[pct-l] Sleeping bags, dogs, and guidebooks

[yogihikes at sbcglobal.net (yogi)]

Nah, you don't need a sleeping bag for the first 700 miles.  
Don't you know it's the DESERT?!?
 
:)  :)  :)
 
Just kidding.  Yes, you need a sleeping bag for the desert.  
SoCal nights are cold.  I'd recommend a 20-degree bag for 
the whole hike.  I use a 10-degree, but I'm always cold.
 
I'll warn you now that any questions about dogs, bikes, bear 
cans, basically ANYTHING controversial will result in serious 
arguments on this forum.  Don't let that stop you from asking 
any questions you want.  Just be prepared to get bombarded 
with opinionated responses.
 
That said, I'm not touching your dog question!  :)
 
Trail name - do what you want.  Most PCT hikers have trail 
names, and it seems that most of them are carried over from 
the AT.
 
Keep the questions coming!  I'm sure there are many other 
prospective PCT hikers who have the same questions you do.  
And all us former hikers just love to answer them!
 
yogi
www.pcthandbook.com


MedusaJ@aol.com wrote:
Hi! My first post--I'm a citizen of the at-l an a graduate of the AT class 
of 04, but this is my first post on the pct-l. My trail companion and I are 
planning a thru-hike of the PCT next year, one of those hasty cobbled-together 
extreme on-a-budget thru-hikes of those who go from thru-hike to thru-hike, 
like addicts. Anyway. In so doing, we have some questions for all of you, and 
I'm sure more to come...

1. Sleeping bags. Do we really need sleeping bags for the first 700 miles 
of desert? Or would fleece liners or blankets do the trick? How cold does it 
really get in the desert at night? What about once you head into the Sierra? 
What kind of sleeping bag do you recommend for the rest of the hike--how low 
do they need to be rated?

2. Dogs. I know this is a very controversial question (or at least it is on 
the AT), but my companion left his dog at home all last summer and wants to 
know the feasiblity of bringing him on the PCT. How difficult is it really for 
a dog on the PCT? Is the water-carrying prohibitive? Has anyone brought a 
dog on a thru-hike? And does anyone have a used dog pack for sale?

3. Guidebooks. We saw both Yogi's book and the official guides in various 
places along the AT, but being in the extremely frugal way means that we're 
looking for cut-rate guides. Any chance anyone has some used ones for sale? 
We're trying to save money any place we can, so it would be great if anyone could 
share with us even their cut-up three-year-old guides.

Anyway, hope to see you all at the Kick-Off. (Not sure whether to use our 
trail names or not... The rumor on the AT is that that gets you beat up on the 
PCT....)

Melissa and Karl (aka Marzipan and County) 
_______________________________________________
pct-l mailing list
pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
unsubscribe or change options:
http://mailman.hack.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l