[pct-l] Mail Drops - Cajon Pass, Pink Motel, Quincy, Timberline?

[shawmanford at yahoo.com (Shaw Manford)]

Hi Karen

 

I thru-hiked the trail in ’03 and am planning to thru-hike again in ’04. Both Christopher and Marshall provided good advise. Here are a few additional thoughts:

 

Sending yourself packages is expensive. My Priority Mail postage costs from Seattle ran about $600. Attempting to send packages at less than Priority Mail rates is much cheaper of course, but you run the risk of not getting your package when you need it. Also, waiting for a late package can be very expensive and frustrating. 

 

Even so, there are several places I would have a package sent. But mostly, I will be re-supplying out of local stores.

 

The Pink Motel was a big mobile trail angel hang out when I went through. No problem getting to town. Don’t recall if anyone got packages there. 

 

The Chevron Station at Cajon Pass has lots of stuff but it is very expensive.

 

Kennedy Meadows had plenty of food. Moderately high prices.

 

I used Independence as a re-supply point on the JMT. It is considered to be the lesser of the climbs out of and back into the High Sierra. Usually lots of week end traffic for hitching a ride from the trailhead, 11 miles into town. Good re-supply town.

 

Belden Town sucked. Went about a mile east to Caribou Corners. Good but limited supply of groceries. Great café. Moderately high prices. New hiker hostel about a ˝ mile back towards Belden Town.  

 

Went to Quincy for the High Sierra music festival. Great grocery store with good prices. Compact town with plenty of hiker services. 

 

A friend got a package at Timberline Lodge. Did not report problems. They have an all you can eat breakfast for $12. Well worth it. Good espresso coffee too.

 

Chance

 

 

 


Karen Borski <kborski@yahoo.com> wrote:Couple of questions for recent thru-hikers regarding
mail drops - I thought I would ask the list before
making phone calls to the folks or post offices at
these locales.

Pink Motel: do Don and Helen mind receiving mail
drops at their place? Their address is listed in the
guidebook, and I can call them to check. But I
thought a recent thru-hiker might know whether they
were cool with being used as a drop location. (I
know...I'll miss the great selection in Cabazon and
seeing the dinosaurs...) (and I don't want to go into
Palm Springs either)

Cajon Pass: anyone ever used the Economy Inn place
near the Interstate as a drop? Was it OK? They are
also listed in the guidebook, and I do plan on staying
a night with them. 

Kennedy Meadows: how was the food selection last
year? OK for two days if you aren't picky? (I'm
going into Lone Pine 2 days after KM)

Quincy: not listed in guidebooks, PCTA site or
Craig's planner as a place to get mail. So, I looked
them up on the Internet - 222 St. Lawrence St., Quincy
95971. Any reason they aren't a typical trail town?

Timberline Lodge: any reason NOT to have
friends/family sending mail and stuff to them? I'm
worried they are slow, limited hours or charge a fee,
though I haven't seen any info to this effect. I plan
to send a food drop there.

Woo! Getting excited - started dehydrating seriously
just last week, so the house smells "hiker-ish."

Thanks in advance.

Nocona




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