How long will we be on the trail?
148 days total: 127 hiking days, 17 zero days, 4 adventure days
Nick & Chris start on May 16th. Ben joins them on May 27th near Palm Springs.
Scheduled end date is Oct 10th.
How many miles do you have to walk each day?
On average, 21 miles/day. Some will be as high as 30, others as low as 15.
Will you guys always be together?
Probably not. Though there will be times we will hike together, we can also hike at our own pace during the day. We will always have designated meeting points along the way where we can check in. Each night we will set up camp, have dinner, and sleep in the tent together.
Unless of course, someone gets voted off the island...
What happens if you disagree about something?
We vote. Majority rules. Always*.
*Chris is always right.
What will you do while you're out there all day?
Hike, eat, sleep, repeat.
Look at pretty nature.
Tell fart jokes.
Contemplate things.
What will you eat?
Berries, dirt, squirrels...
Where will you get your water?
Natural and artificial water sources along the trail should provide most of our water, which we will have to treat, filter, or boil to make safe to drink. Because California is experiencing a bit of a drought, we expect there will be some water caches along the way, stocked by Trail Angels, to help thirsty hikers.
What are you taking with you?
Not much. Our gear is ultralight to keep our base pack weights around 15lbs. See our "Equipment" section.
What are you sleeping in?
On the Trail: A tent that is probably too small for 3 grown men.
In Town: We'll probably share a queen bed when we can find one. Why raise the bar just to have it lowered the next night?
Where will you shower?
Ben: "In town!"
Nick: "In the streams!"
Chris: "We won't!"
On the trail we'll take baby-wipe showers; baby wipes are more valuable than gold. We’ll be back in town every 6-8 days for a resupply and rest. This will be an opportunity to take a real shower and sleep in a real bed.
What will you do if something bad happens?
Situation: Bear Mauling
Solution: Slowest person eaten, the other two continue in memory of their fallen comrade.
Situation: Dying of Thirst
Solution: Drink each other’s urine (gross but necessary).
Situation: Broken Neck
Solution: See "Bear Mauling"
But seriously; all three of us are familiar with wilderness travel, and we'll actually never be further than a few days from a town. We'll figure it out and be fine. So please don't worry.
Can I hike with you?
If you can make the scheduling work, we would love the company!
HOWEVER: If you are serious about joining us, there are a few conditions that you must adhere to.
1. You MUST be in the proper physical condition that will allow you to hike 8-10 hrs a day for 3 days straight in order to put up 25 mi/day.
2. You MUST have all your gear, and it needs to be light.
3. You MUST arrange your schedule to match ours. We cannot change our plan to accommodate you.
The underlying message is that we are already planning on finishing the trail late in the season, and cannot afford slowing down. If you're up to the challenge, though, come join us!
Can I meet you in one of the Zero Day towns along the way?
Absolutely! Just make sure you stay up to date with our schedule so you know when we'll be there!
Also, for our PNW friends, we will be taking Zero Days in Bend, OR, Mt. Hood, OR, and Seattle, WA. We'd love to see you if you can visit us!
We also plan on climbing Mt. Rainier & Mt. Hood along the way, so if you are a seasoned climber you could probably come with! (That means you, Taylor Brugh.)
Are you taking your phones?
Yes, we will have our cell phones, but service will be pretty bad, and this is an opportunity to unplug from technology a bit. So please don't be upset if we don't respond promptly (or at all) to your calls, texts, and emails.
So how can I communicate with you?
Send a us post card! Or a letter! We will try to keep our resupply addresses up to date so you know when and where to send it.
Email and social media also work. If you don't have all of our email addresses, and want to write us all a message, you can send it to threegonorth@gmail.com.
We will also update our blog, photo gallery & schedule updated so you can follow us along the way!
How can I help you guys out?
Care packages are great, just remember that we have weight and dietary restrictions that limit the items we will take with us on the trail.
You can also send us words of encouragement through postcards and social media.
And you can always DONATE some cold, hard cash ;)