Author: admin

PCT completion plans

Duck Lake to Kearsarge is what we have left in the Sierra and Kennedy Meadows South to Walker Pass.

So. 790.1 Kearsarge to Duck Lake Pass Trail at 896.9 is the one stretch we have. About 106 miles plus the access to and from.

Muir Trail Ranch is 858.9. About four days.

VVR is 879.9. Maybe the ferry will be back.

Then KMS at 703.4 to Walker Pass at 653.2 or about fifty miles is the other stretch.

So about 170 miles including the off-trail miles.

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PCT Tent Ratings

An update from Halfway Anywhere:

Most Common PCT Shelters

1. Durston X-Mid Pro 1
2. Durston X-Mid 1
3. Zpacks Duplex
4. Durston X-Mid Pro 2
5. Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2
6. Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL2
7. Durston X-Mid 2
8. Gossamer Gear The One
9. Big Agnes Copper Spur UL1
10. NEMO Equipment Hornet OSMO 2P

https://www.halfwayanywhere.com/trails/pacific-crest-trail/pct-hiker-survey-2025/

It is amazing on how the tents used have narrowed down in brands.

https://zpacks.com/products/zpacks-carbon-fiber-trekking-pole — available in cork. Lighter than most. What I’m looking at next.

https://zpacks.com/products/pivot-trio-tent the tent we use. I really like it.

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CDT Gear Ratings 2026

https://www.halfwayanywhere.com/trails/continental-divide-trail/cdt-gear-guide-2026/

Here’s what this year’s “Highest-Rated CDT Gear List” backpack had (and what that theoretical backpack was).

• Backpack: ULA Circuit (38.5 oz / 1,092 kg)
• …Hyperlite and ULA are very similar in the ratings but Hyperlite is used by more people. And it is what Happy6 uses.
• Shelter: Zpacks Duplex Classic (17.9 oz / 507 g)
• …the CDT is Durston and Zpacks tents just about all the way down.
• Sleeping bag/quilt: Enlightened Equipment Revelation (20.18 oz / 572.10 g)
• …I’ve used Feathered Friends bags with Happy6 and we are now using Loco Libre quilts that she added snaps to so we can snap them together. I like them.
• Sleeping pad: Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm NXT (15.5 oz / 439 g)
• …got an XTherm but we both use Xlites because they weigh less. I really sleep well with them. Your experience may vary.
• Insulated jacket: Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer Hoody – Men’s/Women’s(10.7 oz / 302 g)
• …Happy6 wears one. I have an EOS and an REI 650 (mine was $49 and I wear it off trail).
• Shell: Montbell Versalite – Men’s/Women’s(6.4 oz / 182 g)
• …Happy6 wore one until it wore out. It was excellent as were the rain pants which we both used until they wore out.
• Fleece: Melanzana Microgrid Hoodie V2(12.1 oz / 343 g)
• … they are heavy. I don’t understand the appeal. I use a Senchi Alpha Direct 60. It replaced my Timmermade.
• Shoes: Altra Lone Peak – Men’s/Women’s(22.3 oz / 632 g per pair)
• …tried them. They torque my knees.
• Socks: Darn Tough Light Hiker Micro Crew– Men’s/Women’s
• …I’m using heavyweight Darn Toughs right now. Darn Toughs have taken over the market due to their warranty. That is a dramatic change over the last ten years from when there was a lot of competition.
• Stove: SOTO Windmaster (3.1 oz / 88 g)
• … the BRS and its clones have worked well for us. Before that we used a Snow Peak and before that an MSR Windburner.
• Water treatment: Platypus QuickDraw (3 oz / 85 g)
• … the quality (how well it filters) of the filter isn’t quite good enough for me. Gear Skeptic really got my attention. Either Sawyer or Katadyn filters or Aqua Tabs.
• Food storage: Adotec Ultralight Food Locker – Grizzly Bear Resistant, 20L (8 oz / 226 g)
• …surprised Adotec has moved so quickly into the mainstream. We use one where canisters aren’t required.
• Trekking poles: Black Diamond Trail Cork(17.4 oz / 494 g)
• …I’ve used BD. Tried some alternatives. Still making up my mind.
• PLB:  Garmin inReach Mini 2 (3.5 oz / 100 g)
• …we both carry these on trail these days. If nothing else, for the insurance.
• Ice axe: C.A.M.P. Corsa (7.1 oz / 201 g).
• …”the best” or highest rated ice axe varies between surveys and years. A rare use item but important.
• Traction device: Kahtoola MICROspikes(11.9 oz / 337 g)
• …we have microspikes we like and that were well rated. Ratings aren’t always the same every year or a reliable guide. Something I had to learn. We got lucky in that our microspikes have worked well for us.

