Pacific Crest Trail 2011

[safari]

hey hey,

just wondering if anyone else is off to California soonish to jump on the trail... (or Vancouver if you plan a Southbound odyssey), seems as if there are a few Aussies crazy enough to walk 4000km every year from Mexico to Canada!

[Nuts]

I like the idea of these long tracks, PCT, AT, CDT etc. There are several i have in mind for a retirement plan (so long as the knees dont expire first). Each one (at 4-6mths duration) would fit neatly into a southern winter for those who like summer walking here.

[HitchHiking]

Maybe one day.... Manning Park in BC is a great place. Starting or Finishing. Great skiing there. Best powder Ive seen.

[safari]

Yeah, Manning is the goal, the end destination for me this year, the road to Rome...hoping there isn't too much powder though when I pass through! I am starting from Campo (Mexican border) a bit later than most other hikers due to the huge snowfalls this year in California... be great to be back hiking in North America with that excellent system of walking tracks, with the plus side that it won't be a re-hash of my Appalachian Trail experience in 09, something quite different...

[HitchHiking]

be great to be back hiking in North America with that excellent system of walking tracks, with the plus side that it won't be a re-hash of my Appalachian Trail experience in 09, something quite different...

Yeah I look forward to my summer trip to Canada!

Can I ask about the AT experience?
Is it a factor to why there are entire threads in other forums to what heat they are packing on the trail? and it doesnt seem to be for the animal!

[safari]

yeah well you're correct, the minority of hikers that carry firearms (it does seem to be a minority but thats my opinion based on what people tell me and what i would like to believe) do so in fear of people, not the wildlife... there is a very clear divide between those that reckon hiking is hiking and should involve a pair of shoes and a tent and nothing else & those crazies that (seemingly) brag about their -ahem 'protection policy'... I was amazed to meet 'Gun Nerds' for the first time in Pennsylvannia, guys & gals that just live for the gun. Whole emporiums full of the buggers. Like car enthusiasts, just into barrels & triggers. And hiking unfortunately. And discussing the unlikely combination of hiking and guns in online forums. Which may or may not breed fear among others... I dunno.
Quite different from our easygoing society here. Met a few girls hiking the AT, all military or ex-military actually, that made it clear they were packing,(or were they??!!!) I hiked Southbound, mostly alone, the guys I bounced off from time to time were just like me- losing stacks of weight, interested in culling every gram of weight from our packs and generally just sucking up the amazing trail magic from the fantastic American people along the trail who loved to feed us, give us a lift into town, put us up, listen to our woes and offer words of encouragement... only way down South in Tennessee & Georgia did folks openly admit or brag to carrying multiple firearms in their vehicles and on their person...then again hitching into a down was a breeze in those places- I guess there is only going to be one outcome if the hitching hiker turns nasty...!

[Wolfix]

All the safety warnings on the US National Parks site about the AT are about violent criminals. Really scary! I just watched Appalachian Impressions and doesn't look like there's much opportunity for the Aussie kind of backpacker crime as the trail is so crowded but I'm sure what they're most commonly referring to is rape. That is why you met "ex-military" women who were "packing heat". They know what their danger is. Makes me feel sick.

[ULWalkingPhil]

I've been reading a few books on personal accounts of hiking on the PCT and AT. No mention of security concerns or safety, actually the books I've read report that other hikers are very nice.

[Wolfix]

http://www.nps.gov/appa/planyourvisit/yoursafety.htm

Maybe this is NPS way of deterring visitors to reduce impact. Also consider that the books are usually written by men (the majority of hikers) and are unlikely to include the very personal, negative experiences of women on the trail. I don't think this would be any different from any other US or AU trail and I take that safety warning with a grain of salt but it is risky being a woman traveling alone and that should be kept in mind. I certainly will.

[norts]

The AT forum WhiteBlaze has a forum for female issues. Cant say I I have perused it.



Roger

[jacko1956]

Warnings issued by National Parks and the like the world over are prompted by "duty of care" issues more than anything else.
Women alone are vulnerable anywhere in the world, men too for that matter.
There is no more dangerous animal than the two legged one...
Most American trails in "peak" season (particularly the AT) are very populated on our standards and whilst you may not walk "with" anyone, others are generally near and the communication between hikers is of a high standard.

[PeterJ]

There is book "Wild" by Cheryl Strayed which gives her account of a woman walking alone on the PCT. She did meet at least one other woman walking by herself. Was only published this year, but does relate to mid 1990s.

[seagullhike]

I have never been able to understand how people who want to spend 6 months in a wilderness and want to carry a fire arm. Sure if there was am epidemic of cannibals or something I could understand but man it's the forest Christ man up and beat whatever is coming at you to death with your walking pole... no need for guns .

[jacko1956]

I have never been able to understand how people who want to spend 6 months in a wilderness and want to carry a fire arm. Sure if there was am epidemic of cannibals or something I could understand but man it's the forest Christ man up and beat whatever is coming at you to death with your walking pole... no need for guns .

True enough in Australia but I do think a grizzly demands respect.
For what it's worth, if hiking with others a very small caliber pistol is all that is required. Just kneecap the person next to you and run.

[sef]

There are negligable grizzlies on the PCT (a few in WA) ... mostly very timid black bears. As with everywhere probably, the most dangerous places are town stops... a gun isn't going to do you much good against a guy on furlough from the army who's driving at 190mph down from Steven's Pass while you're taking off in the back. Generally the people carrying weapons get off early, very early.

[seagullhike]

That's good to hear, I would be more afraid of a gun horny looper than a grizzly.

"were you say you was from boy?"
"Australia,sir. Could you please stop waving that gun around?"
"You tryin to tell me what to do with my gun Mr. foreigner man?"
"No sir"
BAM!!!

That's not the way I want to leave this world.

[sef]

A few years ago, I was hitching way out near the WInd River Range in Wyoming:

"Where are you from"
"Australia"
"Aren't you guys anti-nuke?"
"Nah man, I think New Zealand is, but we probably have about a million of yours in the desert somewhere"
"But you're anti-gun, right?"
"Yeah there is a bit of that"
"Have you fired a gun while you've been over here?"
"No."

At this point he opens the centre console and gives me this pistol, a Sig something or other. Yeah, he says, out the window. But it'll be loud. And don't shoot at anything that looks like a cow. So I shot three bullets off into some random paddock, what else do you do? The entire country is insane.

[seagullhike]

You sir, just made my day! hahhah