Hit 50 miles on the Pacific Crest Trail segment near Tahoe and felt like I was cheating

I did a 50 mile section of the PCT around Desolation Wilderness last month and it felt too easy compared to what people talk about online. Everyone says the Sierra is brutal, but I cruised through with just 30 pounds on my back and never hit a real wall. Did anyone else have a milestone that felt way easier than the stories made it seem?

3 comments

3 Comments

elliot_gibson271mo ago

30 lbs is barely a daypack on the PCT though.

rowan_thomas841mo ago

Well, I've been reading about this quite a bit actually. I just finished a book by a guy who hiked the whole PCT last year, and he talked about pack weight a lot. He said the real trick is cutting things down to the absolute basics and still having a safe hike. Thirty pounds might sound light to some, but for a long distance hike, every extra pound really adds up over hundreds of miles. He mentioned that a lot of newer hikers start off with 40 or 50 pounds and end up regretting it halfway through the desert. So I guess it depends on how much stuff you're willing to leave behind.

victor_robinson1mo ago

Respectfully, rowan_thomas84, I've done it with 40 and been fine.