$1000, 90 days?

[clured]

So, I don't want to put on a tie and work some boring investment banking internship this summer, but I'm a bit low on cash for a big hike.

What about the PCT, 90 days, $1000? Doable? Zero hotels/luxury, basically just spending money on cheap-ass, junk food resupplies.

What do you think?

[A-Train]

Not impossible, but HIGHLY unlikely. I spent about 4.5 times that much but splurged.

I'm sure you've done the math, but 1000 bucks is something like 40 cents a mile. Not much. You'd have to cover to and from trail expenses, hope you don't get hurt, sick, need to go home for a family issue, don't need to replace/fix gear. Have you gotten health insurance figured out or just rolling the dice? What happens when it rains in Washington and is ice-cold and you've got no money for lodging? It's not like the AT where you can hop in a shelter and dry out. When it rains on the PCT, it can be miserable. If you ever HAVE to get lodging, it's expensive out west. Resupply is more expensive out there. Even for junk food, if you're buying at the resorts, you'll pay insane price gouging.

And 90 days. This is VERY difficult, not because of the miles you have to cover, but because of the conditions. If this is a high snow year, you won't want to enter KM too early, but if you start late you'll be hitting horrible heat in May and June in the desert. There were 2 or 3 people who hiked it that quick last year but they were definately the exception. It was humorous reading how a few folks were misreble and ready to be done in the last registers.

Not trying to be a downer, just realistic. If you think you can, go for it. But your chances of failing are pretty high with that little amount of time and money. Why not just start at Kennedy Meadows, hike to Canada and enjoy yourself. There is SO much to see out West, I'd be a shame to have to hike 30+ miles EVERY day.

[CrumbSnatcher]

i was just getting ready to say ask a-train,he might not of told you what you want to hear. but he has your best intrest in mind. keep on it though. find a way, and have a great hike. s*** beg, borrow, and steal. you know what i mean!

[clured]

Thanks for the input A-Train.

Obviously it wouldn't be a pleasure-hike. More of a can-I-do-it. In terms of mileage, I'm pretty sure that I could manage. I averaged 26.5 last summer on the AT, and from what I hear its not uncommon for people to walk 5-10 more miles per day on the PCT, and I would need 29.5 for a 90-day hike.

What you say about miserable rain is good to know. I think I would take a slightly more substantial shelter than the tarp I carried last summer. I'm thinking the Six Moons Designs Gatewood Cape. Anyone know what the unsupported speed record is? If I'm trying to squeeze it into a college summer, maybe I should just go for the kill?

[A-Train]

Few more ideas.

The PCT has only about 5 hostels on the whole trail, with a few campgrounds, so your showers and laundry are gonna be really few and far behind. Are you cool without washing for weeks at a time in nasty heat?

Going off that there aren't a lot of hiker boxes, and not all were well stocked.

You may wanna PM "Chris" from this site, or look him up and check out his website. He hiked it in about 100+ days and his friend Pony Express hiked it in around 90 days. I believe he's on trailjournals.

[fiddlehead]

"Wall" (Raymond Greenlaw) did it totally unsupported in 2003 in 83 days i believe.
That was a new record at the time.
I believe Squeaky broke it 2 years ago
I believe you could do your 90 day time schedule if you really wanted to, but the $1,000 would be tougher possibly.

One or the other, but not both IMO

[ARambler]

what was your trail name, vida, and budget in 07? Have you answered (or made) your own question yet?
Rambler

[clured]

what was your trail name, vida, and budget in 07? Have you answered (or made) your own question yet?
Rambler

Trail name was DQ, total budget probably somewhere around $3000. BUT, I spent about $500 at Waynesboro on new gear, and spent lots of nights in hotels/buying overpriced food in towns. Don't get me wrong; I certainly am not underestimating how nasty it could get on $1000, just trying to see if people think it's feasible.

What is a vida? What do you mean have I answered my own question?

[EWS]

Feasible, totally. Probable, unlikely.

[ScottP]

Suck it up and get some extra work

I think Tatu-Jo beat squeakey's record last year, and he's trying to do it faster this year.

breaking a record on your first thru-of a trail is not very feasible.

Hiking the PCT on $1000 is impossible if you have to count the travel expenses, the gear you'll need, etc.

90-100 days is not hard for a PCT thru, I don't think you'll have a problem doing that if you want to.

If you really don't want to put on a tie go wait tables until the end of may then start hiking.

[clured]

Suck it up and get some extra work

I think Tatu-Jo beat squeakey's record last year, and he's trying to do it faster this year.

breaking a record on your first thru-of a trail is not very feasible.

Hiking the PCT on $1000 is impossible if you have to count the travel expenses, the gear you'll need, etc.

90-100 days is not hard for a PCT thru, I don't think you'll have a problem doing that if you want to.

