View Full Version : California PCT Trailheads
PecosBackpacker
08-22-2005, 08:44
Good Morning all
I am taking a trip to California in March to hike a section of the PCT with a friend of mine. She is leaving it up to me to plan this trip. My question to all of you is: Are there any good, easily accesible trailheads near Eureka or Sacramento (I know they are 5 hours from each other. She lives in Eureka, I am flying in to Sacramento). I have posted on a few PCT forums, but no one has checked them in at least 2 weeks. I know I can count on you guys to give me some answers. Can someone also give me some websites to visit so I can do some research?
I appreciate all of your help.
DMA, 2000
08-22-2005, 20:45
There's really nothing near Eureka. Near Sacramento there are quite a few. Sorry to be so vague, but you'd really have your pick of them there. Why not go to Yosemite or Lassen as a starting point?
From Sacramento the I-80 overpass would be the easiest way to reach the trail with a very short trail (east) to the PCT from the westbound rest stop.
Northbound, section L is 38 miles to Sierra City. Southbound, section K is 64 miles to Echo Lake and if I remember correctly more scenic. You'll need a permit to enter the Desolation Wilderness near Echo Lake.
Both sections will probably have a fair amount of snow in March.
There really isn't anything close, as the others have mentioned. In March, I would head south as Cali will be under snow then. It would be a bit of a drive, of course. Without knowing how long you are planning to be out, it will be a bit tough to give a reasonable trip suggestion. However, if I was hiking in March, I would contact Donna and Jeff Saufley in Agua Dulce (north side of LA) and see if you can park you car there. Then, hike to Mojave. Or, park on HWY 138 and hike to Mojave across the aquaduct. Low desert, and many people hate it, but this was one of my favorite sections. From 138 to Mojave is something like 50 miles (?).
PecosBackpacker
08-22-2005, 22:18
Without knowing how long you are planning to be out, it will be a bit tough to give a reasonable trip suggestion. However, if I was hiking in March, I would contact Donna and Jeff Saufley in Agua Dulce (north side of LA) and see if you can park you car there. Then, hike to Mojave. Or, park on HWY 138 and hike to Mojave across the aquaduct. Low desert, and many people hate it, but this was one of my favorite sections. From 138 to Mojave is something like 50 miles (?).
Ooops. My mistake. I probably should have mentioned that I plan on staying there about 9 days and hiking about 7. Thanks for your help. Please keep 'em coming.
fiddlehead
08-22-2005, 22:35
Most all of northern CA is excellent hiking. But in March, it'll be cold and possibly snowbound but you should still be able to get through. (providing you either have snow travel skills or are very adventurous)
You may want to check into the Lassan NP area or around Shasta. You should get a PCT handbook and check elevations before you decide where to go at that time of year i think.
The suggestion about the Saufleys is for southern CA not northern. I'm not sure if they'd know the conditions up north. Have fun wherever you go, i'm imagine you will.
Rather than trying the PCT in March, why not check out the coast instead. Tha Wookie and Island Mama did something really special in 2004 with their walk down the coast and you can read about it on www.trailjournals.com. You won't have to deal with snow and you'll get a really unique trip. You should be able to pick up the California Coastal Trail from Eureka and then hike either south or north and hitch back. I would doubt that hitching would be too much of a problem.
Tha Wookie
08-23-2005, 01:43
Rather than trying the PCT in March, why not check out the coast instead. Tha Wookie and Island Mama did something really special in 2004 with their walk down the coast and you can read about it on www.trailjournals.com (http://www.trailjournals.com/). You won't have to deal with snow and you'll get a really unique trip. You should be able to pick up the California Coastal Trail from Eureka and then hike either south or north and hitch back. I would doubt that hitching would be too much of a problem.
Our journals are at www.trailjournals.com/westcoast (http://www.trailjournals.com/westcoast) , thanks for the mention Chris.
There are certainly sections of it on the Cali Coast that rival the PCT scenery and experience..... (like near Eureka!) Check out the Lost Coast, or Redwood National Park.
DMA, 2000
08-23-2005, 02:22
This year in March you would have found a fair bit of snow at high elevations on the PCT in Los Angeles County...you won't necessarily avoid it.
I did the Lost Coast Trail the other week. If you want isolation, you can find it there. You can also find there a hard slog through sand. And when you tire of the soft fine sand, it is replaced by a coarser (think football sized) grain of sand that threatens to break your ankles with every step. And then, when you've finally left the beach you get 20 something miles of proper trail going up and down and up and down and up and...well, you get the idea.
Did I mention that it can be stunningly gorgeous and you will be entertained by elks and seals? Though I'll add in a caveat for the gorgeous part in that low elevations can be shrouded in think fog 24-hours/day.
All in all, a very interesting hike.
Redwood NP and SP are both really impressive as well.
There is a woman who does shuttles in that area. She's really nice and can take you anywhere, but it's prohibitively expensive.
Tha Wookie
08-23-2005, 08:45
I did the Lost Coast Trail the other week. If you want isolation, you can find it there. You can also find there a hard slog through sand. And when you tire of the soft fine sand, it is replaced by a coarser (think football sized) grain of sand that threatens to break your ankles with every step. And then, when you've finally left the beach you get 20 something miles of proper trail going up and down and up and down and up and...well, you get the idea.
Did I mention that it can be stunningly gorgeous and you will be entertained by elks and seals? Though I'll add in a caveat for the gorgeous part in that low elevations can be shrouded in think fog 24-hours/day.
All in all, a very interesting hike.
Redwood NP and SP are both really impressive as well.
There is a woman who does shuttles in that area. She's really nice and can take you anywhere, but it's prohibitively expensive.
Great synoposis of the Lost Coast. Did you know that ALL California beach is public property up to the high-tide line? (Even Malibu Colony Beach!)
Check out the "California Coast Trail" books, and county guides, linked somewhere at: www.coastwalk.org (http://www.coastwalk.org)
What DMA said about the coastal walking is right -it is not, as they say, always a "walk on the beach". In fact, it's on a less than half the time in Cali. And when it is on the beach, it's hardly easy.
Just remember, walk near the tideline in the WET SAND, where it is compacted and a very nice surface. For large gravel beaches, look out for rocks in the surf (ouch!). Also, look out for agates -beautiful!
The lost coast is remeniscient of Southern maine on the AT when it goes inland -brutal climbs, but once again well worth it!
A Very relaxed and nice segment is right at the top of the state, from the border to Crescent City.
oliander
08-25-2005, 01:26
I second the idea of hiking the Lost Coast. That is a very remote area - you can do a lot in a week. It happens to be close to Eureka.
Skip the redwood trails (such as in Redwood National Park) as it's impossible to create a week-long adventure out of that. Two days, max.
If you LIKE winter/spring snow backpacking, consider going up to the Trinity Alps/Marble Mountain area. That is not far from Eureka. The PCT does happen to go through there, but I've heard that the best trails up there are not the PCT.
The California desert will be gorgeous in March. Perfect timing, in terms of weather and wildflowers. Your choice of the Death Valley area, the Mojave desert, or the Anza Borrego Desert near San Diego. The problem is that all of these areas are a very long drive from Sacramento (maybe 7 hours) and ridiculously long from Eureka (maybe 11-13 hours).
Good luck!
Oliander