I'm setting off on Thursday to begin my 6 month hike of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). It's a 2,600+ mile trail going from Mexico to Canada.

Not looking to brag, but damn sure don't want to get beat and have the trail kick my ass. I'll try not to get eaten by a bear- or get lost in the Sierras.

Anyone else ever hike any long-distance trails? AT, CDT, etc.

Wish me luck, and looking forward to playing poker in the Fall.

Wow good luck man

What's the longest route you've hiked in the past?

wow sick, definitely need to TR this when you are done.

how long do you anticipate the trip taking?

edit: and gl obv

Also, how much gear are you carrying?

I love hiking and do it often. But can anyone explain to me how this isn't boring? What are the variables to keep you entertained for 6 months? Do you run into enough people along the way to keep it interesting

edit: its a brag, but I'd like to hear more of the thought process behind doing it

Have you arranged all your food drops ahead of time, or are you going to resupply on the way?
How much work was planning the logistics of this?
How much does your pack weigh?
Are you heading north or south? If north, are you worried about inclement weather at the end? I cancelled a camping trip in early September because of snow in the Lake Louise area, not too far north of where the trail ends. A 6-month trek has you finishing near the end of October. I'm not trying to be a downer, just interested in what your plan is.

Giant brag. Backpacked near and around the Sierras regularly when I lived in SF, and it's the straight up nuts. I've hiked part of the AT and this is much better imo.

Good questions...

I've been planning for 4 months. I'm on all the needed boards talking to other hikers and working on the game plan.

I am going Northbound from Campo, CA. heading to Canada.

My base pack weight (without food & water) is 32 pounds. A little heavier than I wanted, but not bad. I'm carrying everything I need (including cold weather gear). I am 6'3 and weigh 200 pounds. So with food & water I'm going to be right at 50 pounds total pack weight.

I will be resupplying every 5-7 days at the local towns. There will be a few 10+ days, but not too many. I will not be using drop boxes, but will resupply from local stores.

All in all, it should be a good adventure. It starts tomorrow. Here's to being able to have the grit to complete the journey.

there was a very good thread on here recently by a guy who hiked the appalachian trail. find it.

Infrequent poster and dueces cracked duder Entity hike the pch at one point. There's probably a thread about it somewhere.

Heh, yeah, I just finished reading this book too. It also got me pretty pumped up to hike the AP, but unfortunately, I'm far too lazy for that type of thing.

OP, are you planning on through-hiking all the way to Canada? If so, it might be tough, as you are starting pretty late in the hiking season. I know it's hard to say at this point, but how many miles do you plan on hiking each day?

Either way, this is pretty cool, and I wish you the best of luck.

Good luck dude. I hiked the AT back in '01. You're about to walk a long way my friend.

I am Thru-hiking.

The window to hike the PCT is open now. The AT hiking window opened last month. The snow fall levels determine start dates- and this year there is still a lot of snow. Entry into the Sierras is going to be around June 15th- I'll probably make entry in the 3rd week.

I've been doing a lot of snow camping around Las Vegas (Mt Charleston) & it sucks when the trails are snowed over by 3-5 feet. Can't imagine 8+ feet.

So, I plan to get through the desert portion before it gets too hot, and then make my push into the Sierras when the passes are opened up.

I would like to take a side-hike to Mt St Helen's, but will determine that once I get into the Northwest. I have to complete the trail, before winter pushes everyone off it.

Timing is everything... just like in poker.

Awesome brag. I hiked the AT once.... OK, well 40 miles of it.

I'm in the planning stages of a bike ride from MN to Austin, TX. I predict a 8% chance of actually following through.

IMO, continental divide trail for the win. that trail is no nonesense, the trail isn't always set it requires a compass, the wickedest thunder storms, grizzly bears, most isolated.

Awesome. Good luck. I've had a few friends that have done large pieces of AT/PCT. One of my best friends did the whole Camino de Santiago and another long hike in Scotland, don't know if that one has a name though. My buddy who did the CdS had some funny stories. He met one lady who had just decided to do it w/ one days notice because a friend backed out and she was dragging two full suitcases along LOL.

Have fun; be safe.

Thanks to all the well wishers. I appreciate the support.

I am going to miss the WSOP this year, but there is always next year.

Time to box up the laptop. I will update from the trail, as I can.

Good luck to all, and see you around the board.

Unbelievable, we definately need a detailed TR when you get back!

***EDIT*** Oh, and good luck!

Are you doing this alone?

I've done portions of the PCT in the Sierra and it is not easy. PCT is MUCH MUCH harder than the AT. The AT is literally a walk in the woods compared to the PCT being a scramble through high mountains, and there aren't all the easy shelters either.

Wow, this is not a thread I expected to see on 2+2.

I hiked a large portion of the PCT in 2000. From the Mexican border to Echo Lake Resort (near Lake Tahoe), approximately 1000 miles. Dranoel, I wish you the best of luck. Not to be overly dramatic, but a hike like this will change your life. Definitely a sick brag.

To respond to some posts in this thread:

TBH, it can be boring. Or a better word is monotonous. You walk all day every day. At the same time, getting up every day to go to work (or go play poker) can be monotonous as well, so its all a question of what kind of life experiences you put value on.

As far as staying entertained. You are crossing different terrain every day. You're walking through changing seasons. The PCT in particular crosses a very wide variety of environments, from desert in Southern California to the Sierra Nevada in early season, to volcanoes and rainy forest in the Pacific Northwest. So there's a lot of variety if you like the natural world. You also cross into a town once a week or so to resupply.

Also, there are a significant number of people who attempt a PCT hike every year. About 300 people on average try for a full thruhike. And because of the window of time in which the high mountains are snow-free, the easiest way to do a hike is northbound starting in late April/early May. This means that almost all of those 300 people are out on the trail around the same time. There's a community of thruhikers that develops as you move north. Not as big as the community on the Appalachian Trail, but still. You'll have no shortage of social contact if you want it.

+1 From what I've read, the CDT is the sweetest long trail out there. I'm in the preliminary planning stages for a CDT hike, probably in 2010.

lol

Best of luck, OP. Sounds like a blast. I envy you.

If you care to, I'd highly recommend a brief rest stop at Goldmyer Hot Springs up in Western WA toward the end of your hike. I don't have a trail number handy, but it's in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness and only a couple miles off the PCH taking Middlefork trail. From what I've heard it's a common stop for people doing the full PCH for some nice r&r. It's one of my favourite places in the world and well worth the stop for anybody.

32 pounds base weight is a lot, you have a list of all the stuff you are carrying?

Update:

I am in the trail town of Idyllwild, CA. It is 161 miles up the trail. There is still a lot of miles left.

So far, so good. The hike is going well, just dealing with the usual blisters & sore muscles. I have not been able to upload any photos yet- but hopefully when I reach Big Bear City I'll be able to.

The biggest issue we've been dealing with is the forest fire that shut the PCT trail down for about 20 miles. It's been resolved now, but it caused a lot of people to hold up in Warner Springs & Idyllwild.

More later... hope everyone is doing well playing poker. I've missed the felt at the Venetian. Sometime this Fall I should be back in Vegas.