Time Management on the PCT

My site rickdelong.com is currently undergoing reconstruction, so I am going to post one of my PCT related articles here for the time being. Enjoy!

Time Management on the PCT

With today's lightweight backpacking gear, it's easier than ever to hike the entire Pacific Crest Trail in one season. Snow in the spring and fall put natural boundaries on the window of time available to hike through the mountains, and thru-hikers need to get it done in 5 months or less. This article will cover ways of speeding up your thru-hike to finish in 5, 4, or even 3 months depending on your goals and abilities. The recommendations below are a combination of what I did in 2009 based on previous experience and what I would do differently next time. I hiked the PCT in 131 days and feel I could easily shave off 10 days, probably 20 or more.

Basic time-saving methods

Reducing packweight

With some research and effort just about everyone should be able to get their baseweight (weight of gear carried in pack, not counting food and water) to 10-12 lbs or less. The PCT was "made" for ultralight backpacking, with its dry summers, warm days, and gentle grade. If you're much above 10-12 lbs., I'm sure you can give lots of reasons why you need the gear you're taking, but you could make things easier on yourself by subjecting your gear list to some careful scrutiny and consulting with some UL (ultralight) folks.

Every additional pound on your back translates into a slightly slower pace and increased fatigue at the end of the day. For people with baseweights of 10 lbs. and above a frame pack will be most comfortable; those with baseweights of 8 lbs. or less should consider frameless UL packs. You'll be carrying a lot of food with you, so even with a baseweight of 10 lbs. you'll often find your total packweight at 20 lbs. and over, when a frame starts to make a difference in comfort and efficient load transfer to the hips.

The effect of 100 additional grams of gear in your pack may add up to as much as one more day on the trail to complete the PCT. Cut down the extra gear and save many days of time.

Town stops

Different hikers have different attitudes towards town stops. Some love them, others don't. If you want to cut time off your thru-hike, consider keeping town chores to a minimum. Get in early in the morning and get out by noon when possible. It is often hot in towns, and having to walk around on hot asphalt looking for grocery stores and libraries can be demoralizing. If you get into town late, you may be forced to spend the night, losing many hours of trail time.

If or when I do the PCT again, I will make an even greater effort to limit my time in towns and will plan to always arrive early in the morning and get out as quickly as possible. I have many bad memories of baking to death in hot intermontane towns in northern California.

Food supplies

A good strategy for saving time is to buy food from grocery stores where they are large and easy to get to and to get food in packages when stores are small and/or hard to get to. If you can have packages sent from home rather than preparing them yourself as you hike the trail, you'll save a substantial amount of time.

Esoteric time-saving methods

The points listed above are all obvious enough. Now for some of the less-obvious ones — things you wouldn't tend to think of until you are well into your thru-hike.

Avoid fatigue and super-high-mileage days

This is probably the single most important way to shorten your PCT thru-hike. An analysis of my 2009 hike log reveals that much time was lost as a result of trying to walk too far or too fast in one day. For instance, 37-mile days were followed by 7-mile ones. Why? I just couldn't get started the next day and didn't feel like doing anything. A number of times I really got into rhythm of walking fast and let myself get carried away. The next day, my mileage would drop 10 miles or so.

Basically, any time your heartrate is elevated above a certain level for very long (for me probably about 125 BPM), your body is digging into energy reserves that take longer to replenish. It's better to slow down a bit and sacrifice half a mile today than 8 or 10 miles tomorrow as a result of fatigue. The same can happen as a result of very long hiking days.

When I do the PCT again, I'll try to limit my daily mileage to 30 miles, possibly 32 on the very easiest days. Instead of letting fatigue accumulate to the point that I end up needing to rest a whole day or half a day, I'll give myself a bit of extra time for rest every single day, or walk just a bit slower than I could.

Housecleaning on the trail

All clothing should be quick-drying and easy to clean by rinsing. If it's hard to clean, you'll tend to wait till you get to town, where cleaning becomes a time-consuming chore. I highly recommend washing (rinsing) an item or two of clothing a day on the go instead of letting "housework" accumulate. Forget soap — it doesn't make much difference. Instead of aiming for 100% cleanliness, just shoot for 90%. Hang damp clothes on the back of your pack and let them sun-dry.

Same goes for your body. Scrub your groin, armpits, feet, and face on a daily basis — again, aiming for 90% cleanliness. Wash your hair once or twice a week when it's warm and sunny. By doing this you'll spend just a few extra minutes a day rather than many hours at once doing chores in town.

Avoid overstuffing yourself

Ah, the memories of all-you-can-eat buffets at Mazama Village, the 7th Day Adventist Camp, and Timberline Lodge... the feast at Drakesbad, the gorging at Subways... Fond memories indeed, but if I'd simply eaten my fill rather than stuffing myself to the gills, I probably could have finished the PCT an entire day earlier. An overstuffed body requires hours to rest and digest food, as I found out several times on the trail.

Avoid blisters and inflammation

A great deal of time can be lost as a result of blisters and various forms of trail inflammation. Reduce the frequency of blisters by cooling and drying your feet, switching socks, and resting during the heat of the day. Take off your shoes during frequent rest stops. Nearly any anti-blister measures you take will save you time compared to having to treat the blisters and walk slower to avoid hurting them. If you change your stride to avoid tenderness, you risk developing inflammation as a result of walking with an unnatural stride.

Inflammation tends to be worst in the first month on the trail when your ligaments are not yet accustomed to such strain. This is a time to slowly build up your hiking speed to avoid overstressing your body. You will probably save time in the long run by artificially limiting your mileage in the beginning to give your body time to adjust. Perhaps start out averaging just 15 miles a day, than 10 days later get up to 20 miles a day, and 10 days after that build up to 25 miles a day. If you haven't trained before your hike, start at 10 or 12 miles a day. In a month you'll be close to your peak cardiovascular form no matter what.

