Frame or Frameless Backpack for the PCT?

These new conclusions supersede advice I've given about choosing backpacks before now.

Here's the rundown. Frameless packs are generally comfortable to about 20 lbs. Ultralight thru-hikers on the PCT can get their baseweight down to between 7 and 10 lbs. You're going to be carrying varying amounts of food and water. How do you decide whether to opt for a frame or frameless backpack on the PCT?

Basically, we need to estimate the amount of time we'll be carrying over 20 lbs. and decide whether it's worth it or not to get a frame pack that weighs somewhat more, but is more comfortable. Let's put the threshold at 25%. If your packweight is going to be above 20 lbs. more than 25% of the time, then get a frame pack.

Let's do a bit of math.

We'll assume that:

• one day of food weighs 2.5 lbs and provides near 5000 calories
• you're among the faster hikers and finish in roughly 130 days (like I did)
• you're carrying an average of 2 lbs of water at any given moment
• you're carrying an average of 0.5 lbs of packaging and garbage at any given moment
• you choose the same town stops I did, in particular dropping down to Independence to resupply in the High Sierra

We'll then look at three scenarios:

1. The SUL thru-hiker with a 7.5 lbs. baseweight.

2. The UL thru-hiker with 10 lbs.

3. The lightweight thru-hiker with 12.5 lbs.

In the first case, to be over 20 lbs. the hiker will need to have over 4 days of food (7.5 + 0.5 + 2 + 4 x 2.5 = 20). In the second case, over 3 days of food (10 + 0.5 + 2 + 3 x 2.5 = 20). In the third, over 2 days.

1. SUL thru-hiker: using my calendar, he'll be carrying more than 4 days of food roughly 15% of the time. Conclusion: use a frameless pack.

2. UL thru-hiker: he'll be carrying more than 3 days of food roughly 27% of the time. Conclusion: use a frame pack.

3. Lightweight thru-hiker: he'll be carrying more than 2 days of food roughly 45% of the time. Conclusion: definitely use a frame pack.

As you can see, the cutoff for comfortable use of a frameless pack for the PCT is a baseweight of roughly 9.5 to 10 lbs, assuming a fast pace (finishing in 130 days or less). You can get down to this baseweight only if you practice classical UL principles and shave down all excess weight.

Remember that you'll also be carrying maps and spare batteries and things like that. Oh — and a heavy bear canister for much of the Sierra. If you're using a frameless pack and not dropping down to Independence, your first week or more in the High Sierra could be pretty uncomfortable.

Recommended packs

FRAMELESS

If doing the math shows that you can comfortably use a frameless pack, then I'd go for one of the really light ones (under 12 oz.), such as the Zpacks Blast series. I'd probably get the highest-volume one and store my sleeping bag/quilt semi-compressed to preserve it's insulating capacity.

FRAME PACKS

If you see that you're going to need a frame for added comfort but are going to be under 25 lbs. at least 75% of the time, then consider frame packs from Gossamer Gear (Gorilla and Mariposa Plus). These are completely comfortable to about 25 lbs. The ULA Ohm is totally comfortable to about 28 lbs. These packs are among the lightest frame packs out there and weigh in at under 24 oz. (680 grams).

If your baseweight is 15 lbs. or higher, you're most definitely going to want a pack with a heftier frame capable of carrying 30+ lbs. comfortably. There are many more relatively lightweight commercial options in this category that weigh 2 lbs. or more.

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).