[pct-l] A hike for a youngster

[BWIL5272@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Brad Wilson)]

Gary's right, you won't be able to rent a car but that really shouldn't be
an issue.

I thru-hiked the AT when I was 16 (solo) - as long as you have a credit card
motels shouldn't care about your age.

I didn't look that much older that the other kids in my grade but when I was
on trail people assumed I was older than I was, just because I was hiking
alone. That was ok with me. It was funny in Damascus, VA some guys were
going to Quincy's (local bar) to watch  a hockey game. They asked if I
wanted to come and I said I wasn't sure if I could... They looked a little
puzzled and I told them I was sixteen... But was turning 17 in a few weeks.
They couldn't believe it.

I was nervous about the age thing when I hiked, thinking there would be a
lot of things I couldn't do because of my age, but besides renting a car and
drinking, there's not a whole lot on trail that you can't do.

In fact, I went to a bar with some other hikers one night and ordered a
drink - just to see what would happen. Sure enough, they didn't even card
me... It was a bit of a boost to the ego for a soon to be high school
senior.

One thing you'll want to have with you is a document from your parents -
signed - saying if you need medical attention, that a hospital can provide
that to you. A friend of mine was skiing a while ago and broke his leg -
legally, the hospital couldn't so anything until the got in touch with the
parents and got permission... And keep your insurance info with you too...
It will just make things easier if you do get hurt at some point along your
hike.

Gary had another good point. I hiked "alone" on the AT, but I was always
meeting new people. I was going fast, but if I found some people I liked, I
would slow down and hike with them for a few days. Why do you want to hike
the PCT? Would it make sense to hike the AT first, then hike the PCT in a
few years, after you have some more miles under your belt?

There is very little your age will keep you from. In fact, I think I was
lucky I couldn't drink on trail. I saw so many guys go to the bar in town,
drink, be hung over in the morning, not want to hike with a throbbing
headache, be in town another night and go to the bar again - it was a cycle
some people had a hard time breaking... And it wasn't cheap either! So in
that respect, it was easier for me, because I didn't have to deal with those
issues.

-Brad

On 3/5/03 10:55 PM, "Gary Wright" <at2002@earthlink.net> wrote:

>
> On Wednesday, March 5, 2003, at 08:23  PM, adam davidoff wrote:
>> They have repeatedly encouraged me to try and find a partner. I'm ok
>> with the idea of a partner, i dont really know what to think of it.
>
> Regardless of your age, it is very difficult to find a hiking
> partner *before* you hike who will turn out to be compatible
> with you on the trail.  This works best with couples who are
> in a long-term relationship.  It doesn't work well with best
> friends, "new" significant others, and so on.  There are
> exceptions, but this was what I observed on the AT.
>
> Speaking of the AT, I suspect it would be infinitely
> easier to meet and hike with other folks on the AT than on
> the PCT.  AT and PCT double-crowners might have some thoughts
> on this.
>
> A couple of practical considerations.  At 17, you are going
> to find it impossible to rent a car (probably not a big
> issue though). You might have trouble renting hotel rooms.
>
> The youngest hikers I met on the AT were three brothers
> hiking all of Virginia.  They were between 13 and 18.  This
> excludes the Witcher family (kids 8 and 11) and Scratch (father)
> and Tuf-e-nuf (son, age 14).  Train, also a 2002 hiker, was
> 18.
>
> _______________________________________________
> PCT-L mailing list
> PCT-L@mailman.backcountry.net
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l