[pct-l] Oregon hike

[bmclaughlin at bigplanet.com (Brian McLaughlin)]

Canoe08057@aol.com wrote:
> 
> Any thoughts on how long it would take an experienced weekend-type,
> middle-aged backpacker to go from Crater Lake to the Columbia River?

Age has less to do with it than physical conditioning and pack weight.
Those two factors translate fairly directly into daily mileages.
If you think you can do 10 miles per day, the trip will take twice
as long as it would at 20 miles per day. Only you know what you are
capable of hiking from day to day, on average.

Being experienced helps, but mainly it helps with understanding what
you personally can do, physically, and what gear is indispensible to
your style of hiking. It also helps in setting up camp and in the
planning stages. You'll need to figure out your resupply method:
buy supplies as you go, mail supplies ahead, or something else.

I would, of course, recommend that you cut your pack weight down to
the absolute minimum you are comfortable with. For example, in July
and August, the Oregon Cascades are generally dry and fairly warm.
The trails are pretty much clear of snow everywhere by mid-July. For
an experienced hiker with well-chosen gear, a base weight (excluding
food and water) of under 20 lbs. is definitely the way to go. Many
hikers achieve base weights much lower than that (from 10 to 15 lbs.)

You can easily get by with a 30 degree sleeping bag most nights. Rain
is certainly possible, but likely to be light and not last for more 
than a couple of days at the most. This is not a guarantee, however.
Snow is not impossible, just improbable.

Anyhow, spending 4 weeks hiking from Crater Lake to the Columbia would
be a fairly doable moderate pace for a section hike. You could do it
in more, or less, depending.

Good luck.