[pct-l] Thru-Hike, Explorer Style

[belcherjd at juno.com]

Eric,
I have never heard of anyone successfully hiking the PCT in survival or "off the land" mode.
I did share a campsite one night with a young fella just out of the military and back from Nam (about 1972?) who was hiking south doing just that.
We were at Mirror Lake about 11 miles south of Snoqualmie Pass (mi 2393). He had a Aluminum pan and spoon, large knife, no stove, a poncho, two wool army blankets, jungle boots, the clothes on his back, and a knapp sack.
I never saw any food he would be carrying but in the morning he left camp for 15 min or so and came back mushing up a slime in his pan. I never gave him the satisfaction of asking what he was eating but I assumed it was a mix of bugs and leaves of some sort.
He was head to some commune in central Oregon.
My dog (a very loving Chesapeake )never did make up to him ... she just did not like him.

Some here have mentioned hunting and taking deer, pig, and other large animals.
However, I would think that your food would consist of mostly grubs, ants, slugs, and other creepy crawly things along with pine nuts, roots, wild onions, dandelion greens and the like. (very nutritious but too bitter for me!! ;)  ) Maybe a grouse, squirrel, mouse, rat, or rattlesnake, but those would take a lot of time to dress out and cook and would be good for a zero day along with a fresh fish trapped in you multi use mosquito head net.  

Can it be done?   ---- Maybe in multi years
Would I do it?  ---- NO!
Would I like to hear about it? --- Yes
My advise?  --- HYOH  - carry a plastic card to use at the double arches  - and carry a spot II just in case you can't make it to the double arches thereby saving 50 SAR personnel thousand of dollars looking for you.

'til later,
Jon 

>> -----Original Message-----
>> From:eric at ericwichman.com
>> 
>> Has anyone ever done the whole trail "Pioneer" or "Explorer" style? In
>> other words, no resupply points, no postal service, no shipping food,
>> basically completely off the grid, living off the land the whole way.
>> What I'm talking about is a cross country survival trip.
>>
>> My question is. Has anyone ever attempted a thru-hike completely off
>> grid, if not why not, if so, WHO, and were they successful?
>>
>> ~Eric 
____________________________________________________________
Woman is 53 But Looks 25
Mom reveals 1 simple wrinkle trick that has angered doctors...
http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3131/5098528a9732a528a46adst02duc