[pct-l] Oregon resupply

[CWillett at pierce.ctc.edu (Chris Willett)]

Now for some unasked for advice on a Sunday afternoon, when I should be hiking (it is actually nice in the Puget Sound area!). When I hiked in 2003, I thought I would send out the standard maildrops from Ashland to resupply in Oregon.  When I actually got to Ashland, the idea of spending the time buying all the food and mailing it out seemed like way too much work for a day off.  So, instead I layed around and did nothing.  I bought food to get me from Ashland to Crater Lake.  I found the store at Mazama campground in Crater Lake to be a perfectly fine resupply point.  Not overpriced, plenty of selection.  I was well ahead of the main pack at this point, and happened to get there just as the shelves were being resstocked.  From Crater Lake I then hauled to MacKenzie Pass and hitched down to Sisters, where there is a big, mega grocery store and a campground almost inside town.  The hitch down took about 45 minutes to get, the hitch back up 75 minutes.  Birdie did the same hitch in less time.  From Sisters, haul to Cascade Locks.

The distances seem daunting, but the terrain in OR isn't so tough.

Ashland->Crater: 105 miles
Crater->Sisters: 156 miles
Sisters->Cascade Locks: 167 miles

Crater to Sisters took me four full days plus a morning.  Sisters to Cascade Locks took me an afternoon, four full days, and a morning.  Sure, I was hauling more food than I really had to, but I really didn't want to deal with food drops.

So, for those out there on the PCT-L who are thinking of a trek across Oregon on a section or thruhike, know that you really do not need to send any mail drops for Oregon.  You can buy as you go.  Note, also, that there is no reason to send maildrops for Washington either.

Suge

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