The Pacific Crest Trail

by Jeffrey P. Schaffer

Book Overview

Whether you're planning to hike the entire Pacific Crest Trail through Oregon and Washington, or just a section or two, this is an essential guide to the sometimes complicated logistics and navigation... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0899972683
• ISBN13: 9780899972688
• Release Date: January 2000
• Publisher: Wilderness Press
• Length: 340 Pages
• Weight: 1.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Books for Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail

I have hiked over 10,000 miles on the Pacific Crest Trail. Every year I buy four Wilderness Press books, cut them into sections and put them in my resupply boxes. None are all inclusive for my needs. That does not exist. The Pacific Crest Trail: Southern California, Northern California, and Oregon/Washington and the Pacific Crest Trail Data Book, all four by Wilderness Press. They tell me where, I am going, how to get there, side and alternate routes(a huge plus), histories, points of interest and much, much more. These books give me much more than a simple point A to B sterile hike. Author, Ben Schifrin, and editor, Roslyn Bullas, are active in the hiking community a show a genuine concern for helping the trails and the hikers both. I also use each year Yogi's Pacific Crest Trail Handbook. Author Jackie McDonnell(Yogi) is the #1 authority on how to hike the Pacific Crest Trail and she also passes on information from 500 other recent thru hikers including me. It will save you $100's of Dollars and 100's of hours. Buy it at [...] And I also use the free to print [...] maps by my friend Halfmile. The size and detail make it the best map for hiking the PCT.

2006 update available

I have not hiked the PCT yet, but plan too. My only complaint with this entire series is that the maps do not have GPS markers on the maps; I believe the PCT Atlas series does this. Anyways the point of the post is to indicate that Wilderness Press has 2 PDF files available which provide updates/erratas to this book as of 2006. The "Search for 'PCT'" method does not work, but if you contact them they will email the PDFs to you.

Very descriptive

Overall this book is very detailed and easy to use. It provides good information on the trail, how to leave the trail in order to resupply and possible issues such as water or wild animals. The only thing I don't like about it is that the maps in the book are completely lacking any kind of coordinate grid which makes it difficult to locate on the map points the author is writing about.

user-friendly, highly practical while hiking

I used this guide to hike the Oregon section of the PCT in 1993 and found it very user-friendly, highly practical while on the trail and full of interesting background information. Among the most important aspect of the guide for me was the quality and reliability of the topographic maps, thoughtfully place by the Publishers so I could take the pages out and use them in a waterproof cover for each stage as I walked it. The hints on water supplies and campsites were essential and I was able to plan my route, timings, food drops and campsites for the entire trail; this was especially important for me as my budget and time free were limited. As far as I remember, the only thing that was incorrect was that there was no longer a bus from Bridge of the Gods into Portland. Not bad. I would recommend this guide to anybody planning to hike the PCT.