Avoid the ADZPCTKO

You've spent years dreaming about it and months preparing for it. You're actually going to attempt a thru-hike.

Gear has been collected. Your food packages and/or drift box have been prepared. Training miles have shaped you for the journey. You've read journal after journal gleaning what information you can. As the time grows near you anticipate swift creek fords and spring "The trail conditions and your individual skill level should be your primary considerations for choosing a start date." snowmelts. After all this planning and preparation.....

You choose a start date to coincide with the ADZPCTKO???

The ADZPCTKO is an acronym that means, 'Annual Day Zero Pacific Crest Trail Kick-Off' . 'Day Zero' is chosen a full year in advance due to scheduling constraints and does not reflect current year trail conditions. The trail conditions and your individual skill level should be your primary considerations for choosing a start date. The orgainzers publicly state that non-attendees should alter their start date to avoid the herd. These facts clearly state that your hike is of less importance than their gathering.

Welcome to 'The Herd'.

Hikers that leave the gathering on the same day are referred to as 'The Herd'. No one is doubting the value to the hiking community one may find at the gathering, it's once you hit the trail things get interesting. For the next 2-3 weeks "The ADZPCTKO depends on you for its success. The success of your hike does not depend on the ADZPCTKO." you and ~150 of your fellow hikers will be sharing the same section of trail. If you're looking for solitude in the wilderness, this isn't it and don't expect to find it anytime soon. You are encouraged to take individual responsibility for this clumping where those promoting the gathering won't.

Ah, Warner Springs. I hope you arrived at the front of 'The Herd'. You and your fellow hikers will be competing for the same services at the same time. Think about it. The Post Office resides in a small trailer. You will see hiker packages literally piled to the ceilings in the lobby. Last year on my section hike I spoke with one of the clerks on the subject. She said it was just overwhelming and they were considering holding packages for only one week, instead of the required 2 weeks, if they could. They simply didn't have the space. These folks are well aware of the ADZPCTKO's deaf ear on the subject.

The ADZPCTKO depends on you for its success. The success of your hike does not depend on the ADZPCTKO. You may hear statements such as, "We provide you with the latest trail conditions" or "Current status of water sources and "[the ADZ provides] Current status of water sources and water caches." Statements like this are designed to foster dependence on the event. water caches". Statements like this are designed to foster dependence on the event. In all but severe drought years, you don't need water caches (You're not planning on them, are you?). The natural/permanent water sources are an ample resource with their locations painstakingly described in the guidebooks. Additionally, all water source information is widely available on the internet. Unfortunately, the water cache location and status are too. You surely don't need to attend the ADZPCTKO to get water info.

The ADZPCTKO is nothing less than a spectacular gathering. By all means go! But wait until a year that you are not hiking. Dumping a couple hundred hikers on the trail the same day is not what hiking is about. To remind those who have forgotten this, reinforce the idea by not attending.

K. Scott Parks
February 1, 2006
[revised August 25, 2006]