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  1. #1
    Registered User GirlnPointer's Avatar
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    Smile Question about ADZPCTKO

    I'm looking at thru-hiking the PCT in 2014. I hiked the JMT in 2008 and wasn't ready for the trail to end. I always thought the AT would be my first big thru-hike, but after seeing the Sierras, all I can think about is going back and doing the PCT. As of now, I'm just reading as much info as I can.

    I was wondering what time people that attend the ADZPCTKO start hiking on their first day on the trail? I can't seem to find this info anywhere. Based on everything I've read so far, it sounds like you should try to make it to Lake Morena on the first day (20miles) and, if this is the case, I would want to start hiking early, like 4(?), 5 or 6am early, to get as many miles in as I can before it gets too hot in the desert. However, it seems to me that how early you start would be dependent on your ride and how early the driver is willing to get up to drive you to the start. Seeing how I'm female and most likely will be hiking this trail solo (i.e. no planned hiking partner as of now), I really like the idea of starting with a group of other hikers during the ADZPCTKO, mainly for safety concerns.

    Thanks in advance for your thoughts/advice!

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    I did the PCT the same year you did the JMT. I think that doing the PCT first is a great choice.

    For my first trail day, I sort of did the worst of both worlds, I carried enough water to dry camp the first night, but then gave some away at Hauser creek (dry) and did 20 the first day to Lake Morena state park.

    It's certainly better if you can approach your first day in good enough condition to do 20 right out of the gate. It's not a terribly hard 20, overall, as I recall it, unless you have a pretty hot day maybe. Doing it again, I think I'd carry enough water to either have a generous supply for doing 20.6, or a very lean supply to just get by dry camping.

    Starting early definitely is a good idea, and as you say, it's about when you can get a ride. I started the day after the KO, and had no problem getting a ride that got me walking on trail at 7 am. Doing it that way, you definitely will be hiking with others. I left the monument alone by choice, but ran into others a good deal along the way the first day out.
    Gadget
    PCT: 2008 NOBO, AT: 2010 NOBO, CDT: 2011 SOBO, PNT: 2014+2016

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    Garlic
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    I hiked the full day to Lake Morena on the first day of the KO (Saturday) and there were tons of hikers doing the same thing. It's easy to get a ride if you just stand around early in the am. Listen to Gadget and get ready for 20s off the bat, and that's a real good idea for the southern part of the PCT in general. If you're ready (do a few flat 20 milers before you start the PCT, should be easy in TX), it's a quick "slack pack" with a few liters of water. Of course, pay attention to heat and water conditions (both will be circulating freely at the KO) and change plans accordingly.

    If you start at the KO, there's little chance of being alone on the hike unless you really try.
    "Throw a loaf of bread and a pound of tea in an old sack and jump over the back fence." John Muir on expedition planning

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    Registered User GirlnPointer's Avatar
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    So is 7am a typical start time then and few, if any start earlier than that? It seems a little "late" for desert hiking, but then again, my last few desert hiking experiences (Grand Canyon rim-to-rims) have been during the two hottest months of the year there (July and August) and we started by 6am on the 2nd trip.

  5. #5

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    It depends sometimes on how you get to the border. Many of the locals who drive hikers will get there around 6:00. If you take the bus, it gets there in the evening, so you can get a very early start - or hike a few miles from the border and camp.

    A lot of people start a week or so before the kick-off, especially in a low snow year. Some people attend the kickoff and then start a few days or a week later. Still lots of hikers around, but not quite the hordes of the kickoff. Starting with the crowd can mean empty water caches, empty shelves at the grocery and full hostels and motels. When we were in Agua Dulce in 2009 they had to turn away hikers because they were so full. Not starting at the Kickoff means you can hike the 15 miles to Hauser Cr. the first night, (or you can camp a mile or so beyond) instead of 20. Both times I hiked that part of the PCT (once on a thru and then on a section hike) we only did about 15 miles a day for the first week or so.

