Pacific Crest Trail Kickoff Party April 27-29
It honestly may be the greatest party in the world. I remember it vividly. Its purpose is to support the annual crop of thru-hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). It is always the last weekend in April. This year that will be April 27-29.
The Kickoff is famous for two things. The first is FOOD. The ex-thru-hikers feed the current year’s class like stuffed pigs. Better yet, nobody has to feel guilty because they will be quickly working the calories off in the desert.
Second, the Kickoff features seminars on a multitude of topics. These include reports on water sources and caches in the desert, snow levels in the ‘High Sierra’, bears (and bear canisters), and desert hiking. The seminars are given by previous year’s hikers; better yet, the style is tell it like it is, not your typical seminar ‘officialese’ language in which each speaker covers its ass.
This is a fun and informative event, and should not be missed by anyone planning to thru-hike the PCT. The year I did it (2009), alot of people met their hiking partners for the next 2,600 miles at the Kickoff.
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