Guidebooks

[TrippinBTM]

If I went with the PCT Data Book and Half Mile's maps, would that be enough? From what I've seen of the Wilderness Guides, they aren't worth the money except for the maps; they give a description of the play by play of the trail, which isn't really necessary.

Though I guess they have town info that the Data Book doesn't have, right? But I already have Yogi's guides, both the planning guide and the on-the-trail guide, with town info. I should be set, right?

-Signed,
someone trying to do a PCT Thru on the relative cheap...

[leaftye]

I don't see the point of the data book if you're using Halfmile or Postholer maps. Both give you mileage and elevation info. I'd use either of those maps with Yogi's town guide and that's it. Well, and a gps because I like carrying it and because mine is also my camera.

[BrianLe]

Note that you can print essentially databook information from postholer's site, http://postholer.com/databook/
Or just suck up the data and put it on your smartphone or whatever.

As with so many things, opinions vary w.r.t. the guidebooks. They're quite verbose, so at times it can be a PITA to be reading ahead the night before and have to wade through a treatise on geology, flora, fauna, etc, when all you want is a terse summary of the specific issues you have to face the next day on the trail. But OTOH, sometimes there are some good things to know in there, dealing with alternate route options, places to get water (and warnings about upcoming waterless stretches), suggested campsites, etc.

I was glad that I had these, cut up into relatively small drop-box pieces. It can be a lot of different pieces of paper (the CDT is worse ...) to deal with, but for the Wilderness Press guidebook pages I mostly just looked these over the night before in my tent, and noted any particular issues. I did carry the relevant pages ready to hand when hiking and on occasion would refer to and re-read a relevant passage, but I think I mostly referred to them for the color maps.

You certainly can do without the books, but amortized out on a per-day basis I think the cost is relatively low. The books haven't been updated for quite a while, or at least last I heard, so if you do opt for the WP books, see if you can buy them used online.

[TrippinBTM]

I'm trying to remember from a friend's copy, but what kind of detail do the maps in the guidebooks give?

I'm starting to wonder if the cost and hassle of printing all the Halfmile maps out isn't going to be worth it, since I don't own a printer and will have to get it done professionally.

[leaftye]

So order Postholer maps. They're very comparable. Don't forget the water report.

[TrippinBTM]

comperable? they cost $200!

[leaftye]

Printing Halfmile maps can cost the same if you don't shop around.

[Sly]

The databook is a simple to refer to guide that helps a great deal especially for water sources or lack of them, roads etc. Although it doesn't have every high and low point, it also give you a pretty good idea of the elevation you'll be traveling. other than that the trail is fairly easy to follow.

But probably most of all, and something many hikers seem to forget, it's purchase helps the PCTA which helps the trail.

If you add up the cost of printing the maps you may be able to buy the out of print guidebooks w/maps.

[Sly]

-Signed,
someone trying to do a PCT Thru on the relative cheap...

That's about the single worst thing you can do. Trust me I've been there. Why would you want to go out West with enough money to be a bum, or have to cut your hike early? You could work another few months and go south, or work another year and not have to worry.

Still, I guess a few months on the trail is better than none.

[TrippinBTM]

I would certainly work if I could find a job. One has not been forthcoming.

[TrippinBTM]

Anyways, I have savings, but want to have some money left for when I finish so I'm not out on the street. I figure one way to save is to not buy things I don't need.

[Green]

What are most of the maps printed on if you decide to go out and buy them? How heavy duty are they/ are they waterproof at all? Id love to see maps printed on things like tyvek that could be waterproof.

[Sly]

I would certainly work if I could find a job. One has not been forthcoming.

That sucks...

Anyways, I have savings, but want to have some money left for when I finish so I'm not out on the street. I figure one way to save is to not buy things I don't need.

I hear you. It will probably be cheaper in the long run to buy the guides. Try Amazon, all three (Southern California, Northern California, and Oregon and Washington) will be about $45. You'll spend that much in ink and paper alone if you try to print the maps, and won't have the benefit of the guide. Others may disagree but I enjoyed reading them. They're both educational and humorous at the same time. Just be aware, as far as I know the books are out of print. Once they're gone, they're gone.

Hopefully things will be better after your hike. Have a great hike, it's a awesome trail.

[leaftye]

What are most of the maps printed on if you decide to go out and buy them? How heavy duty are they/ are they waterproof at all? Id love to see maps printed on things like tyvek that could be waterproof.

Printing Halfmile or Postholer maps on waterproof "paper" is totally overkill and multiplies the overall cost. Using a laser printer on regular paper is more than enough. That will survive moisture well enough. Put it in a freezer bag for extra protection. I do that for organization anyway.

[BrianLe]

"what kind of detail do the maps in the guidebooks give?"

They're color topo maps, but at a pretty reduced scale; little reading glasses or a little magnifier wouldn't be a bad thing for anyone lacking youthful eyes. They were sufficient for me, and I think for many others, but if you do print out Halfmile's maps you can print them at a nicer scale. Of course, at the cost of more paper to carry, and of course the $$ cost to print them.

I definitely agree with leaftye, print on regular paper, trim slightly to fit in a gallon sized ziplock bag and voila, problem solved there.

[sbhikes]

If you like history and trivia your hike will be enhanced by the guide books. If you only want data, you will not like the guide books. My boyfriend started his hike with data only. But he is a trivia nut so I sent him the guide book parts in his resupply and he was so grateful to have that gaping hole filled for him. How he could stand to walk by so many things and have no way to answer "What is that mountain? What is that tree? What kind of rock is this?"

[Sly]

They're color topo maps, but at a pretty reduced scale; little reading glasses or a little magnifier wouldn't be a bad thing for anyone lacking youthful eyes.

For the most part the only time I needed the maps was in snow. Usually from a pass I could look down the canyon, and on the map and paying particular attention to any drop offs, figure which side of the lake/pond the trail was on. From there it was easy enough to pick up the trail.

The other times, with snow in forest, I don't care how good the map is, you're pretty much ****ed, and have to revert to foot prints (if any), ax cut blazes (if any), and sawed blow downs (if any).

[Chance09]

I think it wouldn't hurt to have both the databook and the maps. Last year on the PCT it seemed everything sort of conflicted. Mileage was different from every different source. Look at it as having different opinions on where your next water source is.

Plus the data book is hilarious.

They list terrain like a "deceptive looking saddle" or a "pond blessed saddle".

[TrippinBTM]

thanks for the help everyone. it's so frustrating not to know what to use, or the costs of things. I'm a map nut, and would love the fancy color topo maps, but i don't know that it's in my price range just now.

I won't go out there without maps, though, so I'm guessing I'll probably be getting the guidebooks, and at least just using their maps, if not the descriptions. Maybe I'll download postholer's data pages, and use the guidebook maps, so I at least don't have to buy the data book.

[BrianLe]

One note here is that the mileages on the guidebooks and databooks match exactly --- they're published by the same folks.

I suspect that Postholer's will be close, but at times you might find that the incremental distances given in the guidebooks (that's all you get there) won't perfectly match Postholer's data. For the most part no big deal at all. I think (?) the only folks this might bother would be those (like me) that try to put exact mileages down for each day in their trail journal entries, but even then it shouldn't be a problem. Just an FYI.

I liked the data book (on the PCT), but postholer's data page stuff wasn't available when I hiked.