[pct-l] Best trail town on PCT Hikers Never See!!!

[yogilists@xxxxxxxxxxx (yogi hicker)]

CHESTER CALIFORNIA!!!     and      ETNA CALIFORNIA!!!

CHESTER is a 9-mile easy hitch on busy Highway 36.  This is at milepoint
1329.7.  Do the math---this town is EXACTLY at the halfway mark!!  You've
just gotta go into town to celebrate.

The Data Book doesn't list Chester anyplace.  It simply lists Highway 36 as
a road.  The California Guidebook last year only had this blurb about
Chester:  "Chester, a 'full-service' community, lies 8 miles to the
northeast."  This sentence is hidden in the normal text, not distinguished
as a resupply point.  I haven't seen the new Town Guide or SoCal Guidebook.
Chester may be listed in the new books.  I sure hope so, because Chester is
great----very compact with motels, restaurants, GREAT grocery store, laundry
(with pay showers), post office.  You'll be walking this area in JULY,
you'll be hot and ready for a good meal and shower.  If you don't stay
overnight, you can at least resupply, eat some good food, wash your clothes
and take a shower.

ETNA is the best-kept secret of the PCT.  You hitch in from Etna Summit at
milepoint 1600.2.  Like Chester, the town of Etna is not mentioned in the
Data Book. In the old Town Guide, there is a little blurb about Etna on the
Castella page.  I've lost my guidebook pages for section P, so I can't tell
you what the California book says about Etna.

Etna has a great little bed & breakfast with a hiker hut (bunks and shower)
for $13, and a $2 ride back to the trail.  Great grocery store, library with
internet, laundry, good restaurants, post office, B&B also accepts
maildrops.  The hitch in from Etna Summit is on a road with little traffic,
but everyone I know got rides easily.  This is a great place for a zero day,
because the town is compact with all the ammenities, and a cheap place to
stay.





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