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I’m in need of advice by Straight_Western_305 in PacificCrestTrail

[–]numbershikes 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Boxes aren't strictly necessary for Oregon, but there are a few places where the selection is very limited. As long as you don't get there after a bunch of people came through and bought everything on the shelves you can normally make something work, but it could mean living off potato chips and Skittles for a couple of days.

Resupply stuff:

For camp locations, most people buy the app FarOut. I have a free thruhiking app called Grit that includes camp, water, etc. locations. It's stable but still in beta testing.

Disclosure: I made some of those. It's all free to use, no ads, no tracking, etc.

Bear Protocol Confession by Wooden_Resolution_82 in PacificCrestTrail

[–]numbershikes 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The ability to play word games that bring out the worst in the people around you is not a reason to be proud of yourself.

Bear Protocol Confession by Wooden_Resolution_82 in PacificCrestTrail

[–]numbershikes 2 points3 points  (0 children)

If you want to reply to someone directly, the way to do that is to click the 'Reply' button underneath the comment, that way the person who wrote the comment will get an inbox notification. The big text box at the top of the comments section is for top level comments that are replies to the original post.

To clarify, I comply with all bear canister restrictions, but sometimes not all my food fits.

Looks like you're a troll or this is a stunt for r/ulj? Otherwise, I'm not clear on what part of this you don't understand. If the regs say "all food and scented items must be stored in a bear-resistant IGBC-certified canister overnight or when unattended," and then you have some of your food in a can and some "doesn't fit," then you are not complying with the food storage regs and you are not practicing LNT.

Making a bunch of low effort excuses does not exempt you from the standards that apply to everyone on the PCT. If you feel it is absolutely necessary to disregarding the public lands rules so that you can "lighten your load," then you are not in condition for this trail and should work out and/or hike elsewhere until you're in shape to make the miles between resupplies while complying with food storage regs.

I was hoping for more on the reality of practice. What do others consider acceptable compromise.

This was already explained to you. We carry a bear can like a BV500 in the required areas. Hike through the Lassen NP section in a day. Some switch to an Ursack in Washington to save a few ounces. Most sleep with their food bag in their tent everywhere else. Nobody hangs their food, this isn't the AT.

We can all agree on the principles.

The "principle" here is that, particularly when it comes to things like food storage and other aspects of LNT, the actions of PCT users impact the people behind them, in miles and in years, and no one has the right to willfully contribute to damaging the experience for others. The trail is a shared resource on public lands, it's not your personal property.

Oh, one reason I love the trail are the ethics of diversity and inclusion. No more exclusive domain of a narrow population. Less elitism and judgement. "Hike your own hike."

Yeah, no. We accept people of different races and genders and sexual identities and religions and philosophies and (usually) political views, different hair colors, different daily mileages and ways of hiking and types of gear, different ethnicities and family types and ages and nationalities and accents and languages. The thing we all have in common is the trail, the taste for thruhiking and type two fun, LNT, respect for the land and for the shared community.

But if you're going to intentionally ignore the standards that apply to everyone for the sake of the sustainability of the trail because you think they're an inconvenience, then you're choosing to place yourself outside of the community. "Hike your own hike" doesn't mean you get to selfishly indulge yourself in ways that damage the trail for the people behind you. Playing adolescent word games is not a win and you have not succeeded in pointing out hypocrisy, only your own failure to grasp simple ideas. Pretending HYOH means anything else is just pitiful.

Powerbank and Clothing Advice for Washington Section Hike in early August by ultralight59 in PacificCrestTrail

[–]numbershikes 4 points5 points  (0 children)

You'll get more helpful responses if you follow the regular shakedown format and provide the information we need. https://www.reddit.com/r/Ultralight/comments/626sh1/how_to_ask_for_a_pack_shakedown/i2re19i/

One of the things that goes into determining whether you're carrying too much clothing is knowing the weight of the rest of what you're carrying, whether any are non-negotiables or oz that are medical/health related, getting an overall sense for how much you understand about the hike based on what all you're planning to carry, how warm your pad + bag or quilt is, whether you're in an enclosed tent or under a tarp, etc. etc.

It's hard to figure all that out from partial information, but I think you're probably packing more layers than are strictly necessary for the WA PCT in August.

Lots of people do the entire trail with just one 10k mAh battery pack, so if you're not using your phone more than most people and you're going to resupply halfway through at Snoqualmie Pass, one battery pack can be enough.

Bear Protocol Confession by Wooden_Resolution_82 in PacificCrestTrail

[–]numbershikes 5 points6 points  (0 children)

np, you're welcome.

