Any advice on starting a “section” of the PCT in June? I have about 2 months to hike and would like to get the JMT in as well.
Also, I’ve done a few states of the AT and am familier with the camping huts on the trail there. Are there similar camping areas on the PCT? I know, I have to get the guide book :(.
willow
The PCT is a whole different ballgame. I don’t know the exact number, but I’d guess that there are maybe 5 shelters along the ENTIRE PCT. Yep, you do need the guidebooks and the Data Book.
If you’re in good hiking shape, you could cover 1000 miles of the PCT in 2 months. You might enjoy hiking along with the thru-hikers. In a typical year, the bulk of the thru-hikers would leave Kennedy Meadows in the second and third weeks of June. KM is at PCT mile 700, and the PCT-JMT become the same trail 60 miles north of KM.
Since you want to include the JMT, and if you’d like to hike near thru-hikers, you might consider starting your hike a bit south of KM – get your legs in shape before hitting the Sierra.
On the other hand, if your heart is not set on the JMT section of the PCT, I’d recommend hiking Oregon and Washington.
yogi
yogi
Without a doubt, start at Kennedy Meadows and hike north to, say, South Lake Tahoe. This is, in my opinion, the best long stretch there is. Distance is about 370 miles, which gives you plenty of time to move slowly or to keep going if you want. If you think the desert might be your sort of thing, back it up and start in Agua Dulce, which adds about another 240 miles. Once you go past South Lake Tahoe, transit out becomes somewhat difficult, with Chester (230ish miles north of SLT) probably being the best bet.
Suge
Take into account one drawback in heading north from K.M. - the first pass you’ll encounter (forester pass) is also the highest pass on the P.C.T. and is above 13,000 feet. Unlike thruhikers who walk to reach this point at elevations of 6000’ (and more) for weeks, you will have only a couple of days to climitise. Climatizion to elevation is highly individualistic. Some people will have no problem climbing Forester from K.M. , but other (like me) will have a splitting headache and other nasty simptoms if they try to do this in two days, after living in see level.
Apart from the solitude, a southbound JMT hike from Yosemite is much more logical, as the passes are lower the norther you go, so you will be able to climitize to elevation better heading south, and in addition you will encounter less snow, and will be able to end your hike near the highest point of the trail, perhaps even climing mt’ witney (You’l need a permit for that).
From whitney (actualy lone pine) you can take public transportation back to Yosemite (Toulomne Medows) or to Sonora Pass north and then hike north with the thruhikers you passed while heading south. The last option (which involves hitching from bridgport to Sonora) has an advantage as it will enable you to avoid the toulomne to Sonora pass section, which many hikers find to be relativly unrawarding due to its frequent climbs below treeline.
Roni