Cut down on zero days

To get rid of zero days, you must develop a sustainable trail life. That is, you need to do things in such a way that unsatisfied needs such as hunger, fatigue, and grime do not build up such that a long town stop becomes the only solution. You'll need to watch your mileage and avoid overdoing it, make sure you're sleeping enough, keep you and your clothes relatively clean, etc.

A good rule of thumb is this: whenever you have two activated needs, do something about it. For instance, it's probably okay to ignore hunger or thirst for a while, but if you need to poop on top of it, then it's time to stop and take care of yourself. Or, if you're a bit cold but otherwise taken care of, you might just walk a bit faster to warm up, but if you're hungry on top of it, then you should stop, put more clothes on, and feed yourself.

Streamline routines

Trail life is full of routines — packing and unpacking, getting ready for bed, getting yourself ready in the morning, making food and eating, going to the bathroom, cleaning yourself, doing laundry, going into town, hitchhiking, etc. To speed up your movement on the trail, get these routines down to a science. Make them as quick and painless as possible without adding more weight to your pack than is necessary. Then walk at a relaxed and sustainable pace as long as you can without getting too tired.

Sleep quality

Poor sleep has to be made up for later, so make sure you're sleeping as soundly as possible. A thicker sleeping pad may well be worth the weight; 150 grams more weight may provide you with 15 more minutes of deep sleep a night. That will allow you to complete the trail quicker than without the 150 grams. If it helps you sleep better, consider also taking a sleeping mask or anything else that helps you sleep just as well on the trail as in your bed at home.

Avoid finicky gear 

Some ultralight gear is finicky — for instance, poncho tarps. You have to figure out a way to store the tie-outs separately from the poncho, or else use thicker and heavier rope so that they don't tangle. But then you'll have to have a way to remove them in case you need to wear the poncho in rain. For this reason I am no longer a fan of poncho tarps. Your shelter should be quick to set up and fool-proof. Extra time spent carefully storing tie-outs or putting up a finicky UL shelter may negate the benefits of its lower weight. Also, having a few thicker and longer stakes will make it easier (and quicker) to set up your shelter in less-than-ideal conditions.

Conclusion

How you spend your time on the PCT is a personal thing, and there is no "right way" to hike your hike. I am fairly certain that most hikers could do the whole thing in under 3.5 months if they followed all the recommendations here to the best of their abilities. Their bodies are capable of it. However, if you actually hiked the trail at this pace, you would end up leaving nearly everyone behind because most people take over 4 months to complete the PCT. If you're in front of everyone, loneliness may start getting to you. That's one reason why thru-hikers usually don't push themselves to their limits. Furthermore, "smelling the roses" along the way, including town stops, is part of the PCT experience for many hikers. Nonetheless, to finish the hike comfortably within the annual window of 5 months or so, you'll probably need to apply at least some of the principles explained here.

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).

Update - 1 Week To Go

Here's a list of things I've been doing:

1. Food planning

I made a google document (an online document that multiple people can edit) for my parents and girlfriend, who will be sending me packages of food and maps along the way. The spreadsheet contains a section for requests for upcoming boxes, including relevant addresses, as well as an expense sheet so that I can reimburse them along the way from my bank account. The first food box -- for Warner Springs -- needs to go out this Friday. I also had my first shipment of MealPack bars sent to my parents' home. At roughly $1 per 100 grams and 400 calories, they're a good deal as far as nutritious energy bars go. 

Hopefully, this arrangement will give me the flexibility to adjust my eating habits along the way while still enjoying the advantages of maildrops. 

2. Itinerary

I have done a day-by-day breakdown of the route, as discussed in a previous post. I am not tied to this itinerary, but it is important as an estimate and a list of important information that has a bearing on my decisions along the way. I've sent the itinerary to those who are involved in my hike in some way. 

3. Maps

I'll finish printing out maps in a day or two (Halfmile's maps), as well as Jonathan Ley's Glacier Peaks reroute. I bought resealable freezer bags (hard to find in 11'' height) to store map sections in. I've decided to cut out pages of Yogi's trail guide and include those in each section. I can toss those as I need to along the way, but some pages will certainly come in handy -- enough so that I don't feel like rewriting the most important info on a special sheet. 

I'll mail off the maps, divided into sections, to my parents' house and have them include them in maildrops. 

Finally, the day before I leave I'll print out the water report for sections A-G. I was originally going to plan out water sources in advance, but it seems like too much work. I'll probably do this on a section by section basis just a day or two in advance. 

4. Packages

I just sent off a tube with my trekking poles, knife, and tent stakes to Scout and Frodo's home in San Diego. These are trail angels who typically take in PCT thru-hikers at the start of their hikes. I saved just $3 over the cost of checking this piece of luggage on my flight. 

I will prepare a package soon with my gear for the High Sierra to be sent to Kennedy Meadows in a couple weeks: ice axe, Kahtoola microspikes (crampon-like traction devices for snow), gaitors, larger backpack (Golite Pinnacle), plastic pack liner, and a fresh bottle of DEET. 

5. Body

I have one more session at the tanner's left, and 2 or 3 sessions at the gym, as well as some jogging and biking. The day before I head out, I'll cut my hair short and shave certain parts of my body to make things easier on myself later on.

I'm still looking for small bottles to store contact lens fluid in. 

6. Boxing up belongings

I've begun packing up my not-so-numerous belongings and listing the contents of each box on the top and side. Of particular importance is the box of backpacking gear. This box has a detailed list of its contents inside the box, so that anyone could find the piece I need on request and mail it to me in a maildrop.

7. Wrapping up business

I have lots of writing and web work to finish up...

8. Excitement

I'm excited to leave this boring, computer-based lifestyle behind me, free up my mind, and be out in the wilderness living a simple lifestyle. This excitement overrides any sadness at leaving my girlfriend behind, but we'll see how that plays out in the coming weeks. 

