PCT questions

[A-Train]

i carried a 5lb tent on the pct. no probs. got used to the bear can too. it's all in your head

It's all in your pack actually

[Mags]

It's all in your pack actually

The "all in the head" comment makes me think of this Abbey quote:

Nobody seems more obsessed by diet than our antimaterialist, otherworldly, New Age, spiritual types. But if the material world is merely illusion, an honest guru should be as content with Budweiser and bratwurst as with raw carrot juice, tofu, and seaweed slime.

[TrippinBTM]

Cool, I was thinking about the ULA. Is the ULA circuit big enough? I'm worried about the bear-can fitting in there. It seems to cost about 1/3 less than the catalyst, which I appreciate. If I can get by with a smaller pack, that's good by me.

I should confess that I know just about nothing about bear cannisters.

I've tried tarps, just with a cheapo "blue tarp" I got at warmart. Worked ok, got wet a few times, eaten alive too, before I broke down in CT and got my tent mailed to me. Mostly because of the wet; didn't mind the bugs too bad. I'll probably stick with a tent, though. Easier to use, IMO. Though at Trail Days the "Appy Trails" tarps looked pretty cool, liked the idea. May consider that, or something like it. Still, I like my freestanding tent...

by the way, great Edward Abbey quote. The man is my hero!

[TwoForty]

I saw people doing fine with their Circuits, although they had a lot of stuff on the outside. I carried my Catalyst stuffed to the brim on a few days. I typically had one day too much food though. The Circuit will fit a bear can, but last I checked you have to use it vertically (not that comfortable with a single stay, or no stay) and cram your gear around it.

If I tried the PCT again, I would go with the Circuit, but I would have to leave some stuff at home and suck it up during some of the big water hauls. I know the resupply stretch from Mojave/Tehachapi to Kennedy Meadows looked tough with a long waterless stretch and a potential for carrying a lot of food. But I didn't make it that far, so it could have been a cakewalk.

[taildragger]

Cool, I was thinking about the ULA. Is the ULA circuit big enough? I'm worried about the bear-can fitting in there. It seems to cost about 1/3 less than the catalyst, which I appreciate. If I can get by with a smaller pack, that's good by me.

I can put my bv500 and supplies in my catalyst, you should be fine in the sierras, the trick is fitting the food in the bear can. And for the Sierra's you may want to go tent over tarp, the mosquitoes in the Sierra's can be maddening (or so I here, there were pretty bad at 8000' in Yosemite in early June last year.)

[K.B.]

I hiked the PCT with a Gossamer Gear Mariposa and used a Bear Vault 500 in the high Sierras. The Bear Vault did not fit/work so well with the Mariposa at I was glad to send the BV 500 home from Bridgeport. I gave the Bear Vault to my friend after the hike.

Number of bears I saw in the required Bear Canister use area = 0. I think for the most part bears were not living that high in the Sierra’s when I was there in June.

Have fun hiking the PCT!

K.B.

[Boudin]

It needs to be big enough to carry a s*** load of water.

[neighbor dave]

for the Sierra's you may want to go tent over tarp, the mosquitoes in the Sierra's can be maddening (or so I here, there were pretty bad at 8000' in Yosemite in early June last year.)

ditto for sections of oregon and washington. i saw folks under a tarp that weren't haven't fun when the skeeters got rough, they were very thick

[Sly]

I know the resupply stretch from Mojave/Tehachapi to Kennedy Meadows looked tough with a long waterless stretch and a potential for carrying a lot of food. But I didn't make it that far, so it could have been a cakewalk.

That stretch can be busted up into 100 miles and 50 miles with a side trip to Onyx, Isabella or Kernville.

Also, SMD's Wild Oasis worked fine when the mosquitoes were out. (tarp with noseeum skirting)

[Sly]

Taildragger, when were you at Kennedy Meadows?

[taildragger]

Taildragger, when were you at Kennedy Meadows?

June 10th, or so, right around the time the trail caught on fire again and I realized I was bankrupt. I didn't get to hike there, at that point I was bumming around the state picking up gear.

[taildragger]

I can put my bv500 and supplies in my catalyst, you should be fine in the sierras, the trick is fitting the food in the bear can. And for the Sierra's you may want to go tent over tarp, the mosquitoes in the Sierra's can be maddening (or so I here, there were pretty bad at 8000' in Yosemite in early June last year.)

I meant circuit....

[taildragger]

June 10th, or so, right around the time the trail caught on fire again and I realized I was bankrupt. I didn't get to hike there, at that point I was bumming around the state picking up gear.

I was in Yosemite before that, contemplating on doing the JMT SOBO style, thats where I'd experience the mosquitos anytime I got near a body of water that wasn't a water fall.

[Sly]

June 10th, or so, right around the time the trail caught on fire again and I realized I was bankrupt. I didn't get to hike there, at that point I was bumming around the state picking up gear.

Just missed you. I got there around the 15th. I hiked up to the Anderson's (did you stop there?) and a little beyond but got sucked back in. Joe and teriie took me up. Hiked from KM to Trail Pass (Lone Pine) before taking the bus to Tahoe.

Here's what the trail looked like a day out of KM.

[taildragger]

Just missed you. I got there around the 15th. I hiked up to the Anderson's (did you stop there?) and a little beyond but got sucked back in. Joe and teriie took me up. Hiked from KM to Trail Pass (Lone Pine) before taking the bus to Tahoe.

Here's what the trail looked like a day out of KM.

No, actually was about 2 miles from their place when I decided that I was getting a little too loopy to be in the desert. The beer they left out did help me for a while.

[Sly]

No, actually was about 2 miles from their place when I decided that I was getting a little too loopy to be in the desert. The beer they left out did help me for a while.

Probably just as well. I ended up staying three weeks. Joe and Terrie are great people. Feed hikers pancakes and coffee in the morning, taco salad at night and the coolers were always full of beer and soda. Donation only.

I took the blue blaze from "the Oasis" to their house.

[mudhead]

Is a BV500 big enough? In a practical sense.

[yappy]

in 96 we did'nt need to cannister...when did it start anyhow ?

[MOWGLI]

Is a BV500 big enough? In a practical sense.

I carried food for my daughter and me in one on the JMT. So.... yes. It should be plenty big.

[yappy]

like others have said, water will be the issue. back in the day ( yikes ! ) I used a Dana with the top off and it worked great. On a sobo pct hike I used to Ozone and it seems like al lot of room.. but, the vapor seems about right.