In my case, the fact that I'll only be on the trail for 1 month requires that I already be in "thru hiker shape" (or at least close to it) when I begin. According to Ray Jardine's PCT Handbook, training should start 5 months prior to the start date, beginning with 3-5 mile walks and ending with back-to-back days of your target mileage and pack weight (20 miles and 30 lbs).
Starting my hike in July gives me the advantage of getting to train through spring and summer (due to their April-ish start dates, Mexico to Canada thru hikers are required to train mostly in winter). However, I am also afforded the benefit of being at the beginning of my training while the weather is still cold and rainy. At this point, most of my outings are short (5-10 miles) and close to home, meaning they are low-risk opportunities to test my gear and how I use it.
For example, one clothing item I've been oscillating about is a mid layer fleece-type jacket (similar to this). Mine in particular weighs 7.0 oz (almost half a pound!), adds a fair amount of warmth for the weight, and dries very quickly. My only other torso articles are a rain shell (blue in photo), puffy jacket (gray in photo), and hiking shirt (green in photo), excluding sleepwear.
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| We like to shop at the Columbia employee store... |
Uses for the fleece would include: wearing under my rain jacket during cold rain, cold mornings while hiking, and wearing in camp. Up for debate is whether I can simply use my puffy jacket for these uses instead. Typically, I am finding that once I start hiking (even in cold rain), I am fine with just my hiking shirt and rain shell. I am also finding that my puffy jacket is (so far) a fine alternative to the fleece during cold morning hiking. It can also be worn at night to add some warmth while sleeping.
Since January, I've walked about 30 miles through our neighborhood, often just 3-5 miles at at time. In addition to being convenient, hiking from home is surprisingly scenic! The weather for the majority of these hikes have been 40-50°F and rainy, providing me with a perfect opportunity to test these different clothing layers.
Weekend hikes are gradually getting longer, and will eventually turn into back-to-back 20-mile days. These will either be overnight trips or back-to-back dayhikes and will give me a chance to test and adapt my entire gear set.
Given the size (5,100 acres), location (20 minutes from home), and trails (70 miles), Forest Park is a tremendous asset for my training. The Wildwood trail, for example, is a 30-mile trail that spans the entire park from north to south. A lofty goal I have in the back of my mind is to do the entire Wildwood trail back-to-back, southbound one day and northbound the next.
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| Forest Park's 70+ miles of trails |
The ZigZag mountains (in the foothills southwest of Mt. Hood) provide a network of 50+ miles of trails with plenty of backcountry camping available. 30-mile shuttles and 40-mile loops are possible in this area.
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| ZigZag Mountains
Another thought I had was the 70+ mile "40-Mile" Loop, which spans from Forest park to Troutdale and back along the Columbia River. Originally conceived in the early 20-century as way to connect to city's parks, it is now a project of a small few who wish see it completed. Completing this loop section by section might also be a fun training project.
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