Thru Hiking

C

CabbyArrant

Member
Who's done it?

What trail?

Dates?

Pack Weight?

Resources for planning?

I want to do the PCT in the next 2 years. I'm a reasonably experienced backpacker and I'm planning to devote up to 8 months for the trek and am just beginning to research the logistics of the trek so any information helps.
 
topic:Sr_Hefe said:
Who's done it?

What trail?

Dates?

Pack Weight?

Resources for planning?

I want to do the PCT in the next 2 years. I'm a reasonably experienced backpacker and I'm planning to devote up to 8 months for the trek and am just beginning to research the logistics of the trek so any information helps.
Click to expand...

Not experienced at this by any means, but I've been super into it lately. I started listening to the backpacking light podcast and that pretty much set it off. Shameless plug for that. I got into it because they did a super in depth podcast on synthetic down and the differences between that whole genre; it was incredibly interesting to me. Sometimes they go too in depth about topics, but if you're about to drops serious coin on any item to help your trips, I suggest checking their selection out. I've listened to some of them that I don't even give a shit about. There is also a large social media presence on PCT and AT, check out IG and the youtube videos, probably FB groups out there as well.

I'm never going crazy into ultralight, but I think it's really cool. Most of those people are going sub 20lbs and more like sub 15lbs for their thru hikes, which I personally find kinda nuts. I'm perfectly fine with a 30lb pack on a multiday and I don't see that sucking significantly more into the weeks range to keep some of those comforts these dudes power through.

My only advice is to do a shit ton of day and overnight trips to get everything dialed in. I did a day trip off the bench, then did this research and tailored my load down with some of the youtube tips and tricks I found. It was pretty cool realizing that you don't need to get a ton of expensive new gear when you can just be smarter about it. I think the ultralight packs themselves are really cool when you pair them with all the ultralight gear to maximize the effect; i'm just going with a lighter pack that still has a frame and going from there until I make it to a time when I'm ready for a legit thruhike.
 
topic:Sr_Hefe said:
I'm a reasonably experienced backpacker and I'm planning to devote up to 8 months for the trek and am just beginning to research the logistics of the trek so any information helps.
Click to expand...

It also just dawned on me that they had two episodes on there that really changed my perspectives on stuff:

-One is about writing down everything you take on your hikes and the weather. You kinda tally what you use, when, and why. Then you take that data and decide which stuff you're carrying around and never truly benefitting from (ie. rain pants, stove etc.). I know that sounds incredibly obvious and straight forward, but I realized I tend to overpack like a mofo. Example: I wear nice pants so I almost never take out the rainpants I have because they are too heavy/annoying to walk in unless it's downpour, hello captain obvious... they are probably too heavy to carry for NO REASON, so I ditched them for a waterproof but thin OR version which I wear a hell of a lot more. PS- Stove is just an example, I think they had a half an episode arguing if they are worth it.

-One is about risk management and covers everything from simple hikes that go bad and the decision making process after weird shenanigans pop up to crazy expeditions groups go on and how group think/ego can sometimes have horrible consequences.
 
I want/wanted to do one of the longer trails but never got around to it. Probably something under a month with not too many people. I fucking hate people when hiking. Thought about doing the AT cause a friend of mine did, but I don't think I could handle it.

Something I could do in the spring or fall between winters.
 
Others have said good things but I also highly recommend the SAS Survivors handbook and read a skill every day. Get your gear and start doing overnight trips and make it a point to test a skill every trip. IE one trip make a survival shelter and sleep in it, another trip bring a buddy and pretend he broke his leg and work on building a wood frame to hike him out then have him do the same, another trip try building some traps, another build a fire with minimal material. (I have a rule that every match I use past one to start a fire cost 10 pushups) Also work on navigation and learn dead reckoning with a compass and also how to triangulate with a map.

As for food, mountain house freeze dried is the way to go.

For water, get a good water purification hand pump like this Katadyn. This one is my favorite:
https://www.backcountry.com/katadyn...XT0072&MER=0406&skid=EXT0072-ONECOL-ONESIZ&mr:trackingCode=7254D95D-1F53-E111-88BF-001B21A69EB8&mr:referralID=NA&mr:device=c&mr:adType=plaonline&CMP_ID=PLA_GOc001&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=PLA&k_clickid=_k_CjwKCAiA4t_iBRApEiwAn-vt-38emCtGa7xyCAMUejq3ZQTZysS5-dTFKv_8-CWa7npeGCq_yQkZphoCC44QAvD_BwE_k_&rmatt=tsid:1042790|cid:213417397|agid:13362830317|tid:aud-483074737321:pla-395870854035|crid:92885919757|nw:g|rnd:7193434707244913129|dvc:c|adp:1o1|mt:|loc:9029024&gclid=CjwKCAiA4t_iBRApEiwAn-vt-38emCtGa7xyCAMUejq3ZQTZysS5-dTFKv_8-CWa7npeGCq_yQkZphoCC44QAvD_BwE

Survival Book:
https://www.amazon.com/SAS-Survival..._1?ie=UTF8&qid=1549315240&sr=8-1&keywords=sas+survival+handbook
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top