PCT intermission - advice?

imported
#1

Dear PCT community:

I need some advice.

I am planning to hike NOBO starting the first or second of April. At my hiking pace, I should be able to complete in mid-August (a few days before I start school).

The catch is that I need to take a detour to Chicago for a few days, June 18-20.

Does anyone have any ideas about how to manage this logistically? According to Craig’s PCT Planner, I’ll be right near the CA/OR border at this point. I was thinking I’d try and take a bus to Portland or SF and fly from there.

By the way, I am fine skipping a section and coming back another year to complete. Just need to make sure I’m done by mid-August.

Thanks for your suggestions!

Peter Schwab

#2

Personally, if i were to leave off a section for another year, i’d just leave the end. The northwest is buggy in July, and nicer in August and most of September, and it’s often more mentally pleasing not to skip around. Your plan assumes you’ll be able to get through the usual snow, quite a bit of it, early in the Sierra.

That said, to your question…the busses that go through Seiad Valley, last town in CA, hook up with Yreka on I-5. From there, you can go various places, but i think the easiest would be to Sacramento, and fly from there. If you’re doing a more average pace and are only as far on the trail as Chester (or Sonora Pass, or Truckee), you can hook up pretty easily via bus with Reno, and fly from there. If you want to fly out of Portland, you’ll probably want to hike to Ashland.

markv

#3

If you leave the trail at Castella, you can hitch to Dunsmuir, take Amtrak south to Sacramento, and fly out. Or leave the trail at Ashland and take Greyhound to Sacramento. The easiest place to leave the trail might be
Donner Summit. It’s right on I-80 which is a straight shot to either Sacramento or Reno.

bowlegs