PCT thru reflections

[SteelCut]

Congrats on your hike. I now understand your interest in the MLD Duomid. Actually, the one reason why I might not sell mine is exactly for the reason that it would be perfect for the CA Sierra's as I hope to go back there soon.

I'm surprised that you found the snow experience nerve wracking. I've been hearing that there was no snow in the Sierras this year.

I love the Sierra sunrises. I use to do technical guiding of Mt. Whitney and Mt. Russell and I've had a few fast clients where we did literally summit at sunrise. Awesome experiences.

[10-K]

I'm surprised that you found the snow experience nerve wracking. I've been hearing that there was no snow in the Sierras this year.

Oh... there was snow in the Sierra in May let me tell you.

It was a low snow year, sure. But.... low snow does *not* equal no snow. Being from the south where 12" of snow is a lot, the amount of snow - several feet thick piled high and deep as far as you could see - blew my mind.

It was tolerable/manageable until around 12:00 when it started getting soft and the postholing began. At one point, both of my shins were leaving red streaks in the snow from getting scraped by the snow.

I did make it though..

p.s. The Duomid will be used on the CDT next year.

[SteelCut]

Great pics. They bring back lots of great memories. Agreed ... I'm sure that for someone from the South that was a lot of snow. Glad you have a great experience.

[Coffee]

The snow is probably my biggest concern... Especially Forester Pass. Having crossed it in the summer with no snow I can only imagine how intimidating it would be with snow and ice. I'm planning on a snow skills class to get prepared.

[10-K]

The snow is probably my biggest concern... Especially Forester Pass. Having crossed it in the summer with no snow I can only imagine how intimidating it would be with snow and ice. I'm planning on a snow skills class to get prepared.

Interestingly, Forester Pass was pretty easy (compared to some of the other passes). I was still hiking solo at that point. After FP is when it got dicey for me and I hooked up with another hiker until after Goodall (Goodale?) Pass north of VVR.

Muir Pass was the most difficult - the picture in this post with all the snow was taken standing next to Muir Hut. Going up the pass there were at least a dozen of us, spread out over a few hundred yards and I'm 100% certain none of us were actually on the trail.

There was another pass (can't remember the name) where we literally climbed up the switchbacks vertically because there just was not a discernable trail to follow but you could see the pass waayyy up there and knew that's where the trail went through.

I sound like a wuss, I know, but it was harrowing and I was glad to get out of the Sierra beautiful as they are. Props to *anyone* who hikes through the Sierra in a high snow year. I'm not sure I could do it.

Of course I did go into the Sierra early so it's my fault - hikers who got there a few weeks later had an entirely different experience so I'd recommend watching the snow levels next year and just waiting until most of it was gone.

[Coffee]

I normally prefer to hike solo but can see the merits of teaming up in the Sierra. I guess 700 miles is far enough into the hike to find hiking partners with compatible speeds and styles.

[lemon b]

Thanks for the report. Your wife must be a Saint.

[royalusa]

Congrats 10-K on your hike! Sounds like you had an awesome time, as did we. We were hoping to catch you and were at one time just 2 days behind you, but a medical issue derailed us in northern Calif for 4 days and we could not make up the difference before the trail ended at the border. We started May 8th so we had a lot of ground to make up. We were hoping to meet you again as we did on the AT, but our finish of August 24th was just a few days too late. It was a spectacular year to hike the PCT. So totally awesome! Like you, our mental health was never less than an "A" grade. The PCT is truly a wonderful trail. Loved it!!!

And the greatest surprise? My sister flew across the country with my 87yo parents and we found them walking the last mile of the PCT (from Manning Park) towards us. We had NO idea they were coming to see us walk our last mile, just as they did on our AT hike. WOW. Many tears rolled down our faces on that one. What a super ending to a super fun hike.

Brakeman & Grasshopper

[10-K]

And the greatest surprise? My sister flew across the country with my 87yo parents and we found them walking the last mile of the PCT (from Manning Park) towards us. We had NO idea they were coming to see us walk our last mile, just as they did on our AT hike. WOW. Many tears rolled down our faces on that one. What a super ending to a super fun hike.

Brakeman & Grasshopper

Wow! I think that's way out of the "surprise" category and into the "phenomenal" category. How awesome that must have been!

