PCT?

[MoonLiteNite]

Anyone ever hiked the PCT?

Has been a dream of mine for 5 years to hike it. Figured i would when i "retire" in 7-10 years.
Might take a month off work this year to hike just the oregon section!

[Greenback Reproduction Specialist]

I worked with a lady a while back that was in the process of doing it.... I wish I would have learned about it before she gave her two weeks notice that she was leaving to spend the summer continuing where she left off. I would imagine the hike is pretty amazing.

[MasterStache]

Nope, but I think it would be an amazing experience.

I had a former military buddy who hiked the entire Appalachian Trial to raise money for wounded vets. He did it with a friend who had been shot multiple times while being deployed overseas and was medically discharged from active service. That's hardcore! 

[Mountainbug]

I've done sections in all three states. If you're doing Oregon in the summer, I hope you're planning around the mosquitoes. The PCTA website has some great resources and there are books as well. Also there is a section by Mt Jefferson that has some areas that require permits.
Oh and one last thing! In August a bunch of people will be flocking to Mt Jeff for the eclipse. I was working near there for the forest service last year and people were already planning it out.

[mtnrider]

No.  But I have friends and relatives who have and say it was absolutely great.  I plan to do the triple crown some day (including the PCT), if I can get FI.

I've heard that the PCT has changed in recent years, due to the movie _Wild_.

Also worth considering:
 - riding the ACA trails
 - canoeing some of the wilder Canadian rivers

[DTaggart]

Hiking the PCT is very high on our post-FIRE list as well. We've hiked small sections of it locally (San Diego) , can't wait to be free to do the whole thing :)

[slugsworth]

Sections. . .and friends that have done it.


I think I'm going to have to pull the trigger before being FIRE. It is too big of a draw.

[Russ]

Did the whole thing this summer
Why wait?

[mtnrider]

> Why wait?

If you can swing it without waiting... I'd say to go for it!

I have family constraints.  Plus I need to keep health insurance and with the current political turmoil there, I'm not taking chances with my employer-based insurance.

[No Name Guy]

Yep.  11 years ago.  Do it.

[MoonLiteNite]

I've done sections in all three states. If you're doing Oregon in the summer, I hope you're planning around the mosquitoes. The PCTA website has some great resources and there are books as well. Also there is a section by Mt Jefferson that has some areas that require permits.
Oh and one last thing! In August a bunch of people will be flocking to Mt Jeff for the eclipse. I was working near there for the forest service last year and people were already planning it out.

Planning on going in sept, so hopefully just miss the bugs and avoid the snow.

[MoonLiteNite]

Did the whole thing this summer
Why wait?

Job, would like to at least be FI before i give my boss the finger followed by a handshake :D
He is going to give me a month off this sept to do my oregon section. I can't ask for much more than than, nor do i want to lose that income.

[No Name Guy]

Generally there won't be bugs or snow in Oregon in September, although that's starting to get late in the season.  Be prepared for a week of steady rain and low 40's, upper 30's....or sunny and warm during the day and sub freezing at night, or even some snow, that time of year.

Ask the boss for a sabbatical.  I did, and got it when I thru hiked.  Thru hiking sealed for me the fact that I wanted to retire early, so I could do stuff like that any time I wanted.

Oregon is a good choice for a long section - it's flat and easy, by PCT standards.  On a thru, you spend 2.5-3.5 months and it is nothing but California, California, California.....then you blink and you're thru Oregon in 2.5-3.5 weeks.  Then you get your @$$ kicked by Washington since you'd forgot was steep climbs were like (Fire Creek Pass and up out of Milk Creek, to name two on the Glacier Peak section of Washington).

[FireHiker]

I plan to do it, probably in 2031. The absolute latest we'll still be working is 2030, but my youngest graduates high school in June 2030 so we have ear-marked the following year to be PCT year. I keep telling my husband if he doesn't want to join me then he can be my trail support. We've done sections of it over the years and I can't wait to do the whole thing.

[moof]

On my bucket list as well.  I am aiming to either do Oregon or at least the JMT parts next summer.

My current "big thing" I take time off for is big wall climbing, the slowest form of human locomotion ever invented.  My interest there is waning, and I have been having a big itch to get back to more backpacking.