PCT Itinerary

I've decided that I need all basic information about my route and itinerary on one sheet. Here are the reasons:

1. I will need to think about post office hours in advance when planning out my next few days of hiking. Some are open just a few yours each weekday. Same with public libraries and Internet
2. With my budgeting strategy, I need to plan my movements so that I can get into towns early, do my business, fill up on food, and leave later that same day. 
3. Major stream fords and high passes in the Sierra Nevada are most safely crossed at certain times of day, rather than whenever I happen to get to them. 
4. I will be meeting some friends and relatives along the way and need to have a strategy for reaching our meetingplace.
5. This sheet will help me track my progress and make sure I order food on time to be delivered to trailside towns. 

Here is the result. This is only tentative. Note that I've left some columns empty to record my actual itinerary (as opposed to planned). I plan to carry this sheet around with me in a sealed bag. 

Please write a comment if you have any questions about the itinerary. Feel free to adapt it for your own PCT thru-hike. 

My Current Food Ideas

I've been reading a lot about backpacking food and general nutrition lately. I now understand the difference between complex and simple carbohydrates, the importance of fats, and the Glycemic Index. The reason I'm so concerned about this is because of a failed food strategy during last year's hike through the Colorado Rockies (which I've mentioned before). So here are my tentative food plans for the PCT.

Calories

I won't know until a few weeks into the hike, but I think I can expect to be consuming 6000 calories a day, or nearly 3 lbs (1360 grams) of food at 460 calories per 100 grams of food. 

General meal plan

Large cold breakfast, large hot dinner (probably on Caldera Cone alcohol stove) with large dessert. Mostly bars as snacks during the day. If necessary, can switch to 2 hot meals a day or do dinner in 2 stages. 

Resupply

The information below assumes a food drop strategy. I am fairly certain I can eat all the food below day in and day out. I like it all and have eaten it on hikes, albeit not for this long. I would not have to buy the entire supply of food at once, so there would be chances to adjust my diet.

Schedule

Breakfast either right as I get up or within a half hour or starting the day's hike. Hot dinner about half an hour to an hour before stopping. Dessert at camp (unless in bear country, then with dinner).

Breakfast (tentative)

1. 200 grams Quaker Natural Granola (Oats, Honey & Raisins) + 60 gram Nido whole dried milk and water.

Total 260 grams, 1140 calories, 40 grams protein, about 30% of calories from fat. 

Snacks (tentative)

(I'll aim for bars with comparatively less sugars and more complex carbohydrates.)

1. 200 grams Mealpack Pemmican Fruit 'N Nut Bars

850 calories, 34 grams protein, 28% of calories from fat.

2. 210 grams Nature Valley Sweet & Salty Nut Bars

1000 calories, 24 grams protein, 45% of calories from fat.

I'm going to aim for 40% of my calories from fat

3. 110 grams Snickers (or similar bar) >>> these are not as good because they have too much sugars

540 calories, 9 grams protein, 45% of calories from fat.

Total 520 grams, 2400 calories, 67 grams of protein, and nearly 40% of calories from fat.

Dinner (tentative)

Dinner might be a dehydrated dinner from efoodsdirect.com or a similar producer, with plenty of vegetables and different kinds of tastes, possibly with some dehydrated meat thrown in. Or, I may boil buckwheat (kasha) with dehydrated carrots, onions, and meat. In either case, I will drench my dinner in vegetable (olive) oil. Over time, I might have to make myself 2 dinners (or one hot lunch) to keep myself satisfied, and for variety.

200 grams, ~700 calories, 20 grams protein, ~40% of calories from fat.

Dessert (tentative)

100 grams Oreos + 60 grams creamy peanut butter

850 calories, 17 grams protein, ~50% of calories from fat.

Total for dinner + dessert: 360 grams, 1550 calories, 37 grams of protein, 45% of calories from fat.

Total for day (tentative)

1140 grams of food, 5300 calories, 144 grams of protein, ~40% of calories from fat.

Cost: should be about $12/day of food, not including food in town.

Food in towns

Eat different stuff for variety, especially fruits and vegetables, and things with tasty sauces, maybe picking up some snacks to take on the trail with me. 

PCT Gear Weight

Today I drafted my first PCT gear list with gear weight included. I tried to include every little item I could think of, down to spare batteries for my flashlight. This exercise is very useful for making rational gear decisions - especially for first-timers. 

My base weight came to right about 10 lbs. This was a little disappointing, as I'd basically been aiming subconsciously for 7 to 8 lbs and had imagined I'd reached that level. However, a second look shows that over 1 pound of that is the hammock, bug net, and second sleeping pad, which I feel will more than make up for their weight in comfort, quality of sleep and rest, and time spent looking for a campsite. Another pound is my relatively heavy Canon G7 camera with a spare battery and wall charger. I don't think I'm ready to get rid of that, and the cost of cutting the weight of my camera setup in half would be over $100, not to mention the corresponding loss of picture quality. Almost another pound is my merino wool top and leggings, which might not be necessary for substantial sections of the trail. 

In short, I've reduced my baseweight to my comfortable limit. If I decide to discard the hammock along the way or get rid of extra merino wool, I can always send those ahead in a bounce box.  

What is mildly unsettling is that this weight doesn't include the extra gear that I expect to be carrying in the Sierra Nevada: bear canister (1.15 kg), ice axe (.27 kg), heftier pack that is more comfortable with weights over 25 lbs (add .5 kg), and -- most likely -- a warm jacket (.35 kg), traction device for the snow (.42 kg), and waterproof socks (.09 kg). That adds up to another 2.8 kg of baseweight, or over 6 more pounds. I just can't believe I'll have a baseweight of 16 lbs. I will be heading out of Kennedy Meadows carrying a 40 pound pack!  

Expenses on the PCT

PCT guidebook author "Yogi" says that PCT thru-hikers spend between $2500 and $5000 on their hikes, not counting previously purchased gear. Obviously, if I'm aiming at spending under $500 a month, then I'm in a very rare category of low-budget thru-hikers. What does the breakdown of expenses look like for PCT hikers? How do they manage to spend so much money?

