PCT completion news story
Brian Miller completes the PCT...
http://www.voicenews.com/stories/103...71031001.shtml
It's Pacific Crest Trail!The Pacific Coast Trail is often referred to as the Mount Everest of hiking. It is a grueling five-month march through broiling desert and snow-capped mountain peaks - an endurance test most will fail.
Consider this statistic: A hiker who conquers the entire trail becomes part of an exclusive club, said to be fewer in number than the 660 who have scaled the world's tallest mountain.
As many as 300 people each year from around the globe leave their families and jobs, aspiring to hike the scenic historic trail. On average, 60 percent succeed; some years it's as few as 10 percent.
I don't think it was ever considered the Mt Everest of hiking but, at one time, it was noted, fewer had hiked the ENTIRE trail. I also see the reference to the a reliance on "trail angels", pity, pity.
I wonder how many writers research or fact check when writing these articles?
Do you believe the article that "on average 60% succeed"?Originally Posted by Sly
Some years, yes. It's 2650 miles but a fairly easy trail to hike, not steep like the AT. It's a walk in the park. It depends on the snow pack, or lack of it. In above average snow years the completion rate is much lower. Sometimes less than 10%.
You have to love journalists
and their editors.
-Omar Morales
Future AT hiker
Not steep?I wouldn't be claiming the PCT is "flat along the ridgeline" anytime soon.
The only savings is that the PCT was designed for pack animals as well as hikers, hence the 10% grade often, versus the old 15-20 grade on the old Cascade Crest Trail.
But I have yet to see more than a 1/2 mile of "flat" trail on the PCT in Wa or Or. Its either going up, up and more up or knee crunching down. You still have ALL the gains and losses, iit just takes a bit longer due to switchbacks.
And I wouldn't call the snow fields of Wa "easy" unless you are hiking it in August.
Not steep like the AT.... OR was EZ.Not steep?
Last edited by Sly; 11-07-2007 at 19:00.
I kept a list of almost every thru I met this summer. Just about 50% finished. But, I didn't get super technical with these stats. Many folks had to road walk the last 60 or 30 miles due to snow, but I counted these obviously as finishers.
So, I'd say of the people I met who left Mexico intending to get to Canada, about half of these people were out all season long. If you counted it based on hiking EVERY single mile from Mex to Canada, well the number would be much lower, I wouldn't qualify either.
The fact is, there is a different attitude on the PCT, then on the AT, as far as purism in general. But this is simply what I noticed.
Anything's within walking distance if you've got the time.
GA-ME 03, LT 04/06, PCT 07'
Bummer, that was one of the better sections.
It's also worth noting that the completion percentage is dictated greatly by the elements and that this drastically affects the completion numbers.
This yr was a very "easy" yr to hike the PCT. Course it was a lot of work and walking, but there was virtually no snow, little rain in Washington and the heat wasn't outrageous. The only challenges were the dryness of the desert, mitigated by the well stocked caches, and the early snows that came in September.
Certainly glad I didn't hike in 05' or 06'. But I guess God decided to throw me a bone after 2003 on the AT
Anything's within walking distance if you've got the time.
GA-ME 03, LT 04/06, PCT 07'
Why Me
Hey ATrain.....Alex, you picked a good year to do the PCT. I'm starting to wonder if I'm cursed or something. AT in 2003 and PCT in 2006, a VERY high snow year. I should show you some pics and tell you some stories about what you missed!
I'm wondering after these two weather years, what the CDT has in store!!
GA - NJ 2001; GA - ME 2003; GA - ME 2005; GA - ME 2007; PCT 2006
A wise man changes his mind, a fool never will.
—SPANISH PROVERB
Yeah it is. Luckily I wasn't one of them. Though I did have whiteout conditions on the last ridge, "high pt in Washington"
Anything's within walking distance if you've got the time.
GA-ME 03, LT 04/06, PCT 07'
I've run into a lot of people who call it the Pacific Coast Trail, even when we were hiking it. Wierd.
We called it the "Pacific not quite the Crest wheelchair Trail" - because of the endless contouring around mountains. Yes, you climb, but SLOWLY and easily. Washington was the only part of the trail that had stiff climbs.
Wouldn't hiking Mt. Everest be the Mt. Everest of hiking?
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