[pct-l] Do we need a GPS unit and coats

[John Herrin]

My wife and I will be backpacking SoBo on the PCT from near Ashland OR to
Kennedy Meadows South CA (approx 1030 mi). We are starting on July 7,
hoping to end late Sept.

I own an older GPS unit that we used on the JMT in 2010. Truthfully I've
never figured out how to properly operate it and likewise only used it to
track altitude and daily mileage. So my question is, do we really need a
GPS for this stretch of the trail. I have the most recent HalfMile Maps,
Yogi's handbook and the Wilderness Press Pacific Crest Trail guide for
Northern CA (Tuolumne to OR Border).

Also while I'm posting, I am a fairly hot person, that is I rarely get cold
(I live in Chicago). We have backpacked all over Colorado, Wyoming,
Montana, Washington St, and CA. I usually just bring my Marmot windshirt,
no down jacket or rain coat. I wear a t-shirt and shorts (with the zip off
legs) and have long underwear tops and bottoms in my pack if needed. My
wife brings along a Patagonia UL down hoody (she gets colder than me). We
both bring lightweight gloves and beanies.

Do I really need anything warmer? Should we bring lightweight rain gear?
Frogg Toggs? Maybe a couple of ponchos. We are trying hard to keep our pack
weights down and I hate bringing stuff we don't need/use. We are also
retired and don't have a lot of money to spend on gear we don't really need.

Thoughts?
Thanks, John and Tina Herrin