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 timelapses
Life in free form
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 I only lasted a week on the Pacific Crest Trail 
#23575774 - 08/25/16 11:20 AM (7 years, 7 months ago) |
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Holy shit is was hard. Started off a Amtrak in Truckee, CA and it was just hiking up and hiking down massive elevations. Packed all wrong and barely made only 6 or so miles a day. Brutal. But glad for the experience.
Going to the Badlands in South Dakota in a month. Looks easy compared to that. Anyone been there?
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SoulButter
Joint Chief of Soul
Registered: 06/23/15
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Re: I only lasted a week on the Pacific Crest Trail [Re: timelapses]
#23575793 - 08/25/16 11:26 AM (7 years, 7 months ago) |
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You packed all wrong huh? Bring stuff you didnt need, and leave stuff you did need? We could all benefit hearing a little more about what you did wrong and what you could do better.
But hey man a week isnt bad at all! Still badass.
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timelapses
Life in free form
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Re: I only lasted a week on the Pacific Crest Trail [Re: SoulButter]
#23575812 - 08/25/16 11:37 AM (7 years, 7 months ago) |
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I was planning up to two months. So yes, it was bad but you have to learn. Read and watched Wild but nothing beats experience. I'll post a picture of what I left with and anyone call call me an idiot that feels like it. By the way, the backpack bungee corded to the my hiking pack was to heavy so I had to carry with an arm hiking.
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Big Worm
Perf
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Re: I only lasted a week on the Pacific Crest Trail [Re: timelapses]
#23575829 - 08/25/16 11:45 AM (7 years, 7 months ago) |
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My first hike up to a lake on top of a 14'er I packed all wrong too lol.
My buddy made it seem like it wasn't that far, so I had like a big comforter  and a pillow (didn't have a sleeping bag yet) attached to my bookbag which was so heavy and a bunch of other bullshit.
I didn't know it was going to be like 5+ hours of going from 8k to around 14k, steep as fuck, switchbacks etc.
The next lake I went up to, I packed a lot better but it was still tough.
I guess I don't have any advice other than get a nice light sleeping bag made out of good material that will keep you warm and either a small tent or an eno hammock.
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timelapses
Life in free form
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Re: I only lasted a week on the Pacific Crest Trail [Re: Big Worm]
#23575871 - 08/25/16 12:01 PM (7 years, 7 months ago) |
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That was the heaviest. I packed a huge amount of books but it was so cold most of that time, 38-40 at 8 to 8500 feet elevation, I didn't get in much reading. Just two books but I burnt the pages the last day like they gave advice to in Wild.
All campfires were banned where I was but people did it anyway. I did on my last day coming down. Also don't sleep by the trail. Yeah, sometimes you have to and people are cool with it. With the coldness and snow in late January and winds that can blow you over. A little covey of rock is perfect.
Didn't see one ranger my week there. And I deleted my photos on transferring it from my camera to my laptop as I thought I would never want it, a mistake as storage isn't a problem but oh well. It was a pack meant for a 3 day hike which is perfect for the Badlands but longterm, no.
On the plus side I can set up a tent in around 5 minutes. I also learned reading Thorough what he meant as book knowledge never can take the place of actual experience, Muir to, though I never can reach his intelligence and spirituality.
So next year. Talked to a guy on the Amtrak that knew all about it and told me where to start and go on the John Muir Trail even though many parts are impossible to get a pass into to hike and camp. Yosemite. Next season bigger pack, and thank god I had a water purifier. Always get your water from white water that flows down. Brown water is putrid of course but the white water actually tasted sweet.
Would of liked to have seen the 5 Lakes. Yet it seemed like the pain of the travel off the PCT trail wasn't worth it to get there.
It's amazing how fast your consciousness rises and it is something you keep with you. I remember so many people so vividly I talked to. It's like a utopia where everyone just minds their own business or helps you if you need it. Camper and hiker etiquette. No thieves.
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Edited by timelapses (08/25/16 12:09 PM)
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timelapses
Life in free form
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Re: I only lasted a week on the Pacific Crest Trail [Re: timelapses]
#23575882 - 08/25/16 12:03 PM (7 years, 7 months ago) |
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 LunarEclipse
Enlil's Official Story
Registered: 10/31/04
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Loc: Building 7
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Re: I only lasted a week on the Pacific Crest Trail [Re: timelapses]
#23578900 - 08/26/16 08:15 AM (7 years, 7 months ago) |
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Somehow reading some books while backpacking up and down mountains seems a bit optimistic.Also I'd keep your same size pack just don't bring as much. To me, a tent and a sleeping bag and a thermarest along with my msr stove and fuel and a few clothes and some food of course would be key. Water purifier, check. Maybe a shower bag that heats the water, man that feels good to have some hot water.
I spent 3 months in Jamaica living out of a backpack, not hiking trails but we did hike up blue mountain at night. Had a similar experience as yours, started out with a pack and a smaller pack. Later I got rid of the smaller pack. After that I got rid of some more stuff.
Well good luck on your upcoming adventure(s)...
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Anxiety is what you make it.
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5150
phantom
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Re: I only lasted a week on the Pacific Crest Trail [Re: LunarEclipse]
#23591780 - 08/29/16 09:33 PM (7 years, 7 months ago) |
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Should read "journey on the crest" came out before "wild"written by a chick,I talked with some german guy doing the trail and he had the smallest long distance size pack ever,he said he did like 30 a day,had a pair of salomans that he would run in
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"the way of the warrior is the resolute acceptance of death"
Miyamoto Musashi
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timelapses
Life in free form
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Re: I only lasted a week on the Pacific Crest Trail [Re: LunarEclipse]
#23591892 - 08/29/16 10:16 PM (7 years, 7 months ago) |
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AAHHHH!!! That is what I did besides the shower bags which I don't care about. Just light weight, some poles, less books as burning is banned though everyone fucking did it anyway, responsibly, not with wind gusts. yeah.