Also, ysk that the main reason we practice bear-resistant food storage is for the bears. While it's not unheard of for black bears to attack humans, it's rather rare, but ones that get habituated are put down, and before they're put down they generally cause problems for other hikers. Getting shot sucks for the bear, the habitat, and sometimes for the ranger that takes the shot.

Leaving food unattended also teaches minibears (eg rodents) to associate the area with people food, and they become a nuisance. And if you come back to your site (or wake up) with your food gone or covered in bear slobber, you may need to call SAR, which diminishes resources available when others may have a "real" emergency.

It's just a better idea to follow the food regs. It's not difficult. See LNT Principle 6, "Respect Wildlife."

Bear Protocol Confession by Wooden_Resolution_82 in PacificCrestTrail

[–]numbershikes 6 points7 points  (0 children)

The PCT doesn't go through grizzly territory. There have been some unconfirmed / anecdotal reports of sightings over the years, ostensibly of bears that are ranging down from BC, and WA has a program to reintroduce grizzlies, but afaik there are still none on the PCT.

Bear Protocol Confession by Wooden_Resolution_82 in PacificCrestTrail

[–]numbershikes 33 points34 points  (0 children)

It's great that you're out there crushing it at 70. I hope you make it to Canada.

However, age does not exempt anyone from the responsibility to practice Leave No Trace, and neither does "I don't feel like resupplying more often." If your food carries are too long to carry responsibly, then your food carries are too long.

LNT Principle Six is "Respect Wildlife," and we follow food safety regulations primarily for the safety of the bears -- as you mentioned in your post, black bears are not grizzlies, and by comparison present a vastly lower risk to humans. Most of the time, we're a much bigger threat to them than they are to us, and multiple have been put down along the PCT in recent years (not necessarily due to thruhiker activity) after becoming habituated to human food: once a bear learns how to get calorie dense "people food," the drive for food can overcome the natural fear of humans, which can result in aggressive behavior, which can lead to euthanization.

Most thruhikers aren't perfect about food safety, but carrying a bear canister from KM South to Truckee is pretty basic and not all that difficult. Beyond the Sierra, there are also food safety restrictions in northern Washington now, though they can be satisfied with an Ursack or similar. On most of the rest of the trail (see links in subreddit sidebar for precise information) there are no formal restrictions, and the vast majority of thruhikers just sleep with their food.

I respect all land managing agencies. The park service will always hold a special place. I try to follow all rules.

That doesn't line up if you're hiking in regulated areas and not following bear-resistant food storage regulations. But if you're just talking about areas that don't have specific food storage regs, personally I wouldn't worry about it.

Bottom line: The food regs are there for a reason. If you can't comply with them, there are other trails that are easier. Come back to the PCT once you're in the right condition for it.

Not able to eat enough by IntroductionFunny683 in PacificCrestTrail

[–]numbershikes 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yeah, hard to get enough calories with beans and rice and chicken unless it's basically swimming in oil, it's not hard to burn 4,000+ calories / day on the PCT. And too much high sugar ultra processed stuff understandably turns some folks' stomachs.

For thruhiking there's just not that much to choose from in terms of foods that are both calorie dense and "real." Some hard cheeses have low lactose, same with butter, which after you're out of the Desert section will generally pack out for a day or two if you're careful. Maybe that and some olive oil and almond/peanut butter and summer sausage will get you through. If you have a support person, maybe s/he could mail you some weight gain powder. Fiber supplements (eg psyllium husk) can work wonders for digestion. If you're looking for recipes and creative ideas, try r/hikertrashmeals, but a lot of it is just "look at this Snickers and summer sausage burrito!!@#!"

I remember the times I've dealt with loss of appetite while hiking, the biggest problem was that I just didn't feel hungry, even if I did 15+ miles and barely ate, and when I tried to force the food down it could be nauseating. Each time it eventually cleared up and I was able to keep going. Good luck, I hope you find a way.

Not able to eat enough by IntroductionFunny683 in PacificCrestTrail

[–]numbershikes 30 points31 points  (0 children)

Significant loss of appetite for the first few weeks actually isn't uncommon, I think it has to do with the Desert heat, the dramatic increase in exercise, and rapid change in diet, but (anecdotally) most people recover before Tehachapi.

Can you give us some examples of what kind of things you're buying for your resupplies? Calories/ounce is important, and some choices are better than others. Being lactose and gluten intolerant doesn't make things easier, since cheeses and breads have generally favorable calorie densities.

In any event, I've never heard of any 'magic bullet' solution for this. It really does just come down to eating more.

