Pro tip: skip the guided tours on the Pacific Crest Trail if you want real freedom

I did a 45-mile stretch of the PCT near Crater Lake last summer with a guided group, and I spent half the time waiting on people who weren't prepared for the altitude changes. Three years ago I hiked the same section solo and covered it in half the days with way less stress. Has anyone else found that guides just slow you down and kill the spontaneity?

3 comments

3 Comments

val_ramirez4d ago

Three years between trips and you still remember the exact day difference? That's wild, I can barely remember what I ate for breakfast yesterday. But seriously, waiting on unprepared people is the worst, totally kills the whole point of being out there. Solo hiking just hits different when you can actually feel the trail instead of a schedule.

davis.olivia3d ago

Nothing beats a hike with people who actually know how to pack their own bag.

nelson.wren3d ago

Oh come on, waiting on people builds character. Some of my best trail memories are from standing around watching a guy try to start a fire with wet matches for an hour. If you're solo you miss out on all the shared suffering, that's like half the fun.