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mtnyoung
Trad climber
Twain Harte, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 9, 2015 - 05:57pm PT
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Marty, thanks for the comment.
Such a large number of people have made so many great posts in response to this thread.
And it's an odd thread in a way - unlike "discussion" type threads there isn't much room in a "report" like this for back and forth. Not much room for people who aren't actually "part of the story" to say anything other than just cheering us on. So how is one to respond to all the "cheering on?" It's hard to know. But it sure is gratifying; it adds to the fun to know that people are following along and wishing us well.
So really, thanks again to everyone who takes the time to read this.
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mtnyoung
Trad climber
Twain Harte, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 20, 2015 - 02:24pm PT
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I'm home with a cold today, trying not to feel too bad.
And, at 2:00, Tricia comes home with her report card.
I still feel bad, but I feel good too. She's not just physically tough, she's smart as a whip. (Sorry to bump the thread; I'm so damn proud that I just had to brag.)
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FRUMY
Trad climber
Bishop,CA
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Nov 20, 2015 - 02:26pm PT
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Good bump!
I blame the parents!
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mtnyoung
Trad climber
Twain Harte, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 20, 2015 - 03:36pm PT
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That was a really nice thing to say FRUMY. I would have said "I blame it on her mother." ;) :)
eKat, we've never met, but something tells me that my girls (tough and smart) aren't so different from you, eh?
Nice country to be from Charles. I'm kinda biased in favor of my part of the Mother Lode, but it's pretty nice country up there too (not that California's central coast area is awful either, mind you).
I might mention that other daughter too while I'm at it. U.C.S.B. has really been pushing her academically. And that pleases me immensely. She's been doing OK too; she just got a 97% on her English mid-term, and "killed" her Poli-Sci mid-term (I think I know what "killed" means in context, and I think it is good).
I'm very proud of Katie too (I just don't see her as often now).
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SC seagoat
Trad climber
Santa Cruz, Moab, A sailboat, or some time zone
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Nov 20, 2015 - 04:19pm PT
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Wowsa Wowsa!
Proud Poppa! Absolutely!
Susan
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looks easy from here
climber
Ben Lomond, CA
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Nov 20, 2015 - 04:42pm PT
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What happened in science?! Too much time with FA's, not enough time with the books, methinks. ;)
I hope you're happy that your girls are setting me up with unreasonable expectations for my kid as a teenager.
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mtnyoung
Trad climber
Twain Harte, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 20, 2015 - 04:46pm PT
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What happened in science?! Too much time with FA's, not enough time with the books, methinks. ;)
Alright, that got an LOL from me and from Vicki.
I hope you're happy that your girls are setting me up with unreasonable expectations for my kid as a teenager.
Start him young (as you already have).
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johntp
Trad climber
socal
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Nov 23, 2015 - 05:29pm PT
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^^
Cherish the days we have.
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mtnyoung
Trad climber
Twain Harte, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 23, 2015 - 11:09pm PT
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Wow Anders, I just saw this. I'm doubly glad that Donald was able to do this trail when he did. He must have been proud of his hike - it was mentioned in his obit (and yes, cherish the days!).
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mtnyoung
Trad climber
Twain Harte, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 3, 2016 - 10:24am PT
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Alright, the 2016 PCT season is about to begin. I spent time last night and this morning getting maps together and making rough estimates for daily hikes. Here's the rough plan (not so rough for June, but definitely rougher later in the summer):
 Eleven days in June, starting on Sunday the 12th. We'll pick Tricia up in Sacramento (she's arriving there from Washington D.C. that day; she'll have just spent six days at our Capitol with part of her eighth grade class). I know that we'll do the 31 miles from our last end point to Interstate 5 (at Castle Crags) in two days. The trail then continues west into the Marble Mountain and Trinity Alps wildernesses as it slowly curves north and then east heading for the Oregon border (240 miles from this year's start point). I estimate that we'll hike 110 to 140 miles on this first trip.
Eleven days in July. On this trip I suspect we'll cross into Oregon (!!) or come very close to it.
About two weeks in August, ending a few days before Tricia's first day of high school (yes, you read that right: high school).
These are long trips on purpose; the drive's getting to be pretty long again and long trips make the most of the "Interstate 5 boredom and suffering" that we'll be going through. Looking at this schedule, I realize just how lucky I am have such an incredibly understanding boss ::)
We've had one disappointment already this season in that Katie can't join us at all. She's just finishing her third year at U.C.S.B. and is leaving for a solo trip to southeast Asia starting from two days after the end of finals until the day before she starts her summer class. Not only will her trip prevent her from joining us; it's also fuel for Vicki and I to worry a little (a gorgeous 20 year old girl traveling alone in southeast Asia: what's to worry about?). On the other hand, she's been dreaming and planning for this trip for literally years, and we've been very impressed by her thoughtful and careful savings and preparations.
