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Chenango
10-23-2008, 16:29
Having never been on the PCT I was wondering if it has White blazes like the AT. I live near the Finger Lakes Trail in NY and it uses White. The Long Trail uses White. The Florida Trail uses Orange (of course).

So what about the PCT and maybe some others, e.g, the CDT?

Let's have some fun and see how many colors we can come up with! :banana

Mr. Parkay
10-23-2008, 17:56
Having never been on the PCT I was wondering if it has White blazes like the AT. I live near the Finger Lakes Trail in NY and it uses White. The Long Trail uses White. The Florida Trail uses Orange (of course).

So what about the PCT and maybe some others, e.g, the CDT?

Let's have some fun and see how many colors we can come up with! :banana

The PCT isn't blazed at all, but there is usually a sign, arrow or cairn at confusing intersections. Most people carry maps on the PCT, however I relied on footprints for the majority of the time.

rafe
10-23-2008, 18:32
Hehe. I don't recall any blazes on the PCT, though I was only on it for a couple of days, up around Reds Meadow in south-central CA. Every now and then I'd see a tree with a small square (say, 3" x 3") piece of plywood nailed to it, around 6-8 feet up. No text or markings, just bare plywood. It occurred to me that those might have been trail markers at some point. That said, there were signs at trail junctions and the trail was fairly obvious.

The MA Mid-State trail uses yellow triangles.

Mags
10-23-2008, 18:33
The PCT occasionally has the PCT emblem to mark the trail on posts, signs, etc:
http://www.pmags.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=5434&g2_serialNumber=1&g2_GALLERYSID=9b7269e0127675108ae6001d1d0952b4

(not the best photo, but it shows it in the "real world":

http://www.pmags.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=4027&g2_serialNumber=2&g2_GALLERYSID=9b7269e0127675108ae6001d1d0952b4

Once in a great while, you'll the old school symbol to mark the PCT:

http://www.pmags.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=4483&g2_serialNumber=2&g2_GALLERYSID=9b7269e0127675108ae6001d1d0952b4




As mentioned, it is usually, but not always, signed:

http://www.pmags.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=4501&g2_serialNumber=1&g2_GALLERYSID=9b7269e0127675108ae6001d1d0952b4


And on the John Muir Trail (and the old skyline trail (http://www.trailadvocate.org/stories/storyReader$208), only remember a handful of signs for this, though) portion of the PCT, it uses the smaller/older trails name in many areas:

http://www.pmags.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=4273&g2_serialNumber=3&g2_GALLERYSID=9b7269e0127675108ae6001d1d0952b4

As for the CDT...

Similar to the above (Colorado Trail markers in place of JMT markers, CDT eblem) but much more sporadic! Heck, you'll see so many different markers (survey tape for new trail, cairns, poles with white blazing, even old axe blazes, cow paths) that I really can't give a whole list. I guess the most common marker is no marker at all. :D

The CDT symbol (when it does appear) looks like this:

http://www.pmags.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=13989&g2_serialNumber=1&g2_GALLERYSID=9b7269e0127675108ae6001d1d0952b4

(Keep in mind, this is the START/END of the trail. I can't recall when I saw the next marker after this specifically one for the CDT..well into MT if I remember correctly. :) )

Finally, the CT is pretty well marked and looks like this or similar:

http://www.pmags.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=5826&g2_serialNumber=2&g2_GALLERYSID=9b7269e0127675108ae6001d1d0952b4

mudhead
10-23-2008, 18:48
I have seen old metal squares that nail to a tree on one point, but the coolest was the metal, nail in marker, in the shape of a woodpecker.

Lyle
10-23-2008, 21:29
North Country Trail uses blue blazes and the "Pregnant Triangle"

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=28829&catid=member&imageuser=7682

Haiku
10-24-2008, 00:24
The ironic thing about the CDT is that sometimes the route you want to follow is *not* the route blazed by the CDT markers. There were times when I saw the CDT markers and thereby knew that I was going the wrong way. It definitely gives a new perspective to "blue blazing".

Haiku.

taildragger
10-24-2008, 00:57
blazes? never saw them till I went east. NM's trails seem to frown on trail maintenance and signage

Chenango
10-24-2008, 10:26
Wow! What a "sheltered" life I have lived being in the East. No blazes, only signs on the PCT. I need to broaden my horizons. Perhaps next summer.

By the way, what are shelters called out West? Lean-to, hut?

