[pct-l] Have had a hard time convincing my hiking partner...

[Hernandez]

I so concur with HYOH.  Maybe plan from the get-go for each of you to hike
the Sierra at different times.  Hitching can be a pain, but it's fully
possible to jump ahead, jump back, flip-flop, whatever you need to do.
Then, plan on a reunion.  Mountains, snow, meadows, bunnies, stark rock
faces, flowers... You'll both get what you want out of the walk...
especially when you walk the Cascades, together.  

H.R. HuffnPuff

-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
On Behalf Of Eric Lee
Sent: Sunday, November 29, 2009 5:49 PM
To: will.hiltz at gmail.com; 'Marcello Cerniglia';
pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net; pct-l at backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Have had a hard time convincing my hiking partner...

Easy wrote:
>
This can only lead to tears, hike to KM together and if she wants to skip
ahead and you don't-- let her.  Some of the worst decisions I made on the
trail stemmed out of adhering to other people's schedules.
>

I definitely concur.  There is no right answer to the question, but if two
people planning to hike together can't agree on which answer to pick, then
it's quite likely you're not going to be hiking partners for the whole
trail.  And that's ok.  It's pretty rare for two people two hike the whole
trail together unless they're bound by a long-term relationship.  Everyone's
needs and desires are slightly different and over the course of five months
you spend time with many different people who happen to be going the same
way you are at that time.

It's not a matter of convincing her to see things your way.  A PCT thruhike
is a very difficult challenge; each person has to be doing what they *want*
to be doing in order to stay motivated.  Arguing someone into your plan
isn't going to make for a successful/pleasant hike, unless it's a very
simple case of misunderstood facts.

Factually, yes, a lot of people find the Sierra to be very beautiful in the
early season.  Some find it to be the most beautiful season, before all the
snow melts and leaves you with very stark views of granite, granite, and
more granite.  But I doubt that relaying that fact will resolve your
argument, right?

There's absolutely nothing wrong with trying to visit each part of the PCT
in its best season.  That's a great way to experience the trail.  It might
make it hard to complete a thru-hike in one season, but there are many
possible goals for people who set out to hike the trail and a one-season
thru-hike is only one of them.  Sounds like you two have different goals,
which means (for the purpose of a PCT thruhike) you might be incompatible
partners.  By all means start out together but be ready to go your separate
ways when it's time.  Obviously that means you should plan to be
self-sufficient in your gear, mail drops, etc.

Eric

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