Which Trail Should YOU Thru-hike First? (Appalachian Trail vs PCT vs CDT)
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 20 พ.ย. 2018
- 01:26 People
09:14 Navigation
14:00 Physical Challenge
16:29 Wildlife
18:39 Water
20:43 Weather
24:30 Fires
26:37 Little Victories
27:51 Views
29:41 Fear of Heights
31:15 Resupply
33:32 Lodging
35:00 Location
36:41 Experience
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HAPPY THANKSGIVING Y’ALL! ❤️
Thank you, for you and yours also
Congratz Dixie from Donner Summit.
Tom Lounsbury is it snowing yet
HAPPY THANKSGIVING! I am thankful for your videos that let me live vicariously. I’m not in a great life situation right now so you offer an escape I dream of! I live in VA so the AT is appealing to me because I’m happiest in the woods. I’d love that green tunnel!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family! Love your videos!
I want to congratulate you on your triple crown. That is no small task. I would also like to suggest a bigger challenge. Hike the North Country Trail. It's more than twice the length of the AT, 4600 miles I think, and goes from North Dakota to Vermont. From what I can find out, there are only four people who have ever completed a thru-hike. I would love to see you complete the mother of all trails. The North Country Trail.👍
@Sophia Wilson The Trans-Canada Trail is not a trail. It actually covers thousands of kilometres of water in which you have to portage through.
@Sophia Wilson It sure is a beautiful country
@@celestial623 Of the 15,000 miles of trail about 27 % is over water mostly around the lake Superior area following early voyageur routes. Canoeing oy kayaking Northern Ontario waterways is an incredible experience but if that isn't a persons cup of tea that still leaves roughly 11,000 miles of trail they can hike. Cheers from Canada
I've never heard of the north country trail but it sounds amazing. That seems to be a pretty varied sampling of environments! It's also cool to hear of a trail like this that cuts through my native state of Ohio. We're kind of flat and boring but our woods can be very pretty. Part of the appeal to the AT for me is that it looks like the woods we played in as kids growing up here and in visiting my grandma in TN.
is this a complete trail? on the website, looks like only 2K miles are complete.
section hiking the AT, age 61
Good luck my friend. I live in NC and am turning 60 this coming year, thinking of doing the same as you.
Robert Myers
Did ye meet along the way ?
Hope it went well!
Having watched all of your thru-hikes, I kinda have that feeling like at the end of a Netflix binge-watch where you think "well now what am I going to do with my life?" haha I do hope you'll find other adventures to share with us!
I was thinking the EXACT same thing! Hee, hee, hee, snort
ReeWray Outdoors Camino De Santiago vlogs!!
Haha same.
Europe has thru hike long trails
@@jamesfrazier4005 which ones do you wish to share??
Jessica (Dixie) Happy Thanks giving!
I want to thank you for the huge impact you have made on this almost 60 year old. I have loved the outdoors my whole life and hiked in the white mountains several times. My children joined me and sharing that experience with them was a major joy in my life. I admire your guts... to create a business doing what you love is a blessing. Most of us do the opposite, we keep working at what "pays the bills" so we can take brief vacations to do what we love. I would like to hike the PCT at age 65 when I can finally through off the yoke and retire.
I want you to know that no matter what you choose to do in the future you have already done more than most of us will accomplish in our lifetimes. And, I don't mean simply hiking the triple crown... you have touched the hearts and souls of so many people and inspired them.
For this I thank you
Jim Owens I couldn’t have said it better !!😍
It really would have been nice if she had loved your comment..
fantastic comment jim and you are so right....
watching this and answering this like "yeah definitely the PCT" knowing damn well I got a regular ole job
I know most people that do huge hikes dont really have full time jobs ...I cant take 3 months off to do a huge hike I got house bills and car bills
Than quit your job and get rid of your house and car
@@Romin.777 haha ok
@@tepoztlitlacatl634 At some point i did to travel India and Nepal.
@@Romin.777 yeah I'm gonna do that as well ..but not to those locations I've traveled lots as well. But I am not gonna drop everything I have a good car a good house and a career I'll go on vacations but 3 months ...must of those guys come home and live with families I'm not gonna go out then come back to my moms house
IMHO the best "starter" trail is the Northville-Placid trail in the Adirondacks in NY. A comfortable 138.6 miles, a couple "trail towns" at miles 40 and 90, no crazy elevation gain, enough possibility of seeing a bear to have to take precautions like a bear hang, one river crossing, shelters throughout most of the second half but scant in the first half, fantastic solitude and lovely lakes and ponds.