This podcast interview with British thru-hiker "Ben" helped clear things up for me. He says that a three-day supply of food at a typical supermarket in a trailside town cost between $30 and $40. I should note that this was in 2006, and that both the interviewee and his hiking buddy are the same height as I (so maybe our appetites match, too?). This matches what I was expecting: roughly $12 a day for food supplies using the buy-as-you-go strategy. 

Ben spent $4000 total on his trip, which lasted 134 days. Presumably about $1500 was spent on food for the trail, judging by the numbers he gave. The rest was spent on hotel rooms, restaurants, and in-town feeding frenzies. Perhaps a few hundred was spent on new gear (such as replacement running shoes). Judging from the interview, I would estimate that the hikers spent 25 nights in hotels, spending an average of $80 per night in town: $40-50 per person for a room (lodging in California is really expensive) and $30-40 on food splurges. From what I've read, $20-30 is a normal sum for a big thru-hiker dinner in a trailside town. 

What does this mean for me? Hopefully, I will be able to limit my expenses to $400 a month on store-bought food and $70 a month on a fresh pair of Inov-8 trail runners. I am not attracted to hotel rooms and prefer to sleep outside for free. I can maintain my personal hygiene as I go rather than letting it slide until I hit town. Avoiding restaurants may be a bit more difficult. Rather than going in for a $25 dinner, I can get a variety of appetizing foods from the supermarket and splurge on that instead. 

Inov-8 Trail Shoes for the PCT

I'm a big fan of Inov-8 trail running/walking shoes. I wore 315s on my Colorado hike last year and was pleased with them. I've also hiked in 320s (good) and have held models 295, 270, 212, and 312 in my hands. 

Best models for the PCT

A lot depends on the person, but I think I need thicker midsoles on my shoes for long-distance walking. Inov-8s have 3 degrees of midsole cushioning. Here are the models with the greatest amount of cushioning that are appropriate for the PCT (i.e. trail runners, but with no gore-tex, which impedes breathability and slows drying):

• Roclite 305 
• Roclite 320 
• F-lite 335

Each of these models generally costs $90-100, unless you find a great sale (more on that later). In order of likely breathability: 335 (most breathable), 305, 320 (still dries pretty quick). Reverse that order for durability of uppers (important for rocky sections of trail)

Here are some other appropriate models with a bit less cushioning than the above:

• Roclite 295
• F-lite 300
• Roclite 315

These all cost about the same, too. (note to self:  runningwarehouse.com  stocks 3 of these 6 models - 295, 305, 315 - in my size at prices between $70 and $75.)

Finding deals on Inov-8 shoes

Here are some websites to follow. You should never have to pay full price for Inov-8 shoes!

• shopping.com, amazon.com, spadout.com - good places to start, because they track prices in many shops (but not all)
• runningwarehouse.com - 295 and 315 usually cost around $70, with no sales tax and free delivery (note to self: if you order by phone - 1-800-606-9598 ("Terra") - they can ship to general delivery addresses, but they "assume no liability for the package". So I can wait till I get on the trail to order new shoes, and see whether I'll need size 13 or 14.)
• eBay.com - you never know what will be selling
• backcountry.com and backcountryoutlet.com - selection varies from week to week; can have some awesome deals; free shipping over $50
• zappos.com - small discounts; has large selection of models
• zombierunner.com - occasional sales; has large selection of models
• runbargains.com - occasional discounts
• gearzone.com - occasional deals; free shipping over $100

Sizing of Inov-8 shoes

Almost everyone recommends going up half a size compared to your other shoes. Also, most people's shoe size increases when hiking in the desert and/or hiking for more than a week at a time. For me, that means wearing size 13, possibly 14 for long-distance hiking. Since I don't know how much my feet will expand (they didn't expand as much over a month in Colorado as people said they would), I'll try to put off buying new pairs of shoes till I'm a month or so into the trail. 

Planning and Booking a Flight to Start the PCT

I'm sure most readers have booked a flight online. Just in case you haven't, or don't know how to best go about doing it, here's what I did:

Go to cheapflights.com and enter your flight search parameters. Then click on all the search options on the right to find out what different websites can offer you. Chances are many or most will offer the same flights, but at somewhat different prices. Also, the booking fees can vary widely and are a source of hidden costs. Make sure that you know the real total cost, and book the cheapest flight you can find. This way, I found a one-way flight from Detroit to San Diego for April 23rd for $140, which I think is a pretty decent price. 

I will buy my return ticket somewhere in southern Washington when I know when I'm going to finish and where I'll be flying to. 

Checked baggage

Checked baggage often costs extra for domestic flights. Typical costs are $15 to $25 for the first bag, and $20-25 for the second. Carefully consider whether it makes more sense to check your trekking poles, matches, gas stoves, knives, etc., or to mail them to yourself and pick them up near the trailhead. Postage will almost certainly cost less. I'll have to make the decision myself: pay $15 for the checked bag, or send my package to the town of Campo, just 2 miles into the hike from the Mexican border (a quick google search shows that it opens at 8:30 a.m...).

Permits

Here are the permits I will need to get, and how to get them.

PCT permit 

Covers all forest and wilderness areas along the PCT. Free, but a $5 donation is suggested. Download here and mail to the address shown. 

Time for submission: after January 31

Mt. Whitney permit

The tallest mountain in the lower 48 states requires a permit to climb. This can be acquired for $15 using the general PCT permit form. It is dubious whether you really need this permit, as it covers the climb in from Whitney Portal, on the east side of the mountain. Some people say that this is a way of "fishing for money." This seems to be true; further research reveals that the permit is for entering the "Whitney Zone" (see map), which one would never formally enter climbing up the mountain from the west. However, a visitor has commented:

I noticed on your PCT blog that you have the Whitney Zone only including the Whitney Portal side of the mountain. I was up there last year and the Whitney Zone now starts outside of Crabtree Meadow on the backside. They also require wagbags in that area which are available as you enter the Whitney Zone.

