[pct-l] [cdt-l] Triple Crown of Desert Hiking

[Trekker4 at aol.com]

In a message dated 4/3/2007 11:50:22 PM Central Daylight Time, 
lawtong at hotmail.com writes:

I just had this vision . . . or perhaps a hallucination . . . of the "Triple 
Crown of Desert Hiking."  This would include the Arizona Trail, Grand 
Enchantment Trail and the Hayduke Trail.  I know of some folks that have 
done 2 of these 3 trails but does anyone know of a hiker thatｴs done all 3?

-Disco

http://www.trailjournals.com/disco

    Don't forget the Desert Trail itself; it's not finished, but partly 
complete in CA, NV, and OR. It runs east of the PCT and west of the Great Western 
Trail, which is west of the CDT. Unfortunately, I don't think it'll be 
finished, or even close, for decades.   
I've got the Hayduke guidebook and have marked it in pencil on my UT & AZ 
Recreational Maps. It's the toughest long trail; the authors and founders warn 
you not to expect even 10 miles a day. It's a trail where one is hiking in a 
stream or river, counting canyons on the left, because you have to climb out and 
up the 7th one, which is more of a cliff than a canyon. It's the most remote 
long trail; the resupply towns are about the size of Yogi's apartment; and your 
body needs to be relatively unaffected by loss of blood. 
    The good news is that there are no Pirates near it; no internet 
connections forcing one to read Reinhold's posts; and no discussion of guns, dogs, 
trekking poles, the Warner Springs loop (which is just as tough apparently), bear 
canisters or spray, which highway to hitch where (no more than 5 highways in 
800 miles anyhow), or guys who think they're better looking than their dog. The 
bad news is that there are no luxury tents in anyone's back yard, no washing 
machines with a personal laundress, no free bandanas, no yearly gathering with 
"free" (please donate) food, no Dirty Girls (damn. damn. damn), and no 
alternative guidebooks (written by tiara wearing queens) that tell of trail angels, 
spooky places, or which side of the river to walk in to avoid the quicksand. 
Anyhow I'm tenatively looking for a partner (the only time I've ever made that 
statement) for 09; I doubt I'd hike it by myself; but fast hikers need not 
apply, because I'm not that fast; I'm slower, steadier perhaps with good 
endurance, and usually hike from dawn to dusk. On the AT I kept up with many 
thru-hikers, because they started late, stopped early, and goofed off more; on the PCT 
in 05, for instance, the same group of 4-5 thru-hiker guys passed me 5 or 6 
times before I ended that section hike. 
 
Bob "Trekker"
Big Bend Desert Denizen
Naturalized Citizen - Republic of Texas









************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.