Planning a hike to Mexico, new to long hiking.

[trinsic]

Hi everyone. I go by Scott : Larson.
I am planning I hike to Mexico and from there Peru, I would like to see Manchu Picchu.

I wonder when the bedtime to go is and if I have worry about snow traveling south.

Thank you for your time

[trinsic]

If it was not clear I meant hiking using the PCT, and the word bedtime is a word mistake, I meant best time

[garlic08]

If you don't get many meaningful replies from hikers who have done this, look into the bike touring world. A few cyclists a year will travel from Alaska to Argentina. There's a fairly well established route and set of logistics, some of which might apply to a walk. Good luck and a good journey!

[Slo-go'en]

Do you intend to start hiking at the Canadian boarder and hike south to Peru? You understand the PCT ends at the Mexican boarder? To get to Peru from there will take some serous planning.

Typically the earliest one can start the PCT from Canada without hitting a lot of snow is Late June, early July. But knowing what "typical" is anymore is becoming a challenge.

Before you embark on this ambisous trek, go do a moderately long hike of at least a couple of weeks. Doing that will go a long way in the final planning or make you decided maybe this isn't a good idea after all.

[trinsic]

I plan on finding acess to the trail here in Northern California I do not plan on going to Caneda to start from there.

[trinsic]

Ok, do you have any suggestion for a more moderate hike that is relatively close to Morthern California.

[trinsic]

Ok, do you have any suggestion for a more moderate hike that is relatively close to Morthern California.

Do you intend to start hiking at the Canadian boarder and hike south to Peru? You understand the PCT ends at the Mexican boarder? To get to Peru from there will take some serous planning.

Typically the earliest one can start the PCT from Canada without hitting a lot of snow is Late June, early July. But knowing what "typical" is anymore is becoming a challenge.

Before you embark on this ambisous trek, go do a moderately long hike of at least a couple of weeks. Doing that will go a long way in the final planning or make you decided maybe this isn't a good idea after all.

[trinsic]

Thank you for the suggestion, I didn't think of that angle. Will do.

If you don't get many meaningful replies from hikers who have done this, look into the bike touring world. A few cyclists a year will travel from Alaska to Argentina. There's a fairly well established route and set of logistics, some of which might apply to a walk. Good luck and a good journey!

[Siestita]

Scott Larson--Some North American hikers will warn you to never hike, trek, or do backcountry camping in Mexico or elsewhere in Latin America. I am not one of those people. During the mid-1970s I hiked and backpacked extensively in Costa Rica and a bit in Guatemala. Subsequently, between 1980 and 2013 I've hiked, camped, and backpacked many times at various places in Mexico. It can be done.

But, for the sake of both convenience and safety, its very important that such hikers, when traveling independently, possess substantial Spanish conversational skills. So, unless you already possess that fluency, I strongly recommend that you acquire it early on, perhaps before making the journey or by attending, for at least three or four weeks, one of the intensive Spanish-for-Foreigners schools located in Mexico, Guatemala, and several other Latin American countries.

Also, you should learn as much as possible about safety conditions in particular areas. There are some places in Mexico that I enjoyed hiking through during the 1980s where, due to increased drug cartel violence, I would not travel today.

You may find this thread from the Thorn Tree web site to be helpful. I contributed there as "chris0daniel".

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntr...istance-hiking

As you may already realize, it is not possible to safely hike from Central America to Colombia. Jungle conditions are inhospitable there in the Darien Gap, a lawless area where murderous drug cartel activity occurs. So, to reach South America you would need to bypass that stretch of land, instead proceeding from Panama to Colombia by air or by boat.

Also, note that people engaged in foot travel have expenses. In other words hiking is not free. Numerous threads here on White Blaze discuss the cost, typically at least several thousand dollars, of completing a thru hike of the Appalachian Trail (AT) or Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). Costs for food, occasional town lodging, and replacement of clothing or equipment add up over time. You would also have costs trekking in Latin America.

