Customer Reviews

Pacific Crest Trail Data Book: Mileages, Landmarks, Facilities, Resupply Data, and Essential Trail Information for the Entire Pacific Crest Trail, from Mexico to Canada

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It's got the bare essential data you need for the hike.
Mileage, water sources, post offices, grocery stores, etc.
Don't leave your domicile without it.

No fluff, just facts, as promised. Mileages (both incremental and cumulative), feature codes for each significant way point, and resupply info. Extremely useful for shorter-distance PCT-ers, indispensable for through-hikers and full-season PCT hikers.

Let me state first that I have yet to do the thruhike, I'm just acquiring items and planning for the trip next spring. To be honest, I only picked up this book as a "backup" to my GPS system which has been filled with waypoints ands tracks. Well, I was wrong. This book, though thin and light (an important factor for many thru-hikers), it is much more useful than I had originally thought. Here are some of the strong positives of this book:

1. Water sources. I think this is more important in the Southern California part of the trail, where getting access to water sources is one of the bigger issues for hikers. The sources mentioned in the book might be out of date, requiring you to check on current information on the web. But, if you are like me, using a GPS system as your main source of information, in an emergency for food, water, or just a night in a soft bed, this book will get you info fast.
2. Trail information. There appears to be several points on the trail where it cross roads, or requires you to use graded or paved roads. This really helps you keep on the trail. Again, where it gets confusing, I'm going to use this book as much as my GPS.
3. Resupply info. I like the fact that I can plan on which resupply points that I'm going to use, preferring ones close to the PCT.
4. Other info. It helps out with things from how to estimate when the Sierras will be passable to addresses for general delivery of supplies.

I think this book, along with the three Pacific Crest Trail books, are what you need to effectively and safely plan this thru-hike. These books are no longer a backup to my GPS, but are part of the arsenal needed to successfully hike from Mexico to Canada, unless you're one of those hikers who has done it a bunch of times. Of course, they probably wrote these books!

Contains just what I need, no more, no less. Well worth the price, recomended for PCT hiker!

This book seems to be very precise as far as mileage goes, but I was looking for more insight into the trail.

This is a must-have for anyone planning a day hike, section hike or thru hike of the Pacific Crest Trail!

I have the trail guides for the PCT, but this data book actually has the most useful information for me while I am on the trail for recognizing my progress and deciding how much water to carry.

This book is a good starting point, but you definately also need the 3 other books of this series.