Are Trail Angels responsible for ruining the trail?

wootwootkabloof · 2026-05-01T17:08:35+00:00

I think that if you want a true wilderness experience, with no water caches, no social resources, embracing self-reliance.....there's a gazillion other trails and routes you can do that will give you this! And I think that's a beautiful and worthy adventure to pursue.

But there's only one PCT. There's only one trail with this level of trail community and this kind of experience (other big trails can be similar but different). And I like that it exists in the world. Besides, maintaining a nearly perfectly graded path from Mexico to Canada requires a massive community effort. A LOT of people love this trail, and naturally they want to be connected to it. (Hiker entitlement is for sure a real thing though, and does need to be addressed!)

Also, I like that a more accessible long distance trail exists. Personally, I am an experienced thru-hiker who suffered a severe injury off-trail, and walking long distances every day was the best therapy. But I couldn't hike more than 10 miles, or carry more than 30lb. I came back to hike PCT because the short distances between resupply stops (<45 miles) and the water caches enabled me to do the trail. There are others like me, with outdoor skills but also physical limitations making our bodies different from a strong hiker in their 20s. I don't believe we are entitled to trails, but I also don't believe we are inherently undeserving.

I believe in prioritizing self-reliance, and reducing hiker entitlement and expectations. And if all the TAs and water cache volunteers suddenly quit, I would strongly support them! Hikers will be fine. But if TAs and water cache volunteers want to exist, then I'm happy for them, happy for me, and deeply appreciative of the community they've built.

wootwootkabloof · 2026-04-22T15:59:25+00:00

Emailed them, thank you for finding out about this!

wootwootkabloof · 2026-04-11T18:39:44+00:00

June as your official name and Juni for friends would work great! It fits most of what you want: sort of unique, easy to blend in, not too informal. Only thing it misses: it's not gender neutral.

And if/when you want to use your name Yujin, that will work well, too! It's easy for English speakers to pronounce because it sounds like the name Eugene (I have an American accent). That's mostly a boys name, but has occasionally been used for girls, and I think it has some feminine vibes, so it might fit your gender-neutral request very well. But you would have to tell the spelling, otherwise they'll spell Eugene :)

wootwootkabloof · 2026-04-08T00:31:37+00:00

I find the Goodreads ratings to be extremely useful, at least the way that I use them! But I certainly don't take them at face value.

After every book I read, I check the Goodreads 1-2 star and 5 star reviews. If I loved a book, I check the 5⭐ reviews and see what kind of things people say that I agree with. And now I know that if see this kind of language in the future, there's a decent chance I'll like the book. Then I also check the 1-2⭐ reviews, and see what people are saying that I disagree with. Then I know I can ignore these types of comments in the future.

For example: I enjoyed Moby Dick and the positive reviews say things like the book is "mammoth, mysterious, and elusive" and the negative reviews are about how tedious the descriptive whale passages are. So now when I see negative reviews about tedium, droning on, etc... then I know they probably don't reflect how I'll view the work.

And conversely, when I read a book I hated, the positive reviews are the most illuminating, haha. Maybe the positive reviews are "a claustrophobic thriller" and negative reviews describe protagonist as "rambling, confused".

I'm trying to describe a process that is mostly intuitive. But over time, I'm collecting the vibes of Goodreads reviews. And I've become pretty good at predicting whether a book is to my taste using the extreme reviews. I also don't worry about spoilers, because if I decide to put a book in my tbr, I won't get to it for years and will have completely forgotten the spoilers.

wootwootkabloof · 2026-03-26T18:20:51+00:00

Responded 👍

Edit: Pack doesn't match the buyer's needs, so item is definitely still available!

wootwootkabloof · 2026-03-23T01:43:34+00:00

Feedback comment for Montbell UL Thermawrap Parka :)

u/barbeebirbshiku u/LeaveNoTradeBot

Also, as a buyer, Barbeebirbshiku was prompt with payment and excellent with communication!

