View Full Version : if you could only do one thruhike in your lifetime...
Magazine
01-19-2011, 16:37
What would it be? AT, PCT, CDT, other? I doubt I'll ever have seven months to take off from life again so I though I'd reach out for some people who've walked more than one and have some thoughts. I realize each trail has different strengths/weaknesses and choosing one is completely objective. That being said, I'm interested in what experienced hikers will choose and why.
Part of me leans toward the AT. It's friendly, close to home, and logistics seem simpler than other thruhikes.
Another part of me leans toward the PCT or CDT because they are not close to home, and both seem a bit more wild and challenging. Also, I'm very familiar with the Whites, but not too much out west.
I doubt I'll go international but if you could only pick one long hike and it happened to be outside of the US, I'd love to hear more.
Thanks!
Sickmont
01-19-2011, 16:40
For me personally it would probably be the PCT. Although i am getting way ahead of myself now. I need to do a thru of the AT first.
Lone Wolf
01-19-2011, 16:41
PCT for sure
Chaco Taco
01-19-2011, 16:49
Def PCT, no doubt
Chaco Taco
01-19-2011, 16:52
Reason i say PCT is because of the changing scenery and climate. The AT is great and my hike was incredible. The AT is one big party from GA to about PA if you are in the spring pack. I mean, on the PCT you start in the friggin sand, then you hit the Sierras and the Cascades. Much bigger Mountains to climb. If I could do another Thru, Id be on the PCT
CDT. Seems like it would be a real adventure.
PCT. I'm planning on getting a triple crown, but all on the PCT.
CDT, not only is it incredibly scenic, it has by far the most wildlife of the three trails.
PCT for me.
My dream hike outside of the US was done 10 yrs. ago...Nepal Himalayas. Spectacular!
I have not done a thru-hike but my choice would be the AT. It's a nostalgia thing with me. As a youngster living in East Tennessee I was fortunate enough to know men who helped build the trail through Tennessee and into Ga. I have heard stories about the AT as far back as I can remember. It is my dream that I can in a small way honor those people who dreamed and built the AT by someday hiking it in it's entirety.
Magazine
01-19-2011, 18:21
Very interesting, so many PCT answers on the WB forum! Hiking the Himalayas would be phenomenal, I wish I had the budget for an adventure like that!
I'm not sure what kind of experience I want from a thruhike. Something full of " trail magic" and fun people...or something solitary, different (never hiked a desert) and away from any safety nets I would have in the AT (family, friends, and familiarity with portions of the trail).
I've been leaning toward the later but I'm not 100%.
Thanks for all the posts, this is exactly what I was hoping for! Please keep them coming!
Magazine
01-19-2011, 18:22
I have not done a thru-hike but my choice would be the AT. It's a nostalgia thing with me. As a youngster living in East Tennessee I was fortunate enough to know men who helped build the trail through Tennessee and into Ga. I have heard stories about the AT as far back as I can remember. It is my dream that I can in a small way honor those people who dreamed and built the AT by someday hiking it in it's entirety.
Much love! That's beautiful!
if you could only do one thruhike in your lifetime...
Banish the thought!!!
Via Alpina, Te Aroroa, PCT, CDT tops my list though!
PCT. I've been dreaming about it since I was a Cub Scout.
C Seeker
01-19-2011, 19:09
American Discovery
PCT over the AT, by far. CDT might be better, dunno yet, but it's generally considered to not be a good trail to start with. I.e., while a less experienced hiker can complete the CDT, it's recommended that folks do another trail first.
Before I had done any long trails I met a couple of folks who live in western states (like me) thru-hiking the AT. I asked them why they went across country for their first trail, and they said they had the impression that the AT is somehow easier, better as a first hike --- no waterless areas, no major snow challenges, that sort of thing.
While admittedly I had had some experience with snow beforehand (not a lot), I nevertheless think their impressions were off-base; the PCT has its unique challenges, but so does the AT. I think that areas in the Whites and related can be as dangerous as most parts of the PCT.
In general, if you're a person who isn't sure whether you've got more than one thru-hike in you then I suggest doing the PCT first, unless because of where you live or for some other reason you just really want to do the AT.
fiddlehead
01-19-2011, 21:35
So sad to limit yourself like this.
If you want the best, do the JMT, then the CO portion of the Colorado trail, Maine of the AT, the Pyrenees High Route (HRP), the Inca trail, and the Annapurna circuit.
All combined would be like a thru-hike (5-6 months) and you would have so much more experiences than a single thru-hike on one of the big 3. Each one has it's boring sections and there are practically no boring sections on the trails i mention above.
Just make more time.
A thru-hike is quality time.
