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RITBlake
01-30-2014, 10:55
I'm planning to leave out of the ADZPCTKO. I'm a middle of the pack hiker, not the fastest, not the slowest.

What's my best option for getting to an airport at the end of May. I need to fly back for a wedding on May 31, so I'd need to be in the air on the 29th or the 30th ideally. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Mags
01-30-2014, 11:21
Assuming 20 MPD (pretty average pace for a PCT hike), you'll be in Mojave roughly.
http://postholer.com/databook/index.php?sec=e

From there, you can take a bus to LA International. The bus runs 3 days a week.
http://goo.gl/Dbofif

The google directions have you WALKING to the airport from the last stop, but the map shows an airport shuttle stop right next to the bus stop. Naturally, a short taxi ride works too. Walking in LA near an airport may not be a good idea. ;) I am not overly familiar with this airport so the last stop may be just fine.

Spirit Walker
01-30-2014, 11:27
You can also get a bus from Big Bear to San Bernardino and a train from there into the LA area. That's only 260 miles into the hike, but if you get slowed down for any reason, it's an option.
We found the flights out of Ontario Airport cheaper than LAX, but YMMV.

RITBlake
01-30-2014, 11:28
Mags, once again you come through! I've got a friend in LA who would be willing to meet me and pick me up so this is fantastic, thank you!

Sasquatch!
01-30-2014, 21:20
You could hitch, or take a cab, from El Cajon pass.

SCRUB HIKER
01-30-2014, 22:43
I was at the Saufleys' in Agua Dulce 28 days into my hike (http://scrubhiker.blogspot.com/2013/06/day-28-saturday-june-1.html). I was medium-fast, maybe 70-75th percentile for speed, so it's reasonable to expect that as a slightly slower hiker you'd be there after exactly a month. There are so many friends of the Saufleys' and friends of the trail around there at that time, with the main herd, that you can arrange a ride in any direction from there. The Burbank airport is 35 minutes away per Google Maps (https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Agua+Dulce,+CA+91390&daddr=Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena+Airport,+Burbank,+CA&hl=en&sll=34.496382,-118.325635&sspn=0.110918,0.227451&geocode=FX5fDgIdfX7y-Cn_esdyy2PCgDGUtT1s_wvS5w%3BFSjbCQIdV_vx-CHxBdjxGxjhbSl5Q885TZTCgDHxBdjxGxjhbQ&oq=burbank+airpo&t=h&mra=ls&z=11). Palmdale, even closer, also has an airport although I doubt prices are competitive. Also, Palmdale is hell. But my point is that I'd bank on being around there after a month.

Mags
02-01-2014, 20:54
FWIW, I looked up my old journal. I started at the ADZPCTKO and was in Mojave on May 29th. I did suffer a massive head cold that slowed me down for a couple of days and visited a friend's Dad. Not sure what how my speed is vs the average. :)

OTOH, I think getting to LAX will be pretty straightforward overall in SoCal.

If you have a friend willing to get you, that is a huge logistic help!