[pct-l] Re-supply on the PCT

[m.karon at comcast.net (Marshall Karon)]

I agree with what was said here. However, I would go out to Independence
over Kearsage Pass - a great trip.

One other thought after reading all of this thread and having returned to
some of the places more than once: every year is different in many of the
small stops. I have been in a place one year that had everything I could
want. Next time through there I found almost nothing. I think this is a
combination of arriving just after a weekend when everything sold out to
different management. I remember my first time at White Pass in Washington:
there was a great restaurant and the store was well supplied. None of that
was there in 2000 (only a small store). So, beware. You might really want to
call ahead, if possible.

Marshall Karon
Portland, OR
m.karon@comcast.net
----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul Magnanti" <pmags@yahoo.com>
To: <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2003 3:57 PM
Subject: [pct-l] Re-supply on the PCT


> >>Reading through the last thread on resupply, it
> >>sounds like a lot of
> >>through hikers didn't mail themselves food from
> >>home.  Did you just  shop along the way?
>
>
> I noticed you have a colorado.edu address. Mailing
> packages from Colorado to CA,OR,WA would be very
> expensive over the course of a 4 mo or so hike.
> Coincidentally, I also live in CO and decided not to
> send myself maildrops for that reason (As well as the
> fact that I did not want to take over a friend's
> basement for a few months or subject them to having to
> be my "quarter master general".)
>
>
> I did what I call a hybrid stategy. Supplied as I
> went, bought in some towns and made a maildrop and
> mailed it ahead.
>
> Here is my re-supply list from 2002, and some notes on
> what I would do differently as appropriate.
>
> Start at Campo with food
>
> WARNER SPRINGS: Mail drop from home (only one I mailed
> myself from Boulder, CO). Also picked up my bounce box
> (BB) here.
>
> IDYLLWILD: Bought groceries here
>
> BIG BEAR CITY: Bought groceries and picked up BB
>
> WRIGHTWOOD: Bought Groceries
>
> AGUA DULCE: The Saufley's (you will meet these awesome
> people) now have *TWO* cars for hikers that can be
> used. I bought groceries in a nearby town. Also picked
> up my BB here, too. Donna will let you mail out
> packages here, and even has a postal scale so you know
> how much it will cost.
>
> MOJAVE: Bought Groceries here, also made up  mail
> drops for Kennedy Meadows, VVR and Tuolumone Meadows.
> If I had to do it again, I would *NOT* have sent mail
> drops to Tuolumone Meadows and VVR. TM had a fairly
> good selction of groceries. VVR had a decent selection
> in 2002, apparently it is better now.
>
> KENNEDY MEADOWS: Picked up my mail drop from Mojave.
> Also picked up my ice axe. This was the only other
> package had mail from home. I chose to carry 10 days
> of good throught the High Sierras. Did not want to
> drop into town between KM and VVR (w/ a side trip to
> Whitney). For me, it was an incredible experience not
> seeing a road for those 9.5 days. To me, it was worth
> carrying the extra 2-3 days of food and not going into
> Lone Pine.  One of the best highlights of my hike.
>
> VVR: As mentined, I got a mail drop here. I personally
> would have bought the 3.5 days of food here if I did
> it again.
>
> TUOLOMNE MEADOWS: Picked up mail drop and BB, mailed
> back ice axe.  Would have bought food here if I did it
> again. The store had a good selection, even some basic
> hiker essentials like socks, gloves, long underwear..
>
> SOUTH LAKE TAHOE: A great hiker town, honest! :D Can
> hitch in/out easily enough. Bought groceries here at
> one of a few large grocery stores. Has a few basic
> outfitters. Cheap motels, Nevada side has the casinos
> with the $10 AYCE buffetts! Mmmmm. If you do not want
> to go into town (felt in the mood to treat myself)
> hike a mile up from RT50 to ECHO LAKE RESORT and you
> can get probably get by with buying the 2-3 days of
> food you need. (Had ramen, mac n' cheese, etc.)
>
> TRUCKEE: I stayed at Pooh's Corner.  Picked up BB, and
> mailed it from Truckee. Pooh was nice enough to take
> us into town where I went grocery shopping. As with
