TCT – 1st Time Backpacking Trip … ?'s

[George SParticipant 54 points]

Helloo,

I’ve always used Socalhiker as a guide to my adventures and hikes throughout Southern California and recently have finished planning my 1st backpacking trip with my two friends (also their first time) to do the TCT hike. I based our itinerary off of the old official TCT hike that was originally posted by Jeff. After finally getting a chance to take a look at the forums, more specifically the TCT forum posts, I discovered the official TCT hike has been changed/altered through Marc M.’s post 3 months ago.

Due to the fact the official TCT hike has been changed, is it required I take the new trails as old trails have been closed? I planned this trip early January and have my campsites set for the last weekend in March. Will be staying at BlackJack 1st night, Two Harbors 2nd night, and Parsons Landing 3rd night.

Your advice is greatly appreciated to help un-discombobulating my dilemna.

-George S.

• This topic was modified 11 months ago by  George S.

[Jeff HesterKeymaster 33,127 points]

Hey George! Your campsite reservations are still good choices for the new route. Blackjack is really the only viable choice for the end of the first day of hiking. The new route is a little shorter, which makes it MUCH more enjoyable (the old route was brutal).

From Blackjack to Little Harbor to Two Harbors is also do-able (my wife and I did it) but it is a LONG day. The route here has changed a little bit, but the distance is about the same.

Hiking to Parsons Landing for the third night is perfect. The “old” TCT route officially ended at Starlight Beach — about 4.5 miles west of Parsons — but you still had to hike all the way back to Two Harbors and that wasn’t counted in the official mileage. The new route drops the detour to Starlight and the official end is now Two Harbors, so the total mileage of the trail is the total mileage you’ll hike.

Parsons was my favorite place to camp — just be sure to leave the next morning early enough to return to Two Harbors in time for your ride back to the mainland.

[George SParticipant 54 points]

Awesome! Thank you for the insight Jeff. We will still bake it out to Parsons landing and play it by ear on whether or not to hit starlight beach, (depending on how tired we are).

Looking foward to the whole trip, its only two weekends away!!! I hope all this rain helps make the island LUSH with vegetation for our trip. Also hope it stops raining a few days before we go, lol.

Thanks again for the advice!

[Marc MParticipant 841 points]

George, good luck on your trip. The only reason I stayed in Two Harbors the second and third nights was so that a) I could slack-pack the loop to/from Parsons Landing (vs with the 35lb pack), and b) the food at the bar in town is significantly better than the dehydrated stuff I would have had to eat at Parsons 🙂 With the recent rains, you’re going to have fantastic GREEN views and pleasant temperatures. -marc

[DamonParticipant 734 points]

Yes, I definitely recommend making it out to Starlight. It was one of my favorite beaches. I also enjoyed the camping at Parsons.You’ll take pride in saying you did the the whole old trail (You’ll regret it if you don’t, but I guess it will give you a reason to go back). Have fun and beware of the little fox at Black Jack. They figured out how to get into my zipped bag and eat my oatmeal.

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