I am hoping to put together a fourth trip that will include Katie, sometime around Labor Day. She'll be free then, but travel will be tough and we'll need to take Tricia out of school for a day or two to pull it off. I'll leave that one as a thought for now and see what we can get together.
Other friends will be joining us too this season; Sharon in June and maybe others. Young Alex Dawson, who's appeared in these trip reports will join us for a week in August without his parents. Actually, he's become a story in his own right. After last year's trips with us he announced to his parents (at age 10) that he wanted to do the whole PCT in pieces, starting from Mexico. They listened and waited a month, expecting that he'd forget all about the trail. Uh, no. Alex has now dragged his parents on two trips, hiking (now at age 11) up to 24.0 miles in one day! His parents (some of our best friends) naturally accused me of "corrupting" their son. If getting a kid to hike with that level of commitment is "corruption," I'll gladly and proudly accept the label ;D
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nita
Social climber
chica de chico, I don't claim to be a daisy.
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*
mtnyoung, looking forward to more adventures with your family and friends....You are heading into some of my favorite locations, Marble Mountain and Trinity Alps wildernesses..The lower elevations can get warm..but.. Love the higher elevations..The Marbles Mt, have some very purty colored rocks and the bears are afraid of people.
Cheers
N.T.
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johntp
Trad climber
socal
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Looking forward to the TRs.
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looks easy from here
climber
Ben Lomond, CA
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Alright! Looking forward to more virtual hiking.
Where's Katie going (if you don't mind expanding details a bit)? If she hits Phnom Penh I can't recommend the Betelnut Tour to Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center highly enough. It was the highlight of our trip to Cambodia for both me and my wife. http://www.betelnuttours.com/
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mtnyoung
Trad climber
Twain Harte, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 3, 2016 - 01:15pm PT
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If that leg of your trip ends or goes thru Seiad Valley, have the pancake challenge at the general store/café/post office.
It's funny, I haven't yet studied enough ahead to be sure where Seiad Valley is (how far ahead of us it is). And yet I've heard of the "Pancake Challenge." It's one of those "PCT famous" things.
For those that don't know, a restaurant that is very near the PCT offers "free breakfast" to anyone that can eat the whole plate of pancakes (three huge cakes, I'm told). The legend is that only one person has ever done it.
Where's Katie going (if you don't mind expanding details a bit)?
She flies in to Singapore and then works her way north, staying in Malaysia and Thailand the whole time. She intends to really see those two countries.
She also has a high school friend who was here on a foreign exchange; she'll spend time in Malaysia with that friend and her family.
Katie's original plan did include Cambodia and Vietnam, but she changed that. In fact I was thrilled when she asked me seriously if I would consider joining her in Vietnam. I told her I couldn't but suggested that even if I could I'd really want to see historic sights associated with the Vietnam Wars. She said that she expected that and that she would have loved to join me visiting those sights (a further sign that I'm climbing out of the "Dad is the most uncool substance in the Universe" hole ;) ).
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crusher
climber
Santa Monica, CA
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REALLY looking forward to reading about your adventures this Summer! Thanks again for sharing.
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
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Keep going there 'pops' you'll be cool in no time. :)
Tell Katie sunscreen, hydration, only drink your own watched poured drinks at clubs, and to climb on limestone. Columbia bouldering isn't the same at Phuket, etc. :)
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crankster
Trad climber
No. Tahoe
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My favorite thread. Look forward to hearing about your great adventure.
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mtnyoung
Trad climber
Twain Harte, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 4, 2016 - 07:37am PT
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Those are extremely interactive maps, clifff. They're enough to get someone raring to go hike the trail (especially when seen on our big screen Mac). I could see someone starting in on those while "just browsing," and ending up deciding to hike the trail.
I have to admit though that at my age I prefer paper maps (and they're the only type I'll take to the field!). Luckily the available paper maps are also fantastic.
I'm not sure whether I've mentioned them before, but there is a complete set of small-scale PCT maps available that are called the "Half-Mile" maps. They're free, on-line. Here's the link:
http://www.pctmap.net/
They're called the Half-Mile maps because the man that created them took standard USGS topo maps and marked the PCT clearly on them. He's also marked significant waypoints: roads, streams, trail junctions, popular places to camp (including in each case their distance from the Mexican border). And, he's placed a little purple diamond on the trail every half mile. Of course one can't click on them though and see photos of parts of the trail.
I don't know this guy's real name (his trail name is - go figure - "Half-Mile"), but he's kind of a folk hero to most PCT hikers. From my observations, few PCT hikers go without his set of maps nowadays.
The other cool maps are a larger scale. I call them the "Strip Maps." They're actually the "U.S. Forest Service PCT map series." They're available from the PCT Association:
http://www.pcta.org/discover-the-trail/maps-and-guidebooks/
These Strip Maps cover strips of the country that the trail goes through, on a much larger scale that the Half-Mile maps. They're very well done and are especially useful for planning purposes.
Sorry for the long post. I love maps.
EDIT:
Thank you Tad for posting the correct link; I didn't notice that mine was defective (I fixed it now).
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