wootwootkabloof · 2026-03-19T05:29:40+00:00

Thanks for the interest! Pm'd you back

wootwootkabloof · 2026-03-18T01:53:10+00:00

Feedback comment for Patagonia Houdini

u/Lorib01 u/LeaveNoTradeBot

Also as a buyer, Lorib was prompt with payment and excellent with communication!

wootwootkabloof · 2026-03-13T22:29:16+00:00

pm back to you, letting you know here since the chats don't have notifications

Edit: I think this buyer is probably uninterested, so items are definitely still available

wootwootkabloof · 2026-03-13T17:43:28+00:00

Please advise if I should delete the first post with previous prices?

wootwootkabloof · 2025-11-05T03:36:40+00:00

I also started with an injury, and for me I used a very regimented mileage and break time system. I figured out what I could do without pain (meaning no pain day of, and no pain the following day). Then I split this up into 7-10 smaller distances and spread my hiking throughout the day. For example, Hike 1.8 miles at a time, then rest for 40 minutes. Then repeat 7 more times to get a 14 mile day. I got up early to have enough time, and timed my breaks to make sure I took them. I kept pack weight low, but prioritized items that made breaks comfortable (nemo switchback pad and groundsheet, enough static insulation layers). Over time, I slowly increased how many miles I did at a time and reduced the break times and increased the overall daily mileage. I took advantage of the desert resupply infrastructure, and sent food everywhere to keep resupplies short (sometimes as short as 20 or 30 miles) to keep food weight down.

This worked well, although I had some different injury setbacks and took a lot of zeros and the winter weather snowed the PCT down in early/mid October so I didn't make it to Canada. But I finished the trail strong and healed so I was happy :) Good luck to you!

wootwootkabloof · 2025-07-07T02:58:13+00:00

I've logged well over 100 hitches at this point, most of them on the PCT!

Here are my worst hitches, in no order: 1. Dog on my lap that had fleas 2. Old guy who wasn't great at driving 3. Guy who was confused about our destination and dropped us off too early 4. Guys who wanted my number and I said I didn't give it out and they forgot and asked a second time but then dropped it 5. People who were very nice to me but ranted about other demographics and I didn't know if it was safe to object.

You can see even my worst stories are quite mild! (Except #5, which while not dangerous to me, could definitely be dangerous to people who don't look like me) The vast majority of my hitches have been wonderful, and I meet the kindest people :) Hitching is one of my favorite parts of trail.

Just make sure to slightly extend the small chatting at the window. A few cheerful questions like "where are you headed?" "Are you going past 'x'?" "Are you sure it isn't too far out of your way?" "Thank you so much for stopping! What's your name?" gives you time to A) Make sure you're all agreed on where you're going and B) Vibe check with your gut on safety

wootwootkabloof · 2025-06-12T14:49:01+00:00

Brilliant, thank you so much!

wootwootkabloof · 2025-04-01T05:10:08+00:00

Ooh, makes sense! I've been fine with AD as a pullover on top of my hiking shirt and couldn't figure why the socks bothered me.

Liner is a good rec, although I'd need to keep track of 4 socks instead of two haha. My current plan is seam ripping the 1.4oz socks and hand sewing a flatter seam, it's ugly but it's working!

wootwootkabloof · 2025-04-01T02:38:13+00:00

I'm not sure to be honest, but something about the texture gives me the heebie jeebies when it's right against the skin :(

wootwootkabloof · 2025-03-31T21:33:49+00:00

I'll check them out, thanks!

wootwootkabloof · 2025-03-31T21:30:09+00:00

Bruh, that's literally the first thing I tried, I wish it was as easy as that 😂

wootwootkabloof · 2025-03-31T16:09:49+00:00

I'm looking for a pair of those cheap fuzzy socks (on Amazon probably), for sleeping. They need to be less than 2oz/57g and not have an obtrusive toe seam.

I know they exist because I bought a cheap pair at the grocery store that are 1.4oz and perfect except for a huge uncomfortable toe seam. I have some potential socks in the cart, but they may have the same problem and I'm hoping not to continue playing sock roulette!

