Wisdom for a newbie?

imported
#1

Hi all -

I’m hoping for some encouragement. I’ve finally decided that I am going to hike next summer. Money/job/debts are lining up.

Now it is a question of AT vs PCT. My hiking experience: a few 10 night trips in Ontario, and a couple of overnights in the Rockies.

The dilemma - I’ll be going alone. The AT - I think I can handle, physically at least - it seems ‘safer’ (no icefields to cross, fewer big river fords, no desert - which I’ve never been in, more people to meet). The PCT seems scarier but more rewarding.

The point? For someone who’s never done more than a 10 day hike, is the idea of starting out by trying to thru-hike the PCT crazy or sane? Is it easy to find people to hike with for a little while if you start at the time of the ADZPCTKO?

I know I need to figure it out for myself, but any words of wisdom/advice/encouragement/even - gulp - discouragement would be helpful.

Thank you.

Sophie

#2

Many people have the impression that the PCT is physically more difficult than the AT. It is NOT. Why not try the John Muir Trail first as it is almost entirely co-incident with the PCT through the Sierras? My guess is you will fall in love and go for the PCT.

Turtle Walking

#3

I was facing the same question two years ago and was happy that I chose the AT.

At a recent lecture, Scott Williams who has hiked the PCT several times along with the AT and the CDT, said that he found the AT to be more physically challenging because of all the ups and downs and lack of switchbacks.

For a newbie, the AT offers lots of support, a large network of trail angels, and a more social enviroment.

The AT also passses close to many small towns which are great for resupplying or getting out of bad weather. The downside is that it is less of a wildewrness experience, more crowded, and has fewer scenic vistas due to the green tunnel effect.

The AT also has shelters, more developed water supplies and primitive toilet facilities which can be a godsend when you geta touch of food poisoning.

The biggest drawback of the AT is that it can get pretty crowded and it seems to attract a lot of, how can I put this nicely,“wayward” individuals. These are folks that just want to party and live the hiker life without actually hiking. These folks tend to disappear after Damascus.

jalan

#4

Hiking the AT was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life and I would definitely encourage you to follow your dreams and go for it.

It will be tough in the beginning so take it real slow. My biggest regret about hiking the AT was that I hiked too fast and was too obsesesed with making my mileage goals.
Savor each day of freedom and always give yourself something to look forward to: a nice dinner in town, a zero day in a particular scenic area, whatever. Good luck.:cheers

jalan

#5

You won’t be sorry which ever you choose. We say that which ever trail you hike first will become favorite. And the first long distance hike will be a life changing event.

You will find more people on the AT if that makes you feel more secure. Starting the PCT at kick-off time you will find lots of people for the first few hundred miles and then the pack seems to spread out. Then you will get more of a wilderness feel. That time gives you a chance to find other(s) who you feel comfortable hiking with - socially and physically.

Everyone says the AT is a harder trail, but I din’t notice much difference. That may be that I was in better shape physically and more metally prepared for the climbs.

Many people hike the PCT as a first long distance trail. If you read a few of the journals and/or books you will can be prepared for the desert and stream crossings and snow travel.

Ken

#6

Sophie -

i have thru-hiked the AT & PCT back-to-back twice ('96/'97 & '04/'05). If you think that you will have time to hike both trails in the future, most people start with the AT and then hike the PCT, due to the fact that the PCT is longer with a shorter ‘weather’ window and is more technically challenging at times. However, I’ve met a number of people that started with the PCT as their first thru-hike, without having any serious problems. They had the time of their life!

If you started the PCT at the Kickoff, you will inevitably end up running into hordes of hikers for the first few weeks! (I love solo hiking so i start a few weeks before the kickoff and hitch back for the party)

Here’s a couple observations:

(1) The question of which trail is more difficult is incredibly hard to answer: Generally speaking the tread is easier on the PCT (less roots & rocks) and is better graded with easy switchbacks (built for horses), BUT the high Sierra can be extremely tough (and rewarding) in a heavy snow year & northern WA has some challenging sections as well, particulary when it’s wet and cold (often occurring in Sept.) I find that physically, the AT is more rugged as a whole, but mentally, the PCT is considerably more challenging due to the extremes that you will encounter there: hot desert / snow fields at altitude / difficult creek crossings / BAD bugs at times / and LACK of shelters. All things considered, I find the PCT more challenging, especially since you don’t have any shelters to duck into during extreme weather.

