[pct-l] Useful Skills/Training

[Jim & Jane Moody]

Certainly a wilderness first aid course is desirable - in hopes you don't ever need it. And snow skills might be needed, although if you leave Campo in mid-May, you are less likely to hit significant snow in the Sierra. 

But the best "skill" is experience - with your gear, your feet, your water & food needs, etc. Put up your tent in the backyard, at night in the wind and rain. Go out for a few nights and take note of what you didn't use. Look for gear items that can have multiple purposes. Check out which clothing items are the most appropriate, lightest, safest (no cotton). Try various shoes - you may soon learn that boots are not as comfortable as trail runners. Consider not taking a stove and eating foods that require no cooking or can reconstitute in cold water (many can, but it takes longer). Reducing your pack weight will pay many dividends. 

Somewhere I heard that the best piece of gear is your head - good judgment, knowledge of your own limitations, ... 

Good luck. 
Mango 

----- Original Message -----

From: "Mike Belanger" <mikes4b22 at hotmail.com> 
To: "PCT-List" <pct-l at backcountry.net> 
Sent: Tuesday, March 1, 2016 7:46:11 AM 
Subject: [pct-l] Useful Skills/Training 




What are some skills you would generally recommend to a nobo thru hiker leaving in mid-May? I've got a REI GPS Navigation course at Donner Summit with about 20" of fresh snow under the belt and another course with a map and compass [with a potential super storm dumping on me] this weekend. Maybe a wilderness medicine and survival course for kicks?Is elevation training (2k+ ft/day) better than endurance training (15+ mi/day)?How would you compromise the two? Should I train with more weight than I intend to carry (30-40 lbs) or would I be unnecessarily risking injury by doing more?What do you consider reasonable training and equipment? We talking a simple map and compass and/or GPS navigation course (like the ones offered at REI), know how to tend a blister, carry crampons and an ice ax/whippet, and a couple over night trips a week before departure or would you recommend something different? 

_______________________________________________ 
Pct-L mailing list 
Pct-L at backcountry.net 
To unsubscribe, or change options visit: 
http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l 

List Archives: 
http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/pct-l/ 
All content is copyrighted by the respective authors. 
Reproduction is prohibited without express permission.