[pct-l] Safety in numbers or Solo?

[Pea Hicks]

molboll82 at aol.com wrote:
> Hi there,
> 
> I'm looking to start hiking the PCT starting mid-April.....so far I am 
> going to do it solo unless I can find a partner who wants to go. I was 
> wondering, as a 26 year old female, is this safe to do solo or should I 
> seek someone out?
> 
> Any advice would be great,
> Thanks.
> Molly

hi molly!

this is a question that comes up every season. the basic answer is that, 
starting in mid-april, you'll have plenty of company on the trail 
whether you want it or not. most hikers (women included) start solo and 
make quick friends with other hikers on the trail, and then form varying 
degrees of formal/informal hiking partnerships, depending on people's 
needs and comfort levels. this generally works out much better than 
pre-arranging a hiking partner (who you've never met or hiked with 
before) in advance, and assuming that you'll be sufficiently compatible 
to stay happily schackled to them.

cheers-
girlscout