[pct-l] PCT Origins / Completion Statistics

[Bighummel at aol.com (Bighummel@aol.com)]

Yogi writes:
The yearly completion stats are interesting.  Do you have an 
estimate for how many total people have completed the PCT?  
I found a website which shows that 2200 people have summitted 
Everest.  I'd imagine that the number of PCT completions is 
lower than the Everest summits.

No, I only have statistics on the years up to '79. Bill Jennings and Meadow 
Ed have been collecting and surveying the old registers in order to try to come 
up with some kind of historical records, but no overall number has ever been 
truely or accurately in any way made.  That said, it is highly likely that the 
total number of thru-hikers is less than the total number who have summited 
Everest. A huge effort of going through all of the trail registers and 
collecting information from these would take years and would just come up with a rough 
list in any regard that would certainly change and evolve with everyone's 
input, IF put on the PCTA website.  Worth doing?  It's not for me to say, but I 
love the historical information, speaking with the old hikers, speaking with 
Warren Rogers children (now grown adults and should be attending the ADZ), 
looking through the old registers, checking out the routes that Papendick took, 
that Ryback took, that I took, and that is now taken, etc., etc. 

Best regards,

Greg Hummel