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Training for next year (plans)

Next year I have hope that we will have a good year.

I am planning on serious training to get ready for next year. This year I didn’t train enough. I’m hoping for one more year as I’m aging.

My plan is for weight training twice a week and then hiking three times a week. For the hikes I plan on doing fifteen miles trail with a backpack. That is my current plan.

I want to hit the trail in good condition.

I may also do my own guide.

I’ve started wearing https://www.amazon.com/Convertible-Outdoor-Waterproof-Lightweight-Fishing/dp/B0CTZRC8CB. Zip offs. Wearing them as just regular hiking pants, I like them.

I’ve three pairs. Two in different sizes of light khaki and one in sage. I lost weight and decided to size smaller.

Pricewise they are about $30.

88% nylon 12% spandex. Rapid drying. Light weight fabric in a rip stop weave. Caveat: they are sized a little larger than advertised.

The sage has a different button at the waist than the light khaki. Both have breathable mesh pockets. The Sage ones wear very well. My khaki ones developed holes in the left front pocket in less than a week.

Happy6 repaired that for me and it seems fine now.

Since I wear pants > shorts for protection from the sun and from brush I like them regardless of how well the zip offs work.

Note: there are numerous vendors for what look like the exact same pants more or less. The price points are between $20 and $40. That puts them much less expensive than the $80-$120 similar pants run at an outfitter.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Wrangler-Men-s-Outdoor-All-Terrain-Cargo-Pant-with-UPF-50-Protection/942998392 are similar. Better in some ways. Sizing is reliable. No zip offs.

REI?

https://www.rei.com/product/236065/rei-co-op-sahara-convertible-pants-mens — $89.95.

The zip offs work better. Like magic. Seriously.

The pockets are harder to use. The DWR works. (REI flips around on DWR or not and pocket design). I own a pair that fit me when I’m a little thinner.

DWR is+/-. In some situations it is nice to have your pants repel water. For light rainfall it is great. For times you sweat, maybe not. Dirt doesn’t attach as fast.

Prior notes on pants. More notes.

These new ones are not as true to size as the Union Bay pants I’ve tried. On my last trails I wore my PrAnas. Their alternative to zip offs doesn’t work for me but since I need sun and brush protection it didn’t matter.

The PrAnas are a warmer pant.

Today for looking at the fall colors and a short walk, I wore my new light khaki pants. I was pleased enough to make this blog entry.

Once a fleece layer weighed 18-20 ounces. Then micro grid fleece layers were invented and weights dropped to under twelve ounces.

Years ago everyone suddenly had a full zip micro grid fleece they were selling. Then this was the only one available. Then there were none (not available warning at link) in.

Things have shifted about since then.

Now the big thing is alpha direct. I use it to hike with now and it is just under 4 ounces. I like the 60 weight though that weight is no longer available where I bought mine.

The full spreadsheet

Note the numbers. The BRS uses slightly less fuel.

I think that says it all.

The BRS is a fine stove and not as inefficient as many claim.

Some notes about trail runners for backpacking.

**shoes do fit differently with and without a full pack on.

I remember New Balance made a push with a special branded shoe. With a pack on I could feel the rock plate hinging.

The shoe was discontinued. https://backpackinglight.com/forums/topic/new-balance-summit-k-o-m-leadville-replacement/

As a result I try to always try shoes on at an REI with a backpack and 20-30 pounds of sand bags for weight.

** seven thousand trail miles later my feet still have not expanded. Other people go up a size or two. You just can’t know. At least my dress shoes still fit me.

Survey results show sometimes 50% to 75% of respondents not reporting foot size changes. PCT: 56.4% – Didn’t change shoe size. CDT: 75.7% – Didn’t change shoe size (but they probably thru hiked another trail and size may have changed then).

This is why survey after survey warns readers not to buy all their shoes for the trail in advance.

** watch out for shoes being “improved.” Generally a shoe when “improved” will go from being reliable to either having a vastly different fit or go from lasting 600+ trail miles to collapsing in much less distance than that.

A good example is a wide toe box shoe getting “fixed” so that it fits narrow feet. The ongoing saga of Brooks Cascadia trail runners is a story of a break out trail favorite that was “fixed” (ruined) and has been fixed again.