But after this, I read on postholer.com:

Note: The Mt. Whitney permit is only required if one is exiting and re-entering the PCT through Whitney Portal to the East; it is NOT required for climbing Mt. Whitney from the West (PCT, Crabtree Meadows) and returning to the PCT.

This is all really confusing...!

ADDED LATER: I ended up getting the $15 Whitney permit just in case. 

Application to enter Canada

Download free application here, send it to the address shown. It's not clear whether you only mail part A or the entire thing. In a podcast I heard that they mail a letter back to you, and you'll need to have that with you as you cross the Canadian border. 

Time for submission: 2-3 months before you begin your trek (so right now for me)

*Note: you must have a U.S. passport to reenter the U.S. from Canada!

California fire permit

This is "strongly recommended," but is it required? I don't know. You can download it and read instructions here, and you apparently don't have to send it anywhere, but just carry it on your person. Also, it is almost certain that thru-hikers will be able to get a permit at the annual ADZPCTKO event on April 25 (see previous post). 

So, to summarize, I need to get moving and send in 3 permits (PCT, Canada, CA fire). Total cost = $5 (or $20 if I get the Whitney permit). Easy enough!

ADDED THREE WEEKS LATER: 

Permits received! Read about it here.

Rain Gear

I'll be using my Golite Chrome Dome umbrella, which is sturdy and weighs just 8 oz, for rain protection. I can't recommend it highly enough. If the rain is heavy and I want to keep hiking in spite of it, I will use a "rain wrap," or rain skirt, which protects the legs from the waist down to one's shins. I have not yet decided whether I'll use my actual homemade rain skirt (just 2 oz) or just wrap my groundcloth around me and tuck it in at the waist. I'm leaning towards the latter. 

I'll be taking no fancy jackets or rainproof pants, as I've found the above combination to work spectacularly in prolongued Andean rains. You are adequately protected from the rain and get enough ventilation at the same time. Any rain that happens to reach your torso, arms, or ankles, tends to dry up really quickly, as the vast majority falls on the umbrella and rain skirt. 

If there is a serious need for it, I'll throw on my MLD cuben poncho tarp, though I prefer hiking under just an umbrella. 

For the Sierra Nevada and possibly the mountains of Southern California, I expect to take along my MLD rain mitts, but more to keep dry while touching snow with my hands than for rain protection.

Note that all three elements of my rain gear (umbrella, poncho, and rain wrap) are dual-purpose items. If one were on a tight gear budget as well as a food and lodging budget, one could have this same awesome combo for $70-80 by substituting the Golite poncho tarp for my custom-made MLD tarp. 

Hammocking the PCT

Why hammock?

It's comfortable (for most people), it raises your legs, it is restful, it lets you catch more breeze (important for hot areas), it allows you to get more rest during rest stops, it's easy to use, etc. 

My hammock sets up in 1 minute, and I expect to use it all the time for rest stops and sleeping. Whereas other hikers will be resting by sitting down in the shade and swatting mosquitos, I'll be completely lying down with my net pulled over my hammock, catching the breeze. This will even make it possible to sleep in the hottest hours of the day and spend more time hiking in the early morning and late evening to avoid the heat. To be fair, I haven't tried this schedule before and don't know how it'll work. 

Why a tube net?

Some hammocks come with netting attached, which seems like it would be more convenient. However, mosquitos can often get to you through the bottom fabric of the hammock. I could make my own hammock with an impermeable fabric such as silnylon or cuben, but then I would lose breathability and the ability to catch breezes, which I suspect will be very important on the PCT. Bug netting significantly slows breezes but does not stop the flow of air. Finally, a tube net can be used for ground sleeping as well, whereas you'd need a separate net for the ground if you had, say, a Hennessy hammock with an integrated net. 

Why pads instead of an underquilt?

I use pads (see previous post) because they provide the same amount of bottom insulation as underquilts (but less ease of use) for less weight, and because they can just as readily be used on the ground. 

Best hammocking resource: hammockforums.net

My Sleep System

As stated in an earlier post, one generally needs to be prepared for nighttime temperatures down to as low as -7 C (20 F) on the PCT during the early and late sections. One can expect a lot of wind in places, and occasional rain or snow. In this post, I'll simply state my gear choices and their rationale.

Sleeping bag

I'll be taking my Jacks 'R Better Rocky Mountain No Sniveller quilt (size L), which weighs about 800 grams (28 oz) and can keep me warm down to 20 F. I have come to like quilts, because you never get hot in them since you can easily toss it aside in your sleep. Quilts are especially convenient for hammocks, too. This quilt can be converted into a down jacket that comes down to the knees, though I've found it's rarely practical to use it as such. I'll also have the down hood along with it, which adds another 2 oz. 

There's a chance I'll trade my down quilt in for something lighter in the mid-summer, if temperatures are expected to be 10 C (50 F) and over at night. I might take the Backpackinglight Pro-90 quilt, for instance, saving 400 grams (14 oz) of weight. 

ADDED LATER: No, scratch that idea. Everyone says cold nights can occur anywhere along the trail. 

I am undecided as to whether or not to take my silk sleeping bag liner. The reason would be to keep my quilt clean. In the past I have generally slept in clothing, but the liner would allow me to take it off. The silk liner weighs under 5 oz. The cheapest silk liners are to be found on New Zealand websites, and the cost of shipping to the U.S. is minimal for such a lightweight item. 

Ground cloth

I'll cut a two-man Adventure Medical Kits emergency blanket in half lengthwise and use that as a ground sheet. It weighs 1.5 oz, and the reflective side makes it useful for creating shade, or signalling for help (never tried that). Since I'll be sleeping in my hammock most nights, I'll mainly use it during breaks or as I'm going to bed. 

