ADZPCTKO

Every year there is a sort of kick-off party in late April near the southern terminus of the PCT. It's called "ADZPCTKO" and can be read about and registered for here (registration will begin some time later in February). This year the dates are April 24-26, with the main event on Saturday, April 25. It's 20 miles from the beginning of the PCT, right along the trail. 

They say it's a lot of fun, you can eat free food, meet other PCT thru-hikers, and discuss, analyze, and buy gear. On the downside, it means that there will be a large group of hikers all bunched together on the trail for several hundred miles. If you want solitude for these sections, they say, start your hike a week or two before or after the ADZPCTKO. 

Seeing that I am hiking alone, have never done the PCT before, and am a curious fellow, I plan to start off my hike at the ADZPCTKO. I want to see what it's all about and maybe start getting to know people (even though I expect to hike alone most of the time).