April 1st - Choosing a Start Date

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#1

With April just around the corner, it’s time to start pinning down a start date. Following are suggestions that may assist you. Here’s an easy example to determine that pesky start date:

Estimated miles to be hiked per day: 23
Planned ‘Zero’ Days from Campo to Kennedy Meadows: 8
Sierra Entry Date (Northbound from Kennedy Meadows) : June 18th
Miles to Kennedy Meadows (Northbound): 705

Start date: May 10th

First, we take the miles to be hiked (705) and divide by miles per day (23): 31 days
Then, add our 8 zero days: 39
Subtract 39 days from June 18th and this leaves us with our start date of May 10th.

Obviously, your results will vary.

For the typical hiker you will find that covering 23 miles a day is easy after your first week. This is a conservative number. For faster hikers plan accordingly!

Given the amount of snow continuing to accumulate in the Sierra’s (over 138% Glen Pass north) June 18th is a reasonable ballpark date for entering the Sierra’s. If you’re not too keen on walking through snow, push the date back a bit to minimize the experience. But be prepared to deal with snow in the Sierra’s, period.

Most importantly, don’t lose sight of what your hike is about to YOU. Don’t get distracted by events that are irrelevant to your hike and possibly contrary to your well being. Determine a start date that best suits YOU and YOUR abilities. And be flexible.

Scott Parks

PCT, CDT Information : Postholer.Com
Peak Geek Hiker Supply: PeakGeek.Com

Scott Parks

#2

Sooo, if I start 18APR, average 14MPD and take 10 or so zero’s I’ll get to Kennedy right on time. Is this what the April herd does? Never hiked out west but 23 sounds huge to me… especially at the start.

CitySlicker

#3

14 miles per day is really low. You’ll hit 14 by lunchtime. The PCT is usually not steep. It’s graded for horses. You can’t really compare a 23 mile day on the AT to a 23 mile day on the PCT. Apples to oranges. Daily mileage around 25’s are what most PCT hikers now-a-days do.

Water is an issue which contributes to big-mile days. Water sources in SoCal are pretty far apart.

If you start April 18, you will probably run into snow issues as early as Mt. Laguna. I’d say your chances are really good of having snow trouble on San Jacinto and Baden-Powell. I’d recommend pushing your start date ahead.

yogi

www.pcthandbook.com

yogi

#4

It also depends on the year. We hiked when it was a low snow year in the southern Sierra, normal in the central Sierra and high in the northern Sierra. We started April 20 to avoid the crowds at the Kick-off. I was glad we did. It was cooler and the flowers were prime. Because I sprained my ankle on the first day, we started pretty slowly - 15-17 miles a day or so. We didn’t do a 20 mile day until May 3. We reached KM June 1. We ran into a little snow before the Sierras, but nothing we couldn’t handle. There was snow in the Sierras and the river crossings were bad, but it was doable. We wanted to stretch the hike out, so our average was 19 mpd. As Yogi said, the miles come easy on the PCT, but you don’t HAVE to do big miles every day unless you choose to except in a couple of places where the water sources require big miles.

Ginny

#5

Scott:
I can see what your trying to achieve with your post - spreading the hikers out so they don’t form a ‘herd’ @ the Kickoff & over-run the small stores. This is an admirable goal, but there’s a bit or irony in your post: if a bunch of hikers end up starting on May 10th, this would create the same problem that the Kickoff creates - a herd of hikers stampeding the small stores…javascript:smile(’:)’)

Yogi - i normally agree with what you have to say, but not in this post. If i have a choice between a 14 versus a 25 mile day, i would much prefer to take my time, enjoy some long breaks by a water source or on a mountain top and walk the shorter distance. On both of my PCT thru-hikes, water concerns never forced me to walk a big day. I can only think of one section currently that would require a big mileage day - Kelso Valley Road to Yellow Jacket Spring or McGyver Hut. Mary, the local trail angel who places the water cache’s @ Kelso Valley Road & Bird Spring Pass has told the PCTA that she can no longer stock the Bird Spring Pass Cache.

