View Full Version : I might hike PCT in 2014
My trail name is Big Man. I hiked from Springer to Clingman's Dome in 2012. Took about 3 weeks. Was invited by a friend to possibly hike PCT in 2014. I'm thinking about it. I do have some concerns. Some of these might be trivial to hard core hikers, but they are important to me.
1. How often does it rain? I don't mind rain as long as it doesn't happen a lot. In the 3 weeks I was on the AT, it probably rained 50% of the time. Rain is actually the reason I got off the trail. Just couldn't take hiking in 50 degree weather and 6 inches of water on the trail. I was hypothermic in the Smokies. I've heard stories that it rarely rains on this hike. So I'd like to learn some 1st hand information from folks that have done it before.
2. I'm good w/ packing light. But what are the coldest temeratures I can expect?
3. What should I do now as far as preparing for the hike? Keep in mind, I live in Florida so the nearest mountain is probably 500 miles away. My biggest problem by far is hiking uphill. What leg exercises are good for that? What about cardio?
4. How far apart are hostels or hotels? Sorry, but I need a decent shower and place to relax every 3 or 4 days. I can go a week if it means taking 2 days off. Yes, I know folks will call me a wuss or whatever, but I am being honest now, so that I can prepare for what is in store. Granted, if there is no rain, I could go 10-14 days in the wild. So keep that in mind. Like I said, I hate being wet and damp from the rain.
I will take any other advice and I'd love to hear from those that have done this hike in the past.
Cliff notes: Have hiked 2 or 300 miles at a time. Knows its a big difference than hiking 2,500 miles. Need more comforts when in town/relaxing. Any ideas?
Chuckie V
02-19-2013, 03:57
1) Not as often as on the AT, but Ma Nature can be a moody one. I had less than 10 days on a PCT thru in '02 and nearly 40 days in '06.
2) It depends on timing, but it's not too uncommon to dip down to the high teens (F) in the high Sierra and possibly in the north Cascades.
3) Walk lots, preferably with a pack. Throw in some leg and back strengthening work in the gym and you should be good to go. If you're fat, lose weight before starting your journey; it'll help. It's hard to recommend specifics without knowing specifics.
4) Most places/resupply are about 80-100 miles apart on average, but you can get to towns more often if need be.
You'll love the PCT. It's a good blend of wild and social.
How much rain you get depends on your hiking plan. I started late and finished early, avoiding the rain on both ends. In a hundred days I had one night of rain, a half day of drizzle and a day of rain and and snow in the Sierra. There is less rain on the PCT but it is not rare especially with an early start or late finish.
There are significantly less civilization on the PCT. chuckie laid it well.
Its a great trail, have fun.
Agreed, PCT is not nearly as rainy as the AT, except it can be rainy (isn't always) in WA state.
While I'm sure it can dip into the teens, it never did for me --- the coldest places are in the Sierras, and then in northern WA state. In the sierras the mantra is "Walk high but sleep low", and that helps, to include not sleeping on snow. If you keep up a decent pace you'll hopefully hit Canada before snow is falling.
Training varies by the individual. For the AT in particular I think good training is to hike uphill and do stair climbs and that sort of thing, and that certainly won't hurt on the PCT. But uphill training isn't a big issue right off the bat on the PCT. Better IMO to do some occasional stair work but work more on being able to do distance. Do some ten mile local walks (get to know where you live more intimately ...) on weekends. Add some weight on your back in the last week or two.
It's helpful (but not absolutely necessary) if you can do 20 miles your very first day --- water availability drives distance decisions early on, which in turn is perhaps one of the reasons that PCT thru-hikers tend to get more blisters early on, btw.
Resupply is indeed not as frequent/easy as on the AT, but it's not bad. Fewer hostels, more trail angels and motels.
Recognize that as you go along, you will change, your expectations and sense of what you "need" will change.
Slo-go'en
02-19-2013, 12:31
Read Skywalker: Highs and lows on the Pacific Crest Trail by Bill Walker.
