My plans also changed a bit since posting, as my start date was set back from March 10th to April 1st. Might be a tid bit later than that, and I'm going to probably start in Cajon Pass to skip some desert since I'm going later than planned. I'm also going to hike across the country still through cities if after 600+ miles of California the logistics of getting off trail to resupply prove dangerously troublesome.
Dameon
Well-known member
I've definitely run into a few people who have been doing it with low money who hitch over to I-5 or bigger cities occasionally to raise some funds, so that's an option at some points. If you plan it right, I'm sure there's places where you could hitch over to a town a bit off the PCT, fly a sign saying you're hiking the PCT, and hitch back the next day. Another option would be to market your adventure a bit, set up a Patreon , keep a journal, and post pics + stories + video each week. You'd have to do some work to attract viewers, but if you're any good at selling yourself you could probably fund a lot of food along the way that way. People love adventure journalism, and you could do the pictures and video with a free Obama phone.
I was actually just given some Colemen iodine tablets and I'm curious if your friend was aware there are neutralizing capsules that come with them to stop them from damaging your teeth.
I might have gotten a cannabis industry gig a month into my hike (which would help a crazy lot). I've also got a few places to crash so far, between trail angels and water protector households. In doing this partially to raise environmental awareness, I decided to use environmentalist networks rather than dirty kids or STP because the amount of interest in several month long hikes seems pretty minimal those crowds. I'll be doing a GoFundMe and a Patreon. I was gifted a Samsung Galaxy III Note (with micro SD card storage) and got video editing software, so I plan to do episodes about the PCT along the way that will link to them. I'm RucksackRevolt on nearly every social media platform for people to follow in near real time. As a backup for food I'll also have food benefits being a broke ass, so if nothing else I can get to the I5 to find a Wal-Mart from most trail heads. It's the more desolate ones it would be easier to mail food I'm worried about. There's also a trail angel Facebook group for nearly every town, I'll probably try to get supply runs from there a couple days in advance before reaching each to expedite the process. Hoping more of the hostels and campgrounds have work exchange or volunteer services, but also they might be a luxury I don't even really need along the way. Between all that planning and hiker boxes with wasted overpacked food, I imagine I won't be terrible off. It just might be a real hassle at some points, but maybe that will be a part of it being a unique adventure.
HalfMile's app is also really good, has a collection of all useful points along the trail and even without phone service it can use your GPS to tell you how far you are from the trail. A backup phone with the app and compass can basically take you to the closest trail point, which does away with having to carry or buy expensive maps.
I wish I would have known about the Assurance Wireless phones more in advance, but maybe I can apply for one and have it shipped to a post office along the trail.
I might have gotten a cannabis industry gig a month into my hike (which would help a crazy lot). I've also got a few places to crash so far, between trail angels and water protector households. In doing this partially to raise environmental awareness, I decided to use environmentalist networks rather than dirty kids or STP because the amount of interest in several month long hikes seems pretty minimal those crowds. I'll be doing a GoFundMe and a Patreon. I was gifted a Samsung Galaxy III Note (with micro SD card storage) and got video editing software, so I plan to do episodes about the PCT along the way that will link to them. I'm RucksackRevolt on nearly every social media platform for people to follow in near real time. As a backup for food I'll also have food benefits being a broke ass, so if nothing else I can get to the I5 to find a Wal-Mart from most trail heads. It's the more desolate ones it would be easier to mail food I'm worried about. There's also a trail angel Facebook group for nearly every town, I'll probably try to get supply runs from there a couple days in advance before reaching each to expedite the process. Hoping more of the hostels and campgrounds have work exchange or volunteer services, but also they might be a luxury I don't even really need along the way. Between all that planning and hiker boxes with wasted overpacked food, I imagine I won't be terrible off. It just might be a real hassle at some points, but maybe that will be a part of it being a unique adventure.
