Am I the only one who thinks the PCT is way overhyped for beginners?

I did 200 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail last summer near the Sierra section and honestly, my pack weight ballooned to 35 pounds by day 3 because of all the extra gear for river crossings and bear cans. Everyone online says it's the ultimate starter thru-hike, but that stretch around Tuolumne Meadows broke my boot sole and I had to hitch into Bridgeport for repairs. Has anyone else found the trail harder than the forums let on?

2 comments

2 Comments

derekp7016d ago

... because nobody actually talks about how the snowmelt turns those easy creeks into legit Class III rapids in June. I mean, I showed up after reading all the lighthearted trip reports too and spent three days postholing through slush near Forester Pass wondering if I was on the wrong trail. The forums downplay how much the altitude kicks your butt if you're coming from sea level, plus all the routefinding in the Sierra fog when the trail just vanishes for half a mile. Your boot sole story sounds exactly like what happened to my buddy near Donner Pass, he ended up duct taping his whole shoe together for fifty miles. The bear can thing is a nightmare, yeah, but honestly the real issue is everyone hyping it as a "beginner friendly" trail when it's actually pretty serious wilderness with real consequences if you slip up. I'd take the Colorado Trail or even the Long Trail for a first long hike any day, at least you're not dealing with river crossings that could actually sweep you away.

richard_roberts8016d ago

Ngl, I spent more time digging catholes in that Sierra granite than actually hiking, felt like a human backhoe out there.