[pct-l] Howdy, A couple of general questions

[CTWalker at litebackpacker.com (Gene Neagle)]

Howdy All,
I am new to this list so I thought I would kind of introduce myself. My online monicker is hafdome. I have been hiking off and on for about 25 years. Over the last several years I have been going progessively more lightweight in gear. My base weight is down to between 12 to 15 lbs. I have sectioned from Snoqualmie to Manning, hiked 2 weeks in the Wind River area, spent a week or so in the Anaconda Pintler Wilderness, about a week in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, and a week in the Marble Mountains. This last August I thru-hiked the Colorado Trail in just under a month. I have recently "converted" to digital photography and I love it so far. Three of my favorite pieces of gear are my Tarptent Squall, Gregory Reality pack, and home made solid fuel stove/cooking system. And the WM Ultralight bag. 

I am going to attempt the PCT in '04. It is a long term dream that has been put off long enough. My planning schedule is loosely based on Jardines' 4 1/2 month itinerary. I will adjust according to my needs.

As a general strategy I plan on using sandals (Chacos) in the southern part of the trip. Since there are mountain/snow sections in the desert area I guess backup shoes will be a good idea. I will use my Reality so I can carry the water weight. In general I need to be prepared for some snow travel in the desert sections. 

When I get to the Sierras I plan on switching to light boots, ice ax, and 4 point crampons. I will still carry the Reality to handle the extra weight of snow gear and bear canister.

After the Sierras (Sonora Pass?) I will go lightweight on gear. I will switch to the GVP G-4, go back to running shoes and try to make serious miles. Depending on weather and time of year in Northern Washington this should get me through to Manning. 

As a general plan how am I doing? I bought the trail guides, town guide, and data book. I read journals obsessively. Failure to prepare is preparing to fail. I know and appreciate that the journey is more meaningful than the destination but I really want to complete this trip. 

Sorry this came out so long. I will try to be more concise in the future. Thanks in advance, hafdome

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