HalfMile's app is also really good, has a collection of all useful points along the trail and even without phone service it can use your GPS to tell you how far you are from the trail. A backup phone with the app and compass can basically take you to the closest trail point, which does away with having to carry or buy expensive maps.
I wish I would have known about the Assurance Wireless phones more in advance, but maybe I can apply for one and have it shipped to a post office along the trail.
Dameon
Well-known member
On a totally unrelated note, let me tell you about the time when three dudes held me at gunpoint and robbed me this morning while working at a place which was definitely, certainly not a cannabis industry gig at all. Had a pistol against my head and got tied up, and it totally wasn't over working somewhere that was growing weed.
Personally, I'd recommend you skip that gig.
Well, it's a well known cannabis club along the PCT hikers crash at all the time...so I don't think anything like that is going to happen. But damn, that sounds like a shit time.
For some reason, I didn't even see a lot of these messages on this board.
I was gifted a Sawyer squeeze kit, as well as Coleman iodine tablets (with the neutralizing tablets to stop them from messing up your teeth). I bet I will have some hungry moments. I was just approved for another several months of food stamps, so that helps. I learned a lot on diet from Darwin OnTheTrail on Youtube. Like instant Idahoan potatoes have basically everything fancier $8-10 backpacking meals have in them nutrition wise. It will be a lot of that, with variations of ramen with flavored tuna pouches. Likely oatmeal and protein bars (or snickers) as well.
I put on a few pounds and spent a month eating a high carb diet to prepare though.
I basically have all the necessities to do the PCT. Since I posted this, I had put up a sign at the Slab City Library promoting my hike with a wishlist. Between trades, staff kicking stuff they don't need down, and tourists with gifts I got practically everything! My core base weight with the big three is still higher than any ultralight enthusiast, but wayyyy less than how people used to hike to PCT a couple decades ago.
GEAR UPDATES: I have an ILBE Marine Pack I modified by cutting all the excess straps, those rubber zipper handles, and the divider within the pack to cut nearly a pound off it. It's vintage and has some patches, but the thing is rated to haul nearly 150 pounds (while I'm only carrying 25-55). I scored a North Face mummy bag ranked for 30 degrees with down feathers inside of it. My tent is about half a pound heavier than most ultralight folks, since it is a Alps Mountaineering 1-person tent (used to belong to @Matt Derrick actually). I cut a piece of tarp into a footprint to insure no holes are poked in it and patch some with gorilla tape. I have an Isobutane/ propane backpacker stove with a 6 hours fuel canister to start. Made a small aluminum foil lid to heat water faster. I cut a windshield screen into a thermal pouch to save on fuel to dump boiled water into packaged food instead of continuing to boil. Likely will get one of those plastic Talenti ice cream jars to do cold soaks as well, simply to stretch fuel canisters as far as they will go. A Slab City tourist gave me a rain jacket. A friend is sending me a breathable synthetic shirt 44 miles down the trail. Clothing-wise I will be hiking in regular Spaulding shorts with the synthetic shirt. Found a breathable sun hat. I will also be bringing thick pajama pants and thermals in case I get hit by one last cold wave in the early mountains at night. I'll have two pairs of Wigwam synthetic socks for hiking, with a pair of thicker cotton/wool blends for camp. One pair of Under Armour underwear for hiking and one pair of Champion sports underwear for camp. Hopefully enough synthetic stuff to not smell too terrible or get killed by my cotton in cold weather. I have a thick off-brand dry bag I'm going to use as a food bag (hoping to rent or score a free loaner bear container at Kennedy Meadows). I made a lightweight medical pack with hella moleskins, as well as petroleum jelly for chafing. I'm rocking a 1.5 liter off-brand version of the CamelBak with four 1L SmartWater bottles. I painted a stick purple to be a walking staff instead of getting trekking poles. Going to use the tent stakes and a pocket knife to help dig cat holes. Made a little throwsack bag for easy access to toiletries when needed. To keep filming and connected to the outside world, I got a 30,000 MAH battery pack with emergency solar charging. I'll be bringing an extra phone charged for emergencies or use while charging things in town. Kindle for entertainment with a couple hundred books on it. I have a cheapo headlamp, but I got this cool mini-string of Christmas looking lights for reading in the tent at night to conserve batteries (my battery pack also has a super bright emergency light on it). I have floss, sewing needles, and gorilla tape wrapped around a bottle for minor repairs I might need along the way. Seasoning in a couple tic-tac containers to make food a little less boring. Micro SD cards with music and podcasts, along with lightweight waterproof bluetooth headphones. Sawyer squeeze water filter. Using the Halfmile GPS app to navigate the trail with a Coleman compass, as well as digital maps. Paracord for stringing up the dry bag away from bears when I get into their territory. Fork. Sunglasses. Sun lotion. Emergency blanket. Small cardboard sign painted to be more eye catching and seal it in to not be hurt by moisture. Contractor bag for extra water proofing. Mosquito face net.