Sleeping pads

I would normally take a pad for just my torso, but since I'm planning to sleep in a hammock most of the time, I'll need a longer pad. I expect to take the GG nightlight torso pad and the 1/4'' thick hammock pad, cut in half lengthwise (now 50 cm x 155 cm). I've found adequate sleeping pads to be very important to getting a good night's sleep, and a big difference can sometimes be as "cheap" as an extra 50 grams of pad under the torso. So I don't regret adding another 100 grams of padding to my sleep system, as this will translate into better sleep. I'm not taking an inflatable pad because of the greater weight and risk of puncture. I'll have spare pads sitting at home ready to be mailed to me if the pads I take eventually get too flat (which they can do after days and days of use, though hammocking seems to not flatten them as much). 

Hammock

The hammock involves a total weight penalty of approximately 1 lb (hammock + extra pad), however, I feel I'll be very pleased I brought it. I'll be taking the inexpensive ($20) Travel Hammock, which is long and wide enough for me, about as light as mass produced hammocks come, and has a very easy set-up system. It may lack durability, but I can always call up Campmor on the trail and get a new one mailed to my next town stop if necessary. 

Tarp and bug net

Discussed in previous post

Shelter(s) for the PCT

I'm a dedicated tarp camper and will be using an ultralight poncho-tarp on the PCT. Those who carry tents on the PCT generally do so for the larger enclosed, most convenient bug-free space. There may be individual psychological reasons as well, such as feeling subjectively safer being completely out of view. Obviously, bugs (especially mosquitos) are a major force to be dealt with on the PCT, and tarp campers must have some kind of net enclosure to protect themselves at night - at the very least, a headnet to wear to bed. 

On the Colorado CDT, we lacked such an enclosure and suffered as a result. For our trip to Peru, I sewed an effective two-man net enclosure weighing only 200 grams (7 oz). Now that I'm going alone, I'll need something different. 

Since it doesn't rain much on the PCT in the summertime, most thru-hikers end up sleeping under the stars most of the time. This is what I plan to do as well. My MLD cuben poncho-tarp weighs only 200 grams (7 oz) along with the tie-outs and stakes, and I don't expect to have to use it much. It's even big enough for two people, if rain is infrequent or brief. My model of the poncho-tarp is 5'4'' wide as opposed to the standard 4' wide ponchos that Ron at MLD sews. This gives the poncho more versatility, but cost me a lot more for the custom design. 

Here are some budget options for a shelter on the PCT:

1. Buy 3 yards of 60'' wide silnylon 2nds (they're just as good as 1sts) at thru-hiker.com and make yourself a one-piece, one-man tarp for roughly $30-35. The best size is 5' x 9'. All you'll need to do is sew around the edges and put 8 grosgrain loops on the corners and halfway between each corner. To make it even more usable, put linelocks on the loops to make tensioning the tarp a cinch. 
   
2. Get the Golite poncho tarp. It can be found used or on sale for as little as $30-35. The size is ideal for a one-man shelter, housing two if necessary (if you have little gear, and the rain is not lengthy). You'll have to seam-seal the hood seams and tie the hood to a branch or stake when setting up the tarp to avoid leakage.
3. Use a tent fly and leave the rest of the tent home. Tent flies can be harder to pitch as a tarp because of their tent-fitting shape, but this has worked for me before. Cost: $0 (assuming you already have a tent). 
4. (Not for the faint of heart). Attach four tie-outs using a sheet bend knot to a two-man Adventure Medical Kits emergency blanket (3.5 oz) and pitch over a string drawn between two trees or posts. Sleeping under this can be scary at first, but it has worked for me in moderate rains. I would be concerned about hail. The emergency blanket also provides unsurpassed shade in the desert sun if you have a place to tie it to. It costs $6-7. 

Generally, the cheapest ultralight waterproof material is silnylon, and the cheapest shelters are made of this material. You won't gain much by paying a lot more for spinnaker or cuben fiber. 

Bug nets

Assuming you're using a tarp like me, you'll need a bug-free enclosure to avoid going insane. It can be a minimalist one that just drapes over you, like the Gossamer Gear (GG) bug net, or one that attaches to your groundcloth, creating a fully enclosed space. A mid-way solution would be the A16 bug bivy. Each of these can weigh very little (under 200 grams, or 7 oz). For me, a headnet didn't cut it on the CDT, because I couldn't eat in one (duh) or completely protect my hands and ankles while resting. I strongly recommend having a bug-free enclosure that allows you to eat, rest, and write in your journal without having to worry about mosquitos biting you. This means something at least as protecting as the GG throw-over bug net or the A16 bug bivy, which pops open easily using a lightweight fiberglass frame. These will cost under $50. 

Fully enclosed "net tents" cost a bit more, unless you sew one yourself. Here are some options:

1. Ray-way net tent (two-man only, if I'm not mistaken). You'll need to sew it yourself, and it's designed to be used in conjunction with their tarp. It seems to be a little clumsy to use on its own, as it would require quite a few stakes and two sticks to hold it upright. 
   
2. MLD bug bivy. Lightweight and does the trick, but needs something overhead to hang on. 
3. Six Moon Designs (SMD) Serenity net tent. Lightweight and allows you to sit up to eat (very convenient). The downside is that it needs to be staked out before using. This reduces the likelihood that you'll actually set it up for lunch breaks. 
4. Any bivy sack with a fully netted head section, such as the Titanium Goat Ptarmigan bivy in the full netting option. This is certainly usable, but I wonder if I will not want more breeze passing across my body during breaks in the hot sections of the PCT. 

