[at-l] Thoughts of Slackpacking: WAS: Helping a newbieupdate: Warren's School Report 1

[kahley@ptd.net (kahley)]

Disclaimer....I don't think I could slackpack the whole trail.  I think
I could slackpack on occasion but it would be hard for me
to turn loose of my gear.  I mean...it's my gear.  I keep it
in the car when i go to the grocery store for pete's sake <g>
so it's be hard for me to leave it behind when actually hiking.
But that's my psychological problem <g>
2nd disclaimer..For many years, I have worked for someone
who's business is sometimes slackpacking people.  For a
journal of a slackpack thru check out:
http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Trails/4404/


>2: If his wife gets tired of it, or takes ill... (likely!)

Have her read the journal.  Being the driver is a CHORE,
Hope she is really good with maps and finding unmarked back roads.
Hope they are ready to increase the cost of his thru by a hundred
dollars a day Motels, restaurant food gas/tires/wear and tear...it adds up.


>You aren't really long distance hiking.  You're hiking lots
>of day trips in a row.

as compared to hiking lots of weekend trips in a row....a slight difference


>I'm not saying that slackpacking isn't a thruhike, I just
>think that the experience is different.

agreed

>  I want him
>to hike HIS - I just want him to be informed.  Something
>eloquent and motivational would be nice... :)

didn't you say you guys found a thru who was willing to take
him out on some longer hikes?   Maybe that experience will
be eloquent and motivational.

I understand your plight.  I hate to see someone start their
hiking "carreer" with slackpacking.  Lottsa folks do it sometimes,
some folks do it lottsa times.  But they usually don't
start doing it for at least a couple weeks so they have some valid
experience with a full pack to which to compare it.

That said, there is not a damn thing wrong with slackpacking.
It's just a different experience.  It IS long distance hiking.
It's just a different way.  Just as an AT thru with towns every
couple days is different from walking into the wilds with food cached
and no intentions of coming out for four months is different.