The food plan is kind of just to hitch over to the I-5 where most nearby Wal-Marts (or close equivalents in price) are to stock up on food using EBT. If this becomes common, I can pre-order things with their app. The first 500-900 miles is supposed to have hiker boxes full of stuff everywhere. Hoping to supplement my minimum diet with extras from these boxes filled with overpacked dehydrated meals. Will be taking vitamins as well, and made garlic concentrate oil to naturally treat sickness like giardia. Eating fruit and more protein while in towns.
If I get a decent amount of work at the cannabis club, that'll put some emergency repair funds in my pocket. As well as the inevitable shoe and fuel replacements I'll need. I have vague plans every hundred miles or so of someone I can contact for a shower or place to crash. If I end up to early toward the Sierras still, I plan to try to volunteer at Hiker Heaven or on a PCTA clean-up.
Found out Black Bear Ranch is 30 miles off the trail, so I shot them an email to make plans in a couple months if they'll let me stop in for a good while to check out the spot.
I was invited to a nonbinary/ trans traveler gathering at an intentional community outside Portland in June, so I might decide to hitchhike past the Sierras all together for a fun intermission.
Got a couple trail angels and water protectors willing to let me crash for free, or a little labor.
Place to crash for a couple weeks near the Sierras with an ex-communard hiking enthusiast.
Volunteer gig in Washington to get a grip on whatever is next.
I'm heading out from the slabs on either Monday or Tuesday for a cheap Niland bus to Westmorland where I'll try to hitch 66 miles to Julian. A friend from San Diego will be treating me to Mexican food once there (plus a free ride to the trail head). Also there's free pie there for hikers. Not a bad start to this long journey!
Building Online presence:
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Tumblr
Website (emailed the PCTA to be on the bloggers list and joined Facebook groups)
YouTube
Crowd-funding:
GoFundMe
Patreon
GEAR UPDATES: I have an ILBE Marine Pack I modified by cutting all the excess straps, those rubber zipper handles, and the divider within the pack to cut nearly a pound off it. It's vintage and has some patches, but the thing is rated to haul nearly 150 pounds (while I'm only carrying 25-55). I scored a North Face mummy bag ranked for 30 degrees with down feathers inside of it. My tent is about half a pound heavier than most ultralight folks, since it is a Alps Mountaineering 1-person tent (used to belong to @Matt Derrick actually). I cut a piece of tarp into a footprint to insure no holes are poked in it and patch some with gorilla tape. I have an Isobutane/ propane backpacker stove with a 6 hours fuel canister to start. Made a small aluminum foil lid to heat water faster. I cut a windshield screen into a thermal pouch to save on fuel to dump boiled water into packaged food instead of continuing to boil. Likely will get one of those plastic Talenti ice cream jars to do cold soaks as well, simply to stretch fuel canisters as far as they will go. A Slab City tourist gave me a rain jacket. A friend is sending me a breathable synthetic shirt 44 miles down the trail. Clothing-wise I will be hiking in regular Spaulding shorts with the synthetic shirt. Found a breathable sun hat. I will also be bringing thick pajama pants and thermals in case I get hit by one last cold wave in the early mountains at night. I'll have two pairs of Wigwam synthetic socks for hiking, with a pair of thicker cotton/wool blends for camp. One pair of Under Armour underwear for hiking and one pair of Champion sports underwear for camp. Hopefully enough synthetic stuff to not smell too terrible or get killed by my cotton in cold weather. I have a thick off-brand dry bag I'm going to use as a food bag (hoping