Generally improvement can mean actual improvement or it can mean reduced lifespan (so you buy more shoes) or it means revamping a shoe to fit a different demographic.

Switching to a Vibram sole=real improvement. Other changes, often not. And sometimes, like the change from Moab 2 to Moab 3 it is just some nice updates and improvements.

** any shoe/boot that actually locks in/supports your ankles will torque your knees.

Shoes with ankle give protect your knees but often stress your ankles.

“Active” shoes make the shoe more responsive but less stable.

** some people’s feet sweat much less than others. I used to do 5-6 mile loops in 100 degree weather in Dallas and had no trouble. Others need to wring their socks out when walking in 80 degree weather.

Will goretex or a proprietary version work well for you? On the Appalachian Trail I preferred being protected from early morning dew and wet trails. I rarely worried about water coming over the tops outside the Hundred Mile Wilderness.

Shoes that breathe less also keep more dust/dirt out. You need to find out what works best for you. Section hikes and shakedowns are your friend.

** shoe fit is surprisingly personal. That makes it so that there isn’t a “best” shoe that can be recommended for everyone. For survey results:

• https://www.halfwayanywhere.com/trails/pacific-crest-trail/2026-pct-gear-guide/#shoes
• https://thetrek.co/appalachian-trail/the-top-footwear-on-the-appalachian-trail-2025-thru-hiker-survey/
• “With 93 participants using Altras and 85 wearing Topos, these two brands alone accounted for nearly two-thirds of the footwear in this year’s survey. Hoka trails at a distant third with 27 users.”
• https://www.halfwayanywhere.com/trails/continental-divide-trail/cdt-gear-guide-2026/#shoes
• “What may be the objectively best choice for one person could easily be the objectively worst choice for another. The “best thru-hiking shoes” are the ones that work best for the individual. Don’t be afraid to try multiple models from multiple brands to find the most comfortable shoe for your foot.”

Note, Moab is the most popular hiking shoe in the world: https://sectionhiker.com/merrell-moab-3-hiking-shoe-review/. I’ve used them.

• https://hikingfeet.com/merrell-moab-3-review-a-polarizing-shoe/
• https://www.fieldmag.com/articles/merrell-moab-hiking-boot-review
• https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/reviews/shoes-and-boots/hiking-boots-men/merrell-moab-3-mid-waterproof

While I own a pair of Moab 3s, I walk and hike in Topos. If I hiked more “Christmas” trail (the rocky kind of trail that should come only once a year, like Christmas does) I’d probably wear the Moab 3s.

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https://www.facebook.com/share/r/18QZ2ZssqZ/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Video link if embed does not display

The video above has so many good memories in it.

But made me think of gear changes. The chest bag was really convenient but it slowed down putting my pack on and off and it was really warm. It now lives in the gear closet.

I used to use https://www.walmart.com/ip/7-Pack-Silicone-Water-Bottle-Holder-with-Carabiner-Universal-Bottle-Carrier-Clip-for-12oz-17oz-25oz-Bottles-Outdoor-Hiking-Camping-Gear/20008901483 (or something just like it) for my water bottle.

You can get a carabiner water bottle holder at any Cal Ranch store for just under $2.50. https://www.calranch.com/products/sporting-outdoor/camping-hiking/camping-accessories/sona-enterprises-slip-on-carabiner-with-water-bottle-holder-assorted-colors-07059od-wbh7m-24

If you have a Cal Ranch store nearby you can drop by and check them out.

When I used them the carabiner always broke. REI quit carrying the brand I was using.

I switched to a sleeve. I never went back.

https://adrr.com/d20/2022/10/02/water-bottle-holder-replacement/

Happy6 has her sleeves last forever. Mine wore out faster than hers until I got my Kakwa with built in water bottle holders.

I’ve written about changing hats and hiking poles and tents and other gear. Those two other gear items just came to mind viewing the video.

As for puffies. Once you decide if you want a hood or not, I’ve been more than happy with whatever I was carrying.

Warning

Over and over again on trail my wife and I saw two things.

First, hikers who had been misled by influencers claiming “cost to hike” who had grossly understated how much money they would need and who were running out of money early.

Second, people trying to claim that you could get by on less than it actually cost—often by not including costs that everyone encounters but they somehow excluded (like replacement shoes or food mailed to them by friends and family).

Don’t be one of these people misled by someone fishing for social media clicks and funds.

The PCT’s cost—probably 10-11 thousand dollars.