What is more important than that?
fiddlehead
01-19-2011, 21:36
So sad to limit yourself like this.
If you want the best, do the JMT, then the CO portion of the Colorado trail, Maine of the AT, the Pyrenees High Route (HRP), the Inca trail, and the Annapurna circuit.
All combined would be like a thru-hike (5-6 months) and you would have so much more experiences than a single thru-hike on one of the big 3. Each one has it's boring sections and there are practically no boring sections on the trails i mention above.
Just make more time.
A thru-hike is quality time.
What is more important than that?
Sorry, that's supposed to say CO portion of the CDT. (2nd line above)
handlebar
01-19-2011, 21:44
My vote's the PCT, since the qualifier is "if you only have can make one thru-hike". I really wouldn't want to have tackled the CDT as my first and only thru-hike.
In fact, I'm hoping to interest my grandsons in a thru-hike in another 14 years to help me celebrate my 80th birthday. They are now 21 months, 29 months, and 5 years old. Whenever I visit with them, or they visit here, I recite the mantra, "In just 14 more years we're going to hike the PCT,----and you're going to help carry my food." Hah! Seriously, if I do repeat a thru-hike, it will be the PCT.
I've thru'ed the AT and tried the PCT but had to get off at Sonora Pass, 1018 mi north of the border, north of Yosemite and the JMT. Have not been on the CDT (yet), but I would vote PCT 10 to 1 over the AT. The skills required are different, the challenge is greater, and the scenery is drop-dead gorgeous. I'm going back to Sonora Pass this summer and start north again.
rockytop7
01-19-2011, 21:59
I'd love the PCT!
Depends..what do you want out of a hike? Remoteness? Wildness? Lush vegetation?
Of all the three trails, I'd love to do the CDT again personally (wild, remote and raw), but I'd probably do it as two long section hikes rather than thru-hike.
Due to weather, fires, trail closures, etc. almost all (all?) thru-hikers have to take alternate routes that sometimes misses the highlights.
Garlic did the CDT in sections and I think it is a great way go to looking back on my own experiences.
Of course, cherry picking ala Fiddlehead's post would be the ultimate. :)
I'd love to see Maine in the Fall, the San Juans at the height of wildflower season, walk among the spring wildflowers of the Southern Apps, tramp in the Sierra in July...and so on.
Man..so many choices. So little time.
I did the Everest Trek. It's too short to be the thru-hike of your lifetime. Only 3 weeks. It's really beautiful, though and the people are wonderful.
You know what I really want? No thru-hikes. I just want to hike all the time, whenever, wherever. A day or two here, a month or three there, wherever, whenever.
garlic08
01-20-2011, 00:22
PCT gets my vote, too. It was my first and favorite of the long trails.
MedicineMan
01-20-2011, 00:25
I did the Everest Trek. It's too short to be the thru-hike of your lifetime. Only 3 weeks. It's really beautiful, though and the people are wonderful.
You know what I really want? No thru-hikes. I just want to hike all the time, whenever, wherever. A day or two here, a month or three there, wherever, whenever.
and preaching to my choir.
You could do the Himalya's my friends just got back from their Trek and they had no guide.did it themselve's and had a blast...But if you stay stateside PCT...
Magazine
01-20-2011, 10:34
So sad to limit yourself like this.
If you want the best, do the JMT, then the CO portion of the Colorado trail, Maine of the AT, the Pyrenees High Route (HRP), the Inca trail, and the Annapurna circuit.
All combined would be like a thru-hike (5-6 months) and you would have so much more experiences than a single thru-hike on one of the big 3. Each one has it's boring sections and there are practically no boring sections on the trails i mention above.
Just make more time.
A thru-hike is quality time.
What is more important than that?
Starting a family, growing in my industry (which I enjoy), and an extended trip to my home country in the next couple years...other hurdles in my life. I do agree, the thought of only doing one thruhike is a sad one. I don't think of one thruhike as limiting myself though. I can always take a month off here and there for an extended hike, but taking 6+ months off again, anytime soon, is unrealistic for me.
I do love your suggestions and spent a fair bit of time reading up on them last night. Many Thanks!
My vote's the PCT, since the qualifier is "if you only have can make one thru-hike". I really wouldn't want to have tackled the CDT as my first and only thru-hike.
In fact, I'm hoping to interest my grandsons in a thru-hike in another 14 years to help me celebrate my 80th birthday. They are now 21 months, 29 months, and 5 years old. Whenever I visit with them, or they visit here, I recite the mantra, "In just 14 more years we're going to hike the PCT,----and you're going to help carry my food." Hah! Seriously, if I do repeat a thru-hike, it will be the PCT.
