Thru-hiking/backpacking

[spiryl]

Is anyone here a veg*n thru-hiker???

I am planning to attempt the PCT next year and am looking for any tips or trip advice from fellow veggie hikers. (I am vegan; b/f is vegetarian). It seems the trend for these longer trails is to ditch your stove and load up with light-ish weight junk food (M&Ms, Snickers, etc.) That's great for omnivores, but what about the rest of us?!

If there are any of you out there with advice, did you do the hike supported or unsupported? (I'm having a difficult time seeing how this can be done unsupported being veg*ns.)

[jenna]

I have a friend (who's a member here) that's wanting to do that at some point, too. I'll have to tell her about this thread.

[bluesand]

Well it depends how long you are going to hike but small light gas cookers are on the market and very functional .

So that brings in hot drinks ,noodles , rice (boil in bag is best ) what you don't eat you can leave it in the bag and eat later . There are dehydrated vegan meals sold at sport/ hunting stores ,an option , but they seem incredible expensive

If its a day hike I just do the pita bread thing and fruit

[Skylark]

How on earth could a person get enough nutrition eating mainly junk food while hiking the entire PCT? That's just asking for it. You're burning so many calories, it's imperative you eat healthfully. Are these "trendy" eaters coming out the other side in horrible health?

It would definitely be worth it to bring a stove. Sorry to all the raw foodists out there, but there's only so much you can do when you don't have refrigeration.

[zoebird]

it might be helpful for you to learn about edible plants that may be along the trail too--as this can increase nutrition.

one of my friends does a lot of thru-hiking, and gets boxes on a regular basis, carries dry ingredients (for things such as falafel, pancakes, etc), and a very small stove or other fire-making ingredients (for when a fire can be built and used instead--basicly tinder and matches/flint stones).

you can make home-made vegan granola--including dark chocolate in them--and also have this sent to your in your box. chocolate is a great thing to have on a trail--any train--and you want to have as much fat as you can while on the trail as well. tubes of nut butters are a good option--you can buy fillable tubes at camp shops and make your own butters or simply put butters in them. it decreases the weight of the bags.

also, you might want to check out a camp store or area near the trail. the AT has a hut/hostel/camp store near the southern beginning of the trail where THers can get expert advice on what to carry, and ship any unnecessary stuff home from that site. it's an incredibly valuable process.

when my friend TH-ed the AT, he carried 1 change of clothes, rain gear, 1 large container of vaseline (put it on your feet before putting on socks--no blisters or other foot problems), a pair of flip flops, his cooking gear and food (minimal stove, large soup can for cooking, fork and spoon; food), soap (for all purpose care), tooth brush and paste, first aid kit, duct tape, tarp and sleeping bag.

you don't need much really. some people like to carry more clothing, some prefer tents (he uses a tarp for this--typically hikes with a friend, each carries a tarp, one for ground cover and the other to cover their sleeping bags--though there are water proof sleeping bag covers that are great).

he does use a walking stick too.

[LucidAnne]

zoebird....i live near the AT and our family is involved w/ the Upper Goose Pond cabin, maybe your friend passed thru our land! haha.

you might want to make up some of your own granola bars or larabars to take w/ you...cheaper, and im sure tastier, than store bought. www.vegweb.com has alot of recipes that you could try....but you could add whatever flavors and nutritional addins that you want.

fruit leathers (you can also cut them up and add them to bars/granola)
angel hair pasta cooks quick, and in not-boiling water
asceptically packed tofu

people on the AT do generally pick up supplies along the way, either sent in mail, or at a store in town.
there is a web site, called trailjournals.com....where hikers can register and keep ppl updated on their progress. their might be some info on there.
also, it would be fun to be able to check in w/ you! let us know!

[spiryl]

i think i'll do the typical thing and have people send me packages (food) at pick up places and do that, i dont want to have to get off the trail too often.

i just hate carrying bear boxes in my pack - so bulky! :)

are you gonna start south or north?


EXACTLY! i don't want to have to leave the trail too much and re-enter 'civilization'! and yes, the bulky bear boxes are an issue, too.

we're planning on starting in campo and heading north.

[asp3]

A friend's wife will have her book about their experiences on the PCT published later this year. They hiked the trail with their then 12 year old daughter in 2005. I'll post more info about the book when it comes out. My friend and his daughter completed the entire trail.

[Tofu-N-Sprouts]

I've done several one week trips on the PCT and even then we had food brought to a stop-over midweek. We didn't have to get off the trail and "enter civilazation" at all really.

Back then, bear boxes were optional. I don't think they are any more? You can usually have one shared by several people though.

The tubes for peanutbutter are great BTW! And you can buy dehydrated refried beans (in a powder) at many health food stores so you don't need the more expensive foil pouch backpacker foods. Those foil pouch ones are nice though - get a couple if you can find vegan ones, because they are handy - you pour boiling water right in them - no pot needed. You can then rinse and re-use them with instant noodles (like whole-grain ramen) instant rice and refried beans of your own choosing later on.

Good luck!

[CaptainSwab]

I highly suggest that you go to Catra's website: http://www.catrapct.blogspot.com/

She is is a vegan ultrarunner and runs many, many 100's. She is currently on the PCT right now. An ultrarunner friend I beleive is updating her blog for her and she updates herself at times when she comes to different towns with internet access.

You can see how she gets around the logistics of food drops and things by reading her blog.

[CaptainSwab]

If you want to check how she prepped for the trip, plus see pictures of what all her food drops look like, you should go to her regular blog for that information: http://www.trailgirl.blogspot.com/