Perhaps you are at a point in your life with unlimited time available to hike, but a fixed quantity of funds. If so, consider this possibility. If your finances and other circumstances are favorable you could thru hike the PCT, going either northbound or southbound. Then you could fly to Peru, visit Machu Picchu, and do hiking/trekking in that region (Peru and Chile) for months or years, not flying home until your money is about to run out.

[Fredt4]

"I don't consent to censoring of any of my communications without a verified claim by a man or woman. All my communications are my exclusive property."

Not sure what this means. I'm not filing a claim. Perhaps I'll submit my 2017 PCT costs as a claim later on.

[trinsic]

Thank you so much. This has given me a lot to think about. I have not really prepared to be able to do this hike but something is calling me to visit Machi Picchu. But realistically I am not ready for financiallly or physically.

I understood that it would be difficult to get to Macu Picchu on foot from Mexico. This is why I am posting here you information is really valuable thank you.

I am one of those people who are think rashly due to my current living situation. I want to get off the grid and just travel but I don't know where to start and I don't really have the resources to do it. But this is why I am feeling things out.

Scott Larson--Some North American hikers will warn you to never hike, trek, or do backcountry camping in Mexico or elsewhere in Latin America. I am not one of those people. During the mid-1970s I hiked and backpacked extensively in Costa Rica and a bit in Guatemala. Subsequently, between 1980 and 2013 I've hiked, camped, and backpacked many times at various places in Mexico. It can be done.

But, for the sake of both convenience and safety, its very important that such hikers, when traveling independently, possess substantial Spanish conversational skills. So, unless you already possess that fluency, I strongly recommend that you acquire it early on, perhaps before making the journey or by attending, for at least three or four weeks, one of the intensive Spanish-for-Foreigners schools located in Mexico, Guatemala, and several other Latin American countries.

Also, you should learn as much as possible about safety conditions in particular areas. There are some places in Mexico that I enjoyed hiking through during the 1980s where, due to increased drug cartel violence, I would not travel today.

You may find this thread from the Thorn Tree web site to be helpful. I contributed there as "chris0daniel".

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntr...istance-hiking

As you may already realize, it is not possible to safely hike from Central America to Colombia. Jungle conditions are inhospitable there in the Darien Gap, a lawless area where murderous drug cartel activity occurs. So, to reach South America you would need to bypass that stretch of land, instead proceeding from Panama to Colombia by air or by boat.

Also, note that people engaged in foot travel have expenses. In other words hiking is not free. Numerous threads here on White Blaze discuss the cost, typically at least several thousand dollars, of completing a thru hike of the Appalachian Trail (AT) or Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). Costs for food, occasional town lodging, and replacement of clothing or equipment add up over time. You would also have costs trekking in Latin America.

Perhaps you are at a point in your life with unlimited time available to hike, but a fixed quantity of funds. If so, consider this possibility. If your finances and other circumstances are favorable you could thru hike the PCT, going either northbound or southbound. Then you could fly to Peru, visit Machu Picchu, and do hiking/trekking in that region (Peru and Chile) for months or years, not flying home until your money is about to run out.

[trinsic]

If you really want to know what this means DM me and I will answer any questions you have. I do not want to distract this thread with non-relevant information.

Thank you for understanding.

"I don't consent to censoring of any of my communications without a verified claim by a man or woman. All my communications are my exclusive property."

Not sure what this means. I'm not filing a claim. Perhaps I'll submit my 2017 PCT costs as a claim later on.

[Dogwood]

Ok, do you have any suggestion for a more moderate hike that is relatively close to Morthern California.

Umm, you have a designated National Recreational Trail the Lost Coast Tr a segment of the Cali Coastal Tr near you. Some of the best the Cali Coastal Tr has to offer.

Want a moderate 2-5 day hike look at the Pt Reyes National Seashore Area with its network of trails that are connected to other trail networks.