Thanks for this comment!! I had never heard of the NPT, but I'm doing research now for an AT thru-hiking attempt in 2021 and I've been looking for some nice preparatory trips.
The Northville Placid trail is a great hike, plan your time of year to account for the bugs if you are not accustomed to them.
I have decided that I am going to do a tiny first thru hike only 48.4 miles the Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway Trail in NH. It’s basically in my backyard. Mount Sunapee is 5 miles from my house. I’m new to backpacking so I think that is a good place to start next spring! Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃🍁🍽
livinglike_ lisa good plan! I have hiked most of that trail and it is extremely realistic especially if you live nearby. Lotsa bears on Pitcher Mountain during blueberry season!
That's a good plan and seems manageable .
Susan Foster Thanks!
KrazyKrzysztof Thanks!
Good plan!!!! I also want to start small before going headfirst into the big ones
To answer your question: I did the PCT in '05 because I grew up backpacking in Yosemite. The group I hiked with always fantasized about hiking the PCT. Then in '04 Tim McGraw put out the song "Live Like You Were Dying" and it sparked an ember that turned to a fire. Researched if a 45 year old man could do it, found mentors from the previous years and that's when the Through Hike bug was born.
I click Like as soon as I hear "Hey y'all!".
Keeping my spirit free while quarantined
Kungsleden (King’s Trail) in Sweden. I thru hiked it twice. For someone who gets bored on long-duration trails, like myself, it is perfect. And it feels like a different planet, some of it being in the Arctic Circle. Easy logistics, sublime views.
Can you share some information about the kungsleden? Like a website or a book that could help with the preparation?
www.swedishtouristassociation.com/areas/kungsleden/
Thanks!
That would be an awesome option.
I am Dutch and could take a bus to sweden. Did that before. ;)
Good video! It’s fun to dream and plan. I say that the best hike is always the one that you’re doing.
The Arizona Trail is another one for people who want to dip their toes in a thru hike. 800 miles, and the terrain is surprisingly varied.
I'm planning on thru hiking the Arizona trail next January.
Have you tried the Hayduke?
I LOVE YOU DIXIE ♥️♥️ HAPPY THANKSGIVING
First, thank you, thank you and thank you! You give me so much inspiration going forward. I'm going to start hiking smaller trails early next year and then starting with the AT in 2021. You have so much knowledge. I've listened and watched several hikers on TH-cam over the past three years and you are my favorite one. I'm in the process of preparing for retirement and putting together my packing list of equipment.
Hey Dixie, I have been following you since the PCT and you are actually the reason that made me want to hike this trail.
Just a friendly suggestion, it would be really handy if whenever you use feet, ounces, etc, to just write the equivalent in metric system while editing the video. It's much simpler for us non-Americans if we don't have to pause the video to convert everything. Because, in case you did not know, you're an international celebrity!
As usual, thanks for a great content!
The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep merica
What do you mean?
@@jamesmummerfied3044 LOL. That's very poetic. You should write a book!
@@donnajess It's a Robert Frost poem
Just watched this video. You did such a good job of breaking down each trail and the pro's and con's of each. A lot to think about but so much more informed now. Thanks
Great video as always
I am so happy to hear how you were able to finance your hiking. I also try to live as simply as possible and have been blessed with good health at 68. Love the tips and encouragement!
*Great video Dixie!*
Thank you sooooo much Dixie! Awesome video.
Great review of the trails. Thanks!
Thank you for "29:41 Fear of Heights" -- It's verified what I thought after watching so many thru-hikes this year! I have a strong fear of heights.
The NCT trail!😀 Love the video Dixie! Bringing ppl into the reality of what is out there trail Wise is awesome!
Thanks, Dixie! Happy Thanksgiving to you and all your family....including Aaron and Perk! 😋
I am so blessed to have found your vids.
Happy Thanksgiving, great video and Thank you for the Facebook page you created. I’ve interacted with a few folks there and it’s been a positive experience.
Love this!
I thru-hiked the AT in 2018. Why did I choose it? Well, I don't know that I really went through a process of comparison and review. Being from GA, the AT was always in my mind and I felt like it was/is the trail with more soul. The Appalachian mountains have always provided me a sense of peace. Being in them makes me feel closer to Mother Earth, and having completed a thru-hike of it, I continue to feel this way. I have a permit for the PCT in 2019 and will have more perspective after that. And even though I'm officially a thru-hiker, I am still questioning my ability to complete the PCT due to my perceptions of it being less-forgiving. We will see. And as a last note, my quest to thru-hike the AT was well-supported through the many hours of watching Dixie videos. I even watched a few of your CDT videos while on the Trail this year to energize me during some down days. Thank you Dixie for the support! :)
Well done! Great information! Thank you!