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    Registered User Moose2001's Avatar
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    Both times I've gone to ADZPCTKO, I've stopped at Hauser Creek. In 2006, there was plenty of water and about 20 hikers there. In 2010, good water and I was all alone. Couldn't figure out why. If you watch the water report, you can easily see if Hauser is running and useable. IMHO, it's either stop at Hauser or go all the way to the KO.
    GA - NJ 2001; GA - ME 2003; GA - ME 2005; GA - ME 2007; PCT 2006

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    Registered User ChinMusic's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GirlnPointer View Post
    I'm looking at thru-hiking the PCT in 2014.
    I have the PCT penciled in for 2014 as well.

    For someone without time constraints, is it at all advisable to start earlier than that kickoff, say a week earlier. Then go back for the kickoff, be a part of the festivities, and return to where you started?

    I have done ZERO thinking about the start of the PCT. I feel I know the first month of the AT like the back of my hand.
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    If you have the flexibility, the start date would depend on snow and temperatures. Sometimes just as things are warming up, we get late season snow like we're supposed to get this weekend, as well as in 2010.

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    Registered User ChinMusic's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by leaftye View Post
    If you have the flexibility, the start date would depend on snow and temperatures. Sometimes just as things are warming up, we get late season snow like we're supposed to get this weekend, as well as in 2010.
    Is it pretty easy to pull off the trail or does the snow surprise?
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    @girlnpointer -- I started ~630am on April 14 made it to warner springs and hitched to ADZPCTKO. Many trailangels in San Diego help folks get to ADZPCTKO or Campo. Also hikers go to ADZPCTKO and slack pack the first 20+/ to Lake Moreno for rest of KO.

  11. #11
    Registered User GirlnPointer's Avatar
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    Also, I read somewhere (don't remember where now!) that on average it takes approximately 150 days to complete a thru hike. Do you think this is only counting the actually hiking days (and not rest days in towns)? Thanks!

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    Registered User ChinMusic's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GirlnPointer View Post
    Also, I read somewhere (don't remember where now!) that on average it takes approximately 150 days to complete a thru hike. Do you think this is only counting the actually hiking days (and not rest days in towns)? Thanks!
    When most folks talk about how long a thru hike takes they are usually including zero days. It just kinda goes with the territory.
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    I suspect it includes everything, as 150 days sums to about 5 months. For a typical NOBO if you take too much beyond that you're likely finishing in October, which puts you at some risk for significant snowfall in northern WA.

    On any given thru-hike, "stuff happens" to I suspect a goodly percentage of folks beyond just expected Nero and Zero days. I've spent unplanned days off trail due to giardia, foot issues, a strained quadricep (not all the same trip). Ditto I've taken time off to attend some sort of event, and I think that's typical too --- the wedding or funeral, for example, that you feel like you simply must get off trail for, and not always planned for, or in my case taking several days off to go back and attend Trail Days while doing the AT. Then there's the unplanned couple of zero days waiting for a package to arrive, or trying to replace footwear that blows out unexpectedly, or ... whatever. For the PCT, don't be surprised to spend some extra time trying to deal with one or more fire closures along the way.

    On the PCT I think it took me about 5 months total, but more like 4-1/2 months with "extra" stuff like that taken out of the equation (but still including zeros/neros).

    I think that Yogi's guide lists total time to hike for several different thru-hikers, maybe that gives you something closer to what you're looking for.
    Gadget
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  14. #14
    Registered User Moose2001's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by BrianLe View Post
    I suspect it includes everything, as 150 days sums to about 5 months. For a typical NOBO if you take too much beyond that you're likely finishing in October, which puts you at some risk for significant snowfall in northern WA.
    Totally agree. In 2006 we started at ADZPCTKO. We finished Oct 9 in Manning Park. Took a week off at Cajon Pass for a family event. Lots of zeros AND we weren't the fastest hikers. The last week we were running scared because the weather was changing. It had turned cold and we had snow showers. The day after we finished, it started dumping! There was a group of 8 hikers several days behind us that got caught in the snow, stuck and had to bail. They never were able to return to the trail.
    GA - NJ 2001; GA - ME 2003; GA - ME 2005; GA - ME 2007; PCT 2006

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