If you really don't want to put on a tie go wait tables until the end of may then start hiking.

Scott, of course your advice is the best; I would work more if I had the time, but I'm a full time student with a really heavy courseload, and anything more than my currrent 10-hours a week campus job would be undoable.

I'm looking into some options for short term, high paying spring break jobs, but that would mean staying on campus and working about 10 hours a day, but what the heck, it may well be worth it.

What is Tatu-Jo's record? I don't really care that much, but if I hike this summer shooting for 90ish days, it would be nice to know what the standard is if things go well and I decide to go for it.

[A-Train]

Scott, of course your advice is the best; I would work more if I had the time, but I'm a full time student with a really heavy courseload, and anything more than my currrent 10-hours a week campus job would be undoable.

I'm looking into some options for short term, high paying spring break jobs, but that would mean staying on campus and working about 10 hours a day, but what the heck, it may well be worth it.

What is Tatu-Jo's record? I don't really care that much, but if I hike this summer shooting for 90ish days, it would be nice to know what the standard is if things go well and I decide to go for it.

Tatu Joe's record is 79 days, 21 hrs as per PCT-L archives. Joe posted over there quite a bit in August 07' and didn't paint a pretty picture of his struggle to obtain the record, tho this is not my cup of tea.

It's worth noting that he had other PCT thru-hikes before this attempt as did Squeaky and Scott Williamson and Flyin'Brian. ScottP's advice not to attempt a record on your first thru of a trail is very sound.

I believe Tatu passed me while I was climbing Whitney. You won't be able to hike Whitney, see Devil's Postpile, Yosemite Valley, or any other side trip if your hell bent on a record.

[rafe]

It's worth noting that he had other PCT thru-hikes before this attempt as did Squeaky and Scott Williamson and Flyin'Brian. ScottP's advice not to attempt a record on your first thru of a trail is very sound.

Not just sound but kinda obvious. After Ward Leonard flew by me in TN, I caught up with him a few minutes later at a watering hole. It occurred to me that he knew that watering hole was there from prior experience. That sort of knowledge could be critical in a speed-hike attempt. Ward wasn't just physically fit -- he was hiking light and knew every feature of the trail.

World-class ski racers don't go down the course "blind." They have a good mental picture of it at the start gate.

[TwoForty]

I might take some flak for this, but the ends of the trail are kind of arbitrary. Little more than political lines in the sand (well, Mexicao does have a wall). If you have limited time and money, a section hike would be a good idea. Hike as fast or slow as you want and see what you want. I guarantee you will probably want to go back and do more once you graduate.

[chris]

I can't really add a whole lot here. But, I would say that a section hike is a better idea than a thruhike on limited funds. As you get older, the opportunities become less. So, make this one count. Either go this year on a section, or go next year on a thru. Just make sure you go, and go soon.

By the way, my thru in 2003 was 105 days and I spent about $3000, not including gear that still worked at the end (pack, tarp, etc), but including transit to and from Chicago. Pony Express hit 100 days on the nose. So, it is pretty do-able, but you would need to really roll it up. 90 days is a much different story, though. An academic summer thruhike can be done, but forget about taking the 30+ zero days that many hikers do.

[jersey joe]

Anyone know where to read about Tatu Joe's record hike? A journal or something?
A-Train, you mentioned PCT-L...is this a site?
Link?

[A-Train]

http://mailman.hack.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l

Try that Joe, and then you'll click on "Archives" I believe, which will bring you to a month by month list of posts. Tatu Joe posts sometimes, but he posted a lot in Aug/Sept 07' after his finish.

It's actually a mailing list with a lot of activity, and a lot of bickering (like this site) but also a lot of REALLY experienced west coasters. I don't suscribe because the emails can be overwhelming and fill up your box. I just occassionally go over and browse for interesting topics. However you have to register to post, so I just lurk.

[Frosty]

What is a vida?

He meant vitae, or curriculum vitae.

It means your knowledge, skills and experience with respect to a specific occupation or endeavor.

[clured]

He meant vitae, or curriculum vitae.

It means your knowledge, skills and experience with respect to a specific occupation or endeavor.

Oh, ok. I guess I don't really have one? I did the AT last summer in 84 days, so being able to walk the paces isn't like a total pipe dream or anything. That's the only backpacking experience I have, but as far as I can tell its mostly just a physical issue, not really a skills issue. Maybe things are different out west?

I've been looking into getting extra work to pad out the budget. What about $2000/78 days?

[jersey joe]

http://mailman.hack.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l

Try that Joe, and then you'll click on "Archives" I believe, which will bring you to a month by month list of posts. Tatu Joe posts sometimes, but he posted a lot in Aug/Sept 07' after his finish.

Thanks A-Train.