[pct-l] This will be more than you're bargaining for.

[Jeffrey Olson]

Hi Alexandra:

If you started at Dunsmuir/Castle Crags, you can get there by greyhound 
bus or Amtrak from the bay area or SFO.  You can hitch or taxi to where 
the trail crosses under interstate 5 - it's about five or six miles 
south of Dunsmuir.  You could even walk down the railroad tracks to the 
trail.

Dunsmuir to Timberline Lodge involves trail miles 1507 to 2110. 
Timberline Lodge is a couple hours from Portland - your friends could 
treat you to a nice meal if they pick you up.  It is really easy to 
hitch to a local bus in Sandy or other points west of Timberline.

Or, you could get off at any of the major road crossings before then if 
you wanted, depending on actual pace.  You'll find southern and central 
Oregon to be "relatively" flat.  This is where people put in huge miles.

http://www.postholer.com/planner/hikePlanner.php
or Craigs PCT Planner - https://www.pctplanner.com/
guthooks pct app is pretty good.

You can mail yourself resupply packages really easily on that section.

The PCT parallels what is/was known as the Cascade Crest Trail (CCT) for 
much of Oregon.  It has lots more water than the PCT.  I recommend the 
side trip from Crater Lake off the PCT on the Boundary Springs Trail.  
You'd hike to Diamond Lake/hwy 138 and take the trail up to Mt. 
Thielesen.  The headwaters of the Rogue River literally burble out of 
the ground in 15 or 20 pools.  200' from the pools is a full-blown 
river.  The water is sublime for drinking.

Just some thoughts!!!

Jeffrey Olson
Laramie, WY






On AprI think that people who are avid backpackers get a little frustratedwhen newbies get excited (in my experience thus far) and don't know what they're doing but jump right in.So please don't get upset with me, but I am a newbie, but I'm trying toprepare as best as I can before embarking on the journey I hope to take this summer.

My hope is to hike for a month (35 days allotted since I don't have 
experience with this) from June 5 to July 10, last stop being Portland 
(I know I'd have to hitchhike to get there) where I'll meet up with 
friends who are there. I live in Lynchburg, VA. I've never done this, I 
hope to cover 560 miles in the time that I'm on the PCT (eventually 
averaging 18 miles a day).

I'm in the beginning planning stages so I'm researching gear, comparingreviews and costs as best as I can in my blank slate of hiking knowledge other than a handful of hikes I've done for sunrises and whatnot. I think I'll need a long distance permit, since I hope to go more than 500 miles. I can't quite determine where I should start yet (presumably 560 miles southfrom the last stop I'd make before getting a ride to Portland), but Idon'tknow where that is.

Basically, I'm trying to do this in an educated manner as best as I canso as not to frustrate people who know about doing section thru-hikes andalso to be wise, but I'm a little uninformed about a lot. So if anyone is willing to help me in a way I can understand, I would be very grateful.

  I've got about a month and a half to plan this. I know, that's not a lotoftime. But hey, that's okay.
Anyway I have reached out to people I know directly, I just thoughtpeople actually doing the PCT would be a good place to seek out as wellforadvice and guidance.

Thanks homies!


Alexandra
________