Re: [pct-l] Weekend

At 4:04 PM -0800 11/25/00, AT1996@aol.com wrote:
>Dan and I cancelled our backpacking trip this weekend and instead ran up to
>Hendersonville, NC, to Diamond Brand and bought a car camping tent.  I met
>Jon Zumstein who thru hiked the PCT last year and is planning on the CDT this
>year.  I've decided to stay with pretty much my same gear, but I ordered a
>new 20* bag because I was never happy with my old one.  It sounds like rain
>gear is a moot point, so I just use a gortex jacket and forget the
>pants...find with me...saves weight.  But while I'm at it I'll express my
>fears.  I was never afraid on the AT (I hiked solo), but I'm afraid of bears,
>lightning and getting lost on the PCT.  I can read a topo, but have terrible
>sense of direction.   Is it because that part of the country is an unknown to
>me?  Gail
>* From the PCT-L |  Need help? http://www.backcountry.net/faq.html  *

Bears are still scared of people- but no Calif-Oregon bear has
attacked a human...only their food. No real reason to be scared..
I know that does not help much-- I have at least 12 bear encounters
and probably more as I do not keep written records..but this year was
the worst- 4 in just the last summer months..all ok- lost food once.

Lightning is onlya real problem when exposed on mtn face without
trees- I have one bold hit on the plain several hundred yards from me..
scared me and made my ears rush...but I was in the forest and stayed
where there were LOTS of trees and away from tree trunks and slept
on pack/insulated myself from ground.

I have have terrible sense of direction and carry my compass in the
city as well as the trail (no gps for me-- compass needs no batteries)
and as long as you can read a topo and match it to the terrain you
can find those false turns and get straighted out pretty quickly...

Happy trails,

Rich


* From the PCT-L |  Need help? http://www.backcountry.net/faq.html  *

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