If you were that close to me in Northern California I'm surprised you didn't catch me. I took more zeros in Oregon and Washington that all of California put together. I hiked every step of Washington solo and most days were between 25-30 miles so I slowed down a lot the last 500 miles too.

[10-K]

Another snow picture.... climbing switchbacks because you can't follow the trail but you can see the pass.

[postholer.com]

Well done 10-K.!

That was a quick hike, impressive.

You and quite a few other folks hit the Sierra early; a wee bit too early in my opinion! When I see your photos, I *know* what you were slogging through and how utterly exhausting it is.

Only tourists go out for reupply at Kearsarge! *takes cover*

You picked a real good year for the PCT.

Happy trails!
-postholer

[quasarr]

In 2013, another low snow year, I left KM in the first week of June. Huge difference from your pics! I'm really glad I didn't have to deal with so much snow (I'm also from the South)

[kolokolo]

Hey 10-K,
Did you have/need something like micro spikes for traction in the Sierras, or was it 'just' a question of slogging through snow? (not to imply that is easy.)

[10-K]

Hey 10-K,
Did you have/need something like micro spikes for traction in the Sierras, or was it 'just' a question of slogging through snow? (not to imply that is easy.)

I went into Lone Pine from Kennedy Meadows and bought some microspikes and wore them for probably 5 hours total.

We tried to time the passes so we'd go over them in the morning when the snow was hard but you can't just stop hiking in the middle of the day when the postholing starts (well.. you could but....).

So the difficulties were slogging/postholing and navigation. You can follow footsteps to an extent but in some places that strategy didn't work so well - either there were footprints everywhere and also the snow would melt the footprints you'd be following and they'd just disappear.

[Affirmative]

Ugh my heart sank when I saw your total cost for the hike.
All I care about right now is doing the PCT as soon as possible, but I'm broke after the AT. It took 2 years of working to save up enough where I thought I had enough money to thru hike comfortably WITH student loan repayments and other bills. I was right, but I'm more broke than I thought I would be after getting back into the underemployed work force.

I want to join the military and get a nursing degree but I feel a NEED to indulge in the PCT first.

Side note: how does the state of Oregon compare to Harpers Ferry, WV all the way to the Mason Dixon line of the AT? The ease of that section was the only reason I did the 4 state challenge and I actually hiked faster than walking with my full pack on just because I was shooting for 50 miles in one day.

[Miner]

Side note: how does the state of Oregon compare to Harpers Ferry, WV all the way to the Mason Dixon line of the AT? The ease of that section was the only reason I did the 4 state challenge and I actually hiked faster than walking with my full pack on just because I was shooting for 50 miles in one day.

Oregon is considered flat, but it isn't really. Its just flat in comparison to much of the trail and thus easy for a thru-hiker in full thru-hiker condition to do 30+ mpd. The trail just before Timberline Lodge in northern Oregon is particularly easy and many people have done a 40-50 mile day there as a challenge to themselves. If you are going to do a big day, that is the place you do it.

[R Jay]

$8,500 !?!?

[ATAdam]

Money spent: Approximately $8500

8500. Was this with the cost of gear, travel, etc?
I have $2 per mile banked. All the gear I could ever need, plus duplicates, extras and spares of other items. Could you break down the $8500 please?

did a sobo at in 09, so its not my first rodeo, but still a rodeo. So i have experience. Just have a wicked tight budget this year. planning to step on trail march18th

[10-K]

ZI never did sit down after my hike and categorize my PCT expenses but I did transfer approximately $8500 to my credit cards for hiking related expenses.

I didn't have a hiking budget per se - that is to say I had more money to spend than I could have possibly ever spent and whenever I wanted to buy something I bought it. I didn't go cheap on anything - meals, hotels, etc.

One of the perks of being old and retired.

You should be fine - I wouldn't want to be my age and only have $2 per mile but if I were 20-30 years younger I'd be up for it.

Edited to add: For example, I spent $450 in 24 hours at Timberline Lodge. $265 for a room, meals, and souvenirs. Zeros in Big Bear, Mammoth, S. Lake Tahoe, Ashland all in nice hotels - It adds up fast.