I am planning a thru-hike this year and am thinking about attending and starting after the kickoff. I was curious on peoples previous experiences and was wondering if anyone could share their opinions. Also when do people actually leave lake morena, and do those attending slack-pack the first 20 miles? Also How many thru-hikers start during the kickoff? thanks
Dax
I think you’ll find extensive opinions on the matter in past years’ threads. Also, google pct-l archives and you’ll find a ton of banter pro and con about the Kickoff. There is even some on their own website.
I did section A in winter, attended Kickoff, finished work for a week, and then basically joined the herd from Warner Springs. I didn’t find it too crowded, personally. (But i didn’t do the first 110 miles with the crowd.)
Many start the Wednesday-Friday before Kickoff, and then continue on Sunday morning north from Morena. Several others slackpack in on Saturday or Friday. Several others start from the border on Sunday after Kickoff. And then many others start a week or so early and hitch back to the Kickoff. All have advantages. I’d estimate that of the 400 or so aspiring thru-hikers, half attended Kickoff. Of those 200, there were probably equal parts of the 4 strategies listed above. Roughly.
This year if the dry weather keeps up, you might do best to start a couple weeks early. Or not.
markv
It seems that everyone who has an opinion on this topic, has a strong one. Many people don’t like the kick-off because it does put a lot of people on the trail at the same time (probably 200 or so). I hiked the whole trail in 2007 and attended the kick-off. However, I started two weeks before the kick-off and then hitched back to Lake Morena. This seems to be a popular option. Remember 2007 was an easy snow year. San Jacinto was almost clear in April. Right now it has 4-6 feet of snow with a lot more on the way(I live an hour from it). San Jacinto is an exceedingly difficult and dangerous snow walk. DO NOT let anyone else tell you different.
Many people slack pack to Lake Morena. If you do, make sure you are in good shape. The climb out of Hauser Creek is a tough one and comes near the end of the day. The kick-off is a great way to get good trail information (water), see demonstrations, eat, check out new gear, eat, meet people, eat, etc. I personally recommend you go to it one way or another. Robocop
Eric
I would definitely recommend going to the kickoff. You’ll get to meet some of your fellow hikers, get some great info (including the latest water reports) and also meet numerous trail angels and legends.
If you intend to start at the kickoff, you will find a free ride to the border and can slackpack to Lake Morenia very easily. Bring lots of water though.
If you’re intent on avoiding the herd, start earlier as mentioned above and then come back for the kickoff.
Jalan jalan
I think ADZ is more fun for former hikers and section hikers than for current thrus. The info (like water reports) you can get online at other sources and don’t really need in the first place (the water in the data book is fine). You should probably sort out your gear before going, and you’ll make the changes you need shortly after starting anyways. You’ll meet all the hikers eventually.
On the other hand, I love going to ADZ and will be there again this year. I get to see all the friends I haven’t seen in a while and can spend a lot of time in the culture that I love so much. If I was hiking, though, I’d start a week or two after it.
Suge
It’s for former hikers and trail cultists.
It should be held later in the year instead of during the prime start time for that years thru-hikers. But I think the Kick Off folks need an audience, so, well, you get what you get.
I went for a day and enjoyed it though. But overall, I am the crowd who thinks Kick-Off causes more problems than it solves.
If I was to attempt the PCT again (which is not likely…) I would simply ignore the entire Southern Section and hike from the Sierra North–and then append some miles in Canada or elsewhere if I saved enough time in the hiking season.
Montana
I attended the kickoff in 2008 and will attend again in 2009. Someone said above that everyone who has an opinion about this has a strong one, and I agree. However I have to say that those who are anti-kickoff (not just not wanting to attend, but actively against the event) are usually more vocal than those who are pro-kickoff. Possibly because it’s a minority opinion.
I liked the kickoff. Not particularly for the water reports or anything like that, but it was a fun hiker-oriented event filled with (mostly) like-minded people. Don’t let the kickoff dictate your start date, but consider attending. I had fun, and most people who attend do, even if they have issue with the “herd” it generates (although there is a lot of hype about this “herd” that is largely spread back out by Warner Springs).