My choice

I expect to be sleeping in a hammock most nights, so my choice of net enclosure has to be built around that. I'm going to sew a net tube with drawstrings at both ends (similar to this or perhaps one of the tapered ones shown here), and slip that over my hammock. A string will be tied over the top of the hammock to hold up the netting. It seems to be a very functional concept, and the net would weigh under 6 oz. Furthermore, I could slide into this netting if I ever sleep on the ground, and even suspend it from a branch for rest stops where I want to sit on the ground. I'll take pictures of this set-up as soon as I complete it. 

My poncho-tarp is large enough to provide decent, though not ideal, coverage for my hammock. Most of the time I won't be using it, though. 

Backpack(s) for the PCT

As a general rule, if your total pack weight is going to be consistently over 25 pounds, a pack with a stiff frame is a good idea. It will weigh more than a frameless pack, but the increased comfort provided by the effective transfer of load bearing to the hips will be worth it. Under 25 lbs (especially under 20), a frameless pack is plenty comfortable, and the weight savings can give you a considerable speed and mileage advantage will be worth it. 

With this in mind, and expecting to have a base weight (not counting consumables and what I'm wearing as I hike) in the 7-10 lbs range during the hike, I will be using frameless ultralight packs for most of the journey, and a semi-stiff large capacity pack for the Sierra Nevada, where I will be most loaded down with extra gear (bear canister, ice axe, crampons, warm jacket) and 8 or 9 days of food. 

I would like to try out all three of my packs on the PCT (evidently, I have not always been on as strict a budget as I am now!). I expect to start with the Mountain Laurel Designs (MLD) Zip pack (2008 model). It weighs about 300 grams (10.5 oz) and has about a 40 liter capacity. During the first 1-2 weeks, I expect to have a slightly depressed appetite, and there will be plenty of volume in the pack for the 3-5 days of food I'll need between resupply towns in this section. 

At some point as early as Big Bear I plan to trade my Zip for my Zpacks Blast 36 pack, which weighs 200 grams (7 oz) and has a capacity of 50-55 liters. This pack is a bit worn already, having seen 50 days of backpacking, but I expect it to hold up for another 50 to 100 days. It has convenient storage bags on the hip belt and shoulder straps, where I put all my little stuff and carry maps and camera. I think I will appreciate the extra volume when my trail appetite comes into its own and I'm wolfing down 5000-6000 calories a day. I'll be able to pack high-volume food such as bread, spiral pasta, etc. 

For the High Sierra starting at Kennedy Meadows (700 miles into the trek), I'll use my Golite Pinnacle pack. It has a semi-stiff back and seems to carry up to 30 or 35 lbs in relative comfort. It weighs 700 grams (25 oz) and has a volume of 70 liters. It's also made of a tougher fabric than the other two packs. I'll need the added volume for the mandatory bear canister and for the warm jacket I plan to take. I expect to use a plastic pack liner every day to guard against getting food and gear wet during river crossings. As soon as I can get rid of the extra gear (probably Sierra City, nearly 500 miles later), I'll trade in the Pinnacle for the Blast, which I'll probably use for the remainder of the hike. 

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. 

PCT Maps and Info for Budget Hikers

For Pay

The Pacific Crest Trail is well marked, but other trails and roads in the vicinity, and especially snow cover, can make navigating difficult at times. You must have some kind of maps and descriptions. 

If I had more money, I would buy the PCT Atlas by "Eric the Red" (the author's trail name). It has all the information you need condensed into a form that only an experienced long-distance hiker can truly appreciate. It costs $200 and seems perfect in every way. 

Next are the official PCT guidebooks from the Pacific Crest Trail Association. You can also buy these on Amazon. These have maps, but perhaps not "perfect" ones, and have lots of information that you might not need. They are also heavy. To make them really usable, you'd need to tear the books apart by sections and mail these to yourself along the way as you need them. They cost around $60 together.

Most people seem to get the official guidebooks along with the data book, which has brief trail notes describing distances between key points on the trail (water sources, roads, etc.). The data book costs $10. 

Most past PCT hikers recommend Yogi's guide. This is especially good for planning, it is said, and includes details on what exactly is in trailside towns. It compiles a lot of PCT thru-hiker know-how as well. I might buy this for planning purposes, or borrow one from one of last year's group.

The Pacific Crest Trail CD-ROM costs $30 and includes printable maps; however, I don't find them superior to the ones available for free below. 

For Free

There is a ton of info and even maps on the web about the Pacific Crest Trail. If all of it were somehow neatly compiled, you'd have an exhaustive PCT guidebook without having to pay anything.

This google-based map of the PCT at Postholer.com allows you to zoom in to exceptional detail. If you had this on a pocket PC or iPhone, you wouldn't need other maps. However, I don't think printing out pages of this map would be easy. And there are better maps than this. 

Halfmile's maps are homemade and can be downloaded for free. They have GPS coordinates, water sources, and a very high amount of detail, showing essentially every significant bend of the trail. They also have simple profiles and basic info on trailside towns, including post office hours. I plan to print these out on thin paper and carry sections with me. That's going to be a lot of paper, unless I print the maps back to back or fit two on each side of each page. I'm crossing my fingers that Halfmile finishes the Oregon and Washington sections before the end of April.

Here are some other very nice topo maps just like Halfmile's, but formatted smaller so you can fit more on a page and print out half as many pages of maps. I would go with these if they covered the entire PCT. However, they only go up to section G (less than 25% of the PCT). 

At Hikertrash.com you can download maps that are a bit rougher than the previous two sets, but formatted smaller so that you can print out half as many pages of maps as Halfmile's. It also includes a trail profile on top, but one that is perhaps not as useful as Bearcant's (see below). I also find the topo lines hard to read, as they are too close together and all have the same thickness. I might consider these maps, but I appreciate the higher degree of detail on Halfmile's maps. The author has not completed his maps of Central and Northern California or Washington yet, however Oregon is complete.

Bearcant's PCT Elevation Profiler is a superb tool for planning. It shows the trail's ups and downs and the relative location of resupply points and water sources. I plan to print these out and carry them with me. I will transfer key info by hand to these profiles after I print them. These combined with any of the above free maps seem to provide all the topographic information one could ever need. 

