[pct-l] [pct-] maps? huge books? vital?

[nstrauss@xxxxxxxxxxx (Nathaniel Strauss)]

Brick Robbins  brick@fastpack.com wrote:
> At 10:23 PM 1/1/03, Yaffa Meiners wrote:
> >  I did the at with only the data book, and 1 week of planning.
>
> You will NOT be able to do the PCT this way.
> Yes the "huge books" are vital.
> ...

Not true. I did most of the PCT in '02 without the guidebooks. However you
DO ABSOLUTELY need the Data Book, and whether you have the guidebooks or
not, you will need to get the scoop on the available water sources through
Southern CA and write them into the Data Book. At least in a drought year.

How did I do the the PCT without guidebooks? I'll admit, it was with some
difficulty, but I'm glad I didn't have to carry those stupid things.
Following the trail is no problem because it's so well cut. It's the
intersections and road crossings that can be confusing. Signage have
improved significantly though, even in the last couple of years. But The
only time I was ever stuck for more than 30 min was at Benson Lake in
Yosemite, where the Data Book is actually WRONG. The PCT does NOT go to
Benson Lake! Oh, another thing is that if you're planning on doing any
blue-blazing, the guidebooks can be very useful. I copied stuff from my
compadres from time to time.

If you *do* decide to take the guidebooks, I have two pieces of advice:
(a) Have fun. Don't listen to Schaffer's stupid rants about how someone
once died doing such-and-such so you shouldn't do it either. He was
paranoid.
(b) Don't take the whole book. Either cut it up or make copies. I don't
think *anyone* toted around the whole book last year.

Nate "Fleischman" Strauss