[pct-l] resupply thru the Sierra

[Ann Marie]

Love all the topics flowing through the pct-l. So many great ideas and helpful hints..........

Just thought I'd pass on one of our team failures in July 2012. We expected to resupply at Reds Meadow going south on the JMT. And we did, because we had to supplement our remaining food. We did not send a box there (we had a box waiting at Muir Ranch) and, in hindsight, should have. Reds is set up to handle campers and fishermen. Most of the food is canned or bagged (doritos, chips.) I arrived there hoping to add any cheese, crackers, deli meat, and bread to get me to Muir. No such luck. The only crackers were grahams. There was no cheese, bread, or tortillas. If I saw any deli meat, I instantly rejected it. Instead, we bought 1 can of underwood ham (my first ever....and hopefully last), fritos, and the bean dip for fritos. Also a spaghetti mountain house with no meat. And a couple candy bars and gatorades. It was an eye-opening experience. I went thru the hiker box twice in 3 hours and scored coffee packets (yes!) and some sesame/sugar cookies
 (horrible.) Frankly, I was in shock at the slim pickings since I had been a JMT hiker going south 3 years ago and remember the abundance of abandoned food at MTR (but in August.) But we were early this year (leaving Yosemite Vally July 1) and pickings were slim at Reds, VVR, and MTR. MTR had the best leftover hiker-packaged food (dried pasta and rice and bean selections, although exactly what they were was an open question) and VVR had some fresh breads and sweet packaged desserts like cupcakes, but you could score a couple inexpensive Mountain Houses, etc. I had originally picked up a couple high-protein bars from the hiker box at VVR but ended up putting them back after the hiker who put them there told me why there were dumped.

Frankly, be fore-warned. I know it is expensive to send hiker boxes to MTR and/or VVR and/or Reds. But pick one. You need at least one good resupply during this threesome. Reds gives you the opportunity to take the bus into Mammoth. That's both time-consuming and rewarding, since it has both grocery stores, restaurants, and motel, but will cost you most of an entire day off-trail.