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Debate: Did the PCT southbound route ruin the northbound experience for me?
I used to be a die-hard northbounder on the Pacific Crest Trail. Started at Campo in 2019, did the whole thing in 5 months, loved the social vibe and hitting the Sierra with snow melting. But last year I decided to go southbound from Manning Park in late June. The solitude was way bigger, like I went days without seeing anyone in Washington, and the fall colors in the High Sierra were insane. Now I'm torn, because the northbound community was something special with all the trail fam stuff, but southbound gave me this raw wilderness feel that really stuck with me. What side do you lean on for the PCT or any long trail, and did your preferred direction change after trying the other?
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emmap161d ago
...and that reminds me of the time I tried hiking the John Muir Trail southbound just to switch things up, and I spent a whole day getting lost in a meadow because I was too busy staring at the golden aspens instead of my map. I totally get what you mean about the raw wilderness feeling though, because on my last PCT northbound trip I missed out on that fall color magic since I was always chasing the crowd. Honestly, I think both directions have their own flavor, and I end up choosing based on what kind of headspace I need at the time.
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mila_sullivan21h ago
Wait so do you think the social aspect of northbound is just a product of timing and crowding, or is there something actual about the direction that makes people more open to connecting?
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