Sweet. What are you doing next summer? If you can take a vacation from planning, physical training and fund raising for your 2014 PCT thruhike, you should go on a medium-sized (200-400 miles) hike next summer. That way, your thruhike will become your second real hike (see how I did that?), and you’ll be able to draw upon the experiences and lessons learned from your new first real hike in 2013.
From my experiences, ultralight hiking is more than just purchasing and packing less than 10 pounds of gear. Sure, the scale may make you an ultralighter, however the scale can only judge the weight of a hike, not the gravity of it. In order to be a successful ultralight backpacker, you should have a knowledge base and comfort level with your hiking systems that allow you to successfully carry less gear without sacrificing your safety.
If you pack your backpack for the first hike as you plan on for your second hike, that will be a great display of how your second hike will/could/would/should go. Not that you wont change any details (your gear, your strategy, your mind) between hiking in 2013 and hiking in 2014, but think of how much more informed that you’ll be. Making changes to your gear and your mindset as you see fit is not just optional and fun, it’s also been a necessary part of my long distance backpacking enjoyment. If your concern is honestly, truly that the PCT in 2014 is going to be your “first” real hike, then getting another hike out of the way will punch that concern in the face!!! Boom. Solved.
Mad props for taking this on, and packing less is surely the way to go, even if ultralight isn’t. Feel free to check out my PCT journal from 2005, and contact me if you need. Happy planning and happy hiking.
jewel thief