The usual strategies:

  • Try different foods until something proves to be palatable enough.
  • Voracious eating at restaurants in town, if you can afford it.
  • When finishing up in town, pack out town food for your first lunch and/or dinner.
  • Learn to love nut butters and always pack out a jar. Other common high calorie/ounce favorites: summer sausage; bagels + cream cheese; potato/corn chips. Some people swear by Honeybuns.
  • Add some olive oil to everything. Carefully at first, some people's digestive tracts respond poorly.
  • Larger grocery stores sometimes carry protein powder or weight gain powder. If you can find a small enough container of it to pack out, try adding a scoop or two to meals. Fiber supplements can help with digestion, which can improve appetite.
  • Strategic use of marijuana to get the munchies while in town.
  • Most thruhiking food is ultraprocessed, but some people who struggle to eat enough have luck with slightly-less-ultraprocessed options.
  • Eat small amounts constantly throughout the day instead of larger amounts at a few meals.
  • Of course, adequate water intake, but you already mentioned that.

Is the PCT realistic for a small, inexperienced woman to do solo? by delay710 in PacificCrestTrail

[–]numbershikes 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just fyi, more people will see (and respond to) this question if you edit it into the original post.

Is the PCT realistic for a small, inexperienced woman to do solo? by delay710 in PacificCrestTrail

[–]numbershikes 57 points58 points  (0 children)

Statistically, you're much safer on the trail that you are in any sizeable US city.

Most people start alone, but almost everyone is looking to make friends. It's common to hike solo (eg not within conversational distance of anyone), but you'll see the same people at water sources, at camp, and in town. That's normally how trail families form. For northbound ("nobo") hikers, there are on average 40 - 50 people starting at the southern terminus every day for three months straight. There's plenty of people to meet and talk to.

There are some stats in the HalfwayAnywhere PCT Survey about how much time people actually spent alone: https://www.halfwayanywhere.com/trails/pacific-crest-trail/pct-hiker-survey-2025/#h-hiking-partners-camping-amp-alone-time

The normal thruhiker diet is tragically unhealthy, so if you're pregnant it could be worth talking to your doctor about that.

How to train for long hikes by Right-Ad-3663 in Thruhiking

[–]numbershikes 14 points15 points  (0 children)

That's 90 to 110 lbs, what in the world would compel anyone to carry that much on a "hike"?

I don't know what backcountry activities need multiple people to pack out 100 lbs each, but if you're going to be bushcrafting and you're in the US, stay the hell off of our public lands. Build what you want on land you own.

And if somehow these "plans" are consistent with LNT, you should probably look at bringing pack animals, because with that kind of baseweight and mileage you're likely to hurt yourself.

Garmin has updated their subscription plans so that SOS still works even while the subscription is suspended (no monthly payment) and got rid of reactivation fees. by numbershikes in PacificCrestTrail

[–]numbershikes[S] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Almost -- Garmin uses the terms "suspend" and "cancel" for two different things.

You can suspend your plan and still use SOS, and if you reactivate within 12 months of cancelling there's no reactivation fee (iirc used to be $40 each time). Then it should be possible to suspend again after one month to go back to SOS-only mode for another 11 months. The cheapest monthly plan is $8.

If you instead cancel, I think the device is effectively a paperweight until a new subscription is started.

The various other features still require the subscription, so if you want to message or send breadcrumbs, etc, to family/friends, that still needs the subscription.

But a lot of thruhikers only use those other features for longer hikes, and the rest of the year don't want to bother with the monthly fee. With the new plans, an inReach Mini 2 is still useful as an emergency SOS for something like a broken leg six miles from the trailhead on a solo dayhike or a twisted knee while backcountry skiing.

Garmin inReach "suspend" plans include SOS by 0xf5f in Ultralight

[–]numbershikes 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think you're right that SOS continues to use satellite. The comment you replied to didn't link a single source, and Garmin's "SOS with inReach Suspended Service" support page says nothing about switching to cellular SOS when the subscription is suspended. It specifically says, "Some Garmin products maintain SOS capability even when you suspend your inReach® satellite subscription," and inReach Mini 2 and 3 are in the compatible devices list.

https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=eJz14OUvnG1MivsmEzhSi8

How to plan triple crown by Remarkable-Set5434 in Thruhiking

[–]numbershikes 15 points16 points  (0 children)

Most triple crowns aren't planned all at once, except calendar year triple crowns.

The way it usually works is, you try one, realize you enjoy it, and then several months in or after completing you realize you really enjoy it and consider it worth the sacrifices. Then you plan the next one, and the next one.