My choice

For me personally, detailed maps are more important than descriptions. I need to be able to orient myself and find important water sources. Research in advance will provide me with what I need to know about trail towns and trail conditions. Therefore, I expect to print out Halfmile's free maps and Bearcant's elevation profiler for on-trail use. I may or may not get Yogi's guide. In addition to the maps, I will make relevant notes in advance about the addresses and hours of post offices and public libraries in towns near the trail, and any other important things that I glean from the web. 

This will allow me to get all the info I'll need for under $50, or $20 (paper and printing costs) if I don't buy Yogi's guide. 

None of the people making free maps have gotten all the way through Washington yet. I may have to buy the official Washington guidebook to get those maps if they don't finish before I get to southern Oregon. 

Food Strategy

Food was a big problem for me on the CDT. I lost weight and never had enough calories and probably protein. This weakened me and I got sick and had to spend a week at a generous thru-hiker's house in Leadville, Colorado. We had planned for "healthy" food and soon couldn't eat it anymore. We had to mooch food off people too many times to count! 

This time, I am going to take a calories based approach. Rather than focus on the number of days ahead of me and try to plan meals for those days, I'm going to take the mileage ahead of me and multiply it by a coefficient to see how many calories I'll need, then buy that number in the store. As I gain experience and my caloric needs change, I can modify that coefficient. I hope that this approach will ensure that I have enough energy to get me from town to town. I found that in Colorado we would buy what seemed like plenty of food, but run out of it one day early. I think counting calories can help avoid this. If you judge food content with your eyes, you'll probably intuitively be going by your normal food intake rather than your hypermetabolic PCT intake. 

So, let's say my coefficient is 200 calories per 1 mile. If I have a 120 mile section coming up, I'll need 24,000 calories. If I take 6 days, that's 4000 calories/day at 20 miles/day. If I take 4 days, that's 6000 calories/day at 30 miles/day. 

This time around, I'll be especially looking for foods that are high in protein. I'll try to have on average at least 400 calories per 100 grams of food. Some things, like olive oil or butter, are far higher than that, whereas pasta is a bit lower. 

I'll let myself buy foods that I would never eat at home, such as Oreos with a load of peanut butter on top (our best discovery in Peru). I'll aim for whole grains, but will sometimes be reduced to buying enriched grains.

I'll typically load up on fruits and vegetables and eat as many as possible the day I'm in town and that evening. 

The PCT isn't as difficult to resupply on as the CDT, and I expect to average about 4-5 days between towns as opposed to 7 in Colorado. That means less weight in the pack, and more speed. 

My General PCT Strategy

This will be a budget hike*, because I don't have a lot of money right now, and my hiking style is one that doesn't incur many costs other than food anyways. I hope to spend $12 a day on the hike, $15 max. I will be trying to minimize unnecessary costs, such as restaurants, booze, and hotels. 

*Note that I already have practically all the gear I will need and that some of it is expensive. When I talk about my low budget, I'm referring to the actual hike of the PCT.

I will be hiking alone, or at least starting off alone. I expect to meet other PCT hikers at the annual "ADZPCTKO" event Apr. 24-26 and am looking forward to the new acquaintances and comraderie. At the same time, I am hardly a herd person and have my own plans for what I want to do in towns along the way. I sort of expect to be meeting a lot of people and spending short periods of time with them, but I don't foresee hiking long distances with the same people, unless we just hit it off incredibly well and have similar hiking strategies and goals. 

I will be limiting my stays in town to buying food, occasionally visiting the post office for resupply purposes, and spending hours at the local library working online for free. There are several reasons for this:

1. Budget. The big reason. The reports I've read speak of restaurant and hotel prices that I am simply unable to afford. Like $20 for a meal, $50 for a room, etc. I have $500 a month max to spend while backpacking.
2. I dislike the loss of time and focus that comes from spending the night in town and am going to try to wash stuff and keep clean on the trail day by day rather than saving it for town.
3. I need the mental activity that comes from doing stuff online, writing for any of my various projects, etc. I found that after a couple weeks on the trail in Colorado, I came to crave mental work and information from the Internet. I want to be able to sit down and write about the things I've noted down in my notebook while on the trail. I want this time to be productive to me as a writer and adventurer and not to vegg too much while on the trail. My MP3 player can also help with this (I've found that 1-2 hours a day of listening to music/recordings is perfect for me).

I am going to try to generally enter town fairly early in the morning, grab food from the supermarket to gorge myself on during the day, head down to the local library and spend 3 to 5 hours there, then return to the supermarket to buy food for the next stretch of trail. Then I will leave town, either by hitchhiking or walking (if the town is on the trail). The days I am in town, I will try to hike as little as possible, and eat as much as possible (especially fresh fruits and veggies). These will basically be rest days with a little bit of hiking in the morning and the evening.

I will be gradually increasing mileage. I know that I can average at least 20 miles a day on terrain such as the CDT through Colorado. That was with my girlfriend, who slows me down a bit, but brings other benefits. Alone and on the PCT, I think I can eventually hike 30 miles a day, but I will have to listen to my body and force myself to hike less initially to avoid knee overuse (a problem I had a year ago from too long hiking days without adequate preparation). I expect to start out doing between 15 and 20 miles a day. If I want to finish the PCT by the end of September, I will need to average no less than 20 miles a day on the PCT. 

I will be resupplying as I go, as opposed to mailing myself food beforehand. We mailed ourselves "key food supplies" while hiking the CDT in Colorado, and the results were terrible. We couldn't swallow most of it down anymore! I don't know beforehand what food I'm going to want, so I'm not going to guess. However, along the way I may mail food from a storeside town to a point further up the trail if the stores up ahead are not supposed to be very good. 

I hope to see friends and relatives join me for parts along the way. That would be a lot of fun, and they can bring me pizzas and hamburgers and stuff :)