[pct-l] Changes to itinerary

[john@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (John Brennan)]

Teatree was asking me offline about changes to my itinerary.  I'm posting
them to this list to help/confuse the Class of 2003.

I have not updated the Details part of my site.  Someday I'll find time.
Here are my thoughts about my itinerary, south to north:

Get to Idyllwild from Pines-to-Palms Highway 74 (mile 153.7).  This makes
the section getting there shorter and saves a long hike down (and then back
up) to Idyllwild via the Devil's Slide Trail.  Walk/hitch from
Palms-to-Pines to a great restaurant (Paradise Corner?) (headed north, it's
toward the left).  There are signs to Idyllwild from there.  It makes the
section 'after' Idyllwild longer, so watch your food. [Thanks to Yogi for
this tip.]

The Middleton's (The Pink Motel) (just past mile 212) is a natural stop,
even just for a break from the wind.  I'd get a package there to make the
section from Idyllwild to Big Bear a little shorter.  If your package
doesn't show up, you could be in a tough spot.  Though I know hikers who
just hop on I-10 and stick out their thumbs, I wouldn't do it.

I think there's big potential for confusion between Big Bear City (near the
Fire Station) and Big Bear Lake (miles away).  Most hikers send to Big Bear
City.

Get to Wrightwood by hiking past it, avoiding the down and up of the Acorn
Canyon Trail (mile 365.9).  Go until Angeles Crest Highway 2 (mile 371.9),
then hitch back to Wrightwood. [Thanks to Yogi for this tip.]  Guffy
Campground (mile 366.8) had potable water in 2002, and was a nice place to
camp.

I went to Mojave rather than Tehachapi. White's Motel (800) 762-4596 is a
gathering spot, although the White family had just put the place on the
market when we went through in 2002.  There are two places to get off the
trail to get to Mojave.  I think they are: Tehachapi-Willow Springs Road
(mile 555.1) and Highway 58 (near mile 562).  It's a hard hitch from the on
ramp of 58, but we did it.

I was happy I went from Kennedy Meadows to Vermillion Valley without a town
stop.  The high Sierra is great, and it's a long way out. 10 or 11 days of
food, plus extra fuel, made for a heavy pack, but it was worth it.

Going to the northern Kennedy Meadows from Sonora Pass Highway 108 (mile
1013.2) was a little far.  Next trip, I'll look at another spot to get off,
or just carry from Tuolumne to Echo Lake.  Plus they charged a huge fee for
my huge box.

Rumor is that Sierra City no longer has free accommodations at the RV park.
I'd suggest dropping into Sierra City, getting your box, eating like a
madwoman, and moving up the trail into mountain biker hell.

The people at Belden Town Resort are flaky.  Ship to the Post Office, or
better yet, plan some quality off-trail hours in Quincy, east of Belden.
Quincy has a health food store and great health food restaurant.

Consider going to Chester from 36/89 (mile 1329.7) to celebrate the half-way
point.

Drakesbad in Lassen National Park (near mile 1348) does serve hikers, or at
least they did in 2002.  We believed the Book of Lies (otherwise known as
the Trail Guide) when it said they wouldn't.  I heard they have a HOT pool
and good, good food.

Etna is a great town stop.  I'd say don't miss it though the hitch could be
hard.  Send your box to the PO, or to Hiker's Hut @ Alderbrook Manor (888)
780-0283 only if you think you'll arrive on a Sat. or Sun., which you
probably won't know until Burney Falls or Castella/Dunsmuir.  Call ahead to
make arrangements to have them hold a box.  Arrive in Etna with some cash.

Although it was harder to get to Dunsmuir, I would say go there rather than
Castella.  I was ready for a break, and it's at the end of the infamous
Section O, which isn't THAT bad, but it is worse than most sections: poison
oak, heat, biting flies, and, for us, smoke.  When I was in Dunsmuir, it was
the first week of an organic raw food restaurant being open.  They are down
by the tracks, parallel to the main street.  Yum!

Sisters, Oregon, is a questionable stop.  It was a hard hitch for me from
McKenzie Pass, Highway 242 (mile1984.2).  I had to work the parking lot to
get a ride.  Getting back could be difficult too. Consider hitching from
Santiam Pass/Highway 20 (mile 2000) to get to Sisters.  There's more
traffic.

To me Olallie Lake felt like the most remote place on the whole trail.  I'd
hate to have to get in or out of there.  Boxes really do need extra time.
The rangers shuttle boxes up once or twice a week.

Washington's a no-brainer.

I did not have any address problems.  It seems that, at least in California,
that the PO knows where to sent properly marked PCT hiker boxes if the
address is not a General Delivery address.

John B./Cupcake
http://www.cupcakewalk.com
PCT 2002
---
Cupcake,
     Hey, it's Teatree. I was just looking at your site(again!) and noticed
that I have chosen almost exact maildrops as you. Would you change any of
them if you had to do it again? Also, did you find all of the addresses to
be correct?  <snip> Thanks again for your help!
              Teatree