PCT Female FKT Attempt -- Anish the Ghost
Anish the Ghost is somewhere in the High Sierras right now after averaging ~43mpd for the first 700 miles. She's blogging at:
https://www.facebook.com/AnishHikes?ref=ts&fref=ts
Wooza. 43 mpd.
Very COOL, I hope she makes it and has the fastest time, I noticed on her time line that she is being sponsored by a battery company, I would also like to know what her pack weight is ?
IMHO, some of the easiest PCT hiking terrain and with the possibility of going really UL is up to KM. Lots of avg thru-hikers who have experienced at least one other thru-hike on another trail thru the PCT in that SoCal sect doing an avg high 20's and even a few low 30's avg MPD in that section.
Outside of the Sierras, you can go with a sub-7lb pack quite easily. Given the record attempt, I imagine luxuries are left behind, and everything is stripped to the core.Originally Posted by Dogwood
And outside of the Sierras and Glacier, doing big miles is easy (Oregon is flatter and faster, and NoCal is typically cooler than the desert, so it's easier to hike faster and longer). IMO, most hikers do more miles in the North because they are in shape, not because the trail is easier.
Agree on your comment on Oregon vs SoCal. I was exactly 1mph faster in Oregon than SoCal but I arrived at Campo in Trail Shape. Actually, other than the Sierra my mileage was pretty consistent the rest of the way.
Not Glacier but Cascades NP. I get your pt Frusbeefreek. From a not hard terrain hiking stand pt though, SoCal, if you can take the heat or minimize it by hiking during night or cooler hrs, isn't hard for the start of a long distance hike hence IMO bigger MPDs are easier than on some other long distance trails at the start.
Perhaps we should introduce Anish the Ghost to Matt, on his SOBO AT record attempt. Think of the hiking kids they could produce,
"It's fun to have fun, but you have to know how." ---Dr. Seuss
Sorry - Wasn't clear -- Glacier Peak has 2-3 days of big ups and downs (really not a big deal - only will cost you a few hours). The trail is fine if you don't have snow, but you still have big climbs that are pretty draining. I specifically remember hiking up from Milk Creek at 10pm. I was meeting my dad at Rainy Pass, and was on a schedule. That climb was something like 2800' in 4 miles, plus I had a snow field to cross in the dark. Tiring. The best part was crossing the log over the Suittle the next day, at which point, it was an easy cruise to Manning.
OR isn't hard but I think northern WA is harder.
Kinda like Andre Agassi's and Stephi Graff's kids. They'll know how to keep score in tennis by age 3! Think they'll be jocks and jockettes?
That section you describe from Milk Creek up Glacier was the only area outside the snowy Sierra that I could not get my target of 30 mpd. Between the overgrown trail, lack of bridge at Milk creek, snow on Glacier and log on the Suiattle we only managed 26.6 miles in spite of a full 100 percent effort. I put that section up with any on the PCT and frankly any that I have hiked on the AT as the toughest section of trail. I will likely do NH this year and will be interested in seeing how that compares.
Malto--We have similar hiking speeds & styles. The Whites are ridiculous (you'll love them). I managed 1.5mph in good weather - The slow pace was due entirely to the rugged nature of the trail. If it was raining, the massive amount of slick rock would have slowed me down much more just from a pure safe footing perspective. I recently bought my first pair of Inov-8 shoes -- I really wish I'd had the traction they provide on my 2 thru's (I used generic Asics). When you go, wear something with knobby and sticky rubber soles.
Well, Anish is half-way through the Sierra's at 41mpd (80 miles in 2 days across the 5 high passes). Pretty impressive. Judging by her photos, there is no meaningful snow on the ground
Anish crossed into Oregon. Roughly 1700 miles in 40 days (42.5mpd). Fast trail ahead, but weather report shows 95-100F heat the next couple of days.
She just published her MPD for CA
1: 42
2: 49
3: 38
4: 40
5: 43
6: 42
7: 46
8: 44
9: 39
10: 40
11: 34
12: 44
13: 42
14: 42
15: 43
16: 46
17: 35
18: 44
19: 40
20: 39
21: 42
22: 38
23: 39
24: 43
25: 43
26: 40
27: 40
28: 45
29: 37
30: 47
31: 44
32: 44
33: 44
34: 45
35: 49
36: 39
37: 50
38: 45
39: 50
40: 37
Check out these numbers in Oregon. She is either going to set the record or flame out in a glorious fashion. She is stringing together upper 40s and 50 mile days. Record or not this is a athletic achievement!
Day 41: Miles 41
42: 50
43: 48
44: 50
45: 48
46: 49
47: 42
48: 50
49: 50
50: 32 (in Oregon, more into WA)
47.5mpd through Oregon (which is flat & fast). That is some serious mileage. Scott Williamson's record is ~64days. If she can average say 43mpd, that puts Anish's finish around day 62. Go go go.
I've never been west of the rockies, so I'm a bit bummed I can't relate and follow this hike as intimately as I can Matt's. But I can definitely relate to one thing; every picture she posts her smile gets bigger and bigger. I think the only thing she's in danger of is splitting her skull wide open when she hit's the border. Go Anish Go!
Serious question for Mags, Malto, and other PCT hikers out there. Not to put a ding in Anish at all, just putting a bit of "commonly" held comparison to the filter of actual experience. Is it true that (very generally speaking) An AT 30 is a PCT 40? Not a harder or easier comparison, just the simple grading issue and if you've found that semi-sorta- wisdom held up in real life. I've found my few visits to the Denver area roughly match that, but I've never been out west long enough to acclimate so I find myself about dead even as far as MPH goes out there. Climbing a thousand feet, straight up or over a gentler grade seems to take the same amount of time and effort overall, an hour's an hour whether you cover a mile or two miles in that hour is the way it was once explained to me- neither is easier, harder, better or worse- it just is what it is. One day I'll find out for myself but in the meantime, what's your take?
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