to rent or score a free loaner bear container at Kennedy Meadows). I made a lightweight medical pack with hella moleskins, as well as petroleum jelly for chafing. I'm rocking a 1.5 liter off-brand version of the CamelBak with four 1L SmartWater bottles. I painted a stick purple to be a walking staff instead of getting trekking poles. Going to use the tent stakes and a pocket knife to help dig cat holes. Made a little throwsack bag for easy access to toiletries when needed. To keep filming and connected to the outside world, I got a 30,000 MAH battery pack with emergency solar charging. I'll be bringing an extra phone charged for emergencies or use while charging things in town. Kindle for entertainment with a couple hundred books on it. I have a cheapo headlamp, but I got this cool mini-string of Christmas looking lights for reading in the tent at night to conserve batteries (my battery pack also has a super bright emergency light on it). I have floss, sewing needles, and gorilla tape wrapped around a bottle for minor repairs I might need along the way. Seasoning in a couple tic-tac containers to make food a little less boring. Micro SD cards with music and podcasts, along with lightweight waterproof bluetooth headphones. Sawyer squeeze water filter. Using the Halfmile GPS app to navigate the trail with a Coleman compass, as well as digital maps. Paracord for stringing up the dry bag away from bears when I get into their territory. Fork. Sunglasses. Sun lotion. Emergency blanket. Small cardboard sign painted to be more eye catching and seal it in to not be hurt by moisture. Contractor bag for extra water proofing. Mosquito face net.
The food plan is kind of just to hitch over to the I-5 where most nearby Wal-Marts (or close equivalents in price) are to stock up on food using EBT. If this becomes common, I can pre-order things with their app. The first 500-900 miles is supposed to have hiker boxes full of stuff everywhere. Hoping to supplement my minimum diet with extras from these boxes filled with overpacked dehydrated meals. Will be taking vitamins as well, and made garlic concentrate oil to naturally treat sickness like giardia. Eating fruit and more protein while in towns.
If I get a decent amount of work at the cannabis club, that'll put some emergency repair funds in my pocket. As well as the inevitable shoe and fuel replacements I'll need. I have vague plans every hundred miles or so of someone I can contact for a shower or place to crash. If I end up to early toward the Sierras still, I plan to try to volunteer at Hiker Heaven or on a PCTA clean-up.
Found out Black Bear Ranch is 30 miles off the trail, so I shot them an email to make plans in a couple months if they'll let me stop in for a good while to check out the spot.
I was invited to a nonbinary/ trans traveler gathering at an intentional community outside Portland in June, so I might decide to hitchhike past the Sierras all together for a fun intermission.
Got a couple trail angels and water protectors willing to let me crash for free, or a little labor.
Place to crash for a couple weeks near the Sierras with an ex-communard hiking enthusiast.
Volunteer gig in Washington to get a grip on whatever is next.
I'm heading out from the slabs on either Monday or Tuesday for a cheap Niland bus to Westmorland where I'll try to hitch 66 miles to Julian. A friend from San Diego will be treating me to Mexican food once there (plus a free ride to the trail head). Also there's free pie there for hikers. Not a bad start to this long journey!
Building Online presence:
Tumblr
Website (emailed the PCTA to be on the bloggers list and joined Facebook groups)
YouTube
Crowd-funding:
GoFundMe
Patreon
Last edited:
ElNayshon
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roughdraft
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scntfc
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