Hello, I’m considering a thru hike on the PCT. Has anyone hiked both the AT and PCT who can tell me there average milages on both? Trying to decide if I should plan on hiking more or less miles per day than I did on my AT thru hike. I’m not concerned about the time required by logistics. Just the physcal difficulty aspect of it.
hoof
In 2002 I averaged 20 mpd on my Springer->Damascus section hike. In 2003 I averaged 25 mpd on my PCT thruhike, with the last 1500 miles averaging 29 mpd. On my 2004 Damascus->Manchester section I averaged about 25 mpd. However, this last one was hiking in a West Coast style: Up early, hike long, camp late. SoCal, with its long waterless stretches and high heat, tends to get people moving in the 20 mpd range pretty quickly.
Suge
Hey Hoof - I’ve hiked the PCT & AT back to back a couple times now, but I’m not at all a good person to get average mpd from since I have no pace whatsoever 
Much of the PCT is graded easier (less than 15% grade for packstock) than the A.T. Sooooo… in general you can average significantly higher mileage. I would say on average if you hike maybe 15mpd on the A.T. you might hike around 19 or 20 mpd on the PCT. There are sections of the PCT - especially in the high Sierra in snow - where your mileage may be more like the Whites or Mahoosuc’s on the A.T.
Happy Trails!
freebird
Hey, Thanks for the info freebird. Those are the figures I’m looking for. Trying to judge mail drops and such.
hoof
a nifty online planner that had a function that adds time when the terrain gets steeper like the Sierras
doodlebug
I hiked the AT in 5 months with about 17 zero days and the PCT in just under 5 months with 30+ zero days.
I guess on days hiked my miles per day avg looked something like this:
AT 16-17
PCT 21-22
There are way less up and down climbs on the PCT and less rocks and roots, but the PCT seemed to beat me down just as hard as the AT, when you throw in desert heat, carrying xtra water, elevation, and most importantly, what felt like the need to keep moving and clicking off miles before serious snow came
a-train