If I Did the PCT Again...

I think I'd try going south.

If I walked fast enough and started late enough, I could eliminate most of the particular seasonal challenges of the PCT: excessive heat, snow, full creeks, and mosquitos.

The other day I did an analysis of my mileage on the PCT. I took 131 days and had 13 zeros (all but two in the first half of the hike). It took about 3 weeks to build up my mileage to an average of about 22 miles a day, then it took a drop to about 15 in the Sierra before rising to nearly 24 through northern California and Oregon. It dropped slightly to 23 miles/day in Washington.

What I think I can do

If I repeat the PCT, I don't think I can expect to do far better than my last hike. I was already pretty lightweight and may be able to shave off 1-2 lbs from my pack. My food was close to optimal as well. What I could improve, however, is time management.

High-mileage days (>32 miles) tended to be followed by days with under 10 miles due to exhaustion and loss of energy. Instead, I should stay within a comfortable range of 25-30 miles a day whenever possible and avoid overworking my body.

Town stops were not optimal. In the hot season, I really should try more to reach towns early in the morning and get out as quickly as possible. Town stops were draining on my morale.

I could get rid of most or even all zeros by not staying in town with relatives and friends (yes, I know, that's part of the adventure), by entering towns earlier in the day, by keeping my mileage to under 33 miles per day, and by starting my hike doing 15 miles a day instead of 20.

My plan for a PCT Sobo hike

So, here's my plan:

July 10: Manning Park

August 3: Cascade Locks

August 23: CA-OR border

September 10: Sierra City

September 30: Kennedy Meadows

October 21: San Jacinto Peak

October 28: Mexican border

Socializing

Social needs are not to be underestimated. Walking in complete solitude for more than 2 days at a time is not for me! According to this plan, I figure I would meet Nobos roughly Aug. 5-23 and Sobos during the months of September and October. Most Sobos would start a lot earlier than I, so it would take some time to catch up.

With a schedule like this, I think I would probably get enough social interaction to keep me going. In the early part of the hike I would not be so early in Washington that the seasonal backpackers would not be out, so I'd have them to talk to. In Oregon I'd have numerous but -- unfortunately -- brief conversations with all the Nobos. In California I might have caught up with the Sobos (which seem to clump into just a couple groups because there are so few of them) and would probably be able to spend a lot of time with them. If I eventually passed them by southern California, I would probably still meet backpackers hiking along the PCT and nearby trails since that's perfect hiking season there.

Mosquito season

Is roughly from June 15 to August 7, with isolated pockets hanging on for a couple more weeks. By starting on July 10, I'd miss half the season and would also have little snow to cross in the Washington Cascades.

Mileage

My plan involves starting at 15 miles per day and gradually building up to 25 miles per day by day 20. From there on I could expect to average 25 miles a day regardless of the location, because:

• by the time I got to the Sierras there would be no snow and no rushing creeks to cross, just beautiful empty terrain, fall colors, and almost no backpackers
• by the time I got to the southern California semidesert, it would be October, with much lower temperatures and more tolerable sun

I'm pretty certain I can reach 25 miles per day just by being slightly more efficient with town stops and avoiding 33+ mile days. On my Nobo hike in 2009, 24 miles a day was a sustainable pace for me, with zeros and town stops included.

Weight benefits

No ice-axe would be needed for mid July in Washington. No trekking poles would be needed for crossing Sierra streams. And no bear canister either, since the bears and the rangers would have (I think!) moved lower by the time I got there. With a faster pace through the Sierras, I wouldn't have to restock in Independence and could carry fewer days of food between town stops.

But there are some slight weight penalties. I would need a warmer sleeping bag (quilt) starting in the northern Sierras, as well as a base layer, jacket, gloves, etc. This could add 2 lbs. of weight (less than what I save by not taking a bear canister).

Gear choices

Most of my gear would be the same or very similar. I'd probably get a new pack for the trip, though. I'd probably consider a Zpacks Blast 32 with stiffening rods and other accessories.

Final words

This schedule, I think, would allow me to avoid much of the most unpleasant aspects of my Nobo hike: the heat (esp. during town stops down below) and mosquitos (northern Sierra and southern Oregon).