Happy Thanksgiving 2019. Your legacy lives on.
i'm 60 and would do the AT first as i have watched more about it than the other trails on youtube.Happy ThanksGiving to you and your family. Perk and Aaron also.
Robert Rockwell good choice !
Great video!! Very informative ... good info to start planning my 1st thru-hike! Thank you
I really admire your courage and perseverance in having completed these three huge challenges!
wow. amazing compare and contrast. thank you.
Another awesome video from Dixie! Such a great resource and so comprehensive. Happy Thanksgiving, sweetie.
great information and thank you.
I've done a bit of weekend backpacking in the boundary waters canoe area but only just recently discovered trail hiking through youtube channels like yours. Did some research and found the Superior Hiking Trail close to home here in Minnesota. Planning on doing some sections this summer and hopefully a through hike next year. If all goes well I'm looking at attempting the PCT in 2022! I very much appreciate you and other youtubers taking the time to share your knowledge with the rest of us!
Great video! Super informative!
You are awesome! Thanks so much for all you do to help others do their dreams!
Awesome video. Very inspiring
thanks so much for this, was very helpful
Happy Thanksgiving! Hearing that you are going to hike the parts of the PCT you missed, I suggest that you add another pass through the Sierra. It's much nicer hiking from mid August through September when the snow is generally melted out (except for 2017) and the mossies are gone. Much more relaxing and enjoyable and more varied scenery (not just white).
Happy thanksgiving Dixie!! Love you!
VERY informative. thank you so much!
This was just excellent! As always, informative, interesting, thoughtful. My grandson and I are hoping to start section hiking the CDT beginning in May 2019, one state at a time each year, for as long as the powers above let us do it. I asked him, 'Wouldn't it feel great to know that we have walked across the roof-line of this beautiful country?'
Thank you so much! I hope you and your family and friends [with a special holler out to Perk and Aaron who bring their owe art and craft to the discussion] have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
My first thru-hike was the 330 mile long Allegheny Trail (ALT) that runs through West Virginia from the Pennsylvania border south of Pittsburgh, to Peters Mountain on the A.T. at the Virginia border. I chose that trail simply because it was the nearest long distance trail to me, and I could hike it down and back (660 miles) in less than 2 months, and I also got to hike some of the A.T. I've since sectioned hiked a little over half of the A.T., but I really envy you who have the time to thru-hike all these trails.
Rainmaker here -
Big day today! I hope you enjoy "the game" as much as I have enjoyed all of your videos. Thank you so much for bringing these trails to life!
Best to you and your family
I agree about the Wind Rivers. I go there again and again and again.
Thank you, your advice is helping me divest and soon hit my 1st trail!
Thanks for the great info
Happy Thanksgiving young lady and to your friends stay safe and happy as always
I will watch this later on tonight
Great video!
Happy thanksgiving! I love your videos for your diligent objectivity. I must say that I am saddened that I was going to do pct 2019 and am geared up though not ultra light but my budget is not in place. I live in southern California and have hiked alot of the south pct and it's surroundings throughout the years. Thank you for your videos. I was always looking forward for the following week to see your post through the pct and cdt. I recommend the machupichu trail in Peru and the Caminata de Santiago in Spain. I think that machupichu would be more your style but both historical and would love your insight. Happy thanksgiving.
Very well done Dixie. You offer tons of info and details on the info. Thanks for all you have offered to us. You certainly need a diamond studded triple gold crown. for your accomplishments to your generosity in sharing your experiences, opinions and such detailed info. I vote for the CDT as fewer people means seeing more wildlife and vistas of the beautiful Rockies.
First of all, great videos Dixie! I've been binging on vicarious trail time thru your youtube channel the last few weeks. Secondly, Whoa!!! That dead rabbit was already there during my thru hike in 2016!! I wonder if it's still floating around haunting thirsty hikers. =] I live in Oregon so the PCT was the natural first choice for me. My preference is the rugged wilderness, big nature, big views, so my hunch is the PCT and CDT will be my favorites, however once i've walked both of those, I'm sure the AT will beckon just as strongly. Id love to see a video or pick your brain about drones/back country cameras. Thats a facet I'm interested in incorporating into my thru hikes in the future.
Thanks again for sharing your experiences!
-Alex
Happy Thanksgiving, Dixie! Also to Perk and Aaron. Enjoy Iron Bowl week.
Hey Dixie, thanks for the memories and Happy Thanksgiving.