The Trek had a great new essay on what it cost a couple to hike the PCT recently.

https://thetrek.co/pacific-crest-trail/detailed-budget-breakdown-heres-how-my-husband-and-i-hiked-the-pct-for-6000-per-person/

Of that, $5,332.22 was for town food (or almost twenty seven hundred dollars each).

That made me revisit the cost to hike.

First, the Trek essay does not include the cost of insurance, keeping a home or storage going while you are on trail.

Second, it does not include the cost of gear or emergencies. Or the cost of resupply mailed to them.

It doesn’t include gear purchased before the hike, expenses that continue at home, or the inevitable unexpected costs that come with spending half a year on foot. 

What’s more, recent survey data suggests that modern thru-hikes are significantly more expensive, with the average cost of a PCT hike in Halfway Anywhere’s 2025 PCT Thru-Hiker Survey sitting at nearly $10,400.

The Appalachian Trail’s cost. Probably $1,400 a month.

https://thetrek.co/appalachian-trail/how-much-does-it-cost-to-hike-the-appalachian-trail/

Most Appalachian Trail thru-hikers spend $7,000–$10,000 total, or about $1,200–$1,500 per month, depending on hiking style and town spending.

Some hikers spend well under this amount, and others spend nearly double. Everyone’s budget is different …

And

The most recent Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker Survey, conducted by The Trek in 2025, shows that the average cost for long-distance hikers was $7,680, including an average of $2,113 on gear.

The CDT’s cost — the most expensive trail.

The CDT was the most expensive trail. https://thetrek.co/the-triple-crowner-survey-how-much-does-it-cost-to-triple-crown-and-which-trail-is-most-expensive/

The most current data from https://www.halfwayanywhere.com/trails/continental-divide-trail/cdt-hiker-survey-2025/ is:

$9,743 = The average amount spent on the entirety of a thru-hike
M = $8,000 | σ = $4,759

$68 =The average amount spent per day on a thru-hike
M = $65 | σ = $23

$1,241=The average amount spent on gear beforestarting
M = $900 | σ = $1,200

Note CDT hikers generally start with a fair amount of gear from other hikes so they don’t have to buy as much.

I just learned that petroleum jelly works just as well as antibiotic ointment.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2026/09/21/doctor-heres-one-drugstore-medication-i-tell-people-rethink/

I’m still thinking about that.

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Video on Dollar General—don’t mess with them while getting a resupply.

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I was watching a few videos and there was one on rain gear. Made me reflect on recommendations and comments in them.

First off, Arc’tryx makes two rain coats that really work in hyperthermia conditions. Happy6 and I have used them. We both now use lighter—and far less bulkier jackets on trail.

So, the influencers pushing them, I think, are wrong but won’t hurt anything but your pocketbook.

Second, there are other rain jackets that work. All of them cost less.

In mild rain Montbell Versalite works. We have both carried Montbell products for hundreds of miles.

In all conditions, Lightheart Gear’s polyester rain jacket works. It does not breath at all but in return it is truly waterproof and light. The huge pit zips handle the breathability issue pretty well.

When wind shirts weighed 5-6 ounces I was able to go for using my rain jacket in both roles. At 1.7 ounces I am all for my rain jacket lasting longer instead and also carrying a wind shirt.

There are lots of brands that work. That is how the closet ended up with so much gear in it. There are also products that don’t always work.

As an aside. When I have hiked I generally needed a rain jacket that worked and did not have a problem with overheating. The entire hiking while wet, etc. discussion is outside my experience.

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Dixie had a video.

In it Glycine was mentioned. I’m giving it a trial run. I just need to get over this cold first to have reliable results.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10379184/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycine

But it is promising.

We got to Onion Valley. While dawn was at 7:00, the elevation meant we could start earlier.

There were hikers who passed where we were sleeping at 4:00 and at 5:30 am. We started before 6:00.

The campground is at 9,205 feet. The pass is at 11,791 feet reached after 4.6 miles. There were people resting there.

In fact, the entire trail was busy.

We got a good start, though I was a bit congested.

By the time we got to Glen Pass I was really feeling the cold and Happy6 was feeling the elevation so we turned back.

This stretch was the longest between bailout points. I suspected I was sicker than I realized.

We found a campsite that was sheltered from the wind and flat. We had three liters of water each. Neither of us felt like eating dinner.

Our campsite was over 11,000 feet and about six miles from the parking lot.

I slept almost twelve hours and we were on trail well before sunrise by the light of our headlamps.

There was wind and cold but we had the right gear. I only ate about 4-5 hundred calories for breakfast.

