[pct-l] Pct-L Digest, Vol 59, Issue 28

[Brian Lewis]

Nathan wrote:
"I have read books where people say they could not find a spot to
sleep other than directly on the trail. Is this a valid concern or will
there be enough room 99% of the time?"

Here's another issue that seems different depending on where you're used to
backpacking.  Living in WA state, I'm used to the idea that anywhere there
isn't a tree growing there's probably brush growing, so often it's hard to
find a spot to throw down and sleep that's not a prepared campsite.  Of
course this isn't always true, but too often it is.   So for me it was a
pleasure to find that for so much of the rest of the PCT there's a lot of
relatively open space, often you can easily find a campsite.  Not just
*anywhere* but overall it's much easier.

That said, I suggest that you and your wife seriously consider having solo
shelters, for several reasons.  One of you might stay on the trail while
another leaves (for a while or for good).  You might find that --- even
though married --- you enjoy some time apart, to include days (or heck,
even weeks).   You might also find that even if you hike joined-at-the-hip
style that you sleep better if you have your own space to spread out your
own stuff, and can adjust for snoring with some distance between tents.
And in some cases you might find that you can tuck a couple of solo tents
into places you can't get a double, though the opposite might sometimes
also be true (just one decent tent space available).

My wife and I do share a tent when we hike together, but the longest trip
we've done together was under 3 weeks, and mostly well under that.  If we
were doing a complete thru-hike together I would suggest to her that solo
shelters might be better.


         Brian Lewis / Gadget