Anyone who has ever hiked the PCT, or any other trail for that matter, has their own way of doing everything. And amazingly, everyone claims their way is the best: they all have the secret to the lightest pack, the best gear, or the perfect recipe for the trail. The bottom line, however, is that nothing is perfect for everyone, and while there are thousands of tips and tricks out there, everyone must find what works for them (some people have thru-hiked the PCT in sneakers and without a stove at all- eating cold food everyday- but we know that is not the experience we are looking for).
Where this is perhaps the most evident is when it comes to stoves- we have combed through blogs, books and websites, and have made and tested numerous stoves. The main concern with choosing a stove for a PCT thruhike is fuel availability. White gas, the tried and true camping fuel, is not available in most towns along the way. Unlike the Appalacian Trail, which meanders through many small yet hiker-friendly, well-stocked towns, the PCT is more remote, passing through few towns which don't stock things like camping fuel. For this reason, most thru-hikers mail supplies through the US Postal Service and mailing white gas is a big no-no. The same goes for fuel canisters and Esbit tablets. If we want to do this thing legally (which might be a good idea), we will have to use the sources of fuel available to us.
In pit-stops and on the trail, the three fuels that will be most readily available are: gasoline, biomass (wood), and alcohol (HEET brand fuel additive). Below are the pros and cons for each fuel type:
Fuel: Gasoline
Pros: Readily available, gasoline stoves make temperature adjustment easy, people familiar with white gas stoves would feel comfortable operating a gas stove.
Cons: Gasoline is a sooty burning fuel; it smells aweful and can clog easily.
Possible Stove: Coleman Exponent Feather 442 Dual Fuel Backpacking Stove
Fuel: Biomass
Pros: No need to buy fuel, its a carbon negative fuel source, and there is just something comforting about a wood fire.
Cons: Collecting and burning wood is prohibited in many places on the trail, thereby requiring a backup stove. Availability of fuel (wood, other biomass) is dependent on weather, effort, temperature control.
Possible Stove: Bushbuddy Ultra
Fuel: Alcohol (or "Alky")
Pros: Great availability, low cost, stoves are simple to make at home.
Cons: No simple temperature adjustment (hard to simmer), declined performance in low temperatures.
Possible Stove: SuperCat
Alcohol stoves are quickly the preferred stove for most PCT thru-hikers. Additionally, most thru-hikers make their own stoves. They come in all shapes and sizes, from the extremely complicated, like those made by Tinny at MinibullDesigns, to the extremely basic. Be sure to check out Zen Stoves to see the wide range of stoves people are churning out. After extensive reading and trials, we are planning on using the SuperCat Alcohol Stove. We chose the SuperCat because of its extreme light weight (an empty aluminum cat food can), the price (free), and the simplicity of use. Coming soon: a full review and write-up about the stove, including photos and video.
Showing posts with label hiking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hiking. Show all posts
Monday, January 11, 2010
A bit about the hikers...
Here is a primer on the hikers, incase you dont already know them in another capacity:
Jenna was born and raised in the Berkshires, Massachusetts, while Tom is a west coast Seattle boy at heart. They met at Green Mountain College, in Poultney Vermont, where Jenna studied Fine Art and Graphic Design, and Thomas pursued Environmental Studies and Philosophy. Jenna graduated in 2009, and Tom is projected to graduate this spring (2010) pending the completion of his Honors Thesis. Jenna has spent the past 6 months since graduation working as a "host" at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, North Carolina. After the hike, she is excited to devote more time to creating her personal artwork and marketing her craft. Tom is on the fence about pursuing either law school, or a masters in philosophy (and maybe this time in the woods will help him decide).
Tom loves: Albert Camus, cats, Otterpop frozen treats, potato chips, "Risk", chopping wood, cooking, and contemplating. Jenna loves: knitting and other fibers activities, ee cummings, riding her bike, crafting, yoga and jogging, peanut butter M&Ms, and baking.
Naturally, they also both love to hike. Some of Tom's most memorable hiking adventures have been a week-long trip in the Adirondacks' High Peaks Region, multi-day backpacking trips in the Olympic National Park in Washington, and a particularly cold, snowy, and wet weekend trip in the Alpine Lakes region of the Adirondacks with Jenna. Some of Jenna's most exciting hiking trips come from the summer she spent exploring the western national parks (Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Tetons, Arches, Zion, Canyonlands, Grand Canyon, and Bryce Canyon)- her favorites being a long hike between all of the Arches, a hike in a river in Zion, and a 2-day excursion into the Grand Canyon (complete with 130 degree heat).