(2) Views: If you like open, expansive views you can’t beat the PCT. The AT has wonderful views as well, and perhaps they are even more appreciated since you can’t really take them for granted. The infamous ‘green tunnel’ sections of AT have a beauty all their own - the ‘micro’ views of the plants, moss, trees, etc. is wonderful as well. The spectacular grandeur of the high Sierra and North Cascades is incredible, but so is an open bald in the South, Grayson Highlands in Virginia, the Whites, Maine, Katahdin, etc… Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, i guess, and a mountain doesn’t have to be 14,000 feet high to be beautiful. The PCT is more diverse and spectacular in its beauty, whereas the AT has beautiful hardwood forests, farmlands, quaint villages, etc.

(3) Pace: Its much easier to have a slower pace on the AT. due to a larger weather window. You could feasibly start say on March 1st and finish by October 1st, giving you 7 months to hike roughly 2,200 miles. This works out to a relatively easy 11 - 12 mpd (miles per day) pace given some 'zero’days thrown in here and there. On the PCT, you normally wouldn’t want to head north from Kennedy Meadows before early June unless you have some decent mountaineering skills. This means that most hikers start @ Campo in late April or early May. I personally enjoy starting considerably earlier (last year i started April 8th) to avoid the crowds, enjoy the cooler desert temps, and have a nice leisurly stroll (with lots of zero days) for the first 700 miles. The North Cascades can get tricky by early October, so generally speaking your window on the PCT is around 5 months. At roughly 2660 miles, this works out to 18 - 20 mpd (some zeros thrown in). Sooooooooo, often PCT hikers feel like they have to keep moving, whereas, if you start fairly early on the AT, you could have a bunch of mini vacations in nice spots. :wink: I tend to love spending as much time as possible on a thru-hike, and was able to spend exactly 6 months on the PCT last year on a flip-flop thru-hike ending on the summit of Mt. Whitney (October 9th).

(4) the Finish: nothing beats Katahdin for a finish to a NOBO thru-hike! The border swath and ‘washington’ monument don’t quite match the anticipation and final exuberance of touching the sign at the summit of the big “k”.

Final thought: If you are leaning towards hiking the PCT (sounds like it from your post), then go for it! You’ll have a blast and you will meet lots of wonderful fellow hikers @ the Kickoff. If you have the luxury of doing both trails, then maybe start with the AT first. I get asked quite often which trail i like more & i can honestly say i love both the same, but for very different reasons!

Have a great hike, whichever trail you decide to take!

freebird

#7

That was great to read, Freebird. I was thinking that it would make a great submission to the “articles” section of Whiteblaze. I’d imagine a lot of people have that tough decision to make.

0101

#8

Thank you for your responses - I am leaning toward the PCT first, in case I don’t have a chance to do both. In any case, it is a question now of researching both as much as possible.

Thank you!

Sophie

#9

Wow…that was the best summary of the AT vs. PCT I’ve seen.

Awesome!

I’ll just add, as Ken said, that often the first trail you do seems more difficult because the long distance hiking lifestyle is so new.

Paul Mags

#10

Just thought I’d throw my two cents in. I hiked the PCT in 2004 and the AT in 2005…this is an excerpt from my last AT journal entry:

"The major advantage to the AT is that the logistics are much simpler. There are more towns within walking/hitching distance of the trail, and water sources along the trail are more frequent. The shelters give you the option to wait out inclement weather, and the numerous hostels, outfitters, and shuttles available all make life much easier.

The major disadvantage to the AT is that it’s much less scenic, remote, and user-friendly. There are indeed some very scenic stretches of trail, but otherwise there often aren’t many views. The trail corridor can be quite narrow, busy road crossings are more frequent, and the noise and bustle of civilization can often be heard, even from high along the ridgetops. The treadway is littered with roots and rocks, and the climbs and descents can be quite steep, often without any reward for such severe elevation change.

So while it’s true that the AT was the less stressful hike, I find that the PCT was more rewarding precisely because of the adventure and risk involved. Which is not to say that the AT was easy; it’s just that the high points weren’t quite as high, and the low points weren’t quite as low. The PCT was such an amazing experience for me that it’d be nearly impossible for the AT to measure up, but I still had a great time on the AT and don’t regret hiking it at all."

The AT had more to offer than I thought it would, but I still enjoyed the PCT much more. I would definitely thru-hike the PCT again, whereas I would only be interested in hiking certain sections of the AT again.

Pacer