Over the weekend of April 25th, I'll be rambling through the Smokys. Starting, I think, in Smokemont, up to Tricorner the back way on the evening of the 25th. Down the AT to around NewfoundGap and over to Newton Bald on the 26th. Anyone going to be in the area then? If so, make sure to introduce yourself.

Had bad weather, but good times, in the Smokys on my final Appachia hike before setting off for PCT in about 10 days. I came up from Smokemont to Tricorner Knob via Balsam Mountain. For those of you who have only been on the AT or other popular trails in the park, try getting onto some of the more remote ones in the future. This is my third trip into remote areas of the park and I've loved every one of them. I saw no one else during the day. Not even a footprint. I passed a huge field of ramps, saw lots of great wildflowers (although the laurel is not out yet), and saw lots of bear sign, but no bears. Lower down, the weather was pleasant enough, with just occasional rain and clouds. However, above 5000 feet the clouds and mist ruled and visibility was nothing. I stumbled into Tricorner shelter after 10.5 hours and 25 miles of hiking.

The shelter, of course, was packed. About 6 thruhikers and the rest section hikers going from NewfoundGap to Davenport Gap. Four very green NOBOs, whose self given trail names included Trench, Lone Wolf (not ours), Alpha. The fourth did not have a name yet. There were two SOBOs finishing up their hike. Their names had something to do with Bears. I didn't talk to the thruhikers all that much as they were all pretty worn out from their arduous trek from Icewater shelter and by 6:30 were in their sleeping bags for warmth. Evidently, they had not brought warm enough clothes. The temps, by the way, were in the low 40s. They all had large packs, particularly Lone Wolf. His pack was larger than what I've taken on extended (i.e, 20 days) mountaineering trips into northern BC. Perhaps he just had bulky stuff, but his pack sure looked heavy. They didn't seem to be having much fun. On top of it all, in the morning several of them complained about not sleeping well, not having brought earplugs. To people in the planning phases, take note: Just because you have a lot of stuff, it doesn't mean you have what you need. Resist the tempatation to buy a lot of stuff all at once. Buy a few, inexpensive things. Go out hiking. Reflect after (and during) your trip about what you might need. Ask for recommendations.
Most importantly, go out on trips.

The next day was much shorter. A stroll along the AT to Pecks Corner, and then back down to Smokemont. A nice, sweet 15 mile day, despite the bad weather. Of course, when I got down to Smokemont, the weather showed signs of breaking up and blue sky was evident in patches. The AT looks to be in very good shape and the reports from the section hikers were very positive about conditions to NFG.

Sounds cool.

Any suggestions on ear plugs, or covers?

Aren't you a little late for the PCT? I thought everyone left last weekend?

Regarding the PCT: Have you hiked out west yet? What little I have read about the PCT, I'm amazed at how much snow you have to deal with. That must really slow you down. And given the higher mileage requirements to complete a PCT thru, I have to wonder how folks do it at all.

I got my earplugs a couple of years ago at ACE hardware. They are simple rubber things with a cord between them (which has since broken). They cost about a dollar and barely register on my scale. Highly, highly recommended for anyone who might possibly sleep in a shelter or a motel room with others (and you will if you thru hike).

In regards to the PCT, the standard starting time was this weekend. There is a party about 20 miles in on the PCT, which was held this weekend. I have to be around until my class here in Indiana finishes (then, I will have no class) and so will be starting a week from this Friday. I'm going to be pushing a faster pace than most thruhikers, since I have to be back here by the end of August (when I will have class again). The chances of me finishing are not terribly good, as I will have to average around 26 miles a day. Not outrageous by PCT standards, but perhaps more than I can do enjoyably. A 135 day thru hike (4.5 months) is very doable and 83 days is the record. I'm trying to get it done in about 107 days.

This year the snow in the Sierras is low. I'll have to deal with some, but it should not be too bad. My later start means that I'll get to the Sierras after a lot of the pack has moved through. This means that route finding should not be terribly challenging as previous hikers will have marked the way with their feet. I have a fair amount of experience on snow in the mountains and am counting on this to help me through.

In general, the hiking window is much shorter on the PCT than on the AT. You really have to get done by mid October (mid Sept. is better), as the weather in Washington can get bad quickly. But, you can't really start until mid April, because the Sierras (700 miles in) can be snowed in until early June. However, the track is graded for pack animals, which makes hiking easier. A general rule of thumb seems to be that if you can average x miles per day on the AT, then you can average x+5 miles per day on the PCT. I've hiked out west in the Sierras and northern California and have not found the grading to be all that much gentler than the AT. However, I was not on the PCT during these hikes. I'll try to send trail updates occasionally during the summer.

Originally posted by chris
But, you can't really start until mid April, because the Sierras (700 miles in) can be snowed in until early June. However, the track is graded for pack animals, which makes hiking easier. A general rule of thumb seems to be that if you can average x miles per day on the AT, then you can average x+5 miles per day on the PCT. I have read this before. I often wonder why folks don't start earlier and just take a week, or so, of rest outside the Sierras? IOW, Start in late March hike the 700 miles and then take it slow, or a few days off before you startup the Sierra portion. That way you can hit that section as soon as it become passible.

Once you are through the Sierras, I don't believe there is any section that you can arrive at too early. Unless bugs are an issue.

One problem with doing this is that although you are crossing the desert in the first 700 miles, you also have to cross several mountain chains, including the San Jacintos, San Gabriels, and Tehachapis. Some of these ranges reach up to 9000 feet and can get a lot of snow. There were a couple of early starters this year (started in early April), who got hammered by snow storms about 100 miles in. Their journals don't sound too pleasant. They hadn't even reached the big mountains yet. A couple of section hikers had to be choppered out. They sounded rather incompetent, though.

Once through the Sierras (roughly mile 1100), there isn't much of a problem arriving too early for a section. That is, unless you happen to make Washington by June.

I didn't realize there were significate ranges early on. I guess I must be thinking of the CDT. Where you don't much elevation until you get to Colorado.