[pct-l] Credit Cards on the Trail

[Matt Parker]

Thanks Yogi for the comments and for your awesome guidebooks. I have both
the PCT and CDT ones and they are awesome!

During my PCT hike this year my credit card information was stolen twice
over a 1.5 month period. This has never happened to me and it may just be
coincidence but I am wondering if anyone else this year had this same
experience (especially in the SoCal sections A-G)? It could be a simple case
of identity theft but I am pretty cautious about not letting that
information out (you might as well change my trail name to Shredder as I
shred practically everything that has any personal information on it). I
hate to think it but I wonder if my card information was copied when I used
it on the trail and then was attempted to be used multiple times later on.
The first occurrence happened the day before I hit Idyllwild and the second
occurrence happened when I was in Lone Pine (transaction occurred in LA with
an ACTUAL card with my number on it). It really put a damper on my trail
experience worrying about who had my card info and having to cancel my card
and try to get a new one to me on the trail. Luckily I had a backup credit
card but I was very reluctant to use it. The end result ... I ended carrying
mostly cash.

I like to think this was a simple case of identity theft completely not
related to the trail but the coincidence is uncanny considering this has
never happened to me before. If this has happened to other people on the
trail this year this would be a good forum to let the group know as it would
mean a change in planning for future hikes (aka more cash less credit card
use). For my future hikes, I will never use a credit card again. It was too
much a pain in the butt to deal with while on the trail.

If it is an isolated case then no plan changing required. Credit card away!
:)

Thanks,
Drake

-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
On Behalf Of Jackie McDonnell
Sent: Saturday, October 13, 2012 8:38 AM
Cc: Pct-L at backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [pct-l] To SPOT or not to SPOT [AND] Money along the Trail

I usually carry about $200 cash.  I use credit cards almost always, only
paying with cash (1) at cash only places, or (2) places that offer a cash
discount.

Keep in mind that many restaurants/motels in small towns do not accept
American Express.

Yogi
www.pcthandbook.com
On Oct 13, 2012 9:11 AM, "Stefan Rinnert" <stefanrinnert at googlemail.com>
wrote:

> Dear all,
>
> the subject pretty much speaks for itself ;D But for further 
> explanation I might need to add, that I just want to use the SPOT 
> messenger as a "in case of emergency" device for those areas without
coverage for mobile phones.
> Furthermore, is it necessary to carry a GPS unit in the High Sierras 
> or is a smartphone/are the halfmile maps sufficient?
>
> The other questions aims at the management of finances along the 
> trail. Can I pay with my credit card everywhere? are there plenty of 
> ATM's? I have Yogi's book, but didn't find any info on that. It sure 
> might be, that I just read that over. How did you handle the money-issue?
>
> thanks in advance and best regards,
>
> stefan
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