Topic

‘Tuna Helper” 2012 PCT Speed Attempt


Forum Posting

A Membership is required to post in the forums. Login or become a member to post in the member forums!

Home Forums General Forums General Lightweight Backpacking Discussion ‘Tuna Helper” 2012 PCT Speed Attempt

  • This topic is empty.
Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #1288698
    James Darman
    BPL Member

    @crazycloud

    Locale: SoCal

    I've been waiting to see who would announce…

    http://fastestknowntime.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=pacific&action=display&thread=29

    CRaZyClOud PCT 2012

    #1867156
    Ken Thompson
    BPL Member

    @here

    Locale: Right there

    Quite the first post. Best of luck.

    #1873841
    Ben Egan
    Member

    @benjammin21

    Locale: The Grid, Brooklyn

    I'll reiterate the "best of luck!"

    Sounds like a good start date for this year. I'm sure you've read Krudmeister's TJ from 2009. That really put into perspective for me how difficult such an attempt truly is. In order to beat Scott's time it'll take an ironman or woman. So again, best of luck!

    #1873876
    Hiking Malto
    BPL Member

    @gg-man

    "Sounds like a good start date for this year. I'm sure you've read Krudmeister's TJ from 2009."

    I believe that he is starting way too early for a record attempt, (good start time for yo yo.) It is interesting that he is choosing both the record and a yo-yo as a goal. I would think that would be almost mutually exclusive. Why? For a record attempt you would select a start date that would maximize the trail conditions for the full length of the hike. For a yo-yo you would want the earliest start that gets you to Canada the earliest, not nessesarily the fastest, so you turn around and fly back to and through the Sierra before the snow starts in he fall.

    His start date of May 20-25 is the exact same time that I started last year which I believe is perfect for a high speed yo-yo but too early for a record attempt, especially one that is targetting under 60 days. So at that pace he would hit the following points/dates:

    Kennedy Meadows – June 7th
    Sierra City – June 27th
    Ca/Or Border – June 30th
    Cascade Locks – July 10th
    Canada – July 21st

    I don't think that the trail will be impassible by any stretch but there will still be significant snow to slow him down especially in Or/WA. When Scott and Adam set the NoBo record in 2009 they started June 8th which gave them an additional two weeks of meltout. They hit KM on June 26th allowing them to fly through the Sierra and beyond. (Many people get so focused on the Sierra and snow they ignore the fact that a fast hike will also hit snow up north. I found that out last year when snow slowed me down in OR and WA in August.)

    One thing that I noticed last year on Sam Fox's attempt… if you want to duplicate or surpass Scott's feats on the PCT it would be wise to follow his timeline. Nobody knows speed hiking the PCT like Scott.

    #1873929
    James Darman
    BPL Member

    @crazycloud

    Locale: SoCal

    Past PCT Speed Attempt start dates –

    Ray Greenwall May 12th 2003 http://cs.armstrong.edu/greenlaw/hiking/pct.html

    David Horton June 4th 2005 http://extremeultrarunning.com/pct_record/

    Joe Kisner May 19th 2007 almost didn't finish due to blisters http://www.joepct07.blogspot.com/

    Catra "dirt diva" May 24th 2007 taken out by giardia http://catrapct.blogspot.com/2007/05/first-day-quick-post.html

    Adam Bradley June 14th 2008 taken out by giardia
    http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=237501

    On their 2009 record setting trek a bad knee and mosquitoes almost had Bradley quit and the flu affected Williamson

    start dates and snowpack are important considerations
    (http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/ftpref/support/snow/snowpack_maps/columbia_river/wy2012/cusnow1204.gif)
    but mind your feet and where you drink!! Tuna Helper

    #1890494
    James Darman
    BPL Member

    @crazycloud

    Locale: SoCal

    Here's a recent update from the PCT-L reported by PI aka Bill Murphy:
    http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/pct-l/2012-June/060419.html

    Ryan (Tuna Helper) says;

    1325 miles at the pct midpoint. 30d 9h 55m. Should be a new record.

    I asked what I could do to help. He says his gear is going well. But I can serve as dietitian to help him gain weight when he gets back. I figure I'll drop him at the combi-kfc-taco-bell, the go to 8 hours at my desk while he eats, then cook a few meals out of butter and bacon for a chaser. I didn't tell him that burger king is offering bacon Sunday's right now… Sounds like hiker food to me!

    It doesn't sound easy. He already is looking forward to the OR border as his next goal. (now that he's past the half.) It is still way to soon to know how it will finish up for him. I do think this progress shows, in an ideal snow year, sub-60-days is possible.

Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Forum Posting

A Membership is required to post in the forums. Login or become a member to post in the member forums!

Get the Newsletter

Get our free Handbook and Receive our weekly newsletter to see what's new at Backpacking Light!

Gear Research & Discovery Tools


Loading...