[pct-l] Oregon resupply

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

You were lucky at Crater Lake. I've been there when there hasn't been a good 
supply (and one where there was) - although the hiker box was overflowing 
with great stuff. Same at Shelter Cove, Elk Lake, and Ollalie Lake - but, I 
wouldn't count on it.

In addition, in Southern Oregon you can stop in resorts along the way and 
get some meals and snacks (especially if you take the alternate routes). 
And if you are there at meal time, both Shelter Cove and Elk Lake have 
meals. Then, there is the Big Lake Youth Camp just north of  McKenzie Pass - 
good meals at meal time. Ollalie Lake store has a pretty good supply too. 
And, finally there is Timberline Lodge - cafeteria and restaurants. You 
could also hitch to Government Camp below Timberline for food - and the 
Mazama Lodge.  So, guess you can do it without mail drops.

As for Washington, as far as I'm concerned there are only limited supplies 
at White Pass. Snoqualmie and Stevens Pass/Skykomish - maybe you can get by. 
But, at Stahekin, I don't know how you could possibly resupply without a 
mail drop.

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

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Chris Willett" <CWillett@pierce.ctc.edu>
To: <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
Sent: Sunday, January 02, 2005 10:49 AM
Subject: [pct-l] Oregon resupply


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
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