[pct-l] PCT 2017

[Scott Williams]

Hey Hatty,

The best source of info on who will be hiking in 2017 is the Facebook
group, PCT Class of 2017.  Join that as the discussions are already in
progress and people are getting to know each other at a distance even now.
You may want to also join the Pacific Crest Trail (run by Jack Haskel of
the PCTAssociation) Lightweight Backpacking Safety (run by Warner Springs
Monty Tam, one of the great thru hikers and a trail angel at Warner
Springs, early in your hike) and PCT Class of 2016 to just follow along on
the issues for this year's class.  It's also good to join the PCT
Association which is the organization that is in charge overall for the PCT
and will cut you a permit covering all parks and jurisdictions you'll be
hiking through.  It's not often you get a permit for 2,600 miles!  And of
course follow this site, PCTL, as the answers to questions here tend to get
longer and more thoughtful answers in my opinion.  The fb sites are great,
however, very active, with lots of good stuff.

If you want to start reading about Ultra Light Backpacking and the
different techniques and ways of hiking this trail, order Yogi's Guide to
the PCT and dive in.  There are now so many National Scenic Trails in
America, and such mileage, that there have grown up small, very specialized
companies catering to the long distance hiker.  Quite a bit of their gear
is simply much better for the specialized kind of hiking you'll be doing,
than what we can buy at the big outdoor retailers.  And most of the gear
I've seen from Europe, all of which was terrific for climbing Everest or
work in the Arctic Circle, is much too heavy.  Many Europeans I've hiked
with end up buying a whole new set of gear over here, once they start the
trail. Yogi's Guide gives a good list of the smaller cottage industries
that are turning out the best stuff for fast, long-distance hiking.  Also,
before buying stuff ask on line here, or on the fb pages, what people's
experience with certain items are and why they like or dislike them.

Good luck and have a ball planning!  It's the hike of a lifetime.!

Shroomer

On Mon, Jan 18, 2016 at 9:32 AM, Scott Bryce <sbryce at scottbryce.com> wrote:

> On 1/17/2016 4:12 AM, Hatty McKay wrote:
>
>> I’m currently a student living in the UK and in my gap year I’m
>> planning to hike the PCT starting in April 2017, unfortunately I
>> know of no one around me who has any plans to hike it and I was
>> wondering if anyone on the mailing list has plans to hike it at the
>> same sort of time as me or someone who knows a means of contacting
>> people who are interested in doing it just because I don’t
>> particularly want to hike it all by myself both from a practical and
>> safety point of view and in regards to the fact that I enjoy hiking
>> with other people! Any information about anything would be hugely
>> appreciated!!
>>
>
>
> The trail has become very popular in the last few years. If you start in
> mid or late April, you will find plenty of other people starting the
> trail at the same time. You will easily meet people on the trail, and
> will likely find a few who match your pace, hiking style and personality.
>
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