[pct-l] side trails and lone hikers

[echristopherjensen@yahoo.com (eric jensen)]

A  recent posting got me to thinking about what is the
most appropriate practice to follow when you are
hiking alone on the PCT and need/want to go on a side
trail (or off-trail) for water or other purposes while
hiking alone.  I am not speaking of leaving the trail
to go to town or elsewhere for an extended trip, but
rather for a short-term purpose.  I have followed the
line of thinking that it is best, when hiking alone,
to leave your pack at the side trail juncture rather
than concealing it in the brush.  Allowing to take a
few necessary emergency items and water along with
you, this seems to be a safer thing to do in case you
run into trouble on the side trail.  I know there are
some folks fearful of losing their belongings to
roving bands of trail marauders, but I feel the risk
is much lower than that of not leaving a temporary
trace of you in the event you need to be found.  This
may not be as much of a concern in heavily travelled
areas of the trail - I am speaking from the
perspective of hiking the PCT in Washington where
there has not been much of a presence of humanity on
the trail this summer (where is everybody?).

On a very related matter, I am looking for partners to
join me in hiking the Washington portion of the PCT
duuring selected weekends this summer and fall.  My
next northward segments will be the Indian Heavens,
Mt. Adams, and Goat Rock Wildernesses.  Contact me
off-line if interested.

OneMan

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