The thaw weather and protraction days are lure hiker to long track — some to very long trails . This week , the first of the few hundred hiker who attempt to complete the Pacific Crest Trail each summertime set out heading to the Mexican border to start their 2,663 - mile journey to Canada .
The Pacific Crest Trail or PCT — before long to be cinematically immortalized in thefilm version of the book Wild — has two parallel siblings : The well - have sex 2,181 - nautical mile Appalachian Trail ( AT ) in the east , and the lesser - known , much rougher 3,100 - mil Continental Divide Trail ( CDT ) which traverses the peaks of the Rocky Mountains .
Liz Thomas on the southern , desert ending of the PCT
consort to the American Long Distance Hiking Association , 196 people have hike all three trails , which is known in the hiking world as the “ Triple Crown . ” Only about 40 of those people are women , one of whom is the risky venture athleteLiz Thomas .
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I first met Thomas last summer , when we fall into gradation duringThe Big Parade , a two - twenty-four hours , 40 - international mile walk through Los Angeles that ascends or descends about 100 of the city ’s public stairways . She was preparing for her second “ thru - hike ” along the Pacific Crest Trail , think that she would hike it terminate - to - end , in its totality , at one time , not in segments over the years , as some people do .
What was most unbelievable was hearing some of her stories about the mutation of “ speed hiking”—in 2011 shebroke the women ’s unsupported speed recordon the Appalachian Trail , hiking it in 80 day , 13.5 hour . “ Unsupported ” means that she carry all her own gear , and bought food by boost into Town along the agency — she did n’t even mail herself packages or pitch like some thru - tramper do , beak up their dispatch at station authority .
A protection constitute for natural scientist John Muir on the John Muir Trail , which is part of the PCT
Embarking upon a retentive - distance thru - hike is not the same as the typical out - and - backs in a nearby park — it expect not only month of preparation but a dissimilar kind of genial training as well . The reward , however , is like nothing else : There ’s a sense of independency and self - sufficiency to be gained by traveling distances you ’d only imagined pilot in a machine ( or planing machine ) , yet there ’s also an incredible residential area work up around many of these track systems .
As a veteran trail veteran , as well as an excellent fabricator , I asked Thomas to walk me through several of the most important lessons learned on long - distance hikes — and how you may plan your own mini - thru - hiking adventure with minimal planning this summertime .
Know the Current Conditions
A thru - hiking route is , of line , subordinate on many factor , one of which is weather condition . Although some areas of the U.S. have seen record rain and snow this winter , for much of the W , it ’s hot and teetotal conditions that will be the most serious . This year in particular , thanks to the California drought , part of the PCT that have to be cut in some years when blow is too deep are visit minuscule to no snowpack .
A low - snow year is always tantalizing to tramper of any chevron , says Thomas . “ walk through snow is typically hard to do and tiresome than walking on solid ground , so a lack of snow mean that record - attempter will be able to make adept time go through the Sierras , ” she says . But even though hikers are potentially set f number records , there may be other challenge . “ Low snow long time also be given to be big fire years , so , speaking from experience , fires can be a big hindrance to setting a phonograph recording on the PCT . ”
rich summer snows on the CDT
Even those who are n’t looking to damp record should be peculiarly careful tramp in a drouth , monish Thomas . “ The drought will definitely affect the ecosystem , ” she suppose . “ Less water means that plants will be more susceptible to fire . Hikers should take extra caution this twelvemonth managing their fires and camp stoves , or opt to go without . ” There ’s also the chance that some of the naturally flowing springs and other water sources cross out on a map or in a book may dry up .
as luck would have it , on the long - distance trail like the PCT , some local resident physician — called “ trail angels”—put out water caches that hikers can use . These are controversial but end up stay fresh tramper healthy , enunciate Thomas . “ Some mass think that the water system caches make the track easier and give unprepared people a false sense of surety . Others determine the caches a life belt and a direction to establish community between tramp and local . ”
Aim to Pack Ultralite
The style of “ ultralite ” hiking has egress in late twelvemonth as a agency to undress off all but the bedrock to keep your large number system of weights downcast . Some speed - tramp ditch heavy gear mechanism and even basics like a tent to keep their gas mileage up while minimize emphasis on their consistency . On Thomas ’s record - breaking AT salary increase , her baseweight ( everything without food and water system ) was a staggering seven pounds . On top of that , she gauge she gestate only 1.5 to two pounds of food per day and only about 0.5 to two liters of water supply at any given time .
Going ultralite on the AT
Thomas commence her ultralite journey by reading several books including Ray Jardine’sTrail LifeandLighten Upby Don Ladigin and Mike Clelland . Now , even though she does n’t always mob ultralite , she enunciate she ’s able to cull and tailor her gear lean free-base on several criteria :
Where am I go ?
What is the season ?
Climate ?
Temperature high and lows ?
What way am I hike ? ( Am I trying to set a Fastest Known Time or am I taking a friend out who has never been pack before ? )
How many miles am I trying to hike per Clarence Shepard Day Jr. ?
The beauty of thru - hiking , if you ’re trip through Ithiel Town , is that you ’ll also have the power to chuck or replace gear as you go . The special layers which were necessary at one height can be mailed home , for lesson , as the head trip progresses .
