ADZPCTKO '08

Spent the weekend at the Annual Day Zero Pacific Crest Trail Kick Off. This year they had Eric Ryback speaking. Eric hiked the PCT from Canada to Mexico in 1970. At this time the trail was set in Oregon and Washington but there were 2 routes proposed in California and maps and guidebooks were not fully available. Eric was probably the first to thru-hike the trail.

Here's the differences between then and now.

Now: people hiking the trail typically have about 26 places on the trail where they send themselves boxes of food.

Then: Eric sent himself 5 boxes of food.

This means he was carrying A LOT more weight in food on his back.

Now: people typically hike with a backpack between 15-30 pounds on there back.

Then: Eric hiked with a 75 pound load. He weighed 140 at the time.