Tom is excited about this hike because he thinks it will be something that will push him to his extremes and put him outside of his comfort zone. He is hoping to see some of the most beautiful landscapes in the entire world, and he is excited to be hiking with someone he loves. Not everyday can you hike 2,700 miles- and this might be the only chance he gets. Jenna is excited by the prospect of accomplishing something so monumental (more people have hiked Mount Everest than have hiked the Pacific Crest Trail). Having both finished their education (at least for the time being), they are excited to have a large goal and something to do with their time that doesnt involve immediately joining the corporate workforce. They are also excited: to wear the same clothes everyday, discover new ways to prepare the same old foods, live outside the reaches of Facebook, and to have the adventure of their lives.
While they are overwhelmed by the excitment of planning the hike, the are also being constantly humbled by the books they read (they love to read). Hearing about other's experiences makes they terribly aware of their fears on this trip. For Tom, these fears include snakes and lightening. Jenna is worried about hiking in extensive amounts of snow, and equipment failures. They feel their best defenses against these things are knowledge and flexibility (of plans, not bodies). Tom also thinks his trekking poles will be a great help while beating down snakes. He would like to reinforce that he is terribly affraid of rattle snakes (but Jenna is confident they will encounter few, and if they do, she will protect him).
Up until they leave for their hike, they will be training, reading, and hiking like crazy. In February, Jenna is heading back to Massachusetts to teach skiing for the remainder of the season. Tom will remain in Washington, where he will work tirelessly on his Honors Thesis. One of Tom's favorite activities is reading blogs (specifically about alcohol stoves, gear, and the Seattle Seahawks), and when they reunite in May for Tom's graduation, they will be so full of hiking related knowledge and itching to get onto the trail, it will be all they can do to keep from heading out early.
Jenna was born and raised in the Berkshires, Massachusetts, while Tom is a west coast Seattle boy at heart. They met at Green Mountain College, in Poultney Vermont, where Jenna studied Fine Art and Graphic Design, and Thomas pursued Environmental Studies and Philosophy. Jenna graduated in 2009, and Tom is projected to graduate this spring (2010) pending the completion of his Honors Thesis. Jenna has spent the past 6 months since graduation working as a "host" at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, North Carolina. After the hike, she is excited to devote more time to creating her personal artwork and marketing her craft. Tom is on the fence about pursuing either law school, or a masters in philosophy (and maybe this time in the woods will help him decide).
Tom loves: Albert Camus, cats, Otterpop frozen treats, potato chips, "Risk", chopping wood, cooking, and contemplating. Jenna loves: knitting and other fibers activities, ee cummings, riding her bike, crafting, yoga and jogging, peanut butter M&Ms, and baking.
Naturally, they also both love to hike. Some of Tom's most memorable hiking adventures have been a week-long trip in the Adirondacks' High Peaks Region, multi-day backpacking trips in the Olympic National Park in Washington, and a particularly cold, snowy, and wet weekend trip in the Alpine Lakes region of the Adirondacks with Jenna. Some of Jenna's most exciting hiking trips come from the summer she spent exploring the western national parks (Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Tetons, Arches, Zion, Canyonlands, Grand Canyon, and Bryce Canyon)- her favorites being a long hike between all of the Arches, a hike in a river in Zion, and a 2-day excursion into the Grand Canyon (complete with 130 degree heat).
Tom is excited about this hike because he thinks it will be something that will push him to his extremes and put him outside of his comfort zone. He is hoping to see some of the most beautiful landscapes in the entire world, and he is excited to be hiking with someone he loves. Not everyday can you hike 2,700 miles- and this might be the only chance he gets. Jenna is excited by the prospect of accomplishing something so monumental (more people have hiked Mount Everest than have hiked the Pacific Crest Trail). Having both finished their education (at least for the time being), they are excited to have a large goal and something to do with their time that doesnt involve immediately joining the corporate workforce. They are also excited: to wear the same clothes everyday, discover new ways to prepare the same old foods, live outside the reaches of Facebook, and to have the adventure of their lives.
