[pct-l] Start Date

[kbrandt at cats.ucsc.edu (Karl Brandt)]

On Fri, 18 Jun 2004, Alyssa Rayman-Read wrote:

> I am an AT '03 hiker now in grad school and aching to
> get back out there, this time on the PCT, when I
> graduate next May. I want to start planning so I have
> something to look forward to but wonder if I am
> uneccesarily getting my hopes up - I won't be able to
> start until late May, something like the 25th.  Is
> this too late?  What are the challenges to starting
> this late and how many people do it?

It's not too late but you will have to move faster than average. People
have started that late and finished the trail in the same year. The thing
is, you'll send most of your time alone. As it is, the PCT is a lot more
solitary than the AT. For some people, this is great. Others find they
just can't take the loneliness.

You're going to have difficulties on both ends. In the south, the water
sources will be a little dry. In the north, you're more likely to hit
early winter storms.

Consider starting some place other than Campo. If you were to start at say
Big Bear Lake, you'd be closer to the main pack. You could always go back
and do the southern section in fall. Or if you wanted, you could go back
the following year and start at the ADZPCTKO.

-Karl

*********************************************************************
Karl "Birdman" Brandt PCT97 LT98
http://people.ucsc.edu/~kbrandt/

"There's nothing a good day on the trail can't fix"