View Full Version : Yogis vs PCTA handbook
Graywolf
05-17-2010, 23:57
I just looked on line at both, Yogi's PCT handbook, and the PCTA Handbook, and I was curious which one do you prefer. I was looking at the cost difference to, Yogi's at $40 and the PCTA at 19.95.. Is Yogis really that good??
Graywolf
Jim Adams
05-18-2010, 00:52
Yogi's book is excellent and easy to use plus tons of knowledge. It was definitely worth the money to me.
geek
What exactly do you mean by "PCTA handbook"? There are 3 guidebooks published by Wilderness Press (the "Schaffer guides") that describe the trail and have maps. These are useful for on-trail navigating.
Then there's Yogi's guide, which is actually 2 books. The first is a planning guide that helps with gear selection, food planning, knowing what to expect and be prepared for, etc. The second is a town and trail guide which describes services available in towns and helps with water sources, navigating over confusing/tricky sections of trail.
Yogi's guide is great and I would suggest it for anyone who is not already familiar with the PCT and its environs. The town guides are extremely useful.
The PCT guidebooks are useful mainly for the maps, but there are several places you can get maps now.
Dont Panic
05-18-2010, 12:19
I believe graywolf is referring to this (http://shop.pcta.org/productdetail.asp?action=showdetail&cat=154&item=14289&part=PCTA-21) which is "A Hiker's Companion" published in 2000. This would not be at all comparable to Yogi's book, which is updated annually, has many thruhikers' opinions on all topics, and has detailed town maps and planning guides. The PCTA book might serve some purpose (I haven't actually read it), but it is certainly not a replacement for the Yogi book.
JustaTouron
05-18-2010, 12:38
Why would you buy a book on "Yoging?" The ideas is to get someone else to buy it for you.
The Hikers Companion is a nice background about things on the PCT but its completely optional and it doesn't replace any guidebook. Yogi's Guidebook is useful for noobs in planning a long hike and the town guides and trail notes on water sources and confusing trail places are very useful. It isn't necessary to have, but it makes life on the trail much easier. It also doesn't replace any guidebook but its far more useful then the Hiker's Companion.
Most people use the Wilderness Press Guidebooks+databook for actually hiking the trail as these are the most complete information source (too much info often times) and maybe Yogi's handbook along side it. There are some new map based map guidebooks out there such as Black's PCT Atlas and now Postholer has one, that are adequate to hike the trail but offer only a little information beyond what is shown on the map and they are pricey, but they are adequate to hike the trail with.
I bought all the books above (Except Postholers which wasn't available last year) when I was planning my hike. They all have nice information. However, I used mostly Yogi's handbook and Black's Atlas for the actual hiking though I also consulted the WP guidebook pages as it told me what I was going to see that day. The Hiker's Companion was left at home.
The wilderness press guide books also have resupply information. And the Data Book consolidates it so that you can easily see where on the trail to access the resupply location as well as the address to the post office or other mail drop location. It's what I used.
I have all the books except for the PCT Atlas. The only thing I used this year was Halfmile's maps, Yogi's data book and the water report. All three were very affordable, easy to carry and held all the information I could use...and I frequently cross referenced information with other hikers that carried the PCT Atlas. Anyway, you definitely want Yogi's book no matter which guidebook you get.
Graywolf
05-26-2010, 22:01
I have all the books except for the PCT Atlas. The only thing I used this year was Halfmile's maps, Yogi's data book and the water report. All three were very affordable, easy to carry and held all the information I could use...and I frequently cross referenced information with other hikers that carried the PCT Atlas. Anyway, you definitely want Yogi's book no matter which guidebook you get.
Thanks to the last three post, all were what I was looking for in comparisson. With Yogis updated yearly, that seems a good deal. PCT needs to update theirs more often
Graywolf
PCT needs to update theirs more often
I'm still not sure what you are referring to by this or your ealier refrence to the PCTA guide. However, I'm glad you gleamed what you wanted from all the guide possibilities we threw out there. About 2 years ago, Wilderness Press was talking about releasing an update to their guidebooks, but for some reason new editions have materialized though they have had some pdf updates on their website for awhile. Good luck on your hike.
I meant "NO new editions have materialized".
Pacific Tortuga
05-26-2010, 23:02
I like Yogi's book best !