While they are overwhelmed by the excitment of planning the hike, the are also being constantly humbled by the books they read (they love to read). Hearing about other's experiences makes they terribly aware of their fears on this trip. For Tom, these fears include snakes and lightening. Jenna is worried about hiking in extensive amounts of snow, and equipment failures. They feel their best defenses against these things are knowledge and flexibility (of plans, not bodies). Tom also thinks his trekking poles will be a great help while beating down snakes. He would like to reinforce that he is terribly affraid of rattle snakes (but Jenna is confident they will encounter few, and if they do, she will protect him).
Up until they leave for their hike, they will be training, reading, and hiking like crazy. In February, Jenna is heading back to Massachusetts to teach skiing for the remainder of the season. Tom will remain in Washington, where he will work tirelessly on his Honors Thesis. One of Tom's favorite activities is reading blogs (specifically about alcohol stoves, gear, and the Seattle Seahawks), and when they reunite in May for Tom's graduation, they will be so full of hiking related knowledge and itching to get onto the trail, it will be all they can do to keep from heading out early.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Why Southbound?
Out of the ~300 people per year that attempt the trail, over 90% head north from California. That special 10% or so that are foolish enough to hike south face numerous challenges:
I am (mostly) finished with college and graduation is sometime in mid-May, which kind of forces us to hike south. That is kind of an anti-climatic reason. While there are no philosophic reasons for going south, the idea of being one of the few, the proud: the SoBos, does excite me greatly. I am excited (and a little nervous), but mostly excited.
- Dry river beds/no water caches in Southern California
- Isolation
- No footprints to follow
- Having to read guidebooks backwards as they are written for NoBos
- Less daylight (as we leave closer to the summer solstice)
- Snow in Northern Washington (and lots of it)
I am (mostly) finished with college and graduation is sometime in mid-May, which kind of forces us to hike south. That is kind of an anti-climatic reason. While there are no philosophic reasons for going south, the idea of being one of the few, the proud: the SoBos, does excite me greatly. I am excited (and a little nervous), but mostly excited.
The Pacific Crest Trail: a Very Brief History
Jenna and I thought you might like to know a bit about the trail where we will be hiking for 2,600+ miles. The trail is the "crown jewel" of the "Triple Crown" of long distance hiking trails (the others are the Continental Divide Trail, and the most famous of the bunch, the Appalacian Trail); it traverses six of North America's seven different ecosystem types, offers the greatest elevation loss and gain, and most importantly, goes through my beautiful home state of Washington.
Thru-hiking the trail has long captivated the braze and the stupid. Approximately 300 people attempt to hike the whole trail per year, but only around 180 complete it. Jenna tells me that more people attempt to thru-hike the AT per year than have ever sucessfully completed the PCT (source of this fact is unknown). The first thru-hike was completed in 1970 by 17 year old Eric Rybeck. His book, The High Adventure of Eric Ryback: Canada to Mexico on Foot, sparked the imagination of other wanderers. The first southbound trip (what Jenna and I will be doing) as well as the first successful female thru-hike (something left only to Jenna) were both completed in 1972.
After hours of vigorously searching the internet, Jenna and I feel confident in saying that, pending completion, we will be the first vegan and the first gluten-free vegetarian to complete the trail. Both accomplishments will surely go down in the small, but growing, vegan/gluten-free thru-hiking community.
Thru-hiking the trail has long captivated the braze and the stupid. Approximately 300 people attempt to hike the whole trail per year, but only around 180 complete it. Jenna tells me that more people attempt to thru-hike the AT per year than have ever sucessfully completed the PCT (source of this fact is unknown). The first thru-hike was completed in 1970 by 17 year old Eric Rybeck. His book, The High Adventure of Eric Ryback: Canada to Mexico on Foot, sparked the imagination of other wanderers. The first southbound trip (what Jenna and I will be doing) as well as the first successful female thru-hike (something left only to Jenna) were both completed in 1972.
After hours of vigorously searching the internet, Jenna and I feel confident in saying that, pending completion, we will be the first vegan and the first gluten-free vegetarian to complete the trail. Both accomplishments will surely go down in the small, but growing, vegan/gluten-free thru-hiking community.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)