From the pass at mile 3.0 to the trailhead at 7.6 while going downhill I got 57-60 minutes behind Happy6. I was sick enough I needed to get off trail.

That got us to the car and we headed home.

Then I started sleeping. And resting.

Home meant rain and hail but I was sick enough I would not have gone for a walk anyway.

I think we are done for the season. I’m glad we made plans. Also glad we had the sense to turn around. Saw a lot of people.

Misc details.

Onion Valley has a non-functioning water spigot.

I contacted VVR to let them know to return the supply box we mailed. Glad to be back and to see grandkids.

We have wonderful daughters.

Planning

We will spend the night acclimating and then start hiking on the 16.

I’m hopeful but cautious. We have lots of places we can exit the trail and the Duck Lake trailhead to link up.

Gear

My gear list.

• Pivot Trio Tent
• Loco Libre Quilt
• Thermarest Pad and pump sack
• Kakwa Backpack
• Eos puffy (it will get cold in camp)
• Alpha direct fleece, wind shirt, rain jacket and rain pants
• Spare underwear, socks and baselayer top and bottom (wool top, capilene bottom), sleep socks
• Two batteries, electronics and meds
• Spare water filter and hydropak bottle
• Bear can, food and two water bottles, chemical treatment
• Hiking poles, hat, hoodie, pants and gaiters (also the usual, including shoes).
• Ditty kit including trowel and unbleached toilet paper.
• Headlamp, gloves and mosquito net (it is really light and I always carry it).
• Reading and sunglasses, phone.

Not carrying:

• Shorts or other town clothes
• A third water bottle.
• A spare platypus

Happy6 will carry the cook kit.

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I confess to pretrial jitters. Always have anticipation and some jitters.

Skyline

We did the in and out on Skyline. It is a 6 mile loop but about 8.3 miles if you hike and out.

It has nice ascent.

That was a good hike. We were able to combine it with some other hiking for a 12.5 mile day.

Timpanoke

Then on September 11 we were able to walk some and headed to camp in a Yurt at Timpanoke.

The area was overrun with moose.

The campground is at 7,500 feet so we get some altitude training.

And lots of fun with the grandchildren. After all, camping, in a yurt! We haven’t used a yurt since exiting the 100 mile wilderness to the south on the Appalachian Trail. It was what the hostel had available when we got there.

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More on Aluminum vs Carbon,etc.

Other notes. Hiked some with aluminum poles. My intuition was correct — they do vibrate more but you can ameliorate that with changing your pole use a little.

Pole caps really helped on the AT. I quit using them on other trails. They really are sub par. It had been so long I decided to try them again. I won’t repeat that experiment for a while.

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Muir Ranch in 2026

We are going to pass Muir Ranch on our hike which is much closer to the trail than VVR—especially since the water taxi and the shuttle is going to quit running on the 15th. After the 15th at Vermillion Valley Resort you can pick up a resupply for $40 but no restaurant or camp store.

That makes Muir Ranch even more attractive.

We were hoping for a recharge on our phones/batteries somewhere. Muir Ranch doesn’t offer amenities (no restaurant, privy, showers or laundry, lodging has a 2-3 night minimum) so I wrote them a polite email asking about a recharge, understanding if the answer was no.

This is what I heard back.

Hi Steve, 

We have plenty of hiker donation buckets full of food and supplies if you didn’t end up sending one. 

We have a charging station at our resupply that is open from 6am to 10pm. 

There are nearby free public hot springs less than a mile from the resupply in addition. 

See you soon, happy trails!

Kam

MTR staff. 

Some years the rumor was that there was nothing in the hiker box. Looks like this year they have a lot in the hiker box and they have recharge available.

We would have sent a bucket a third time but there wasn’t enough time to make sure it would be there when we got there. Since we aren’t that picky and only need two days worth to get to Duck Lake the hiker box/buckets are very attractive.

We sent a box to VVR but we might end up requesting a return to sender. The side trip is long if we don’t need to hike it.

(Note: no cast iron when backpacking but great for car camping). ⛺️

We ran into the last NOBO at about mile 718 on July 28. On September 7 I got word they were at Tuolumne Meadows or about mile 943. They averaged about six-seven miles a day.

But they looked like they were having fun.

Yesterday we did Skyline Trail and got in ten miles.

Today we stocked up food for our bear canisters.

More altitude training this weekend.

Got my new favorite hat to quit sliding down. I now think I know which sun hoody I’m wearing.

NSR Gloves go back in the pack, unless I go with the 32 Degree Merino gloves.