And while we are on the topic of East meets West, what about the privy or outhouse? What is that called in other places.

Or perhaps, just as with the white blaze, there are no shelters or privys out West.

Have fun with this folks!

taildragger
10-24-2008, 10:36
Shelters?

I've seen some lean to's on the Ouachita trail, and nothing when I go farther west.

wandering_bob
10-24-2008, 11:44
Shelters are very rare things on the PCT. I remember only 2, both relatively new and equiped with wood stoves - the South Brown Mountain shelter near Dead Indian Road in southern OR and Camp Urich, 52 miles north of White Pass in WA.

There are a couple of private cabins along the trail one can use - the McIver Springs cabin in CA section F, 8 miles south of Walker Pass -comes to mind.

What few shelters there used to be have either rotted away and fallen down or were dismantled by local authorities (the Yelverton sheter in the Goat Rocks of WA).

The PCT is a tent/tarp/bivy trail.

A-Train
10-24-2008, 13:46
Shelters are very rare things on the PCT. I remember only 2, both relatively new and equiped with wood stoves - the South Brown Mountain shelter near Dead Indian Road in southern OR and Camp Urich, 52 miles north of White Pass in WA.

There are a couple of private cabins along the trail one can use - the McIver Springs cabin in CA section F, 8 miles south of Walker Pass -comes to mind.

What few shelters there used to be have either rotted away and fallen down or were dismantled by local authorities (the Yelverton sheter in the Goat Rocks of WA).

The PCT is a tent/tarp/bivy trail.

There's also a fantastic enclosed shelter north of US 58 in Oregon, near the Pizza place and ski resort, right near Bobby Lake. It's just off the trail to the east.
The Sierra Club cabin just north of I-80 at Donner Pass with that awesome privy, but looked like the mice had the run of the place.
Then there is that semi-private yurt by Harts Pass near Canada.

Didn't stay in any of these places, but would have if the weather was poor.

chris
10-24-2008, 14:02
Then there is that semi-private yurt by Harts Pass near Canada.


Just to clarify: The yurt is 100% private. The family that owns it runs a ski operation in the winter. They leave it open because they realize that if they locked it, people (hunters, hikers, climbers) would just break in if the weather was bad (which is can be). I actually ran into them when I thru-ed in 03.

A-Train
10-24-2008, 14:07
Just to clarify: The yurt is 100% private. The family that owns it runs a ski operation in the winter. They leave it open because they realize that if they locked it, people (hunters, hikers, climbers) would just break in if the weather was bad (which is can be). I actually ran into them when I thru-ed in 03.

Good to know. I didn't go down there, but many hikers I know have dodged snowstorms in there. Wasn't sure what the official rules were surrounding it.

Phreak
10-24-2008, 14:47
Here is the only PCT signage I saw along my JMT trip.

Ender
10-24-2008, 14:52
I saw a grand total of maybe 10-15 PCT markers in the first 1200 miles of the trail. Seriously.

Mags
10-24-2008, 15:44
The ironic thing about the CDT is that sometimes the route you want to follow is *not* the route blazed by the CDT markers.


Too true. The best marker on the CDT is the one on your compass. :o

Re: Lean-tos

Lean-tos (or shelters for you non-New Englanders/ADK folks..) are more part of Eastern hiking than Western hiking.

On PCT, as mentioned, there are a handful of ski huts and one AT style shelter than I can remember.

On the CDT (and CT), there was ONE shelter on the Monarch Crest Trail (http://www.singletracks.com/php/trail.php?id=929)
portion of the trail. Very small. The bear box was chuck full of Goo wrappers!

In Colorado, again along the CDT/CT, there are a few backcountry ski cabins (http://www.huts.org/)nearby (open in summer, too) but not really on the trail per se. But those must be reserved well ahead of time even in summer.

There is also a yurt not far past Spring Creek Pass in the San Juans (http://www.hinsdalehauteroute.org/cotrail.html)if you know where to look. Just off the CT/CDT, but hidden a little bit.

IIRC, there is a hut not far from Chief Joseph Pass in MT as well.

There may be more public accessible huts and cabins along the trails, but that is all I know of personally.


As for privys/outhouses..again, normally (but not always) at the above. You'll usually (but not always) find them at trailheads and established backcountry campsites in national parks.

