Pct,cdt, & At

[GeneralLee10]

I am not sure where to post this question. This is for the Triple Crown people to answer. Of the 3 trails which one would you say is the hardest to do? And if you where to do it all over which one would you do 1st? Also out of the 3 which one would you recommend to a person that wants to do a Thru that they should try 1st? If you have not completed them all then I do not think you are the one to comment on this.

Thank you for all of your input

[dloome]

Haven't done all of the CDT (but will have soon) so take my answer with a grain of salt.

Hardest: CDT, no doubt. Compared to the other two crowns, it is highest and harshest, has the worst and most unpredictable weather, is by far the least defined, has by far the fewest people on it, and mile for mile has probably the most physical effort. (Sections of the AT like the Whites probably surpass it in sheer physical effort, but the AT is totally incomparable in any other aspect of difficulty.) By far the most mentally demanding of the three.

All over again: Again, briefly pretending I've finished the CDT, I would probably hike the PCT again. I think it has the best of both worlds. It's generally pretty well defined and easy to plan and hike, with just enough harshness and unpredictability to make it interesting. I love the extreme diversity of scenery and landscapes and the abrupt transitions often found between them. I tend to like the scenery of the Mojave Desert more than the Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts of New Mexico. The Sierras are generally a more pleasant range to hike in than say, some of those in Colorado...

But I dunno. The trails are all so unique and I feel like I'm cheating by comparing them to each other because they're really not comparable in many cases. I mean, about the only thing that the AT and CDT have in common is that they're both long distance trails- WILDLY different experiences appealing to VERY different hiking styles.

Reccomended: PCT! If you have never backpacked before, the PCT is still quite doable but could be unnecessarily difficult at times for inexperienced hikers or could inhibit their ability to relax and have fun- Which I think is important to some degree on any trail. The apparent trend among repeat long distance hikers seems to be starting with easier Eastern trails then moving West.

[randyg45]

If you have not completed them all then I do not think you are the one to comment on this.

Thank you for all of your input

What's it like thinking there are only, what? 50? Maybe 250?, people in the world qualified to give you advice?
Just sayin.... wow.

[Sly]

Having hiked all three and then some, I like the CDT the best but wouldn't recommend it as a the 1st trail unless you're really good with map, and to a certain extent compass. You have to be OK with not knowing exactly where you are from time to time. A GPS can help in this regard.

IMO, it offers more than the otherwise single thoughtless track from A to B and has much more wildlife. It's a combination of single track, cross country, a little bush whacking, FS and dirt road walking, with a few paved roads, but even those are less and less. It's also more remote so you'll have quite a few days where you won't see anyone. I like that. YMMV.



Mags has a good write up that's stuck to the CDT forum.

That said, the normal routine and what I did was AT, PCT and CDT. It's a natural progression.

[MOWGLI]

What's it like thinking there are only, what? 50? Maybe 250?, people in the world qualified to give you advice?
Just sayin.... wow.

Nuthin' wrong with that. Lots of folks give advice here all the time that they are not qualified to offer. Prospective hikers should be selective when soliciting advice. Got all kinds of armchair experts on the 'net.

[GeneralLee10]

Nuthin' wrong with that. Lots of folks give advice here all the time that they are not qualified to offer. Prospective hikers should be selective when soliciting advice. Got all kinds of armchair experts on the 'net.

Well said Thank You!

[Sly]

What's it like thinking there are only, what? 50? Maybe 250?, people in the world qualified to give you advice?
Just sayin.... wow.

Probably somewhere over 100 that have hiked the Triple Crown (and growing) and a few that frequent Whiteblaze.

Myself
Mags
Jim O
Ginny

any others?

[Tin Man]

Nuthin' wrong with that. Lots of folks give advice here all the time that they are not qualified to offer. Prospective hikers should be selective when soliciting advice. Got all kinds of armchair experts on the 'net.

Armchair experts? If you read enough, you can come to the same conclusion as Sly, which is pretty much what I would say, minus the experience.

Writing about hiking isn't the same as the dynamics of a football or baseball team, where monday morning "experts" don't get the whole picture.

[Tin Man]

Great post Sly.

[Sly]

Thanks, Tin Man....

BLEACH, what sections of CDT haven't you done yet?

[Tin Man]

Probably somewhere over 100 that have hiked the Triple Crown (and growing) and a few that frequent Whiteblaze.

Myself
Mags
Jim O
Ginny

any others?

I know Packrat of Hiker's Welcome Hostel in Glencliff has done the AT and CDT. Can't recall if he has or was planning to do the PCT.

[Sly]

I know Packrat of Hiker's Welcome Hostel in Glencliff has done the AT and CDT. Can't recall if he has or was planning to do the PCT.

I'm pretty sure he's done the PCT, not sure when. Which reminds me Blister Sister's another Triple Crowner.

And Nean and Fiddlehead!

Yappy should be, and will be, but hasn't gotten around to the CDT yet.

It wasn't hard but, Yappy actually got me hooked on the idea.

[Tin Man]

I'm pretty sure he's done the PCT, not sure when. Which reminds me Blister Sister's another Triple Crowner.

And Nean and Fiddlehead!

Yappy should be, and will be, but hasn't gotten around to the CDT yet.

It wasn't hard but, Yappy actually got me hooked on the idea.

Thought so. You must know/recall some more. Come on Sly, someone has to keep records here.

[randyg45]

Nuthin' wrong with that. Lots of folks give advice here all the time that they are not qualified to offer. Prospective hikers should be selective when soliciting advice. Got all kinds of armchair experts on the 'net.

According to Sly, an actual Triple Crown hiker (see below), there's probably something north of 100 such hikers, at least 4 of whom haunt WB some.
I'll continue to ask for advice from a somewhat wider spectrum, take the best and leave the rest.
Whats really funny here is that my wife thinks I'm arrogant

[Tin Man]

maybe this will help...

http://www.aldhawest.org/Triple/default.asp

[CrumbSnatcher]

has anyone thruhiked the P.C.T. OR C.D.T with a dog as a hiking partner.

[Sly]

has anyone thruhiked the P.C.T. OR C.D.T with a dog as a hiking partner.

If so, not legally. Yosemite, Glacier and Yellowstone don't allow dogs in the backcountry. Not recommended through the desert areas either.

[MOWGLI]

Armchair experts?

If I wanted advice about thru-hiking a specific trail, I wouldn't ask someone who hasn't done what I would like to attempt. So if I wanted a comparison of the thru-hiking the at, pct & cdt, I'd want to hear from somone who actually did it. Not from someone who read a book, or once talked to someone whose sister's neighbor's boyfriend's second cousin lives next door to someone who did it.
I've hiked all of the at and sections of the pct & cdt and am unqualified to answer the question posed.

[Tin Man]

am unqualified to answer the question posed.

agreed

[Sly]

Thought so. You must know/recall some more. Come on Sly, someone has to keep records here.

LOL.. unless they're lurking, I think that's all there is here on WB. So who do we have...

Myself
Oso Loco, Bunbun (Jim O)
Spirit Walker (Ginny)
Mags
Fiddlehead
Nean
Packrat
Blister Sister
Garlic08
Squeaky


I'd like to see more, especially from those that hike the AT over and over. IMO, they're really missing out.