[pct-l] Cc: owner-pct-l-digest@majordomo.hack.net

[Ezra Freeman <pygmygoat@ix.netcom.com>]

Greetings to all and sundry,

I have been following this list with interest for some months now, and
would like to take the opportunity to introduce myself and ask a few
questions.  My name is Ezra Freeman, and I am currently living in Oakland,
CA.  Along with 4-6 others, I am planning a long hike along the PCT
starting in April of 2000, which I am very excited about.   We are all
fairly experienced hikers—several (not myself) are class of ’95 AT
thruhikers.  Our plan is to start in the spring and hike all summer and
through the fall, although we do not at this point intend to complete the
entire trail.  For me, the hike is more about the experience of  spending
5-6 months on the trail, experiencing life outdoors in the wilderness,
rather than walking from Mexico to Canada.  As we plan to start fairly
early, I imagine I will see most of the Class of ‘00 thruhikers, although
I’m afraid that we won’t keep up with the pack for long.  While I have
nothing but respect for people’s different hiking styles, I know that if I
tried to hike 25 miles a day 5-6 days a week, I would burn out physically
and psychologically long before reaching Canada.   An important part of our
plan is to indulge ourselves with side trips, interesting cross-country
routes, extended breaks at hot springs and swimming holes, stopping early
to climb peaks, enjoy awesome campsites or promising looking fishing holes,
etc.… 

I am eager to hear of the experiences of other past thruhikers in this
regard.  I am curious what types of discoveries folks have made on their
forays off of the main trail, as opposed to what  I will inevitably stumble
across along the actual PCT route.   I know that many hikers bypass the
"official" route through Crater Lake and in the Columbia Gorge in favor of
more scenic alternative routes.  I wonder if  there are other spots where
people have improvised their own routes with favorable results.  I
understand that side trips to the top of Whitney and Mt. San Jacinto are
popular, but I have heard less about other peak bagging attempts.  What
mountains have proven especially rewarding to summit?  I also noticed
several places where the trail passes through a corner of an
interesting-looking wilderness area before passing into less protected
federal or private lands.  I wonder if in past years, any hikers have been
so stricken with a particular area that they have loosened their schedules
to spend additional time in a given place.

Finally, I am wondering if there are any other hikers out there who have
similar plans for next year—i.e. to spend 5-6 months on the trail without
necessarily intending to hike the whole way.  One of my only regrets about
this plan is that our little group will lack the opportunity to fully bond
with the "thruhiker community."  I’m wondering if there’s anyone else
planning an extended lower daily mileage hike, who I’m likely to see more
than once or twice.  I have greatly appreciated reading all of the posts
here, and have learned a lot about what to expect out there.  I am so
looking forward to seeing all of you on the trail next spring.  Till then,
Ez  

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