I have thruhiked the AT but will probably never have an opportunity to thruhike the PCT. If I could spend 2 weeks hiking, where are some of the best sections? Best could be based on scenery, fun to hike, etc. I like to do long mileage days. Access to the start and finish would also be a consideration.
Thanks
Steady On
Steady On
The JMT is definitely a highlight of the trail. Most of Washington was beautiful as well. There are too many highlights to list. Are you sure that you can’t get 4 months off to go thru again? Life is short, have fun! Tiki
Tiki
my favorite section is from Rainy Pass to the Canadian Border - especially the Pasayton Wilderness.
Although I love the JMT section as well, the Pasayton area felt (& probably is) the wildest section in terms of the fewest people, wildest animals etc.
The Goat Rocks Wilderness in Southern WA is spectacular as well - a good section to hike is from Trout Lake to White Pass.
Also, from Snoqualmie Pass to Stehekin (WA) is awesome.
The JMT section is amazing, but can be quite crowded during the summer months.
Early (June with lots of snow & mosquitoes) or “late” (after Labor Day) are good times to hike it if your looking for less people. I’ve hiked it twice & really enjoyed a late September to early October hike in '05 where I finished on Whitney on October 9th. (I saw maybe 5 people on the entire length of the trail outside of Yosemite and the Whitney areas)
Happy Trails!
freebird
I agree with above posters I would say the JMT southbound in september. no bugs, few people, good weather.
Another section I like is from Sonora pass to Beldon or Sierra City. Its not the most spectacular like the JMT or Wa state but its nice. If you like to do milage this section is pretty fast.
mat
Being from Washington, I’m partial to the ‘local’ part of the trail. That said, I truly think the northern most sections are some of the most spectacular.
If you had 2 weeks and can do good miles right off the couch, I’d suggest starting at Snoqualmie Pass and heading north to the finish - you should be able to do it in 14 days, although 16 to 18 would be more comfortable.
Getting to Snoqualmie from Seattle shouldn’t be too hard - public bus to North Bend and hitch the remaining distance. From Manning, take the greyhound to Vancouver BC and from there either bus or Amtrak back to Seattle for your flight home.
It’s not two weeks, but I’ll second the Goat Rocks (Do Cascade locks to White Pass - ~147 miles). You get up close and personal with Mt. Adams as well. PDX to Cascade locks. At White Pass, hitch east to Yakima and catch a puddle jumper to Seattle.
Another section I really enjoyed was from Dunsmuir / Castella up to Ashland. The climb out up into Castle Crags is quite nice, especially if you’re a rock climber - mmmm…granite. Etna was a great little town stop (one of my top 3 along with Wrightwood and Idyllwild), the Marbles kicked butt, the Russian Wilderness was quite nice, Siead Valley was an experience and it was just cool to finally get the heck out of California. It doesn’t compare with the JMT or North Cascades in scenery, but was a very nice few sections.
Token Civilian
I agree with all of the above. Sierras and Northern WA are the best, but you can’t go wrong with anything north of Kennedy Meadows.
You could do South Lake Tahoe to Old Station in 2 weeks if you move. Easy miles and pretty scenic. A very underated section (someone else mentioned this too). Desolation Wilderness, Granite Chief, Sierra Buttes, Lassen, and you avoid Hat Creek Rim.
Easy transportation to Tahoe, and then you could probably get the Heitmans who run a hostel in OS to shuttle you (for a fee) to Redding, where I believe there is bus service. If you only made it to Belden, you could always hitch/get a shuttle down to Chico or Quincy, where I believe there is PT.
Good luck!
A-Train
Everbodys talking about the cool mtns which are awesome in summer, but if you could get time off in the late fall or winter the section from just south of Jacinto (Paradise cafe)to Wrightwood or Beyond is awesome. Great views off Jacinto interesting flora (cactus, Joshua trees, ocotillo, Coulter Pines) Lizards the size of my arm. Highlighted by the beautiful Deep Creek Hot Springs. Free public land hot springs that are 50 ft from the trail, pools built into the river with rocks, some on the slope that are more permamnetly made. You can stay as long as you want, I suggest skipping Big Bear for anything more then resupply (Chinese Buffet too of course), and takeing a slew of zeros at Deep Creek. Lots of Hippie types, outcasts, couples, Horse packers, and a few permament vagrant types add a flavorful character to this beautiful natural resource. All are welcome and interestingsly mix well sharing a common love for this resource. Truly a varied section of trail ranging from wind swept desert floor to Alpine terrain. I truly loved the desert and think the first 700 miles of trail were some of my favorite. Kind of a Desert rat at heart having done ALL my previous hiking to the PCT in Arizona at the Grand Canyon over the 5 summers I worked there.
The JMT section is awesome too, and having lived for the last 3 yrs in Mammoth Lakes, Ca. (just south of Yosemite) I can tell you matter of factly that for the last three years as long as you finished by Thanksgiving there was NO SNOW to be had at all or worry about. Best time of year for a JMT hike I would suggest would be an Oct. 1 start or later. There will be no bugs, and absolutely no people at all since Donner party like storms haunt peoples perceptions of the Sierra. Any early season snow that falls here melts in a day or two. PLus if it doesnt you could always hike out one of the infinite side trails that go down off every valley. Hope this helps.
Guino
I loved the variety of Southern California. Desert, chaparral, high mountains, fun trail towns, camraderie with other hikers when everyone is new and so many flowers. But the absolute best (so far anyway) for me has been Sonora Pass to Echo Lake. It’s amazingly beautiful and the flowers were stunning in early July.
Piper