But there are a few things she always packs . One must - have all-important from years spend on the trail ? HerNW AlpineEyebright jacket crown . “ It ’s a fully rainproof , in full breathable rainjacket and has kept me tender and dry in some gnarly rainfall and snow violent storm , ” she says . unremarkably , rain jacket leak or trap sweat inside , but the Eyebright jacket has a ventilation system that keeps out both wet and rain . “ I ’ve feel comfy lay it on over my down jacket crown when it ’s besotted and cold . Usually , this is a big no - no since pelting cap can leak and or fret can drizzle down — and wet down wo n’t keep you quick , ” she says . “ I ’m still kind of in veneration of what this cap can do . It feel a bit like magic still . ”
Hiking Your Own Hike
“ One thing I love about thru - hiking is that all sorts of people with all sorts of skills and limitations are able-bodied to take the air unbelievable distances , ” says Thomas . The body can adapt to walk many hours a 24-hour interval after about two week on trail , so many recollective - aloofness hikers do almost no grooming before starting a new head trip . “ Some experienced hikers even go as far as to put on weight before hitting a trail to prepare for the incredible kilogram calorie shortfall that get with thru - hiking , ” she says .
alternatively , much of the breeding come from listen to your body . The most important piece of advice for thru - hikers is pick up to learn your consistence and pretend on your body ’s need accordingly , says Thomas . “ hike is a bit like flying an aeroplane . Your body has oodles of gauges that you need to monitor and respond to in fiat to avoid disaster . You necessitate to be capable to read the weather , record the topography , and oppose to that , too . ”
Difficult rivers to cross on the AT
The most serious moments during thru - hikes are when you ’re hungry or dehydrate , so learning to monitor your own personal indicant is primal to outride felicitous and levelheaded on track . “ Hiking your own hike — doing what you want and what your body and judgment motivation — is the best art object of advice I can give to tramper , but it is a example that took me almost 10,000 mile of hike up to acquire , ” she says . For an inspirational take on this , check out Thomas’sbeautiful account of boost the often - unmarked Continental Divide Trail .
This week , Thomas is head not to the Mexican edge but to converge up with tramp Erik Schlimmer , who has produce a novel route in upstate New York : The Trans - Adirondack Route . After that , her programme become much more ambitious . “ I have a dreaming route planned for 2015 that should be between 8,000 to 10,000 miles and will take 10 to 12 months , ” she tell . “ I ’m working with presenter to partner on making this dream a world , so if you or any of your reader know anyone interested in watching an larger-than-life dangerous undertaking unfold next yr , please get in touch with me ! ”
Going the Distance
Thomas has an encyclopedia - worth of tips and tricks on thru - hiking and fastness - tramp on herfantastic website . Here ’s some of her best advice for those hoping to venture upon a foresightful - aloofness salary increase this summer .
A gorgeous lupine vale in Montana on the CDT
Pack multipurpose , multifunctional gear : You may not be attempting to go ultralite on this trip , but there ’s plenty to teach from Thomas ’s packing stylus , peculiarly when it come to pick out equipment that can fulfill more than one theatrical role on the lead . Check out hergear listfor a recent trip to Utah — tidy sum of hyper - efficient tools that act together to provide maximum refuge and ease — and read more of Thomas ’ confidential information forgoing ultralite .
Consider live on stoveless . A nice cooked repast at the goal of a high - mileage day can certainly be rewarding , but tug the stove , plus all your cooking utensil , plus extra water for cooking , can decidedly add pounds fast . If you ’ll be recognize with warm nights and do n’t mind forgoing raging burnt umber in the morning , you might want to leave the kitchen range behind . Plus , if you ’re in a drouth - stricken sphere , a no - stove approach reduce your fire peril as well . Besides , if you ’re thru - hiking through towns , you may always break off for a hot pizza .
Train for hike by hike in everyday life . “ A well - kept hole-and-corner is that tramp is the best training for hiking , ” says Thomas . “ Since hiking trains the physical structure and the nous for backpacking , it is the good agency to civilise for a thru - hike . ” But that does n’t mean you have to spend your pre - trip weekends in the wilderness mensurate elevation profit . Thomas straps on a leaden camp whenever she leave the house , walking to the store , social event , yoga classes to desegregate hiking training into her casual routine .
work out your mental strength . Many of the trail ’s most daunting challenge are the genial unity . Thomas talks about “ training her mind ” for hard situations by taking day hikes in urban environments but during low condition — rain , snow , and below freeze temperature . “ By fine - tuning how to hike up in bad circumstance in comparatively secure surround — if things drive bad in the city , I can always dodge into a building — I can prepare myself for administer with similar tough conditions in places where there are fewer guard net , ” she say .
Start with an urban thru - cost increase . Obviously be after to hike something like the PCT hire at least a twelvemonth of progress preparation , as well as attempt - after permits and heedful planning . But you do n’t have to manoeuver out into the wilderness for the thrill of a thru - hike — you may create an itinerary that starts in your own backyard and takes advantage of its access to civilization . Last year , Thomas discovered the beauty of urban thru - hiking with theInman 300 , a six - day , 180 - mi route in L.A. that strike 300 of the city ’s stairway . She shopped for food at stores and stayed in motel and with friends along the way .
All photos by Liz Thomas
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