[pct-l] MAIL DROPS :

[Matthew Edwards]

I decided to make a list of my experience with resupply on the PCT.
I left Campo April 17th and finished in Cananda September 13th 2009 if that helps you get an idea where i was in the "pack".
The following data assumes that you eat things like; Nutella, Peanutbutter, Knorr sides, Idahoans(potatoes), Fritos, totillas,
spam and tuna packets, instant coffee, cookies, crackers, SNICKERS BARS, power bars, apples, banana chips,
dried apricots, walnuts, yogurt covered pretzls,Honey(In a honey bear.. naturally), Fig bars, Potato chips, Fruit leather..
and similar products. The freedom of "Buy as you Go" and the effect it has on trail town economys are HUGE.
I spent $400 bucks on food for maildrops and over $150 on shipping. Hindsight being what it is.. I should
have saved my money for the trail. Anyhow, here is a list and my subjective trail resupply experiences.
Mt Laguna at mile 43-On Trail-Great Selection, Pricey but considering postage you will break even so just buy food here.
Warner Springs-down the road from the trail a bit-C'store near Golf course small selection but plenty if your not picky.
Idylwild- off trail, Devil's slide trail really isn't bad at all- Plenty of food in this awesome trail town.
Wrightwood- Off trail down the highway many miles-plenty of food
Big Bear- off trail. there are two parts to the town, Big Bear(motel) and big Bear lake(Hostel) either way plenty of food options even if you are picky.
Aqua Dulce- On Trail- Plenty of Food at supermarket, also can order a pizza delivered to the trail head(no joke), Saufley's House.. What can I say!!
Casa De Luna- Off trail-Joe might be watching you with Binoculars as you decend the trail! 
There is a small c'store nearby but you are only 25 miles past Agua Dulce so you can just relax at the Andersens. 
They do make beer runs on occasion so you might get a chance to stock up.
Hiker town-On Trail. There is a small c'store down the road that has icecream(youll want that) 
and home made tamales. The caretaker might give you a lift or you could hitch.
Mojave/Tehachapi- offtrail- Ridiculously huge selection of food either way.
Kennedy Meadows-On trail- Send a Box The store has ben and jerry's icecream, candybars, cheese, 
beer but don't count on a major resupply if there are a lot of hikers around.
Kearsarge Pass- off trail- Onion Valley and the Kearsarge Pinnacles! Do It and thank me later!
You can reach Independence, lone Pine or Bishop relatively easily from this dead end trailhead. 
Plenty of resupply at the c'store in Independence.
Red's meadow/Mammoth- slightly off trail- the Red's meadow store has a small selection of foods 
but you will most likely want to head into Mammoth by this point where there are massive options for food..Massive.
Tuolumne Meadows- On Trail- It is kinda a run down store, and the Postmaster is an interesting fellow. 
Plenty of food here though if youre not picky.
Echo Lake-On Trail Do Not Send a Box here! Just my opinion but the postmaster here was not hiker friendly at all. 
There is a small c'store and they have a deli and great milkshakes. Expensive but decent enough for a resupply.
Sierra City- Off trail- Awesome little grocery store. The most awesome front porch on the trail next to KM. 
Get the "Triple Gut Buster Burger".. trust me. You can totally resupply from here. They have 19 different kinds of hot sauce... enough said.
Belden- On Trail- It has a small c'store.. and it's really funky. You might have to get creative but you most definitely can resupply here. 
Up the Road past the Breattons there is a small malt shop/tackleshop/bar/??? Hard to describe but it's worth a trip. The Breattons are awesome!
Castella- Off trail- C-store has plenty of food. Kinda limited but totally do-able. 50 different kinds of Beer. mmmm.. Beeer.
Old Station- smaller c'store, limited selection but do-able. The Heitmans are awesome!
(Note about Hat Creek Rim: Don't miss the Subway Cave. Also there is a little gas station/c'store listed in yogi's guide. 
Perfect place to get a cold drink and go hang out in subway cave like a homeless person and scare all the tourists. 
Then tackle the Hat Creek Rim. Perpare but don't believe the hype! You can totally do it.. you will NOT die on the rim.)
Burney Falls State Park- Off Trail a little- They have totally redone the store here. 
It's hella expensive but a resupply is easy. the icecream and beer is awesome.
Seiad Valley- On trail- Small grocery store and restaurant. Stay at the RV park.. they keep a hay filled pig pen for us hikers. 
Limited selection but resupply is easy if your not picky.
Ashland- Off Trail- hitch is easy from Callahans. Ashland has anything you could want in the universe as far as food.. 
even if you are a lactating free anti-gluten vegemite from Vegas. Callahans love us.. and we love them. 
(note: you can actually buy Aqua Mira off the shelf at the outfitter in Ashland)
Crater Lake/ Mazama Villiage- Eat at Annie Creek.. It's All You Can Eat. We scared the locals. 
Anyhow the c'store at Mazama has a limited but plentiful selection of food. Easy to resupply here.
Sisters Oregon- Off trail- Huge Grocery stores. Sisters Inn and suites has a PCT hiker discount 
$50 for a room with two beds and a futon, a fridge, TV, microwave, small coffee pot, and free continental breakfast. 
there was also biscuits and gravy being sold in the adjacent gas station.. mmm biscuits and gravy.
Big Lake Youth Camp-(Sisters)On Trail- hikers that stayed at Big lake got rides into Sisters to resupply so that is a great on-trail option.
Timberline Lodge- Ontrail- DO NOT MISS THE BUFFET- don't believe anyone that says it is cancelled even if they are an employee.
There is precious little to buy here food wise besides the buffet. The soda machine outside sells pop for 6 bucks a bottle.
This might be a place to have sent yourslef a box from Ashland or you could just bust a move and go to Cascade Locks.
Cascade Locks- On Trail(close) I loved everything about this town. I also visited Hood River and the Full Sail Brewery. 
resupply is easy at the market in Cascade locks.
White Pass WA- Off trail(walk a mile and a half)- small C'store but plenty for a resupply if you are not picky about brands. 
Also fried food, and a table area to relax and chow down inside. Packwod WA is down the road 15 miles or so. 
The Packwood Hotel(not the Inn) has a $25 hiker special.  it's a 100 year old building by the library Super Hiker Friendly owners.
Grocery store in Packwood.
Snoqualmie- On Trail- The largest C'store on the trail. They keep hiker packages in the coolers in back. 
You will feel foolish when you get your box and walk back through the c'store and see all the food here.
Skykomish- Offtrail- C'store has plenty of food, baring store has somwwhat limited selection but they stock up for hiker season.
i counted 15 bottles of yellow HEET on the shelves of the Baring store. Anyhow between Skykomish and Baring you can easily resupply.
Stehekin- Off Trail- There is a daily bus that goes from the trail head to the ranch, the bakery, and the resort. Relax. this place is perfect
for kicking back. The microscopic C'store has candybars and crackers. The restaurant here is awesome! Instead of sending a box you could
resupply from the bakery on your way back to the trail. They have pies, cinamin rolls(to die for!), loaves of bread, elcaires, fruit and nut rolls.. what else do you need for the final 88 miles?! I was eating stinking ramen noodles at the border while my compadres were chowing down pie and cinamon rolls!
Anyways.. i think that covers it. I might have screwed up the town order there in N. Cal but the details are correct.
All info was gleaned firsthand from my thru hike in 2009.
Cheers-Iceaxe