It wasn't a expedition to those parts but maybe that is why I gave up so easily. An easy way home when I saw a days hike to the rich city lol and a Amtrak ride to my domesticated boring life.
But also a way despite all the books I read and movies I watched, how I could do it. That WILL STICK.
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Lucis
Nutritional Yeast
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Re: I only lasted a week on the Pacific Crest Trail [Re: timelapses]
#23595682 - 08/30/16 10:01 PM (7 years, 7 months ago) |
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I want to get out and hike the AT with a girl that can hold her own, last girl I hiked with was weak sauce, she talked a good game, but when it came down to business she was all talk and no action.
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Black_Sunset
Amateur Anesthesiologist
Registered: 11/16/08
Posts: 2,451
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Re: I only lasted a week on the Pacific Crest Trail [Re: Lucis]
#23616795 - 09/06/16 01:31 AM (7 years, 7 months ago) |
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Was it your first backpacking trip? My first trip kicked my ass because I brought stupid shit like books, too. I've messed with parts of the trail north of truckee.
Good luck for the next trip! Learned a lot I'm sure
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ReposadoXochipilli
Here, there, inbetween
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Re: I only lasted a week on the Pacific Crest Trail [Re: Black_Sunset]
#23616885 - 09/06/16 02:47 AM (7 years, 7 months ago) |
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truckee is a sweet place. hiking is hard work packed up, even if you are in great condition, let alone being full of extra stuff.
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dodgem
Learner
Registered: 08/04/11
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The Badlands is a beautiful area, are you planning on backpacking there? If so, be prepared to be real hot and not have any shade around. I was just out there a couple months ago with my siblings for a little vacation. Elevation wise it won't be much of a problem, but dealing with heat and water is going to be a huge problem. I am not sure where you would get your water even if you could purify it.
I did a handful of 3 - 5 day backpacking trips on my own and with other people, but never an extended one (furthest is 70 miles). I just moved to Oregon and plan to do sections of the PCT at a time for now, and then hopefully do some longer hikes on it. Each time I backpack I learn new things to bring/not bring and it makes things easier and easier each time I go out.
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Walk where you like your steps
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timelapses
Life in free form
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Re: I only lasted a week on the Pacific Crest Trail [Re: dodgem]
#23620579 - 09/07/16 01:59 AM (7 years, 7 months ago) |
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Yeah, after Deadwood and wait I hear is a massive disappointment, Mt. Rushmore. Booked a one day car camp then up to backcountry in two weeks. 4 trails I want to explore and have the Cederwood car camp in the middle to shower and rest up. I don't like how they say you can't have a camp fire anywhere. Whatever.
The warning about not being able to use a water purifier scares me enough not to go more than two days in the backcountry. The sediment. Heat isn't a problem this time of year.
PCT next year and starting in Medford as per instructions from a very helpful person on the Amtrak I met on the way home after expressing my failure/experiences. Will be prepared this time.
It does change you. Your societal conditioning when out there after a few days. It's stuck with me and it is amazing.
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dodgem
Learner
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Re: I only lasted a week on the Pacific Crest Trail [Re: timelapses]
#23622483 - 09/07/16 03:53 PM (7 years, 7 months ago) |
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Yea I just checked the weather, not bad at all now. When we were there in late June it reached 90 by like 11 am and then maxed out around 105 the two days we were there.
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Walk where you like your steps
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Magsdarling
Kitchen Witch
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Re: I only lasted a week on the Pacific Crest Trail [Re: dodgem]
#23700679 - 10/02/16 03:39 PM (7 years, 6 months ago) |
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The one book worth bringing is the book that can save your ass. Ie any foraging and plant id books directly related to the area you are hiking. Or Monkey Wrench Gang.
Light everything. Its expensive but worth it. The heaveist thing you will carry will or should be water unless you know you can collect and purify if needed, on the trail.
Youtube is good to learn primative skills, or better yet, find a local instructor if you can. I teach primative skills and having work is great.
Also, the badlands are called thus because so many people died trying to migrate it..hah..keep that in mind.
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TheScientificMethod
Psychonautic Explorer & Writer
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Loc: USA
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Re: I only lasted a week on the Pacific Crest Trail [Re: timelapses]
#24026603 - 01/20/17 07:27 PM (7 years, 2 months ago) |
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It's a long tough trail. And for what it's worth, 60% of the people who quit the PCT do it in the first 2 weeks, so don't be too hard on yourself.
I completed the trail in 2015. I met people who prepared for one week, and people who prepared for a lot longer.
When I went out I brought 1/2lb of pot, 2oz of mushrooms, and 3 grams of DMT. Smoked bud every day from Mexico to Canada, and tripped every 7-10 days. It was a blast.
Will you consider a thru hike in the future?
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Prem. Kissoff
Slow learner
Registered: 11/09/16
Posts: 259
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Re: I only lasted a week on the Pacific Crest Trail [Re: timelapses]
#24031307 - 01/22/17 05:47 PM (7 years, 2 months ago) |
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Ouch. Its ok, truckee isnt anywhere near the start of the PCT. 
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