Dealing with Snow in the High Sierra

It seems that no matter when I enter the High Sierra - whether late May, early June, or mid June, I'll have to deal with fairly copious amounts of snow. Here is what one 2003 PCT thru-hiker wrote about the snow (he entered Sierras on June 10, 2003 in a normal snowfall year):

When is it safe to enter the Sierra? This really depends on the year and how much experience you have on snow and in the mountains. The most generally accepted date to leave Kennedy Meadows is on June 15. I left on June 10 and did fine, although the snow was excessive at times. After leaving Crab Tree meadows, the jumping off point for climbing Mount Whitney, the PCT through the Sierras is a a sequence of passes, separated by valleys. Usually, snow would obscure the trail for the last 2-5 miles before the pass and for 2-5 miles after the pass. Sometimes the snow was nothing more than an annoyance for route finding. Othertimes, there was snow hidden in gullies and in cols that made traverses dangerous or difficult. In the morning the snow would be hard, but usually manageable, except before 9 or so. In the afternoon (around 2 or 3), the snow would be soft enough that postholing (when each step drops you to your knee or worse in the snow) became common.

I sense that I won't truly understand the conditions and how to approach them the safest way possible until I'm actually at the kick-off day (ADZPCTKO) and can talk to former thru-hikers in person.

I'm guessing that the problem with snow before 9 am is that it's icy. I don't see why my Kahtoola microspike traction devices wouldn't help with that. I've walked with them on frozen solid icy trails before, and they provide superb traction, biting into the ice with a loud crackling sound. It seems like it would be a wise idea to use those and get in more hours of morning hiking than to submit myself to hours of postholing in the afternoon.

I am also concerned by stream crossings, which are best attempted early in the morning when flow is lowest. But if there are too many streams to cross, I suppose I will inevitably end up having to do afternoon crossings every once in a while.

Finally, I'm a bit scared at the thought of having to go straight up steep snowy passes like Forrester Pass, and doing any other potentially dangerous things. These fears are normal for PCT thru-hikers, I'm sure.

Since I'm beginning on April 24 and foresee keeping a pretty good pace, even in the early sections (maybe 20 mile/day on average), I could end up at Kennedy Meadows as soon as June 1st. I might try to slow myself down and delay my Sierra crossing by deliberately spending more time in towns in the public libraries, or spending more time hiking along the PCT with relatives and friends (I grew up in Southern California). Maybe someone would take me down into Orange County for old times' sake (never been back since age 21 - 10 years ago). Or, I could just get to Kennedy Meadows as soon as possible and hang out in the southern Sierras or Lone Pine area until the snow mostly melts. 

Ice axe

This page shows how to make an ice axe tether. I'll have to do something like this with my ice axe (CAMP Corsa, 70 cm).

Links for Snow and Water Conditions

For a NOBO hiker starting in late April / early May, it is important to be aware of snow conditions in the mountains of southern and central California, and of water availability along the first 700 miles of the PCT up to Kennedy Meadows. There are also significant waterless stretches in northern California and Oregon, but these have no seasonal water sources to check up on. Here I post links to places where one can find out about those conditions.

Snow

Southern California

San Jacinto Mts. 

• Message board. Just ask people there. 

San Bernardino Mts.

• Message board. Just ask people there. 
  

San Gabriel Mts. 

• Message board. Just ask people there. 

Sierra Nevada

• Superb chart at Postholer.com. In the column on the right you can also select specific stations in the Sierra Nevada and find out about current temps and snow. 

Western U.S. mountains

• Up-to-date maps showing snowpack levels as percentages of normal for the mountains of the western United States. 

Entire U.S. 

• Hi-tech interactive snow depth map covering all states in great detail (very informative).

Water

• Water reports for sections A-G. All the info I think I'll need to know. Shows date of last update for each water source. 
• Up-to-date water info for sections E-G is available at Agua Dulce at the home of the Saufleys, who house and take care of all thru-hikers free of charge. 
• Up-to-date water information will be shared with hikers at ADZPCTKO.

General Trail Considerations

I've done some research to try to pinpoint the conditions I'll need to prepare for psychologically, logistically, and gear-wise. Obviously, gear can be received or sent home (or further ahead to another trail town) at any resupply stop, so gear decisions do not have to be final. 

