View Full Version : AT thru-hikers who also hiked PCT
grrrhaha
07-12-2008, 22:07
Was curious to hear from those who have thru-ed both trails. Major differences between the 2? Challenges unique to each trail? Gear carried etc...
I have read a few articles on this...but I am rather new to WHITEBLAZE, so if there are some must-read posts would be great to know which ones.
--Thx in advance, Kor.
rasudduth
07-12-2008, 22:39
PMAGS stuff is pretty good.
http://www.pmags.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=21&Itemid=30
Mags has put in a lot more time and effort, but I'll give my 3 cents.
As someone said, the two are both long trails and basically that is where the similarities end. That, and they both have great communities associated with them.
I have such fondness for both of them. I supposed it's like trying to compare your children. The AT, as my first, is a special experience that I will always look back on with envy. I was 19 and it was my first big adventure and a real watershed moment (halting college) and realizing (for myself) that I didn't have to play life by other people's rules and expectations.
While I hiked the AT in a very rainy year, and hiked the PCT in what is considered one of the easiest years ever, I still felt the PCT to be much more of a mental challenge. I also hiked the PCT with a friend for 1800 miles which was a complete change.
The PCT for me was very mentally challenging, because you are constantly switching your gameplan. You start in the desert with a unique schedule, approach, clothing, gear and then it all changes when you get to the Sierras. Physically you tackle the 2 toughest sections (desert and Sierra) in the beginning, although if you can persist through this, the rest gets easier.
To me, the PCT was the way hiking was meant to be: almost endless sunshine, relatively easy walking and views to kill for. You don't work for views like you do on the AT, and you don't feel the same sense of pointless work. Consequently, you don't have the same sense of accomplishment on the PCT since you barely summit mountains (which is why everyone climbs Whitney). You circle around on a ridge or climb to a pass but rarely reach the highest point. Still, you spend LOTS more time on ridges chocked with miles of views, not walking in a green tunnel.
The lack of shelters changes social dynamics a whole lot. The PCT has a lively culture, but it is smaller. You have to search out companionship a bit more. PCT hikers seemed to be more self-reliant and less needy of company. Basically you had to make a point of camping and hiking with people, you weren't just gonna show up at a shelter and make 12 friends.
I took LOTS more zeros on the PCT. I wanted to live it up, enjoy myself and I needed them more. Although the PCT walking is easier, you compensate my walking about 5-10 more miles a day so you still exhaust yourself.
They are both fantastic in their own right, and I'd probably hike them both again. Though, I can't understand how someone in their right mind could continue hiking the AT and not even try the PCT. To me it is such a fantastic experience for an outdoors person-a real feeling of solitude and isolation (at times) in very wild land. Maybe it was the lack of shelters or my maturity difference after 4 years, but I felt a much greater sense of freedom on the PCT.
I highly recommend it to anyone and would be happy to answer more specific questions by PM.
CrumbSnatcher
07-12-2008, 23:31
Mags has put in a lot more time and effort, but I'll give my 3 cents.
As someone said, the two are both long trails and basically that is where the similarities end. That, and they both have great communities associated with them.
I have such fondness for both of them. I supposed it's like trying to compare your children. The AT, as my first, is a special experience that I will always look back on with envy. I was 19 and it was my first big adventure and a real watershed moment (halting college) and realizing (for myself) that I didn't have to play life by other people's rules and expectations.
While I hiked the AT in a very rainy year, and hiked the PCT in what is considered one of the easiest years ever, I still felt the PCT to be much more of a mental challenge. I also hiked the PCT with a friend for 1800 miles which was a complete change.
The PCT for me was very mentally challenging, because you are constantly switching your gameplan. You start in the desert with a unique schedule, approach, clothing, gear and then it all changes when you get to the Sierras. Physically you tackle the 2 toughest sections (desert and Sierra) in the beginning, although if you can persist through this, the rest gets easier.
To me, the PCT was the way hiking was meant to be: almost endless sunshine, relatively easy walking and views to kill for. You don't work for views like you do on the AT, and you don't feel the same sense of pointless work. Consequently, you don't have the same sense of accomplishment on the PCT since you barely summit mountains (which is why everyone climbs Whitney). You circle around on a ridge or climb to a pass but rarely reach the highest point. Still, you spend LOTS more time on ridges chocked with miles of views, not walking in a green tunnel.
The lack of shelters changes social dynamics a whole lot. The PCT has a lively culture, but it is smaller. You have to search out companionship a bit more. PCT hikers seemed to be more self-reliant and less needy of company. Basically you had to make a point of camping and hiking with people, you weren't just gonna show up at a shelter and make 12 friends.