1) In 2009, I had 9 days of rain/snow. Timing can be everything as people 2 weeks ahead of me in Washington had far more rain then I did as I hardly had any except for the few days of snow right before the Canadian Border (late Sept/early Oct). The worse rain was 2 days straight in N.Oregon, the worse and only snow was 4 days of off and on stuff with some sun breaks.
2)I saw low 20's in Northern Washington overnight. Had a few days of 30's as the high at the end.
3) As for training, walk several miles with a full pack as often as possible.
4) I normally resupplied every 4-6 days (and I didn't use every possible place). Even in the High Sierra, you don't have to go for more then 7 days if you don't want to. The people who talk about going 9-12 days without resupply choose to do so; there were other options to break it up.
Hiking 2000+ miles is just a series of much shorter trips done back to back. Mentally, you are only hiking to the next town. Trying to think about 2000 miles latter is hard to get your mind around and can be discouraging. Yogi's PCT Handbook comes with a planning guide that covers things like resupply & different gear types that have worked for others, etc. If you are seriously thinking about hiking, I recommend you buy a copy.
SCRUB HIKER
02-19-2013, 18:01
http://www.pmags.com/pacific-crest-trail-planning-info
I'm thru-hiking this year and had most of your questions when I started planning. Mags' guide above answers a lot of them and points to other resources. Yogi's guidebook (http://www.pcthandbook.com/) answers all of those questions, and hundreds more, in very good detail, but it costs $40, so it's only worth the investment if you know for sure that you'll be thru-hiking.
One thing that surprised me in reading about the PCT is that in Northern California and Oregon, there are very few easy opportunities to stay in motels. Yogi mentions that there are two straight 400-mile sections without a convenient motel stop. There are easily spaced hostels/trail angels/resupplies that whole way, but I know what you mean about really really wanting a motel room from time to time. Guess I'll just have to deal.
400 miles... Maybe the keyword there is convenient; ie. not involving a hitch of several miles. Well, I remember many of the resupplies in Oregon (except hitching down into Sisters in the middle of the state) were just a backcountry resort holding your box. But you could pay to stay in a cabin though most hikers don't . In Northern Cal, I did a some of neros at trail angel places (some who don't host anymore) but except for Old Station, I can't think of a town that didn't have some sort of paid lodging option; not that there was much else in these towns (at least I think Sierra City has a lodge of some sort, I just slept on the church lawn).When I started, I planned for a zero day every 7 days though I ended up just neroing sometimes after I passed the 1/2 point. From what I remember, zeroing every week was possible though once or twice it would have been more like 9 days. Now granted some of these places would have be nothing more then a cabin or room in a backcountry resort with just a resturant (or just a small store with food that can be warmed up). Not exactly a great place to zero if you weren't sick or injured.
Mountain Mike
02-20-2013, 01:37
It's hard to compare the AT to PCT. AT you can hike yourself in shape. PCT you may have to go almost 20 miles to first water normal years. PCT is not as wet as AT & more better graded since it is also designed for equestrians. I believe about 18% max grade so hiking is easier. Hostels are fewer but many places off non chain hotels or cabins. The few I stayed at I would just pool with hikers I was with. Showers were available in many campgrounds along the way (often called "Resorts" in OR & WA). State CG offer cheap "Hike & Bike" sites & had showers. If you did Springer to Clingmans I wouldn't worry to much. Read some trail journals on trailjournals.com. Walk as much as you can. Buy Yogi's book & the WP guidebook. $65 pre-planning if you go, if not saved money not going in prepared. Feel free to PM me if you have any further questions. I never had an online jurnal but have typed up most of my paper ones & could email them to you.
Wow, awesome. Thanks for the info everyone. It really does sound like my kind of hike. I have to lose about 20-30 lbs. but I have been doing that anyway. Even the temps. are higher than I was expecting. I was thinking -10 at night in the mountains. Great!