[pct-l] '09 thru-hiker

[Diane at Santa Barbara Hikes dot com]

On Mar 22, 2009, at 2:44 PM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:

> My original plan was to hike to KM starting early April and then  
> come home, wait for a few weeks, and then return to finish when the  
> high passes along the JMT are relatively clear.  Then I began  
> considering a SOBO attempt beginning late June/early July from  
> Canada and going all the way.  Now I think another option might be  
> to get the Southern section done to KM heading NOBO beginning in  
> April and then the rest heading SOBO from Canadian border starting  
> sometime in July.
>
> What's your opinion?  Please be honest.  I think I'm in pretty good  
> shape (ran a 2:35 marathon this winter) and hoping to eventually  
> hike between 20 & 30 miles a day.

What's your motivation for your three options? Do you need to go home  
to Arizona? Are you trying to avoid snowy passes? Are you hoping to  
hike more in the fall than the summer? I don't think any of your  
options require you to be in any different physical condition then  
just going right straight through without a flip-flop or a rest in  
the middle. I don't think your option number 1 is the best because  
you'd end up waiting so long you'd be late for the Washington snow.