[pct-l] thru hike start date

[Cosmic Cat]

Hi List! This is my first ever post!

Lauren,

In 2006 I started on May 23 and finished on Oct 1. I probably took around 20
zeros and hiked fairly agressively the rest of the time: 25s in SoCal, hi
teens in the sierras, then low 30s after Tahoe.

My start date had more to do with the intense snowpack that year than
anything else. That same late spring late precipitation created lots of
running water in SoCal areas that might not otherwise have it.

The end date was pushing it a bit. I heard that an early blizzard ~ 28 Sept
2007 finished many through hikes prematurely.

I would suggest taking a few less zeros than I did with a more moderate
pace. Most of mine were in south and central cali, meaning that I had to be
very obsessive in the second half in order to finish before the weather
closed in.

Best Wishes on your hike!
Goodness

On Wed, Dec 2, 2009 at 9:25 AM, Postholer <public at postholer.com> wrote:

> > Would I be crazy to start a northbound hike on May 24th?
>
> That's quite doable, but it may change the way you hike your hike.
>
> It will be warmer, seasonal water sources will be fewer and it pushes your
> finish date later. You may have to expedite your hike with less time to
> smell the roses if you intend to get to Canada before the snow flies.
>
> If you're determined to do the whole trail and get to Canada, an option may
> be starting near Palm Springs or Cajon Pass. This will cut 2 to 3 weeks off
> an average hike. It still gives you time to condition for the sierra. Then
> take the bus back and finish the southern part.
>
>  -postholer
> ------------------------------------
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