There are so many miles of running and hiking trails in the SF bay area as well that can be designed to as a many overnight backpacking trip.

[Dogwood]

As I'm perceiving it you want to go SOBO on the PCT from somewhere starting in NoCal to the Mexican Border not hike through Mexico/Central America to Peru not thru hike the PCT. After the long multi month PCT hike once near San Diego(Mexican Border) that can easily be accomplished taking a flight to Peru doing an eco tour of Machu Picchu. Maybe(strongly advised!), stop back home in Santa Rosa, regroup as a traveler/eco tour day hiker, and then take your flight to S. America. So, in actuality those are two different things. Good luck. Would be a great way to cap off a PCT CA section hike!

[Siestita]

"I am one of those people who are think rashly due to my current living situation. I want to get off the grid and just travel but I don't know where to start and I don't really have the resources to do it. But this is why I am feeling things out."

You have identified two separate means by which people sometimes travel for extended periods of time while spending far less money per day than conventional vacationing costs:

1. Hiking for months on a long distance trail in the USA, for example the AT or PCT.

2. Engaging in low budget travel for extended periods of time in Latin America. Europeans describe this form of travel as "backpacking" even though they rarely if ever hike very far or camp out in the woods. Instead they simply use their backpacks as luggage. They often lodge in dormitory settings (hostels) or stay at very cheap hotels. By exercising substantial self-discipline its possible to do that in Mexico, and many places further south, without spending more than about U.S, $30 per day, an amount comparable to the costs that some AT and PCT hikers incur. Thirty dollars per day means spending $900 per month to engage in cheap travel.

Here on White Blaze there have been many threads discussing how much hikers spend to complete trails such as the AT and PCT. There have also been discussions about means of saving money in advance to make extended hikes possible.

Discussions regularly occur on the Mexico Branch of the Thorn Tree travel forum about very cheap lodgings (hotel rooms for less than US $15 per night) in various places, and about other means of economizing while traveling. It is generally cheaper to remain in a single place (which can be very exotic and/or 'off the grid') than it is to change locales, busing or flying long distances between "sights".

Have fun conducting web research about possibilities.

[Venchka]

Northern California is a very loose and ambiguous term.
Postholer.com has online maps of the Pacific Crest Trail along with other trails on the west coast and a wealth of information on hiking all or parts of these trails.
A blog by a couple currently on the PCT.
https://nobohobos.wordpress.com
A YouTube channel from Dixie also on the PCT.
http://homemadewanderlust.com/videos/
Good luck!
Wayne


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[trinsic]

Sorry. You are right. I live in Santa Rosa ca. I will look at the maps from the link you sent me thank you very much.

Northern California is a very loose and ambiguous term.
Postholer.com has online maps of the Pacific Crest Trail along with other trails on the west coast and a wealth of information on hiking all or parts of these trails.
A blog by a couple currently on the PCT.
https://nobohobos.wordpress.com
A YouTube channel from Dixie also on the PCT.
http://homemadewanderlust.com/videos/
Good luck!
Wayne


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[trinsic]

Thank you, what I meant by off the grid I meant that I want to get away from civilation for a awhile so I probably used the wrong term. Eventually I would like to get off the grid permanently via earthship http://www.earthship.com or something like it. I'm really starting to feel the ill effects of civilized life due to what I am finding out about the world, I'm really starting to get depressed. But whenever I think about places I'd like to go it allways makes me feel better, so mabey I'm meant to travel instead of staying in one place for to long. I did backpack though Europe in 2000 for 3 months. Sometimes I wish I didn't come back. Anyway I'd really like to see some country for awhile, I think this is why I am looking into this with greater interest.
You gave me some really important information in this post on how to save money, I hope I can buy you a beer some day.

"I am one of those people who are think rashly due to my current living situation. I want to get off the grid and just travel but I don't know where to start and I don't really have the resources to do it. But this is why I am feeling things out."

