[pct-l] feasability of a 4 month "late" hike

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

If you are strong enough to do it, getting to Canada in early September can 
be a plus because you probably would avoid the rains and cold in Washington, 
like this year.

Just be sure you are in good shape to start - lots of training before you 
take off. Except for the heat and water issues, the desert to Kennedy 
Meadows is not that tough. The Sierras to Tuolumne Meadows are just fabulous 
scenery wise, but tougher because of the altitude and passes. The section 
between Tuolumne and Sonora Pass has many, many ups and downs - a 
psychological downer because after the previous section you think everything 
gets easy - it doesn't. Oregon is a breeze. Washington once again has many 
ups and downs and is tougher. And then you are in Canada.

Go for it. The worst that happens is you have to get off earlier than you 
wanted. Then you have a good reason to do it again.

Marshall Karon
Portland, OR
m.karon@comcast.net

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Chris Willett" <CWillett@pierce.ctc.edu>
To: <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>; "Alexander F. Rigney" <arigney@uvm.edu>
Sent: Monday, September 20, 2004 8:52 AM
Subject: RE: [pct-l] feasability of a 4 month "late" hike


No problem with an academic summer thruhike on the PCT.  In 03 I did this, 
hiking from May 9 to Aug 21.  Will Tarantino also did it that year, hiking 
between May 10 and Aug 16.  Birdie started and ended the same dates that I 
did.  Basically, once you clear the Sierra (say, around South Lake Tahoe, 
about 1100 miles in) you need to crank out 30 mile days pretty consistently. 
I took 7 true zero days, about 5 neros, and about 5 half days off.

Starting around May 10-17 should not present a problem.  In fact, it may be 
an asset.  Figure on a month to get to Kennedy Meadows (start of the Sierra) 
from Campo.  This puts you there around June 10-17, at which point you will 
have better conditions, snow-wise, that earlier starters.  Water caches will 
still be out, although you should absolutely not rely upon them.  The only 
really important ones are at Scissors Crossing and, maybe, Kelso Valley. 
The later you get to the Sierra, the better the snow, but the worse the 
skeeters.  I left KM on June 10 in an average snow year.  Hiking was 
challenging, but there really weren't any bugs.

Definitely give it a shot.

Suge

---------------------------
Christopher Willett
cwillett@pierce.ctc.edu
Pierce College
9401 Farwest Drive SW.
Lakewood, WA. 98498-1999

> ----------
> From: pct-l-bounces@mailman.backcountry.net on behalf of Alexander F. 
> Rigney
> Sent: Monday, September 20, 2004 8:40 AM
> To: pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
> Subject: [pct-l] feasability of a 4 month "late" hike
>
> Hello to all!
>
>   This is my first post here.  I hiked the AT in 03' and had a blast.  Now 
> I'm
> throwing the idea around of hiking the PCT this summer instead of waiting 
> till
> 06' cause I can't stop thinking about it everyday.  Problem is I'd only 
> have an
> academic summer to do it in, since I'm still in college).  This would mean
> starting 10-17th May at Campo.  Is the hot gonna be unbearable then?  Will 
> the
> water caches be tapped? What other problems/concerns would I run into.  I
> assume the Sierra would be very enjoyable if I get there in late June. 
> How
> feasible is a 4 month hike if it took me 5 on the AT (with 17 zeros)?  I'd 
> have
> to be back around the middle of September for school again.  Thanks much
>
> A-Train
> _______________________________________________
> pct-l mailing list
> pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
> unsubscribe or change options:
> http://mailman.hack.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l
>
>
_______________________________________________
pct-l mailing list
pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
unsubscribe or change options:
http://mailman.hack.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l