> other hostels along trails, check to see if Pooh will
> still be taking in hikers in '04 before making this
> part of your re-supply plans.
>
> SIERRA CITY: I did not have a re-supply here. Should
> have, if only to lighten my food bag 2-3 days. Had a
> small general store where I could have eeked out 2-3
> days food easily enough. It is very close to the
> trail. Ended up spending 4th of July here (hiked out
> later that day) and saw a great small-town parade in
> nearby Downieville.
>
> BELDEN TOWN: It ain't pretty, but I managed to get 2.5
> days of food here. Cookies, ramen, mac n' cheese,
> pastry. Good enough for me. Any more than that and you
> are pushing it!
>
> CHESTER: Bought groceries here
>
> OLD STATION: Picked up BB. Quick and easy place to do
> this. Owner of the little store was VERY hiker
> friendly
>
> BURNEY FALLS STATE PARK: Bought groceries here. Not a
> big selection, but it worked. Somewhat expensive.
>
> CASTELLA: Bought groceries here
>
> ETNA: Bought groceries here. Great hiker town! The B&B
> has a kick-ass hiker hostel (apparentley complete w/
> breakfast and shuttle now). Can be a fairly long wait
> for a hitch, but worth it.  It took me 45 minutes.
>
> SEIAD VALLEY: Bought groceries here. Not a big
> selection, but Rick appears to stock it w/ hikers in
> mind.
>
> ASHLAND: Bought groceries and picked up BB here.
> College town. Has good size grocery stores and just
> about anything you need. Also bought grociers to mail
> ahead to: Crater Laker, Shelter Cove, Ollalie Lake.
> Has a nice little public transit system for getting
> around to get your groceries and mailing out packages.
>
> CRATER LAKE: Mail drop. DO NOT MAIL TO THE LODGE (like
> I did!). The Lodge brings all packages down to the
> general store. Mail it to the general store. Otherwise
> you have to hitch back to the store anyway. You can by
> groceries here, but it will be very expensive.
> Ceartinly more expensive than mailing from Ashland to
> Crater Lake. (The UPS place in ashland UPS'd two boxes
> to Shelter Cove..so I has to supply out of the Gen.
> store!)
>
> SHELTER COVE: Mail drop. UPS only. Can UPS out of
> Ashland.
>
> OLLALIE LAKE: Mail drop
>
> CASCADE LOCKS: Picked up groceries and BB. Mailed
> supplies to White Pass (Kracker Barrel), Time Wise
> Grocery (Snoqualamie Pass), Skykomish, Stehekin
> Probably would have supplied out of Snoqualamie Pass
> if I did it again.
>
> WHITE PASS (Kracker Barrel): Mail drop. It is a gas
> station that takes the packages. No need to worry
> about PO hours.
>
> SNOQUALAMIE PASS (Time Wise Grocery). Mail drop.
> Despite the name, not the best selection. If you mail
> it to the store, don't have to worry about the PO
> hours (also in the store). As mentioned, looking back,
> I probably could have bought 3.5 days of food between
> the gas station and Time Wise Grocery store.
>
> SKYKOMISH: Picked up my BB for the last time. Mail
> drop. Very limited supplies in this town.
>
> STEHEKIN: Mail drop. VERY LIMITED SUPPLIES HERE
>
> CANADA!!!!!!!!
>
> This is what worked for me, and what I would have done
> differently. I do not like hitching more than I have
> to, so these on trail re-supply areas, esp. in Oregon
> worked well for me. Additionally, I am not very picky.
> Mac n' cheese, Ramen, snickers, m&ms, etc. was the
> bulk of my diet. :-) A good size mini-mart type of
> place will often have enough of these supplies for 2-3
> days of food.
>
> If you are pickier, you may want to hitch to larger
> towns away from the trail. Conversley, if you are even
> less picky than me (and my PCT buddies would be
> surprised! :D), you may be able to supply out of the
> places I did mail drops to.
>
>
> YMMV, do what works for you, etc...
>
> Hope this helps.
>
> Mags
>
> ps. If you do live in Boulder, and need a person's
> brain to pick, well, in person, shoot me an off list
> e-mail. Former thru-hikers love to talk shop. :D
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> =====
> ************************************************************
> The true harvest of my life is intangible.... a little stardust caught, a
portion of the rainbow I have clutched
> --Thoreau
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