Hiking the PCT with a set end date

[Mayanway]

I'm hoping to do a 2015 thru hike of the PCT, but will be starting a PhD program in the fall and will have to be off the trail by around September 10-12. That would give me about 2.5 weeks post-trail to get home, move into a new place and prepare for being in school again. I know that there's a lot of factors like snow pack in the Sierras that can alter plans and speeds through the trail, but generally, does that sound possible with a typical late April start date? I'm open to taking what the trail brings and just seeing how far I get, but setting out to complete a thru would be nice. I've done plenty of shorter (up to one week) backpacking trips and am currently hiking about 20 miles per day on my days off from work.

[10-K]

Started April 21st, finished August 20th. Took 14 zeros and as many days as that I quit hiking before noon.

So, yeah - finishing before September 12th with an April start is not only possible, it's pretty easy.

(that's assuming snow in the Sierra would be comparable next year to this year)

[i-Lan]

I'm actually in a very similar situation with a similar hiking background. Applying to PhD programs now. Planning on starting sometime in April and getting off the trail in early September where ever I am.

[Sly]

A great resource to plan your hike is www.pctplanner.com You can adjust your mileage by hours per day, altitude with days off and resupply.

[Coffee]

If I can enter the Sierra around June 1 and get to Lake Tahoe by the end of June, I feel like I have a good shot of finishing by September 1 and will definitely finish by September 15. I think that it all boils down to how early it is prudent to enter the Sierras and how fast or slow the travel between Kennedy Meadows and Tahoe turns out to be. My start date is April 14 or 15.

[burger]

I started April 17 and finished September 12 with 25 zeros in an average snow year.

My advice would be this: unless it's a really high snow year, start at least a week or two before kickoff, and you should be fine. It's kind of silly to try to project a finishing date when you start. But by the time you get to the halfway point, you will have a very good idea of your pace, and you can adjust your mileage and zero days as needed from that point.

One thing you shouldn't do is race like a jackrabbit from the start. Unless you are in phenomenal shape when you get to Campo, going super fast from the beginning is a great way to get injured. Even if you are a slow starter, you will have oodles of time to make up for your start.

[garlic08]

The PCT was my first long hike. I started at the kick-off as a pretty raw 47-yo newb on April 23 and finished fairly easily by September 7. I took 14 zeroes and averaged 21 mpd+ when hiking. If you're doing 20 mile day hikes and are 27 years old, you should be able to at least match that. That was an average snow year and I left Kennedy Meadows on June 1--a little early for the conditions, but I was comfortable in snow and fast water.

[Malto]

I had a set stop date and the airplane ticket booked before leaving Campo. I then encountered what proved to be a very high snow year that went on all the way to the border. I ended up finishing on 8/27 right on schedule but I had to adjust my speed to make up for the snow, or said another way, I hiked longer hours to get the miles. Some folks can deal with a fixed end date but I suspect that many many feel the pressure of the DATE.

I would not plan on a 6/1 Sierra entry. The last couple years have been low snow years and the "traditional" Sierra start is June 14th which by coincidence was when I left KM. A 6/1 Sierra start will be a lot of snow in most years.

[Geo.]

I'd think your time frame should be fine. I started on April 20th and finished September 17th with nine layover days. I think that averaged out at about 17miles a day overall.
Found that Oregon and Washington allowed for higher/easier daily mileages, so by the time you leave California (about halfway) you'll have a good idea of how your time is going.
Cheers, George

[RED-DOG]

My PCT start date is April 10th ( it's all according to the snow pack ) and with a lot less zero's than most and more hiking time I suspect to be done by the middle or the end of August. so yeah to answer your question, it is possible to hike PCT in the time frame you are given your self.

[Dogwood]

What's possible and easy is subjective. Where you're at in your backpacking is not where everyone individually is.

Having a set end date can impact PCT thru-hiking experiences likely more so as this is your first multi month longest hike to date. I know it affects my long distance hikes. It places yet another condition on a hike quite possibly adding to an already heavy emotional/mental load. Don't fret though as many have to place set end dates on a hike and still comfortably complete thru-hikes. Put yourself in a similar place of being able to do this by considering how they do it. You're already doing one thing getting in shape pre PCT hike and putting in some good 20 mpd hikes.

It would probably be necessary and wise to have as many tools in your thru-hiking arsenal that enable you to alter pace and MPD. http://andrewskurka.com/2006/how-to-...ast-thru-hike/ Read the comments too as there're some decent tips on how to do this too. Considering these techniques doesn't mean you have to do a fast hike. It means you'll have the awareness that leads to greater options to increase your pace/miles per day IF you feel the need.

[Dogwood]

I will paste Andrew's comments here from that thread as I believe they need to be emphasized in your situation.

Doing the mileage on a day-hike is much easier than doing it day after day. A few suggestions:
1. You need to keep your feet healthy.
2. Be patient. You can afford to do mid- or high-10′s through the first few days, because as your pack gets lighter and after you work through some of those initial aches and pains, you should feel really strong and be able to hoof it home.
3. Be diligent when you’re supposed to be hiking, and walk steadily until a designated rest time/spot. Hiking is a tortise’s game, not a hare’s.

[Dogwood]

This is good too, "be patient in the early part of the trip. You can easily offset an early 14-mile day later in the trip by busting out a 30-miler, which might become really easy for you after your body breaks in." Couldn't agree more. However, for a PCT NOBO thru-hike SoCal can offer some easier terrain so consider preparing adequately for a strong start. Oregon and NoCal can provide some easier terrain too.

[Dogwood]

On those 20 MPD day hikes consider wearing a weighted backpack, the backpack and gear you'll be employing on the PCT.

Consider how you COULD/would get earlier starts in the pre-dawn hrs. For example, have the ability to be able to break camp quickly and be geared up appropriately for cooler earlier morn starts and perhaps after dusk hiking.

[Dogwood]

Consider different ways to work around and with the Sierra snowpack that allow acceptable happy forward progression.