[pct-l] PCT Stuff

[Bighummel@aol.com]

I found three copies of the PCT, Volume 1, California guidebook for sale at 
$25 per at M.I. Surplus in Pomona.   There have been a few of you looking for 
this.  If anyone is interested and from out of state, let me know via direct 
email to make arrangements.

. . . and no, Virginia, it isn't just a "nice, long, enjoyable walk in the 
woods", IT IS A RELIGION!  Colin Fletcher started it, Ed Abbey was a radical 
evangelist and all of us thru-hikers are steadfast converts.

Regarding navigation, I carried a plastic compass (read light weight, all of 
your ultralite heads) and used it only once.  Big Meadow in the southern 
Sierra was snow covered to about 2 feet when I entered it.  The trail goes 
straight out into the meadow and meets a trail junction where it then turns 
north and heads into one of about six large canyons.  Since I couldn't tell 
which canyon it was I determined the trail heading and distance to the 
junction.  Knowing my gait (even in two feet of snow) I paced off the 
distance to the junction and by a stroke of luck found the top of the sign at 
the junction just poking a half inch out of the perfect snow.  I then took 
the heading from the junction north which showed me exactly which canyon to 
take.  I didn't find many signs of the trail for two days but it didn't 
matter much because the topography was obvious from there on.  IMHO, you 
probably don't need a compass but you better be able to read maps, 
specifically topo maps like an expert.

OTOH, just head north.  In sth Calif. if you do this you might hit the coast, 
in which case head east (toward where the sun comes up) until you hit the 
trail again.  From Nth Cal on all you have to do is head north. :-)

On solo hiking:  Colin Fletcher says that there are two issues:  Solitude 
(which carries a positive connotation) and Loneliness (which carries a 
negative connotation).  I have reveled in the attributes of solitude in the 
wilderness and suffered from the dregs of loneliness.  It is a fine line 
drawn by, I believe, the amount of strain the situation is putting on you.  
For example, I have enjoyed solo backpacking when the conditions were near 
ideal, sun and warmth and beautiful scenery.  However, under the strain of 
repeated snow storms, high altitude and dangerous travel, I found the 
unfulfilled desire for another's point of view and advice led to a deep and 
troubling loneliness over the course of eleven days alone.

Best regards,

"The high priest of the Thru-hikers Temple that is the PCT"

Greg "Strider" Hummel
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