[pct-l] resupply distances

[Bob Bankhead]

There are too many variables to give you a single figure. It all depends on (1) what shape you are in, (2) what base weight you are carrying, (3) how much elevation gain and loss you have to surmount, and (4) what kind of ground are you covering - sand, granite, loose scree, dirt trail).

The point was made, and correctly too based on my own experience, that you will eat less than you expect for the first X days as your body adjusts to the different food and the exertion. After the adjustment, you'll start eating more.

Beware high mileage plans. Yes, eventually you MAY be able to do continual 30 mile days; you may even want to. However, you'll miss a lot of the wilderness experience at that pace. Remembering the variables listed above, I prefer to start with 10-12 miles for the 1st full day of hiking, and work my way up by 2 miles per day until I reach 20 at the end of week one. After that, I adjust my pace according to the terrain, elevation, and scenery. I am most comfortable with 23-24 miles per day, but have done 30+ when forced to do so by weather or poor judgement (failing to properly study my topo map the night before and thereby passing up what turns out to be the last possible campsite for the next ten miles of sidehill).

How many days of food to carry? First work out a conservative rate of advance between each re-supply point. Then divide the number of miles you need to cover by this estimated average daily mileage. That tells you how many days you'll be on the trail. If that's too much food weight, re-think your mileage estimate. If that's still too much weight, re-think your re-supply destination; pick something not so far away, even though it may be less convenient. Some light weight hikers elect to arrive at the next resupply point with their food bag empty, meaning they ran out after dinner the night before. Having to eat at the restaurant at the re-supply point motivates you to haul your butt that last day. If your plan goes awry, you won't be in real trouble, merely hungrier than you prefer. If things really go south, you can fall back on that tiny package of dehydrated mashed potatoes you're carrying as emergency food (remember the 10 essentials?)

Bottom line; each person has to work it out for themselves.

Wandering Bob
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: robo hiker 
  To: pctlist 
  Sent: Sunday, January 13, 2008 12:05 PM
  Subject: [pct-l] resupply distances


  how many days/miles worth of food should one carry? (on average) sometimes i think i'll have to carry 100 miles worth for the entire trip then it seems as though one only needs to carry 40 miles worth. what did , or do you plan on carrying? 
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