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Hill 12 on the Pacific Crest Trail changed my mind about daily mileage goals
I used to plan every day at 20 miles no matter what. Then on day 47 of my PCT section hike, I hit exactly 300 miles and was so focused on the number that I blew right past a perfect lake campsite. My friend stopped me and said "look back at the ridge you just climbed." That view made me realize I was missing everything by just chasing numbers. Now I plan around features and water sources instead of a forced mileage count. Does anyone else find that hitting big milestones just makes you want to rush the good parts?
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blair_martin7d ago
logan_young29 hit it on the head with that callout. A 20 mile hard rule is a recipe for burnout and missing the whole point of being out there. The thing is, milestones are just numbers on a spreadsheet not experiences. That lake spot you passed? That's the real prize. I've done the same thing with water caches where I'd skip a good creek just to hit some made up goal. Now I plan around where I want to sleep and what I want to see, not some arbitrary count. The trail will teach you that sooner or later, better to learn it early.
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Stop calling 20 miles a day a "daily mileage goal." That's a hard rule, not a goal.
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ray_miller847d ago
logan_young29 is right, calling a hard rule a "goal" is just lying to yourself. I did the same thing on the JMT last year, pushed 22 miles to get to a specific campsite marker and missed a killer sunset over Evolution Basin because I was too busy staring at my feet. That lake spot you passed? Man, I feel that. I've skipped perfect swimming holes just to stick to some number I made up the night before. The trail teaches you hard, don't it?
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