[2Birds1Stone]

I have read only little bits and pieces about the PCT....definitely something to consider for FIRE :)

AT Thru-hike on the other hand?? I've been reading the White Blaze forums for 2 years, and have been eagerly waiting to get to do it........work is getting in the way......for now =D I want to do a 4-5 day section hike of it this coming season just to get a small taste.

[mtnrider]

AT Thru-hike on the other hand?? I've been reading the White Blaze forums for 2 years, and have been eagerly waiting to get to do it........work is getting in the way......for now =D I want to do a 4-5 day section hike of it this coming season just to get a small taste.

Yay, AT!

I've been planning to do the AT for around three decades.  I had planned to do it out of high school, then out of college.  I have hiked big chunks of the north-most AT (VT, NH, ME).  It's great.

Do you want to go southbound or the more typical northbound?

[DTaggart]

I plan to do it, probably in 2031. The absolute latest we'll still be working is 2030, but my youngest graduates high school in June 2030 so we have ear-marked the following year to be PCT year. I keep telling my husband if he doesn't want to join me then he can be my trail support. We've done sections of it over the years and I can't wait to do the whole thing.

OK you're a mustachian hiker and live in San Diego? We should be friends :)

[FireHiker]

I plan to do it, probably in 2031. The absolute latest we'll still be working is 2030, but my youngest graduates high school in June 2030 so we have ear-marked the following year to be PCT year. I keep telling my husband if he doesn't want to join me then he can be my trail support. We've done sections of it over the years and I can't wait to do the whole thing.

OK you're a mustachian hiker and live in San Diego? We should be friends :)

Are you in San Diego too? I would describe myself more as an aspiring mustachian with a long way to go, but I'm working on it! More mustachian friends in "real life" sounds great. :) Send me a message so we don't derail the topic too much; happy to chat further!

[2Birds1Stone]

AT Thru-hike on the other hand?? I've been reading the White Blaze forums for 2 years, and have been eagerly waiting to get to do it........work is getting in the way......for now =D I want to do a 4-5 day section hike of it this coming season just to get a small taste.

Yay, AT!

I've been planning to do the AT for around three decades.  I had planned to do it out of high school, then out of college.  I have hiked big chunks of the north-most AT (VT, NH, ME).  It's great.

Do you want to go southbound or the more typical northbound?

I think we will most likely do a flip flop hike where we start in the middle, hike NOBO first in the spring and watch the flowers bloom, then go SOBO with fall as it cools off.

[mtnrider]

I think we will most likely do a flip flop hike where we start in the middle, hike NOBO first in the spring and watch the flowers bloom, then go SOBO with fall as it cools off.

Ah, I hope you enjoy it!  That's the best weather, yup.

One thing about hiking the northern part of the AT in the spring/early summer - bugs.  If you didn't know already, that's tick, blackfly, deerfly and then mosquito season.  For instance, the 100 Mile Wilderness with be thick with bugs (vs very few in late summer).  The good news is that the windy, exposed peaks of NH and VT won't have as many.   Oh, and the south will have a lot more hunters in the fall.  There are practical reasons the traditional NOBO hike is popular.

It's still totally doable though, and you won't have to deal with as many overcrowded shelters in the south.  And personally, I'd take any hike, if I could get it!

[2Birds1Stone]

Ah, I hope you enjoy it!  That's the best weather, yup.

One thing about hiking the northern part of the AT in the spring/early summer - bugs.  If you didn't know already, that's tick, blackfly, deerfly and then mosquito season.  For instance, the 100 Mile Wilderness with be thick with bugs (vs very few in late summer).  The good news is that the windy, exposed peaks of NH and VT won't have as many.   Oh, and the south will have a lot more hunters in the fall.  There are practical reasons the traditional NOBO hike is popular.

It's still totally doable though, and you won't have to deal with as many overcrowded shelters in the south.  And personally, I'd take any hike, if I could get it!

That is definitely food for thought. I have a lot of time to continue doing research to see what makes the most sense. Another issue with flip flop is potential draught in the south during late summer/fall. Currently I read that GA section of the AT has been dry for months, creating issues for thruhikers needing natural water sources between towns.