[pct-l] Trail Magic Advice

[Marcus Schwartz]

It's hard to explain the junction without a diagram, but the main point 
of confusion is that the Westbound and Eastbound rest areas on I-80 are 
not connected to each other.  You can't walk across the freeway.

So, there are separate turn-offs from the PCT depending on which way you 
want to hitch.  Also, it's surprisingly far between the rest areas by 
trail (about a half-mile if I recall), even though they're right across 
the freeway from one another.

Lots of people want to hitch west, and take the first turn off ("first" 
being the more southerly one) to the rest stop, but the first one goes 
to the eastbound rest stop.  So lots of people go the wrong way.  If I 
recall, the sign at the first junction is unclear about which rest stop 
it goes to.

Also confusing, if you're going to the eastbound rest stop:  There are 
several junctions after you've left the PCT, and you can get to either 
the I-80 rest stop or a less-used trailhead parking lot that's not on 
the freeway (Google Maps calls it the "Donner Summit California State 
Snopark", on Bunny Hill Drive).

In short, if you're trying to head west on I-80, go under the freeway 
before you exit the PCT.  If you're trying to head east, take the 
earlier turn-off, and take the first right turn after that.

  -=Marcus

On 06/14/2017 11:23 PM, Melanie Clarke wrote:
> Hello Marcus,
>
> It appears that many, maybe most hikers are skipping the Sierras until
> August or so. I have 2 friends in Lone Pine right now, making plans to
> jump ahead to Truckee or Donner Pass. So it might be hard to predict
> where the herd will be July 15th.
>
> You said there was a confusing trail intersection near highway 80? Since
> that is where they are heading, can you give me more details on that?
> I'm still a section hiker and haven't done that portion yet.
>
> Diet Plan
>
> On Jun 14, 2017 10:34 PM, "Marcus Schwartz" <pctl at marcusschwartz.com
> <mailto:pctl at marcusschwartz.com>> wrote:
>
>     Hi PCT-L,
>
>     I'm going to be in Lake Tahoe around July 15-23 this year. When I hiked
>     the PCT last year, I really appreciated the trail magic I received, so I
>     wanted to take the opportunity to try making some trail magic myself.
>     I'd like to set up a trailside kiosk and provide food and other
>     amenities to the hikers who pass by.
>
>     I hit Tahoe July 6 on my hike, and I was around the middle of the pack.
>     Since snow is heavier this year, I'm thinking a lot of hikers will be in
>     the area during the week that I'll be there on vacation this year, two
>     weeks later.
>
>     I'd appreciate advice from the PCT-L about the logistics of trail
>     angeling:
>
>     - Am I guessing right that July 15-23 will be around the middle of the
>     pack this year? Or will snow have people trapped further south?
>
>     - Will I be conflicting with anybody else doing trail magic on that
>     section at that time? I remember Coppertone was there around July 4th
>     last year, for example.
>
>     - Where exactly should I set up? I'll be staying in Tahoe City and will
>     have access to a car (2WD sedan). Maybe the I-80 Donner Pass Rest Area?
>     Or maybe the parking lot of the Adventure Mountain resort, just south of
>     Highway 50? (Coppertone was there last year).
>
>     - Can any of you who have done trail magic tell me about unexpected
>     things I might not have thought of? E.g. items you forgot, things hikers
>     needed that you didn't have, things you brought that they didn't need,
>     etc.
>
>     - Do I need to be prepared for hiker misbehavior?  If so, what kinds?
>
>     I'm also trying to think of what I could provide. My hiker hunger has
>     long since left me, so it's getting hard to remember what I craved...
>     Here's what I've thought of so far, I don't think I could do all of them
>     of course.  Any suggestions/comments?
>
>     Edible:
>     - Clean water
>     - Beer, especially heavy beer
>     - Soda, I remember craving orange soda in particular
>     - Hot non-instant coffee
>     - Iced drinks. Margaritas maybe?
>     - Fresh fruit, especially big juicy Fuji apples
>     - Home-made chocolate chip cookies
>     - Meat of some kind that's not jerky
>
>     Non-Edible:
>     - Have a friend shuttle people between town and the trail magic station
>     - Charging station
>     - A garbage can
>     - Hiker box, pre-stocked with some of my overstocked gear, and
>     disposable or hard-to-find cheap items, such as: Mayonnaise packets,
>     ziploc bags, trash-compactor bags, toilet paper, bug spray, stove fuel,
>     duck tape...
>     - If I set up at highway 80, post a sign at the confusing trail
>     intersection (lots of people don't realize that you have to hike half a
>     mile further if you're going westbound on the freeway).
>
>     Any more ideas?  I'd appreciate any advice from the experienced trail
>     magicians out there...
>
>      -=Town Food
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