[pct-l] 2013- Hiking Partner(s) Wanted/Needed

[Gayle Webb]

Clare: 
 
Here is my recommendation on the issue of hiking partners, for what it is worth:
 
Start the PCT thru-hike by yourself.  It might not seem possible at first but you will not be alone on the trail. You will meet many very nice and supportive people on the PCT you can hike with if you can do the daily milage with them. It is really a process of natural selection. Do not expect anyone to hike with you if you are not physically in shape. But make sure you "hike your own hike" at a speed you can sustain. You simply will not get many hikers to join you at the start if you do not show some initial competence, skill and stamina. 
 
The best advice I can give to attract hiking companions is to carry base gear that is very light (10 lbs or less) and is appropriate.  Most will agree that lightweight packs decrease fatigue and increase daily milage as well as nurture a cheerful attitudude. Your food and water will add about 15 lbs on the first day of a six day hike and diminish each day. At 15 to 20 miles per day it should get you to the next town or resupply point. Wear high quality breathable hiking shoes (such as Brooks Cascadia). And read books like Ray Jardine's "Trail Life" or Ryan Jordan's "Lightweght Backpacking and Camping" on thru-hiking tips for clothes, lightweight gear for comfort, food to keep you well fed, drinking water safety for hydration, and awareness to keep you free from from injury.  They are more trail oriented than camp oriented authors.
 
The long distance hiking skills you can get from these books, (and in many other PCT thru-hiker's books and blogs too) added to those you already have, will earn you respect and competent companionship on the trail.  Rarely a day goes by without a PCT hiker meeting another one. You do not have to hike together to enjoy them at campsites and towns along the way. If you are not a total jerk you will always feel "watched over" by other PCT hikers.  They may even give you a trail name - if so, treasure it. Experienced hikers you meet along the way will often provide the "trail magic" you won't forget. But your best companion should be the PCT. Enjoy the solitude and chance to find yourself instead searching for the ideal hiking partner from the start.
 
Spider legs


________________________________
From: Clare Menard <claremenard at gmail.com>
To: pct-l at backcountry.net 
Sent: Thursday, November 1, 2012 2:46 PM
Subject: [pct-l] 2013- Hiking Partner(s) Wanted/Needed

Hi all,
My name is Clare and I'm currently trying to make my dream of doing the PCT
a reality. However, despite the fact that many of my friends like the idea
of joining me, none of them sound too serious. I don't want to be too
pushy; it's a big decision. I also don't want to be alone on the trail. I'm
fairly new to this forum, so I'm not sure if this thread has already begun,
but I couldn't find anything in the archives about hiking partners. So I'd
like to start the conversation! Are there folks out there looking for
hiking partners or groups willing to take on an extra hiker?

A bit about myself, so you know I'm a real person: I'm 24 and spent this
past summer hiking and backpacking in Glacier and Mt Rainier NP. I'm
looking for people who are open and good humored (as I'm guessing most
people who decide to do the PCT are :) ). I like to hike alone as much as I
like hiking with friends. Mainly I'm looking for a support system, where we
can encourage each other and look out for one another. On the other hand,
I'm also a strong believer in radical self-reliance. I'd like to start the
PCT in mid or late April, but because of my job I'm pretty flexible.

I'm also open to advice from past hikers who had to find partners: what do
you recommend?

Thanks!
Clare
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