'06 Thru Hike Partner

imported
#1

Anyone know of a good resource for locating a partner to thru hike the PCT in 06?

This might be a long shot, but any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!!!

John

#2

You might take a look at the White Blaze site. I think they have a section for partners wanted. If I could remember my password, I’d check for sure…:tongue Also the ATC magazine has ads in the back for partners wanted. Happy Trails and Good Luck!

Lady Di

#3

i would go to the kick off if i were you. and then leave with the masses. it seems a more natural way to find a hiking partner than trying to force one. there are horror stories about meeting hikers online and it being terrible. like my friend richard this year and how he ended up hiking with someone who suffered from amnesia when he woke up in the middle of the night and didnt know where he was or who he was or what he was doing. if you leave with the masses on the kick off there will be plenty of people looking for someone to hike with. http://siechert.org/adz/

panda

#4

Hi John:

I would suggest just starting at the border alone-- you will be amazed at how easy it would be to starting hiking with someone or a group. It’s no problem at all. You will have the independence to decide what you want to do at that time.

In 1996 I started hiking with someone I met through the PCTA. We started hiking together, but within two days we realized that we would prefer to hike alone. It was no problem.

Looking back, I think the reason why I felt the need to hike with partner had more to do with my nervousness of hiking the PCT, rather than wanting to have a hiking partner.

Ryan c

Ryan

#5

As others have said, I wouldn’t try to get a partner online unless I had the chance to do some backpacking with him/her before we started our long trek. There are too many variables to having a good partnership. It’s hard enough to make it work when you do know each other, and when you know what kind of hiking style you actually have on the trail. If you go to the ADZPCTKO you will be part of the pack, and for the first few hundred miles will have a chance to get to know other thruhikers and figure out who hikes your pace, with your style.

Before you leave, you could also join PCT-L and the Yahoo PCT -2006 group and get to know the screen persona of some of the people you will meet out there. Whether or not you ever hike with them, you won’t feel so alone when you know that the people you get to know over the next few months on the internet are within days of you. You’ll have the excitement of seeing people that you ‘know’ even though you’ve never met before, except online.

Ginny

#6

Thanks so much for all the information.

Being a planner (which probably isn’t a bad thing), I had tried to eliminate one of the biggest variables of all – who I’d be hiking with. It sounds like a whole lot of the experience is the embracing the unknown and meeting new people.

I guess it makes it worth carrying a couple of extra pounds to have a bit more independence.

Thanks to everyone for the info, and any other advice you might have is always greatly appreciated. See you at ADZPCTKO.

John

John