Love you and your videos!! Wishing you and your family a happy thanksgiving! 🦃🍁
Thank you so much for all the thoughts! I just love your general attitude in not judging stuff, like "this is the best" or "you definitely have to do this and that" ...
Have you ever considered hiking in Nepal in the future? I would love to see videos from you hiking around Manaslu or in Tsum-Valley! ;)
Very good video, helped me decide how to start my next journey. Thank you!
excellent advice
Happy thanksgiving Dixie
Great info, thanks. Planning on AT 2020
Thoughtful, to the point, not biased, as expected :)
Great wrap-up of why to choose one trail over another. Just convinced me that the PCT is the one for me! Hope to do that one day...
This was great info Dixie. I've followed you from the start (AT) and enjoyed it all. I'll be doing the AT in 2020 and you have been a real inspiration. I hope this is not the last of your videos!! Take care!!
TL I’m also planning to thru hike the AT in 2020! Dixie is definitely the reason I’m going. Maybe I’ll see you out there!
Hope so!! AT 2020!!!
Our 25 blueberry bushes are super loaded and ripe right now with blueberries and I was just thinking about making some dried blueberry cobbler/fruit leather with our apples. Y’all have the best trail ideas and helpful information!
Happy Thanksgiving Dixie great trail info thanks.
Amazing video while you did change your trails alot I was able to follow you r story.
That is the perfect answer! Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanks for this informative post. My first ‘thru-hike’ was the Camino de Santiago. I chose it because of the infrastructure support along the way. Pilgrim albergues (hostels) are located all along the trail and so we’re restaurants and grocery stores. It was a great first long distance hike. An added bonus to hiking the Camino was meeting people every day from all over the world.
My second thru-hike was the John Muir Trail. I chose it for the beauty as well as the convenience for me as I live in California.
I am hoping to thru-hike the A.T. next!
Happy 🦃 thanksgiving!!! Good video as always
I'm going to be doing the AT in 2020 because that's the first one I heard about and I heard about it through your videos. You totally gave me the hiking bug so thank you!
Hi Dixie, I love your videos, they are so informative. I hope this won't come across as insensitive at this current time but I wonder if you would think about doing a video on how to prevent starting a wildfire while hiking and also how to prevent getting trapped by one. Obviously heeding any fire closures in place is a given, but with fires appearing to become more common it would be great to get some good advice about that.
I have camped extensively, and been on some of the PCT. I'm 72 and too worn to do it anymore. Your Videos are very nice.
Love your videos, love your accent.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING
My son and I have been wanting to take a backpacking trip but I don't want to bite off more than we can chew. We both have plenty of tent camping experience, but nil w/backpacking. Growing up in Kentucky, and having stepped foot on the AT on more than one occasion, I think that's a common dream for any of us who enjoy the trails...So we've devised a plan to take a shorter hike closer to home when he gets out of school next year, the Sheltowee Trace through the Daniel Boone NF. Should take maybe 3ish weeks. The way I see it, if we can finish that (314mi) and get bitten by the long-haul bug then we'll be more prepared and confident about hiking the AT the year after.,.,.I appreciate all your videos. You cover every detail veraciously and thoroughly; Seems like you've become an invaluable resource to the backpacking community (we beginners in particular).
👍👍 as always it's a pleasure watching your channel Jessica... Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family....Gobble till you wobble...😉
Hi Dixie! Mayor and Schwepes buddy Rattlesnake here. Gathering CDT info. My first thru-hike was the PCT inspired by Into the Wild and a hitchhiking background. Did the AT this year. Though I faced alot of adversity on the PCT it was my favorite bc of terrain diversity, the Sierras, the many hotsprings, South Lake Tahoe, Stilldream, legit backcountry sections the whole time, and for me, the absence of hostels(I felt they depreciated the bond created by trail hardships on the AT). Something I can recommend is hiking in Denali, there are no trails so you do your own routing beforehand, infinite degrees of difficulty, more mentally engaging, great wildlife, and less social but more team oriented. I would bring a packraft next time. Couple q's for the CDT: How closely knit is it with the nearby bikepacking trail? Any notable festivals or events along the way? Hotsprings? And what is the gender ratio like (comparatively)? Thanks I hope can show some people a fresh perspective.
Love all your videos. I'm sticking to my 1 and 2 day hikes in the Catskills✌. Happy Thanksgiving Dixie.
Gearing up for the Paradise Trail around Mt Hood.
Happy Thanksgiving Dixie!
