PCT thru-hiking; restocking at Granite Chief, Truckee CA Thru-hiking the PCT - hiker Hamlet restocks at Granite Chief, in Truckee, CA.

Planning, Determination, and Good Will

For those who go the route of thru-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, neither wind, nor rain, or in our case this summer, a deep defrosting snow pack, will stop the determined hiker. Hamlet, his trail name, stopped into Granite Chief Ski & Mtn Shop the other day for a planned restock. What was not originally on his needs list for this stop, however, were socks.  Hamlet, had recently come across a fellow thru-hiker in dire need of fresh "woolies".  The hiker had, faster than anticipated, worn through the threads of his current two pair.  Knowing that your feet are everything in this kind of endeavor, the Shakespearian prince gave his PCT compatriot one of his pairs.  "With thru-hiking, you're always planning to replace socks and shoes due to mileage.  But, the huge snow pack and overflowing rivers we are encountering this year is speeding up the wear and tear", noted Hamlet.  Once at Granite Chief, he simply added a pair of Darn Tough socks to his shopping list of fuel, water filter, sunglasses and sunscreen.

It was great to have Hamlet stop in to Granite Chief and share a bit of his thru-hiking story. As we see more and more hikers each year, we see the community that develops out on the PCT.  We also witness the "pass it forward" practice, and the care thru-hikers give to each other.  Now, if we could only carry that humanity through to the rest of world, in everyday life - just imagine, as John Lennon wrote, just imagine ...