What I will be doing on January 24, 7.30 pm
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Fact:
If you want to hike the entire Pacific Crest Trail (and do a so-called thru-hike), you need a permit from the Pacific Crest Trail Association.
This Association maintains and preserves the path, with the help of financial donations, volunteer workers and members.
Since thru-hiking gets more and more popular these days (as people search for an authentic life I guess), the Association has decided to control/limit the numbers of hikers who set off – in order to protect the path from too much human impact.
That is good news.
The bad news though is, that they allow only 50 people to start each day.
And here it starts getting complicated:
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Reason:
Since it is recommended to start the journey in April or early May, probably a lot more than 50 hiker want to apply for the exact same day as I do.
It is recommended to start in this April/mid-May corridor, because:
- the first section of the PCT goes through desert: way too hot and water-less after mid-May.
- the middle section goes over the Sierra Nevada: way too much snow still before June.
- the end section goes through Washington: way too cold, wet, and snowy at the end of September.
So if you start April/mid-May, you have the best chance of making it to Canada. By avoiding the heat in the desert, the deep and icy snow pack in the High Sierra, and the rain and snow storms in Washington.
So the run for the permits begins.
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Application:
The PCTA announces on their website, that one can start the application process as of January 24, 10.30 am California time. (7.30 pm Swiss time).
First come first served.
Well.
Now imagine how many hikers sit at exactly that time at their computers, hitting frantically the reload button, hoping to get the application page to load in their favor, so that they can reserve their ideal date to start the hike.
Not good if ones preferred dates and plan B dates are all snatched away by fellow hikers with faster internet connections.
So now you know what I will be doing on January 24, 2017, 7.30 pm, Swiss time.
Nerve–wracking this is!
Wish me luck!
Learning of the Day:
Be prepared!
Good Luck then!!!
Thanks Alexandra! :)
I am sure you get the permit! Fingers crossed! Greetings from the Philippines
Thanks Stefan – Have fun in the Philippines
Ui, das ist ja mühsam. Schlimmer als wenn man Konzerttickets für U2 kaufen will! Wolltest Du denn nicht am 24.4. bereits unterwegs sein?
Haha, ja da hast Du recht Tanja! Und uiii, Du hast grad 2x recht, das Datum war falsch (bin noch Blog Anfängerin…). Es handelt sich um den 24. Januar, nicht April. Ich hab es jetzt korrigiert…. Vielen Dank fürs genau lesen und nachfragen!!!!
Ich fühle mit Dir – so geht’s mir jedes Mal, wenn Depeche Mode auf Tour gehen! Aber hab’s bisher immer geschafft, und Du schaffst das auch! Am besten auf zwei Browsern gleichzeitig (und frühzeitig) einloggen (Explorer und Firefox), das wäre so mein Geheimtip! Ich drück’ Dir die Daumen!
Aha! Vielen Dank Nadine! Das mit den zwei Browsern ist ein genialer Tipp! So werde ich das machen!… Depeche Mode finde ich übrigens auch klasse! :)
I wish you very much luck!
Thank you Javi!! How are you doing?
Good luck Heidi! Do they let you put in multiple dates, so you can get your Plan B or C or D dates if you don’t get the Plan A choice? And, how quickly do they let you know if you get the date? Will be sending positive thoughts your way on the 24th !
Hi Kathy! Well the problem is, I am not really sure! I could not find this information anywhere. The PCTA introduced this permit thing last year and it is all new to everybody…. I do hope so though! And what I also heard is that after applying it takes about three weeks until I hear back from them…. Oh my….
Liebe Heidi! Bad ist es soweit ;-) ich wünsche Dir viel Glück!!! Das ist ein nerviges System.. mir geht es so bei der Flohbi-Platz-Reservation ;-)
Toi-toi-toi!!