The great PCT stove debate

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.

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:

• 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)

Sounds fun, right? Why are Jenna and I doing this? Well...

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.