Start Point: Mammoth Lakes
Trail access desc: .3mi trail + 16mi road (bus available)
Guidebook start location: Reds Meadow Trail
Depart: 6-24-16 (Fri)
Plan Overview Notes:
1. Mammoth Lakes to Northern Kennedy Meadows (5.9 days)
6-24-16
to 6-30-16
111.7 mi
16,876 ft EG
18.9 mi/day
2,859 ft/day
Adjustments: none
Northern Kennedy Meadows resupply exit
Exit pt:
via Highway 108 crossing (Sonora Pass)
Detour:
9.1mi road
Arrive:
6-29-16 (Wed)
Layover:
0.1 days
Depart:
6-30-16 (Thu)
Cumulative distance: 111.7 mi
Notes:
PCT 907
PCT 1019
Leave Mammoth Lakes with 6 Days supplies
Couple options. Hitch 11 miles West to K. Meadows North or roughly 30 miles East to Walker or Bridgeport. KM sounds okay - have dorms and showers. Better resupply in Bridgeport but tough hitch.
No Zero here
2. Northern Kennedy Meadows to South Lake Tahoe (3.7 days)
6-30-16
to 7-5-16
74.7 mi
7,350 ft EG
20.0 mi/day
1,971 ft/day
Adjustments: none
South Lake Tahoe resupply exit
Exit pt:
via Highway 50 crossing
Detour:
12.0mi road
Arrive:
7-3-16 (Sun)
Layover:
1.3 days
Depart:
7-5-16 (Tue)
Cumulative distance: 186.4 mi
Notes:
PCT 1019
PCT 1095
Leave NKM with 4 Days of foood.
Major resupply stop. Yogi recommends hitching from Echo Lake -
hitching on the highway is tough (and probably illegal).
Can dump bear can here or Sierra City heading north. Ship it home!
3. South Lake Tahoe to Sierra City (5.4 days)
7-5-16
to 7-12-16
107.6 mi *
11,211 ft EG
19.9 mi/day
2,074 ft/day
* Adjustments:
+3.0 mi extra distance
Sierra City resupply exit
Exit pt:
Highway 49 crossing
Detour:
1.4mi road
Arrive:
7-10-16 (Sun)
Layover:
1.6 days
Depart:
7-12-16 (Tue)
Cumulative distance: 294.0 mi
Notes:
PCT 1095
PCT 1195
Leave Lake Tahoe with 5 Days food.
Take the detour trail into town at PCT 1195.
Zero Day
4. Sierra City to Belden (4.7 days)
7-12-16
to 7-17-16
91.6 mi
10,876 ft EG
19.6 mi/day
2,326 ft/day
Adjustments: none
Belden resupply exit
Exit pt:
(on trail)
Detour:
on trail
Arrive:
7-16-16 (Sat)
Layover:
0.3 days
Depart:
7-17-16 (Sun)
Cumulative distance: 385.6 mi
Notes:
PCT 1195
PCT 1290
Leave SC with 5 Days food.
Beldon has cabins but no hotels. Just resupply - next zero is Chester.
5. Belden to Highway 36 (2.5 days)
7-17-16
to 7-21-16
46.6 mi
6,925 ft EG
19.0 mi/day
2,820 ft/day
Adjustments: none
Highway 36 exit
Exit pt:
Highway 36 crossing
Arrive:
7-19-16 (Tue)
Layover:
1.5 days
Depart:
7-21-16 (Thu)
Cumulative distance: 432.2 mi
Notes:
PCT 1290
PCT 1335/1328.8
Leave Beldon with 2 days food.
Chester is 8 miles north on 36. Hitch to Chester and Zero day!
6. Highway 36 to Mt. Shasta City (8.3 days)
7-21-16
to 7-31-16
170.7 mi
12,862 ft EG
20.6 mi/day
1,549 ft/day
Adjustments: none
Mt. Shasta City resupply exit
Exit pt:
Interstate 5 crossing
Detour:
14.1mi road
Arrive:
7-29-16 (Fri)
Layover:
1.7 days
Depart:
7-31-16 (Sun)
Cumulative distance: 602.9 mi
Notes:
PCT 1329
PCT 1371 (Old Station)
PCT 1498
Leave Chester with full load - 6 Days food.
Minor resupply and restaurants in Old Station, on PCT 1371
Shasta Shuttle (Taxi) will pick up at I5 exit 726 (where the PCT crosses I5). 14 Miles North to Shasta. Full service.
7. Mt. Shasta City to Etna (4.7 days)
7-31-16
to 8-6-16
99.8 mi
11,144 ft EG
21.0 mi/day
2,349 ft/day
* Adjustments:
2.5 mi pace
9 hours/day
15 minutes added per eg comp
Etna resupply exit
Exit pt:
Sawyers Bar Road
Detour:
10.4mi road
Arrive:
8-4-16 (Thu)
Layover:
1.3 days
Depart:
8-6-16 (Sat)
Cumulative distance: 702.7 mi
Notes:
PCT 1498
PCT 1597
Leave Shasta with 5 Days food.
Etna is highly rated hiker town. Full service. Tough hitch (11 miles) but worth it. Will need a new canister here - should be okay.
8. Etna to Ashland (6.1 days)
8-6-16
to 8-12-16
120.3 mi
14,167 ft EG
19.6 mi/day
2,310 ft/day
Adjustments: none
Ashland finish
Exit pt:
Interstate 5 crossing
Detour:
13.0mi road
Arrive:
8-12-16 (Fri)(finish)
Cumulative distance: 823.0 mi
Notes:
PCT 1597
PCT 1662 (Seiad Valley)
PCT 1716 (Callahans/Ashland)
Can resupply at Seiad Valley (PCT goes right through). Leave Etna with 3-4 Days worth of food. Get another 3-4 days worth in Seiad Valley.
Ashland is a 12 mile hitch from Callahans. May elect to just stay at Callahans.
Mammoth Lakes to Ashland
6-24-16 to 8-12-16 (1.6 months)
(northbound hike)
41.3
days walking
0.0
on trail layover days
7.8
in town layover days
(6.0 in town "zero" days)
49.1
Total days
1.6
Total months
without layovers:
19.9 mi/day
2,211 ft/day
with layovers:
16.8 mi/day
1,861 ft/day
Base Distance:
820.0 mi
Extra Distance:
3.0 mi
Total Distance:
823.0 mi
Base Elevation gain:
91,411 ft
Extra EG:
0 ft
Total Elevation gain:
91,411 ft
Resupply count:
7
Plan Considerations:
If you are planning a longer hike, the plan above might be incredibly accurate or completely off. You might find that after a month of hiking your pace will change. You might find out that you are a Secret Superman (or Wonder Woman) and are knocking out a lot more miles per day than you planned. On the downside, a forest fire might add a +10 mile detour or a sore foot might cause you to spend a few extra days in a town.