LOL! In 14 yrs they will be begging to carry your food with no idea where the urge came from! Smart grandparenting!:)
Thank you thank you thank you thank you to everyone who has responded. I have an amazing list of hikes to research and I'm getting pretty pumped for the PCT in 2012.
In the meantime its day trips to the Whites and something in August... Long Trail perhaps. If finances work out, possibly one of Fiddleheads international suggestions (a girl can dream).
fiddlehead
01-20-2011, 10:57
You're 28 years old and have already decided you only have one thru-hike in your lifetime?
I don't think life works that way.
You can't plan the whole thing like that.
AT least it didn't work for me.
My goals when i was 28 were nothing like what happened in my life.
Hell, i didn't even complete a through hike until i was 41. Went on to do many more.
Still hope to do a few.
Sickmont
01-20-2011, 11:01
To be honest, my absolute dream thru hike would be to walk from the bottom of South America to the top of North America in one llllllllooooooonnnnnggggg shot.
Magazine
01-20-2011, 11:09
American Discovery
You're 28 years old and have already decided you only have one thru-hike in your lifetime?
I don't think life works that way.
You can't plan the whole thing like that.
AT least it didn't work for me.
My goals when i was 28 were nothing like what happened in my life.
Hell, i didn't even complete a through hike until i was 41. Went on to do many more.
Still hope to do a few.
Different strikes for different folks. Id like to do more but who knows what life will throw my way. I'm planning my thruhike under the assumption its my only one. I'm going balls out and coming back with no regrets.
Thank you for your input :)
Magazine
01-20-2011, 11:11
Sorry, not sure how C-Seekers quote got in there...
TallShark
01-20-2011, 14:02
Oh my... I would, based off info and no real experience, go with the PCT. I think I'm Heading off soon before Grad school to attempt something like the JMT. It's so flippin beautiful over there. The AT is awesome though…. hmm
To be honest, my absolute dream thru hike would be to walk from the bottom of South America to the top of North America in one llllllllooooooonnnnnggggg shot.
Wow, I never heard of anyone doing that until I met a young American couple when I was in Nicaragua who was doing just that. It sounded like a great adventure. They started out from their hometown, Seattle. Go for it!
hikerboy57
01-20-2011, 14:34
The AT has been on my to-do-list since I was 18(now 53). I couldnt consider thru-hiking any other trail until this gets done. Next year,2012, ive been given 3 months off to hke as far north as I can. I've sectioned most of the trail from PA/NJ border , except for most of ME and a few short sections here and there. Hopefully , i'll finish the 2nd half in 2013., THENI cann think about the PCT.
max patch
01-20-2011, 14:35
PCT for sure
Interesting comment for someone who claims to have hiked the entire AT 5 times but hasn't yet done the PCT or CDT.
Sickmont
01-20-2011, 14:49
I wanna change my vote to the CDT, the more i think about it.
double d
01-20-2011, 16:25
Wow, what a interesting question. After reading "The Thousand Mile Summer", I don't think I would like the desert of Southern California as much as Ga.-Ten.(southern starting points for the PCT and the AT), but I would like Northern Cal. and Oregon over say much of Va., so I guess as Mags indicated, if depends on what your looking for. But.............being that I lived in Colorado for many years, I would vote for the CDT.
takethisbread
01-23-2011, 08:12
i have not hiked the PCT, so i cant give a good answer, i want to hike the PCT, but my fear of heights keep me on the AT that only offers a handful of moments that scare me.
the PCT looks beautiful and still seems to have a lot of cool people on it and is well trodden.
I love watching Jester's DVD and dreaming about the day i can tackle it, but i might just settle for the John Muir Trail, thats if i can conquer my fear of ledges with 6,000 ft drops!
valiweva
01-23-2011, 08:26
The at since it will seem like I am walking home.
Desert Beacon
01-23-2011, 12:10
Although I live near the CDT and southern end of Colorado Trail, I'd do the AT. It's where I did my very first multiday backpack many, many years ago.
Mrs Baggins
01-23-2011, 18:39
Te Arora, but then I love New Zealand and any chance to go back.....
After reading "The Thousand Mile Summer", I don't think I would like the desert of Southern California as much as Ga.-Ten.
In The Thousand Mile Summer, Colin Fletcher hiked in the desert. It was a desert hike on purpose. The PCT is not in that kind of desert and you spend only 1 day in the actual Mojave desert. Much of the time you are in the trees looking down at the desert. Everybody from the east thinks it's all desert because it has hotter, drier weather than they are used to. Only a few days of the entire southern California section is true desert. The rest is something a little less than desert. Even the part that crosses the Mojave is so far to the western edge of the Mojave and it takes you about a day to get out of it and back into Pinyon pine forest again. So don't be afraid. It's not that bad.