Overpaid for a guide on the PCT section near Donner Pass, wishing I'd just used Guthook

Last July I shelled out $220 for a three day guided trek between Donner Pass and Sierra City because I was nervous about the water crossings solo. The guide was nice but honestly just followed the same trail I could've mapped with the app on my phone. We stopped constantly for his group photos and I ended up covering half the miles I planned. Plus he didn't know the alternate route around a washout that local hikers pointed out on day two. I wasted both money and time, and I'm still annoyed about it. Has anyone else paid for a guide on a well marked route and regretted it, or am I just a cheapskate who should've trusted the maps?

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1 Comment

paulmitchell1mo ago

Last August I did the same stretch solo with just the Guthook app and a paper map from the ranger station. The water crossings were knee deep at worst and totally manageable if you go slow and use your trekking poles. I met three other thru hikers that day who had zero guide and were fine. The only time I'd pay for a guide is if I was doing something like a glacier traverse or a route with real route finding problems. For a marked PCT section, that $220 could've bought you a nice tent or two nights in a hotel in Truckee.