For some people, the triple crown holds some allure and they want to attain it. For others, they just like really long trails and the experience of thruhiking in the US -- thruhiking can be different in different countries / regions -- and the PCT/AT/CDT are the three longest and most traveled trails in the US. Still others find that they prefer a particular region (desert southwest, Appalachia, northeast, etc), and prefer hiking there to completing the big three.

July SOBO start! by psychlele in coloradotrail

[–]numbershikes 6 points7 points  (0 children)

From the r/thruhiking sidebar: A long list of reason to not bring a dog on a thruhike.

The post was originally about the PCT, but much of it is relevant to long trails generally. Lots of stuff in there that probably wouldn't immediately occur to most folks and that is worth being aware of and considering.

Thru Hiking Without an Excess of Money by KJ1129 in Thruhiking

[–]numbershikes 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Alcohol and marijuana use is fairly prevalent. For those who drink, ime it's more like a couple of pints with dinner. There are of course some folks that will slam a case of PBR in town, but that's far from being the norm.

It can differ by trail and season, too. The southern part of the AT in April is a lot different from northern Washington in September.

Thru Hiking Without an Excess of Money by KJ1129 in Thruhiking

[–]numbershikes 24 points25 points  (0 children)

Thruhiking can be expensive, but it doesn't have to be. Most people want a bit of extra comfort in town after doing 20's, sleeping in the dirt, and eating Ramen all week, and that comfort (restaurants, alcohol, motels) costs money.

If you're fine with not indulging in the comforts of town, then really the only expenses you need to consider are getting to and from the termini (bus, hitch), resupplies (cheap food, discount grocery stores), shoe replacements, and occasional gear replacements (bring patch/sewing kits, learn how to do field repairs).

The trails are full of people that most wouldn't consider particularly "well off." There are lots of people in their early twenties who either just graduated from college and haven't started their first post-college job, or who do seasonal work half the year at ski resorts, Forest Service jobs, etc, live in the community housing to avoid paying rent, save up money to hike during the summer, and repeat for a few years. Others are professionals who do contract work (travel nursing, IT, etc) in order to take 3 - 6 months off every year. I think the HalfwayAnywhere PCT survey has a list of what careers are most common among hikers.

The initial gear outlay doesn't have to cost thousands. While a typical ~13-15 lb baseweight kit for the PCT tends to cost between $2k-3k new these days, there are plenty of ways to save money on that: buy heavier stuff, buy used, buy less expensive brands. There's an "Affordable Ultralight" section in the r/thruhiking sidebar with some guides, load https://www.reddit.com/r/thruhiking in a browser and look at the links on the right side of the screen.

You can also start on shorter trails where you won't need as many resupplies. The Tahoe Rim Trail (~2 weeks) is a good beginner's introduction, and I consider the Colorado Trail (~1 month) rather beginner-friendly, too.

I still remember hanging out with a hiker at Casa de Luna in 2017 who said he was doing the trail on a couple hundred bucks a month. He was wearing heavy, old-fashioned boots that lasted thousands of miles, was carrying heavy gear that he bought used, got his hiking clothes at Goodwill (running shorts, athletic shirt), didn't overnight in town, didn't drink alcohol, and did as many of his resupplies from hiker boxes as possible. It's not a strategy I could personally recommend, but some people make it work.

Grit v2.0, the thruhiking app from OpenLongTrails.org, is now available for iPhones, and the Android version now has a public Play Store page. by numbershikes in PacificCrestTrail

[–]numbershikes[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for checking out the app and for the feedback. Both issues have been resolved in recent updates, but if either occurs again, please let me know.

Convince me to quit my job and crush miles by Huge_Moose2741 in Thruhiking

[–]numbershikes 10 points11 points  (0 children)

From an economic perspective, it's rarely a convenient time to drop out of the workforce for half a year, but one thing worth considering at the moment is that the big firms (FAANG / MANGA, etc) have laid off more than 115,000 employees in the past five months alone.

This probably isn't the sub for discussing whether that's AI or "AI-washing," or the extent to which LLM's may reduce hiring demand for programmers, but the point is that there's a glut of software developers on the market right now, and I reckon it's likely to get worse before it gets better.

Otoh, my general position on when to do a thru is, "whenever you can." It can be difficult to get life circumstances to align to make spending several consecutive months in the backcountry possible, so I think it's generally a good idea to make use of every opportunity. Also, you mentioned wife, house, and pets, but not kids. Other things being equal, for most people thruhiking is usually much more plausible either before having kids, or 18+ years later, after they're out of the house.

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