AT or PCT?

[cthomasy]

Hi everyone! I've planning on doing an AT thru-hike in 2015 starting March 1st and finishing early August for a few years now, but recently I was doing some research on planning for the AT and what not and I came across this video of the PCT (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIvyuazEoaw). I've heard of the PCT for awhile now but I haven't really given much thought to it as a thru-hike before doing the AT but after watching the video and seeing all the great views and scenery I'm torn! I want to do the PCT now! Which trail do you all think I should do? If I end up doing the PCT could I still finish early August? Please help!

[Lone Wolf]

Pct.......

[Kerosene]

PCT will certainly provide you with a truer wilderness experience. As there are fewer thru-hikers with fewer towns than the AT there is slightly less of a social aspect to the hike. I view the logistics as much more difficult; especially through the southern deserts. If I was in your position I would probably lean toward the PCT, but you can't go wrong with either one I would think.

[colorado_rob]

I'd suggest if you ever want to do both, do the AT first. I'm from out west, used to hiking out here. It is a REAL struggle to hike the entire AT for me because of the lack of open vistas and the sameness of it all. You being from Indiana, might not have this problem, unless you've hike extensively out west.

(For the record, I've only done the AT from Springer to NY; I have very high hopes for the northern section of the AT).

So do the AT, then the PCT.

And when you do the PCT, finishing in August might be a real challenge, without some sort of creative flip-flop; you just generally cannot hike the Sierras too early, meaning starting in mid-late April, meaning probably finishing in September at the earliest. Unless you are very fast.

[rafe]

PCT would have the better scenery for sure. PCT is longer but from what I hear, easier than the AT. AT has major verticals (average, per day) and the scenery is... well, about what you'd expect from the Appalachians, for the most part. Occasionally very very nice but not quite the jaw-dropping views of the PCT and JMT. It's never very far from civilization.

The AT has a big social scene, hostels and trail angels and hiker-feeds aplenty, if that's what you're into. Or you can do it southbound (or any of several alternate schemes) and have a very solitary hike. AT has a lot of history and tradition to it.

All that said, NH and ME on the AT are pretty spectacular. Too bad so many northbound thru-hikers hit 'em when they're worn out and tired.

[fiddlehead]

You want to be more wet, or more hot and dry?
AT is humid and it rains a lot. (some call it the green tunnel)
PCT starts with 800 miles of high desert and it never rains> Nor has a lot of shade.

A few other differences but they are the two that stick most in my mind.

Years ago, there were way less people hiking the PCT, but I think that's changed now.

[Bobby]

Hi everyone! I've planning on doing an AT thru-hike in 2015 starting March 1st and finishing early August for a few years now, but recently I was doing some research on planning for the AT and what not and I came across this video of the PCT (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIvyuazEoaw). I've heard of the PCT for awhile now but I haven't really given much thought to it as a thru-hike before doing the AT but after watching the video and seeing all the great views and scenery I'm torn! I want to do the PCT now! Which trail do you all think I should do? If I end up doing the PCT could I still finish early August? Please help!

both are fun and have different aspects to offer. That being said, if I could only do one trail again, it would be the pct. views, weather, differing terrain and ecosystems. In many ways it's actually easier too. At least mile for mile

[Venchka]

Hike the John Muir Trail as a warm up for long distance hiking. After you complete that hike, if you want to do a multi-month hike, then flip a coin for your next, longer adventure.
Include the CDT in your coin flipping.

Wayne

[flemdawg1]

Just be careful slapping down those 3-sided coins. Those corners are SHARP.

[Ricky&Jack]

i know the AT has a town every few days for re-supply.

Whats it like on the PCT? once every other week you can find a store to re-supply?

[Malto]

I would do PCT hands down. but there is less than a 1% chance of you finishing by early August, so you will want to do the AT or change your constraints.

[Miner]

The PCT has become too crowded in recent years (1800 permits issued by the PCTA this year; was only 400 in 2009), so I think you'll have a better experience on the AT because at least they spread their starting time out over 2.5 months while everyone on the PCT seems to start in a 3 week window.

You can't finish in early August on the PCT unless you are a speed hiker since you can't even start the trail until sometime in April in most years; most people start mid April to early May. There is a big difference between the Smokey Mountains holding snow and the Sierra Nevada holding snow in the spring so its best to let a lot of it melt off first.

Sure the PCT has more views, at least until the AT gets up to New Hampshire. But you can resupply every 2-4 days on the AT and hide in a shelter everynight. Resupplies on the PCT are 4-7 days. Longer in the High Sierra if you don't want to hike extra non-PCT miles to get to a trailhead. And there are no shelters.

[Ricky&Jack]

so re-supply is about every 4-7 days on the PCT? hows the water availability? daily?

[Miner]

so re-supply is about every 4-7 days on the PCT? hows the water availability? daily?

Water is a big issue during the first 700 miles as you hike in Southern California. You can usually find water at least once a day. But that really depends on your daily mileage. Going 15-20miles is not unusual to get to the next water source. There can be a couple of longer stretches, but there are water caches that break it up; though you shouldn't rely on them as they can be empty if you are behind a large group. A drought year can be worse, but I often carried 4.5L. I did carry 6L of water once. There are a few dry streches up in Northern California and Southern Oregon, but you usually are doing big mileage then so its not hard to get to the next source.

[Ricky&Jack]

is the pct trail well marked like the AT? I mean, like, can you usually see the foot path? or do you basically come to a big open area and all you know is "i need to head north towards that mountain, and then I should be able to pick the trail back up?"

[Mags]

May want to read this doc (Even if I wrote it)

http://www.pmags.com/pacific-crest-trail-planning-info

[Ricky&Jack]

May want to read this doc (Even if I wrote it)

http://www.pmags.com/pacific-crest-trail-planning-info

I browsed that, and especially loved the comparison to the A.T.

I didnt see an average $ though to hike the PCT. Do you know the average money needed?

Im told $4,000-$6,000 is best for the A.T.

But im guessing since theres less hostels/motels/towns on the PCT that pretty much everynight will be on the trail, saving money for room and board.

any rough estimate?

[Mags]

$1000/mo is a good baseline for the big three trails IMO. (Not counting transportation cost to/from trail as well as initial gear). A faster thru-hike costs less. A longer thru-hike costs more.

The PCT and CDT have less town stops, but the town stops tend to be more $$$$. Personally, I think it is a wash in terms of cost.

[DLP]

so re-supply is about every 4-7 days on the PCT? hows the water availability? daily?

Days between food resupply is very dependent on how many miles per day you are able to hike. Is is probably better to ask the miles between resupplies (and water). A lot of PCT resupplies are 70, 80 or 90 miles apart. That might be 3 days for one person and 9 days for another person. But a person doing an average of 10 miles a day probably won't complete a PCT thru hike.

PCT resupplies: http://postholer.com/databook/resupply.php

Dogs on the PCT are more problematic because of the number of miles thru National Parks.

[Miner]

What I don't like about Postholer's resupply list is it doesn't tell you how easy it is to get to some of them or back from them or whether or not you have to send a box. Some of the ones listed, I skipped over because it was generally believed that the hitch would be hard or because I had to send yet another box.