You have identified two separate means by which people sometimes travel for extended periods of time while spending far less money per day than conventional vacationing costs:

1. Hiking for months on a long distance trail in the USA, for example the AT or PCT.

2. Engaging in low budget travel for extended periods of time in Latin America. Europeans describe this form of travel as "backpacking" even though they rarely if ever hike very far or camp out in the woods. Instead they simply use their backpacks as luggage. They often lodge in dormitory settings (hostels) or stay at very cheap hotels. By exercising substantial self-discipline its possible to do that in Mexico, and many places further south, without spending more than about U.S, $30 per day, an amount comparable to the costs that some AT and PCT hikers incur. Thirty dollars per day means spending $900 per month to engage in cheap travel.

Here on White Blaze there have been many threads discussing how much hikers spend to complete trails such as the AT and PCT. There have also been discussions about means of saving money in advance to make extended hikes possible.

Discussions regularly occur on the Mexico Branch of the Thorn Tree travel forum about very cheap lodgings (hotel rooms for less than US $15 per night) in various places, and about other means of economizing while traveling. It is generally cheaper to remain in a single place (which can be very exotic and/or 'off the grid') than it is to change locales, busing or flying long distances between "sights".

Have fun conducting web research about possibilities.

[ScareBear]

This country is kinda sorta...big. Like freaking huge. You could spend the rest of your life hiking the US and not see it all. Not even close. You want to get off the grid? Hike Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, or Oregon. Something warmer off the grid? Southern Utah, Northern New Mexico, Northern Arizona. And we haven't even gotten within a few hundred miles of the Continental Divide yet!

Machu Picchu is great. Once in a lifetime trip. Don't know how you can get there on the cheap, though.

Why don't you try the PCT from Cali south to MX. If you make it to MX, you are good to go anywhere. Consider it your shakedown hike...

Money-wise, yeah...MX is budget friendly. But I would never hike through it, and I speak fluent Spanish. There are some great places, but it's not a thru-hiker's dream. Nightmare, maybe....

Have you ever hiked in the jungle? It's not exactly what you may think.

Honestly, if you aren't fluent, and I mean you can freely and easily speak Spanish with complete understanding, then I'd forget about it. I've been through Central America. I'd never go back to Nicaragua, Honduras or El Salvador again. Unless you paid me. A lot. And armed me. Heavily. I've been invited on a US-Argentina motorcycle ride and declined because it wasn't sponsored. I'm not going to spend my own money for that kind of trouble...just sayin...

[trinsic]

This country is kinda sorta...big. Like freaking huge. You could spend the rest of your life hiking the US and not see it all. Not even close. You want to get off the grid? Hike Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, or Oregon. Something warmer off the grid? Southern Utah, Northern New Mexico, Northern Arizona. And we haven't even gotten within a few hundred miles of the Continental Divide yet!

Thank you, for the suggestions

Machu Picchu is great. Once in a lifetime trip. Don't know how you can get there on the cheap, though.

Why don't you try the PCT from Cali south to MX. If you make it to MX, you are good to go anywhere. Consider it your shakedown hike...

That's a good sgguestion, how long does it take to travel from the mid point on the PCT to Mexico?

Money-wise, yeah...MX is budget friendly. But I would never hike through it, and I speak fluent Spanish. There are some great places, but it's not a thru-hiker's dream. Nightmare, maybe....

Have you ever hiked in the jungle? It's not exactly what you may think.

No I never have, and I'm assuming it's rough. So I don't plan on it.

Honestly, if you aren't fluent, and I mean you can freely and easily speak Spanish with complete understanding, then I'd forget about it. I've been through Central America. I'd never go back to Nicaragua, Honduras or El Salvador again. Unless you paid me. A lot. And armed me. Heavily. I've been invited on a US-Argentina motorcycle ride and declined because it wasn't sponsored. I'm not going to spend my own money for that kind of trouble...just sayin...