I took LOTS more zeros on the PCT. I wanted to live it up, enjoy myself and I needed them more. Although the PCT walking is easier, you compensate my walking about 5-10 more miles a day so you still exhaust yourself.
They are both fantastic in their own right, and I'd probably hike them both again. Though, I can't understand how someone in their right mind could continue hiking the AT and not even try the PCT. To me it is such a fantastic experience for an outdoors person-a real feeling of solitude and isolation (at times) in very wild land. Maybe it was the lack of shelters or my maturity difference after 4 years, but I felt a much greater sense of freedom on the PCT.
I highly recommend it to anyone and would be happy to answer more specific questions by PM.
nice post A-TRAIN,thanks for sharing.
CrumbSnatcher
07-12-2008, 23:49
A-TRAIN my friend,i continued hiking on the A.T.over and over again, because my partner enjoyed the green tunnel effect (somewhat) less distance between water sources. and she always wore that black fur coat. hot hot hot ''AN OLD TRAIL WITH A GOOD FRIEND is better than A NEW TRAIL AND NO FRIEND"... 2009' is my A.T. endurance hike and someday i hope to see the p.c.t up close. and i know it will be great thanks to alot of friends like you that keep adding the fuel to the fire. you say the P.C.T. kicks ass and i have no doubts...
fiddlehead
07-13-2008, 00:26
Learning to desert hike is something that perhaps scared me a bit before i hiked the PCT. I went out early to a friends house and he took us out for a week or two and taught us a lot about desert hiking. Now it is my favorite kind of hiking. Mostly because you often don't need a trail.
And learning to dry camp opens up tons of opportunities for camping with a view.
Good stuff.
The only problem with the PCT is you may trip and fall more often because you are busy enjoying the awesome view rather than looking where your feet are stepping. Enjoy.
grrrhaha
07-13-2008, 02:25
thx for your feedback all. -- and crumb...great dog! :) enjoyed some of your other pics in gallery. looks like your bud was always sleeping lol. i guess 5 mill. steps is like 25 mil. for them.
Another thing I forgot to mention is the small window, due to weather, on the PCT. You cannot start usually until mid-April because of Sierra snow, and once you cross the Sierra, you've got 3 months or less to get to Canada (of course there are exceptions). So, everyone talks about the easy trails out west, and it is true-BUT you must hiked lots more miles a day and there is some pressure involved in staying on track. Even flip-flopping is not always an option, because of weather and elevation.
Lastly, my post came off a bit judgemental. I know everyone has their own reasons for hiking trails. I did not mean to put people down who love the AT-I love it too. It just kinda breaks my heart because I want people to experience the West. It's a magical place.
Well... for starters, I never had to rearrange my AT section hike plans because of wildfires.
Been talking to my wife about a PCT thru-hike in 2010 or 2011. She is supportive, as long as we have no debt and some $$ in the bank. I absolutely love the Sierra. I also watched Weathercarrot's PCT videos, and they rock!
The At opened my eyes but the pct broke my heart. that was the trail i never wanted to end.
fiddlehead
07-14-2008, 04:38
That's partly because you picked the best year ever to hike it Yappy.
Frolicking Dinosaurs
07-14-2008, 06:10
The Dinos hope to be able to do part of the PCT in 2010. I've wanted to do it ever since WeatherCarrot's video brought tears to my eyes and joy to my heart.
Jim Adams
07-14-2008, 08:44
Just my opinion but I would do the JMT and then go straight to Oregon. I HATED the desert. The views of the desert were all of the very distant mountains that I wanted to be in!
geek
I have the post here at WB, too:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=34010
In brief, the PCT is physically easier, logistically more difficult than the AT.
The PCT is the pure hikers trail IMO. As A-train said in his excellent post, just sheer hiking bliss. Easy grades, good views, well marked trail. Unlike the CDT, you can let your mind wander and not have to constantly pay attention.
Personally, I liked all three of the trails for different reasons.
lol.. i agree fiddlehead.. now THAT was a great year...:).. man, we had a blast did'nt we. i am gonna see your bro in Sept when on the trt.. can't wait !
tucker0104
07-16-2008, 15:22
Where can I find Weathercarrot's PCT videos?
Where can I find Weathercarrot's PCT videos?
If I'm not mistaken WC only did one (2003) but helped on the others. If you have uTorrent (http://www.utorrent.com/) or another BitTorrent client, you can download them here.
http://thepiratebay.org/user/brickster3072
Just be aware, uTorrent takes some setting up and can take up to a week to download each depending on your connection. You'll also need a program to burn the ISO to DVD. I use ImgBurn. (http://www.imgburn.com/) Both programs are free
Otherwise, I'll be home in a couple weeks and can burn a few copies.