Weather

Temperatures

As I understand, one needs to be prepared for nighttime temps down to as low as -7 C, or 20 F. These can occur in the mountains of southern and central California in late April to early June, or in the Cascades in September (assuming you're hiking north, as I plan to do). In July and August I'm expecting night temps to be around 8-10 C (45-50 F) most of the time. Daytime temperatures will be high most of the time, maybe even soaring as high as 40 C (104 F). Even on hot days, temperatures will quickly drop after dark, usually reaching the 40s at night. So one must be prepared for both heat and cold. One must have shoes that allow the feet to ventilate as much as possible during hot sections, or face blistered feet. 

Precipitation

Rain is rare on the PCT, mainly striking in the Cascades in early autumn. That said, thunderstorms and downpours can happen nearly anytime. One must have a shelter of some kind. Wind appears to be common, too, making wise campsite selection important. 

Sun

The sun will be shining most of the time, and it will be a killer. Much of the PCT is not in the shade. This dictates either reflective umbrellas (my personal choice) or clothing and a hat that covers all skin. Hikers who leave skin exposed and rely on sunscreen report that it does not work. I prefer staying cool by going shirtless in running shorts, protected from the scorching sun by my Golite Chrome Dome umbrella. This way I sweat less, need less water, and have fewer clothes to wash.

Water

Availability

Water, or the lack thereof, is a serious issue for some parts of the PCT, notably the arid portions in southern California and some of Oregon's cattle country. One simply must know in advance where water will be and prepare accordingly. There will be waterless stretches of up to 30 miles. That could mean carrying 2 or more gallons of water. This requires advance planning and sufficient water bottles for these waterless sections. In other areas there is plenty of water, and one will hardly need to carry more than a liter of water at any time. 

Seasonal sources

Some sources of water may dry up as the summer wears on. One may need to follow water availability reports in order to not receive a bad surprise. I'll post a link to these in a subsequent post. 

Treatment

Most sources say to treat all your water. Most thru-hikers report not treating much of their water. It takes a bit of experience to learn to discern a good water source from a potentially tainted one. Some form of water treatment (mechanical filter, electrical treatment, or chemical drops/tablets) will be needed. I'll be going with Aquamira drops and tablets, personally.

Snow

One will almost certainly encounter snow on the trail in southern and central California, and probably even into Oregon and Washington. There is snow even in low snow years, but the amount can vary widely. This necessitates following snow reports to know what amount of snow to expect. If there's an average amount or a lot, an ice axe is almost certainly necessary for safety on snowy slopes (as a self-arrest tool) in the mountains of southern and central California. Some people take crampons, but most never use them. Some people claim to self-arrest just fine with trekking poles. I personally will be taking an ice axe and Kahtoola microspikes (a traction device with spikes to put over one's shoes) for California's higher mountain areas. 

River crossings

There is no special gear you can have to make river crossings easier. Rope does not help and even paves the way for very dangerous situations. The best you can probably do is find a thick stick to help you through the water, and use a plastic pack liner to avoid getting important food and gear wet. Most or all difficult river crossings will be in the Sierra Nevada. 

Pests

Mosquitos

Most hikers report quite a bit of mosquitos along many parts of the trail. Their amount depends on seasonal factors. This necessitates the use of DEET spray, headnets, and some kind of netted sleeping enclosure. 

Black bears

Much of the PCT passes through black bear country. Bears are most active in stealing hikers' food in the Sierra Nevada, where bear canisters are now required by law. You'll apparently be fined by a ranger or escorted out if you don't have one. I plan to get the Bear Vault 500, possibly borrowing one from previous PCT thru-hikers. I'll pick it up at Kennedy Meadows and send it home when I get out of the Sierras. Other sections of the trail aren't as dangerous, but the best strategy is to avoid established campgrounds and not cook food in camp, but before you stop for the night. Hanging food apparently is not very effective against experienced bears. Most thru-hikers keep it at their side and report no problems, though mice can occasionally gnaw at your food bags. 

Other "pests"

Rattlesnakes, ants, and yellowjackets may also occasionally pose problems, but they will not affect one's choice of gear.