the 
areas where I needed to get off the trail and called them up and 
pre-arranged for a lift. It is customary to give them gas money. You can 
find these names at the post offices and other establishments in towns 
along the trail that host the hiker boxes and trail registers. Also--you 
can query for trail angel rides on the PCT list serve.

Every day I would see someone on the trail when I hiked in the normal 
hiking season. More people near big cities because of day hikers. It 
varied from 1-2 to 12-20. An average would be 6-8. If you hike during 
the winter/ very early spring there may be some days you won't see 
anyone on the trail.

I have always felt safe on the trail. I carry a cell phone and check for 
reception regularly. If your parents are worried--get a SPOT satellite 
communications device. You can push a button and it will relay your 
location to pre-arranged people via the internet. It also has a button 
that you can summon help from friends and a button to summon help via 
911. It is not very expensive. Many people use this. Your family and 
friends can also follow your progress on Google Maps from the SPOT 
tracking info.
Check out the journals of single women on the trail at Postholer.com and 
trailjournals.com. You can get a lot of tips from reading them. I kept a 
journal at www.postholer.com under the name of Fireweed. I am going to 
finish 700 miles of the Arizona Trail starting in March.

When I started backpacking at age 19 there was not the plethora of gear 
and planning choices that there are now. I would say to make your best 
shot at getting good gear, get good maps and know how to use them, and 
get into shape by hiking with a loaded pack. Then go for it--you will 
learn everything else along the way. I always have some pre hike 
jitters, but it always disappears when I actually get going on the 
trail--what John Muir said was true--"Cares will drop like autumn 
leaves". And the people you meet along the trail are amazing.

Good Luck

--Fireweed