I started on April 8th of last year and did not see any snow in the Laguna’s. I asked the owners of the store about snow on Mt. Laguna and they said its fairly rare, usually wet, and almost always melts within a day or two. The only difficult snow (if encountered) on San Jacinto is the Fuller Ridge area, which can easily be bypassed by walking Black Mountain Road. Baden-Powel can be bypassed (if necessary) by walking the Angeles Crest Highway. (The AC2 highway was a nightmare last year - 20 foot drifts, but its highly unlikely that LA will once again break its all time rainfall record in the near future) There is also a alternate trail around Baden-Powel, if the AC2 is unavailable.

There are a number of advantages starting ‘early’ (ie. before the Kickoff):
(1) Easier Pace to Kennedy Meadows with more zero days
(2) Cooler Desert Temps
(3) More Water in Desert
(4) Less crowds (more of a wilderness experience)
(5) Well stocked stores
(6) Less crowded at “Hiker Heaven” and other stops
(8) Longer Thru-hike
(9) Easy hitch back & forth to Kickoff Party

Obviously, everyone needs to decide for themselves, but if ‘City Slicker’ or others want to start out slowly and enjoy a relaxed pace to Kennedy Meadows, they shouldn’t be scared into starting later. If i hike the PCT again i will start in early April again - i’d much prefer to deal with the potential of some snow in SoCal than crowds and hot desert temperatures.

Happy Trails, freebird

freebird

#6

Speaking of the tension of picking a start date on this overcrowded planet where it snows a lot in some places when you dont’ want it to and not in other places you’d love it to javascript:smile(’:bawling’)… I have an important question. If I am planning on attending the Kick Off, how much food do I need to bring to feed myself for those few days? I believe that one or two meals are provided, but for planning the Campo to Warner Springs section, can anyone tell me how much food I might want for the Kick Off?

Also, is it fruitless or possible for me to start a couple days before Kick Off to hike to Mt. Laguna and hitch back to the Kick Off? I know that I would feel the hot breath of hikers on the back of my neck, but we’re flying in to San Diego on 4/23 and I just can’t spend that much time in San Diego, so it seems a good idea to begin. Would it be an easy hitch without lining up a ride through the rideboard?

Also, this may be common knowledge, but there is a hostel in San Diego a 3 minute walk from the bus station that gets you from the airport and to Campo. It is called Hostelling International “Downtown San Diego”, the number is 1-800-909-4776, and its $20 per night.

I am pretty much tied in knots right now, but can’t wait. Thank goodness for Yogi, most of my questions were answered. Maybe you can add that detail to your handbook?

*NEMO

NEMO

#7

Hey Nemo

Getting a ride back to the KO from Laguna shouldn’t be a problem. I don’t know about straight up hitching, but the ride board worked for me.

Checking out the ride board on the KO website, it seems like ‘the pack’ will be spread out at least a little bit. Many folks are asking for rides to / from Warner Springs, I thought I saw one for Scissors Crossing, I’ve seen a few for Mt. Laguna as well.

Besides, depending on how fast you start off, those leaving Morena on Sunday will have to ‘catch up’ 23 miles to catch the folks who start a couple or three days before the KO and bounce back from Laguna. Could take a while…

Besides, it’s not a race (don’t sweat the hot breath thing - I suppose it’s only pressure if you make it so) - I figure on starting slow then gradually building miles (give the feet and body a chance to acclimate). Yeah, I’ll be 23 or so miles in front of the herd to start, but I figure I’ll be getting passed by folks who started at the KO within 2 to 4 days. By Idyllwild or Big Bear, I’ll be up to speed and probably still in the middle to middle front of the pack.

Token Civilian

#8

newbies take freebird’s sound advice, it sounds good to me

cheeserTOM

#9

Friday Dinner is spaghetti from the Class of 2004.

Saturday Breakfast is pancakes from the hungover Class of 2003.

Saturday Dinner is provided by the Kick Off organizers. Usually hamburgers, hot dogs, salad, dessert, etc.

Sunday Breakfast is provided by the Kick Off organizers. Usually bacon, eggs, sausage, juice.

So all you’ll need is Thursday dinner, Friday lunch, Saturday lunch.

BTW, Meadow Ed told me a couple months ago that the little diner in Lake Morena is not serving food anymore, so any former hikers who were counting on that should bring their own food!

yogi

www.pcthandbook.com

yogi

#10

That is so kind of them! Free food always tastes a bit better when it is made with love. Thanks for the info Yogi.

*NEMO

NEMO