[pct-l] A Random Walk Through the Herd

[Will M]

Wow, great writing Herb.  Thanks for the taking the time to write this up.

Will (Jalan Jalan)


On Tue, Jul 1, 2014 at 2:07 PM, Herb Stroh <HStroh at sjmslaw.com> wrote:

> I section hiked the PCT southbound from Meeks Bay, Tahoe (about mile 1112)
> to Tuolumne Meadows (942) June 19-29th. The trip was in part a shakedown
> for a future thru of the PCT. I thought a brief report on the herd would be
> of interest to the list.
>
> The PCT hikers I met in the Desolation Wilderness appeared to be those
> starting a week or so before kickoff, along with a few thoroughbreds from
> the herd. By the time I reached Kennedy Meadows Resort (Senora Pass) on
> June 24 it was almost all herd, and that continued until my exit at
> Tuolumne Meadows on 6/29.
>
> I ran into no less that 20-30 thrus per day, and perhaps as many as 40.
> When discussing those numbers with hikers, most were astounded-they were
> aware of couple others in close proximity, but not that there were so many
> thurs within a day's walk of each other. One couple mentioned that they
> felt like they hiked most of the Sierra alone.
>
> Generally the hikers seemed to be strong and in good spirits. The pace of
> the thurs and their workmanlike manner on the trail certainly betrays their
> many miles of travel. I didn't need to see a bandana to know who was on a
> mission to Canada. Hikers reported just 2 days of rain (3 after the
> surprise nighttime wind/rain event of 6/26) and relatively moderate desert
> temperatures. The current pressing concern were mosquitoes, generally heavy
> in the Desolation Wilderness and then again Yosemite to north of Dorothy
> Lake.
>
> My perianal question to hikers "is it still fun?" was usually answered
> with an enthusiastic "YES." But a few were more reserved, noting the
> adversities and in some instances, injuries. One hiker commented that the
> mantra among some in the desert was "we just need to get to Kennedy South
> and everything will be ok." He immediately pointed out that they simply
> exchanged one set of challenges for another, and that the "real work"
> started there.
>
> Of course you see a bit of everything hiking face first into the herd. As
> I was approaching Senora Pass from the north a couple was coming up, she
> with tassels on her hiking poles. Stepping aside I said "So, do those come
> with a trail name?" "Glitterbug!" she said with a smile. I can't recall
> where, but I came face to face with a Japanese hiker sporting a Japanese
> flag on a flagpole protruding from his pack. Well as a regular reader of
> this list, I just HAD to ask: "Yoshi?" "Yes" he said without looking up,
> breaking stride, or showing a lick of surprise at a stranger knowing his
> name. "Do you post on the PCT-L?" "Yes," he said, but this time looking up.
> "I really enjoy your posts". That got him to stop and smile, telling me he
> was Japanese and something about doing the best he can, then turned and off
> he went. I was dying to ask him about his menu, but it was not to be that
> day.
>
> I have to comment about how incredibly welcoming and inclusive the PCT
> hiking community is. As I approached Ebbetts Pass early in the morning I
> heard someone shouting from the road below, but could not make out the
> words. As I got closer it came through: "Trail magic! TRAIL MAGIC!!" As
> soon as I emerged from the trail I was greeted by Chipmunk, who asked: "Are
> you hiking the PCT??" I told him I was sectioning Tahoe to Yosemite, and he
> responded excitedly: "Do you want breakfast? Do you like coffee? How do you
> want your eggs? Put some chili on those eggs? I just set up and you are my
> FIRST guest!"
>
> Chipmunk has apparently come down from the Sacramento area every year for
> the last 4 years to run some magic at Ebbetts. He had a table, chairs, and
> all kinds of food that a backpacker would never have in their bag-it was
> heaven. He told me he had food for 50 in the van, and because there is no
> bear-proof way to store food near the pass, drives 45 minutes each way into
> town daily.
>
> Brakeman arrived shortly after me and we chatted over our eggs and chili.
> Before leaving Chipmunk pressed a freshly-baked-from-scratch brownie into
> my hand and said: "I only ask you don't tell any north bounders about the
> magic. Let them be surprised!" His love of serving the trail community was
> irrepressible.
>
> A second quick example: After resupplying at Kennedy Resort I walked back
> up to the highway to hitch to the trail. It was after 5:00 pm, and a scant
> 10 cars went by in over an hour. Defeated, I trudged back to Kennedy,
> contemplating starting out the next day and heading over Bond Pass to
> rejoin the PCT.
>
> As I walked up to the store 3 hikers were hanging out in front, and urged
> me to sit and join them. Now, I am old enough to be everyone's dad in this
> story, but because I had a pack, I was just part of the gang. One hiker
> introduced himself as Salsa. I told them that if they were hoping to get a
> hitch back to the trail today to forget it, there just is not enough
> traffic heading up. Salsa said that the two other hikers were waiting for a
> buddy to pick them up to leave the trail, and were giving him a ride back.
> "You have room for another right?" His buddy said sure, it was a small car
> but we could fit.
>
> Well when the buddy arrived he had another buddy with him. So now it is 6
> guys, 4 packs, and one very small hatchback. I am thinking uh oh, I am odd
> man out. But the first thing said: "Everybody goes! Plenty of room in this
> hatchback. We will shuttle if we have to." Salsa folded himself into the
> hatchback, we piled packs on him and on laps of others and off we went. We
> were packed in so tight the only person who could see was the driver.
> Talking later with a woman who saw us pull up at the Senora Pass parking
> area, she described our arrival as follows: "You guys pulled up in this
> little car, every door opened and packs and bodies poured out of
> everywhere. It looked like a clown car!" I chuckled over that image for a
> couple days.
>
> A long running thread from a couple weeks ago lamented the deteriorating
> courtesy and appreciation of PCT hikers. While I have no doubt that those
> folks are out there, my personal experience with the 2014 class suggests
> otherwise. All those I came into contact with were friendly and willing to
> stop and chat. When hikers learned this was a shakedown for a future hike,
> they freely and enthusiastically offered advice on gear and thru strategy.
> Some urged me to contact them post-hike to help with my planning. Even in
> little things I saw observance of good trail etiquette: those wearing ear
> buds generally removed them as I approached in order to exchange in
> pleasantries and/or a further conversations if so initiated.
>
> For anyone contemplating a thru hike, I urge you to plan a section hike
> headlong into the herd. Any piece of gear that caught my eye I could ask
> the hiker for a review; I discussed food, resupply strategy, loneliness on
> the trail, anything I could think of. No one short-changed their response
> or acted too busy to chat. The presence of thrus on the trail was a true
> delight and significantly added to my hiking experience.
>
> Happy trails class of 2014.
>
> Herb
>
> _______________________________________________
> Pct-L mailing list
> Pct-L at backcountry.net
> To unsubscribe, or change options visit:
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l
>
> List Archives:
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/pct-l/
> All content is copyrighted by the respective authors.
> Reproduction is prohibited without express permission.
>