TwoForty
10-25-2008, 02:01
After racking up around 400 miles or so in California, I was shocked to finally find a shelter on the PCT just north of Chinook Pass in Washington. Of course, it was probably 70 years old and I don't think it could have stopped a single drop of rain.

wtmntcaretaker
01-08-2009, 23:21
so is it really easy for people to get lost on the PCT? are the trails really visible? or do you stop and say "am I still on trail?" look around all confused and maybe cry a little. lol

Ender
01-08-2009, 23:24
You may misplace the trail every so often, but it's near impossible to get lost. There are far fewer trees, so it's easy to use map and compass to locate yourself.

wtmntcaretaker
01-08-2009, 23:36
you recommend map and compass then? no trails on the east really need compass work. would just a map work?

garlic08
01-09-2009, 09:56
you recommend map and compass then? no trails on the east really need compass work. would just a map work?

Definitely, carry a compass and know how to use it! Though I can't remember any serious compass work on the PCT, it would be irresponsible to go out there without a compass. There are times in the Sierra snowpack that the trail is covered and you seriously need to navigate. If it's cloudy, you could easily get turned around.

Mags
01-09-2009, 16:33
you recommend map and compass then? no trails on the east really need compass work. would just a map work?

As Garlic said, BRING A COMPASS for Western hiking.

Many times, you can just eyeball the terrain and map in the wide open areas, but even then a compass comes in handy.

In fact, Garlic and I (among others) did a hike where pulling out the compass and taking a bearing worked well. We knew where we were, but could not see the lake where we wanted to go. (We were off trail).

A simple bearing (along with our navigation shaman on the hike!) got us to the lake. My comment was "Wow..this map and compass stuff actually works". :o

sarbar
01-10-2009, 00:12
As long as you stay on the PCT and you don't wander off onto old trails bordering motorcycle trails you will be fine. (Don't ask about that one. Just don't)

I don't remember seeing a lot of markers from Mt. Hood to the Columbia River in Oregon.

In Washington the trail tends to be well marked in most areas - lots of markers high in the trees - metal emblems. If not a full PCT one there are grey metal diamonds nailed in.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/NWHikergirl/PCT%20Snow/pcts7.jpg

Or this one that had me laughing:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/NWHikergirl/Etc/BM2.jpg

Or the bored logger:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/NWHikergirl/Etc/BM4.jpg

You will see Sharpie markings though at non marked junctions:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/NWHikergirl/PCT%20Govt%20Meadows-Crystal/GM8.jpg

Many junctions are marked like this:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/NWHikergirl/PCT%20Govt%20Meadows-Crystal/GM11.jpg

Or the sign is screwed/nailed into a tree at horse rider height.
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/NWHikergirl/Etc/CM8.jpg

Or you could get these sweet signs:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/NWHikergirl/PCT%20Snoq%20to%20Stampede%20Pass/pctss25.jpg

When crossing old closed logging roads and spurs there is often a knee high slender FS stake to mark where the trail picks back up - if the trail jogs a bit up or down the old road people will have often done cairns to help out.

Shelters? Not many of those left. You could stay in this sweet, sweet shelter from back in the day down in Big Crow Basin, just below the PCT:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/NWHikergirl/PCT%20Govt%20Meadows-Crystal/GM19.jpg

:D

5th
09-18-2014, 16:03
In Oregon Section E the trail is marked by blazes cut into the trees. If you have hiked through that part and didn't see them you weren't looking. Many of these old blazes are healing over, and many trees that used to bear them have fallen due to age, but I saw 1000s of them this last July/August when I did that section. In addition, you will see the wooden one and the metal diamond shaped one, both pictured in this thread, but they are not common. Near Maiden Peak there are also white metal diamonds and, up higher, blue diamonds for the cross-country skiers that frequent the area in the winter. Here's a classic PCT marker nailed up in a blaze that is now healing right over the marker:

28366

As for shelters, there is the one maintained by the ski club just north of Hwy 58. There used to be a number of others, put up when it was the Oregon Skyline Trail (pre-PCT), but since much of the trail in Oregon is in federal wilderness areas, they were not maintained after the the Wilderness Act by law, and are almost all gone now. One of the most famous around here was the one called Shunshine, set in a meadow by Glacier Creek just north of the are called Obsidian. Years ago it looked like this:

28367

Now, the meadow itself is referred to as Sunshine, and the shelter has been gone since the '70s. Here's a shot from July:

28368

If you look, you can still find old shelters here and there in this section, but they are not on the PCT.