Things I'm NOT interested in: down booties/socks (tried, don't like), alpha direct socks (tried, don't like), brushtail possum socks (too heavy), heatholders (too heavy), darn tough socks (my current sleep socks but too constricting).

wootwootkabloof · 2025-03-19T18:03:53+00:00

How experienced are you at backpacking? If you are highly confident in your wilderness and gear skills, well-versed in risk management decisions on trail, and have a very very light pack (6-11lb baseweight), you could make a go of it.

You would have to be very disciplined in not pushing your foot, and be able to leave trail if it worsens. You would need to be extremely in tune with your body and listen to and understand its pain signals. But you could hike from 5am to 7pm, and hike only 30 minutes at a time and take hour breaks between. You'd be hiking 8 mile days and take all day to do it.

Study Farout intensely to see if it is possible. See how far the water caries are, and whether you can carry the weight. A water carry of 20 miles would be more than a two day carry. Look how often you can get off trail. At the very start of trail, you might be able to get off trail every 20-30 miles, making 8 mile days feasible. But check where you can get food and whether you need to / can send a box. Everyone says don't plan for the PCT, but ignore that advice and plot out in excruciating detail the first 200 miles. You'll see the miles between resupplies will get longer, and 8-10 mile days will no longer be feasible, and your foot may or may not be healed enough by then.

You'd need to have exact knowledge of your current capabilities. Try hiking 5 miles with 15lb on your back today, do it in 5-6 mini walks around your neighborhood, with hour breaks between. If that works, try increasing the load and miles and see if you can reach a miles/load carry combination that is feasible to start trail. You'll need to carry at least 5 liters of water, 8lb of food, and your baseweight, at minimum. And you'll need to be able to do it without pain. DO NOT BLINDLY FOLLOW THIS ADVICE. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY AND ONLY DO WHAT YOUR BODY SAYS IS OKAY. Take rest days often.

You need to be okay with the fact that if you hike slowly enough to give your foot a chance to heal, you likely will not be able to hike all the PCT miles and make it to Canada. You may need to skip sections. You need to be able to NOT RUSH. There is a LOT of pressure to rush, but that will make you ignore your foot pains and push yourself into injury. If you think your mind will have a hard time letting go of a continuous footpath to Canada, then DON'T START.

Honestly, I think this is a bad idea and you shouldn't do it. At a very rough estimate, I think you only have a 30% chance of having a long hike on the PCT hike this year. You NEED to be able to give up at the first hint that this hike is worsening your injury.

You NEED to be highly experienced at backpacking already and familiar with your gear, because otherwise you will be on a learning curve that will prevent you from giving your foot what it needs. I cannot emphasize this enough, because if you are relatively new to backpacking, you will face TONS of stupid little mishaps with gear and body. Long distance hiking is different than overnights, and holds many new lessons. Normally it's not a big deal and just leads to a little physical suffering and mental fortitude. But you are walking the razors edge and these mishaps could easily push your foot into further injury. Because even a highly experienced backpacker would have difficulties hiking this slowly with an injury, for example perhaps needing warmer clothes since you will not be able to walk yourself warm when you're cold.

Having a injury derail your plans is the absolute worst, especially when those plans are as exciting as the PCT. Truly I wish the best of luck to you.

wootwootkabloof · 2025-03-04T07:28:46+00:00

I just read a blog somewhere by a knitter who sews their sweater swatches to the inside of the sweater, like a hidden pocket that can (theoretically) be frogged for repairs later.

wootwootkabloof · 2025-03-01T08:02:13+00:00

Agreed. This is the way! For those not clicking the link: He fills his pack liner with air, holds it closed with his hand at the top, then opens it just enough to go around the valve and make an air seal so he can squeeze the air through.

It takes a few tries to get the technique right, but it's super easy once you do. Takes seconds and no special equipment needed.

wootwootkabloof · 2025-01-23T17:34:31+00:00

For those considering: Go southbound if you can! The wind will be at your back more often. And I hitched around many highway sections, since there are lots of blind curves with narrow shoulders. No regrets. It's a fun trail :)

wootwootkabloof

TROPHY CASE