I've never backpacked in my life but i love watching people's adventures. If i ever do get to thru hike, i want to be as informative as possible. I also want something i can bring my dog along 😊
The CDT is closest to me so I may do that one first. My plan is to take my girls on day hikes then overnights. And work our way up to longer hikes. If I can get them to love hiking then I could do a thru hike when them if not I'll wait until they go to college.
I’ve hiked the JMT and I picked it because I live in SoCal and love the sierras. I also have hiked and backpacked on sections of the PCT and love it. That is why I applied for my PCT permit this year
Permit to hike a trail? WTH
No, I have never hiked as a civilian, just starting to look into doing/seeing more of my country.
I’m watching in December 2020 and still can’t decide which one! I’m from the UK. There’s something special about them all but I think my heart is set on the PCT for the epic scenery
Thanks Dixie. I get social anxiety to the point where it is painful. My goal was to hike the AT when I retire. Maybe I will reconsider and do the CDT instead. Thanks for your expert insight.
The AT and PCT are becoming oversaturated with people. Try something else y'all like the Colorado Trail, Arizona Trail, Florida Trail, Great Divide Trail, Oregon Desert Trail, Oregon Coast Trail, Pacific Northwest Trail, Benton MacKaye Trail, the Long Trail, John Muir Trail, Pinhoti Trail, Ice Age Trail, Superior Hiking Trail, Tahoe Rim Trail, Wonderland Trail, etc.
John Muir Trail is super crowded now.
more folks need to flip flop the AT
@@hsjdkebrk Yeah, that's true. And I've read that 170 miles of the JMT overlaps with the PCT. So it adds additional traffic to the already oversaturated PCT route, ultimately contributing to sustainability issues.
Kevin, I agree. There are lots of good trails to hike. However, compared to the AT, the PCT is not even close to over saturated (just sayin'). With some advance planning and map skills, any trail, like the JMT for instance, can be modified to skirt a few of the busier areas or just to better suit you. As for me, I love the high country. I have no urge to do any of the big three entirely and I have absolutely no interest in the AT. Maybe the Long Trail or some trails in the Whites though. Check out "My Own Frontier". Great videos... :)
@@strathack33 Yeah, I went south when I hiked it in 2012 so crowds were not really a issue. Though I was still coming across trash from time to time back then. I guess "over saturated" is a bit of a subjective thing to define, though the PCT is moving in the direction of the AT. Over 6,000 permits were given out in 2017, and not sure about 2018 though it has been going up every year. And I'm about the same with the AT in mostly just being interested in the Whites if I do any part of it. And thanks, I'll check out the videos.
Awesome video, very informative. SOBO PCT, that's what I've decided after following all three of your hikes and living and hiking on the East Coast my whole life (meh, green tunnel). I also have family in the PNW and have hiked with them before and I love love love Oregon and Washington.
Hannah Ulrich check our hurlgoathiker on TH-cam. He hiked the PCT SOBO in 2017 and his videos are very detailed and informative.... especially in Washington.
I'm planning on hiking the Allegheny Trail here in my home state first. Probably not all of it since it isn't complete yet. Then the Tuscarora Trail which it is intended to eventually connect with as part of the Great Eastern Trail. After that, I plan to hike the upper portion of The Long Trail in Vermont to where it meets the AT. That way, when I do eventually thru-hike the AT and reach that point, I will have finished section hiking The Long Trail, which is apparently the oldest designated trail in the US. Keep up the wonderful inspirational videos. Thank you!
thaks for this
You have the best channel
Who knew there was a North Country Trail (NCT). The quadruple crown? Thanks for putting out so many great videos
Loved this comparison of the triple crown in the USA. It was wonderfully detailed- just what a planner likes to see! I don't know that i'll ever have the time to do a big hike- or at least not until my young kids are older but I would love to see some content of favourite sub-sections of each one. I'm on Vancouver Island so way more likely to complete the PCT or CDT areas, but AT would be interesting as well, maybe a mini-series!
P.S. I think outside of the USA any murders would be considered above average haha though I do love your optimism for backing the AT's poor record on this by giving the 100 year comparison lol
Thanks for making the CDT less scary for a first timer! I would pick the CDT because in my mind you get a much longer time to build up endurance before you start climbing a lot!? Thoughts?
One consideration for hikers who are also cyclists is that the Great Divide Mountain Biking Route parallels the CDT and can be done comfortable in 6-8 weeks. The GDMBR is one of a kind so it might be better to thru hike one of the others if you have an inkling that you might want to cycle through the Rockies one day.
I am planning a thru hike of the North country trail in 2019 since I live in New York. Then in 2020 will be the AT.