[pct-l] Hiking Mileage Per Day

[CHUCK CHELIN]

Good evening, All,

The first decision to be made when considering a PCT hike is that of intent:
If one intends to attempt a thru-hike, certain simple mathematics loom
large.  The normal hiking season is about 150 days – some years more and
some years less.  Deduct from that probable zero-days – perhaps a total of
10 --  then divide the trail’s 2,663 miles by 140 to see that a hiker must
average 19 miles per day.

Those who find that mileage to be daunting should resolve to bite the trail
off in manageable sections over however many seasons it shall require.

Perhaps more disappointing than having to bail off the trail early due to
some fitness or health issue, would be the situation where there is intent
to thru-hike, but too much daisy-gazing along the way left the hiker in C.
Washington when that inexorable snow-making machine called Cascade
Mountains decides to begin an October 1 dump.  That situation for me would
be crushing.

Enjoy your planning,

Steel-Eye

-Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT – 1965

http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye

http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09/