Social vs solo life on the PCT
Towards the end of the Sierra section I found myself hiking in quite a large group of about 8 people and within a larger bubble of about 20 people that we knew around us on trail. Walking each day with a group of friends that size has been very fun, light hearted and there is never a dull moment. However when hiking within a group dynamic there are more variables to be included in decision-making and quite often the easiest options will be chosen. This means hiking less miles each day, getting up later to start the hike everyday, going to sleep later because you’re enjoying conversation with your group, staying in town for longer because you’re enjoying staying with your group.
Hiking in a group also meant that as we walked closer to Lake Tahoe I began to realise that I was not going to get to Canada by the time my visa was to expire if I continued hiking in a group. I had spoken individually to people in the group and it was generally felt that everyone should increase miles to speed things up because nobody wants to get to Canada when it is snowing. However when walking as a group it is easy to slip into the group mentality of less walking and more socializing rather than following a disciplined approach to hiking. It is because of this I decided to split from my group after Lake Tahoe and begin walking solo for the first time on the PCT, to push myself to walk more miles each day and to complete the trail before my visa expiry. Here are my thoughts on the pros and cons of each.
Group hiking
✔Great fun in town and sharing accommodation makes everything cheaper.
✔Always someone around you know to talk to, there is never a boring moment on trail.
✔Support network when you have a bad day.
✔Camping close to others may be more comfortable rather than alone.
✔Lots of information about the trail is easily shared, for example the days water sources.
✔General safety in numbers if someone is injured or to prevent other risks.
❓Limited alone time to reflect or think about things.
❓No real nature experience if the group is too big.
❓Finding campsites on trail big enough for 8 tents can be challenging.
❓Compromising on plans or personal goals if the group decides to do something outside of this.
Solo hiking
✔Sticking to plans and goals may be easier.
✔Having time to reflect and take in the wilderness experience.
✔Pushing yourself harder and not waiting for a group means more mileage each day.
✔Less time spent in towns as chores can be completed quicker without social distractions.
✔ You can do whatever you want when you want.
❓Miss out on trail culture and just hanging out with other hikers and sharing information.
❓Higher expenses such as transport and accommodation.
❓Night hiking alone is a bit scary.
❓No one is there to look out for you.
Since I started to walk solo this was about a month ago, I have indeed found other friends, new people and different bubbles of people. There are so many people hiking on the trail ahead of me and behind me it is easy to become social again.
To find a balance between solo and social hiking I am preferring to make my own plan everyday and stick to it even if it meant I was not hiking with or camping near new friends. In north California I was mainly walking alone but camping with new friends that I would say goodbye to as our plans were different. As I walked closer to Oregon I found myself in a new group of 3 who all had the same goal and pace. We have walked through Oregon together and now we will see what happens in Washington.
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Comments 1
I mostly hiked European trails because I live here. I suppose the situation here differs a lot. The decision if you hike solo or in a group already starts with choosing a trail. For example all Caminos in Spain are overcrowded. It’s just not possible to be alone when you stay on the path (I’m now there on a so called lonesome path in the north; believe me: it isn’t). On the other hand there are trails where you will meet not a single hiker (especially in eastern Europa but also in better known trails in France, Great Britain, Germany and much more).
I just can hike alone on the Camino by hiking my own paths 20-30km away from it and just sometimes coming back.
It’s great that the the long distance hikes (PCT, AT, CDT) always give you a choice to switch the mode of hiking. I suppose hiking community in US is a lot better than that in Europe – you’ve things like trail names, trail magic, trail angels and so on. Here it’s all focused on the Camino and the rest is still mostly unknown .