As far as Montana’s opinion about Southern California, I have to disagree. I loved the desert and the mountains. The hiking style that you’ll adapt due to the heat and sun of the desert is unique and the terrain is one that most people won’t usually hike in by choice in a lot of cases, causing a rare experience for a lot of people. Of course, some people don’t like to leave their comfort zone or aren’t interested in carrying four liters of water every time they leave a water source (understandably). But don’t just write off the desert because it’s not the high sierra. It has its own character!
Joker
At the kick off there is free food.
At the kick off you will get to meet the Angels.
At the kick off you will see people with huge backpacks and weird gear. Who will eventually all have the same basic stuff.
At the kick off there is a hiker box, free showers, and fun events, alledgely.
I went to the kick off in '07 and didn’t finish the whole trail. I blame the food hangover I got from completely porking out on the free food.
Guino
I 2nd Joker’s opinion on SoCal. Of course Washington and the Sierra are the best sections, but SoCal was way underrated. I loved most of it. If i had to dump a section (not that i would dump any of it), it would be the southern 2/3 of Oregon.
Cuddles
Case in point…i was too ill to eat when i was at Crater Lake, so maybe if i did the trail again i’d hate SoCal but love southern Oregon the next time.
Cuddles
All–
I have the summer off from June 1st to August 17th. I really enjoy the thoughts on best parts of the trail. If those of you who have already hiked it would do it again (in my shoes), which parts would you do?
Currently planning to start at I-10, work though the San Bernardino Mountains to get acclimated (and make any adjustments to gear and what not), then hit the Sierras, and whatever I can after that.
Any thoughts on this? Any advice is greatly appreciated!
William
For heat related reasons, I would reccomend not being on between miles 220-250 and 500- 700 very scary hot in June. You open your eyes and it’s like a TV on the wrong channel. People seriously pass out, out there do to the heat. in 07 someone I knew passed out on Aqueduct day. Though June 6 when I was on aquaduct was like 35 degrees. In 06 I heard someone died just north of The Mojave Tehachapi freeway. Though there might be alot of snow in the Sierra still. It is a below average winter though right now, but the 10 day forecast for Mammoth is all snow.
If you start at I- 10 unless it’s a cold day don’t start till at least 5PM. That’s a seriously hot stretch all the way till almost Big Bear. I thought I was going to die until I got to that windfarm and sat in the shade of a small tree till 4. Oh yeah those guys were shooting squirrels 10 feet from me at that place. Read my journal from that day, May 14, 2007 under the name of Penguin. Sorry it’s not edited for grammar and the like, but it sure is weird out there.
Guino
A couple i hiked with a little bit last summer started around May 25th and started at Walker Pass. (about 600 or so miles north of the border, 100 miles or so south of the High Sierra) They seemed to feel it worked out great for them. Walker Pass to Crater Lake, OR would be about perfect for that time frame at a typical pace. Of course if you’re not limited to hiking one continuous line northbound or just on the PCT, your options open up to infinity.
Cuddles
I’d start in Onyx or in Mojave. The transition might be a bit brutal if you start at Mojave, but I was hiking that section around the time you propose and, while hot, it wasn’t that bad. In fact, I liked it so much I wrote a Communicator article about it back in 2004. From Onyx you hitch up to Walker Pass and go from there.
Suge
I’m taking a couple weeks off to hike in late April/early May. I’ve hiked the PCT before but missed the kickoff, and thus didn’t see many people on the trail. I’m considering going to it this year and hiking from there.
If I’m only hiking for two weeks though, will the early crowds make it not worth it? Any thoughts on other sections/hikes that time of year? Thanks!
EG
The early crowds will make it not worth it if you don’t like hiking around other people. If you want just a few people, try hiking Sections C and D at that time instead, but you may have a some snow here and there. Section E would be probably empty, not quite as scenic, but no snow.
markv
I didn’t attend kick-off last year because I was afraid it would make me want to buy new gear. I was tired of worrying about my gear.
I might attend this year if I can. But only for the camraderie. I won’t be starting my hike until late May.
By the way, I’ve now hiked Walker Pass to Canebrake Rd. twice now. It’s really nice in the Fall. When I went last October, all the water sources still had water, even the first one. The first one was just a little hole dug in the mud, but all the following ones still flowed. So you can trust the water sources in Spring.
Piper