CARE/RESUPPLY PACKAGES
I have a few friends and family that want to help out and send me a care package or a resupply package on my trip. I think this will be so exciting for me! and a little scary, I will be relying on others for my food for certain sections, so hopefully this will help them plan out what they can send me. If you want to send me a resupply package please contact me via email colleenhikes@gmail.com and we can plan this together. I think it's easier to describe food items via pictures.
Care Package
If you would like to send me a care package feel free to send any items listed below or similar. Keep in mind that what ever I receive I will have to carry. If I receive too much I may have to leave it behind for another hiker in a Hiker Box. Addresses of all places I can receive mail or a care package will be listed below. Please let me know you are sending something so I can plan accordingly.
Hiker Boxes are boxes that you will find along a long-distance trail were you can leave or take supplies. They can be found at hostels, hotels, post offices, outfitters, and other businesses or organizations. Common things you'll find in a hiker box are:
• Food and other consumables, which are often left if the person was tired of eating something, or brought more than they needed
• Gear someone decided was unnecessary and so just extra weight.
• Temporary gear, such as knee braces, that a hiker only needed for a short time.
• Gear someone decided was unnecessary and so just extra weight.
• Temporary gear, such as knee braces, that a hiker only needed for a short time.
(PHOTO VIA PCTA WEBSITE)
Resupply Boxes
Receiving resupply boxes would be amazing! To not have to worry about food for the next section would be amazing. If you want to send me a resupply box I will plan with you where to send it, when to send it, how to send it and for how many days the box will need to supply. Even though I will be providing a list of foods that will work for me, some of your own creativity will help with the boredom of me eating the same basic foods. Most resupply boxes would cover on average 5 days worth of food.
1 Day Example - ***picture examples at the bottom of this page***
- Breakfast - 1 pack Poptarts, 1 instant coffee, 1 Carnation instant breakfast
- Lunch - 1 Tortilla, 2 sticks of string cheese, Sausage of some sort. 1 water flavoring, 1 treat of some sort
- Dinner - Pack of Spam, Stuffing, Protein drink (possibly some dehydrated veggies to add)
- Snacks - 5 misc. Snacks - 1 cliff bar, 1 package cookies, 1 crackers and cheese, 1 mixed nuts, Candy
How to Send
- USPS Priority Flat Rate Box. A Medium box cost $13 and a Large costs $18, up to 75 lbs. I will not be able to carry 75 lbs of food, so keep that in mind lol.
- Please mark the box "CRB" on all 4 sides, doesn't have to be quite as obnoxious as my example on the left. Finding a box is not always an easy task, marking it like this will make it easier!
- Pick up points will look something like this, so marking it with my initials will just make things a whole lot easier!
- How to address the box will be mentioned in the addresses below.
(photo from snailtrainer.com)
What to Send - Food Ideas!
I'm pretty sure the best way to do this is with pictures! (This may take awhile... haha) If you are sending for 5 days try to vary meals and no need to over pack. example, for breakfast send 3 packets of poptarts, 1 or 2 envelopes oatmeal, and a breakfast bar. 5 packets of instant coffee and 5 carnation instant breakfasts (i will mix this with coffee and drink cold)
BREAKFAST
Something along these lines, I like my poptarts with frosting and oatmeal I prefer fruit and cream, but also like brown sugar flavor. I have no preference for type of coffee or flavor of instant breakfasts. I will be eating breakfast while packing up and may or may not heat water
LUNCH
Lets just call lunch "wrapped in a tortilla". I will always carry fajita sized tortillas, some sort of meat and cheese, or dehydrated refried beans, yes, dehydrated! I will also have good ol' fashioned PB&J!
DINNER
My one Hot meal a day! Each day will be 1 protein and one starch and hopefully some dehydrated mixed veggies thrown in.
DRINKS
WHERE TO SEND (still working on this)
1. Mount Laguna - April 17th - Mile 42.3 - 4.5 days till next stop
BREAKFAST
LUNCH
Lets just call lunch "wrapped in a tortilla". I will always carry fajita sized tortillas, some sort of meat and cheese, or dehydrated refried beans, yes, dehydrated! I will also have good ol' fashioned PB&J!
DINNER
My one Hot meal a day! Each day will be 1 protein and one starch and hopefully some dehydrated mixed veggies thrown in.
DRINKS
 |
| Some other items that could be included in a package |
WHERE TO SEND (still working on this)
1. Mount Laguna - April 17th - Mile 42.3 - 4.5 days till next stop
Notes: Mt. Laguna Market
Mail to - Mt. Laguna Lodge
Mt. Laguna Lodge
Mail to - Mt. Laguna Lodge
Mt. Laguna Lodge
P.O. box 146
Mt. Laguna, CA 91948
Hold for Colleen Brown
2. Warner Springs - April 21st - Mile 109.6 - 5.3 days till next stop
***I am sending a resupply box to this location***
***I am sending a resupply box to this location***
Notes: Community Center Store & meals - hiker box, computers, showers, laundry, wifi
Mail to - United States Post Office
Colleen Brown
Mail to - United States Post Office
Colleen Brown
c/o General Delivery
Warner Springs, CA 92086
3. Idyllwild - April 27th - Mile 178.6 - 2.2 days till next stop
***Receiving a package from the Hoss Family***
***Receiving a package from the Hoss Family***
Notes: Grocery Store Restaurants
Mail to - United States Post Office
Colleen Brown
Mail to - United States Post Office
Colleen Brown
C/O General Delivery
Idyllwild, CA 92549
4. Ziggy and the Bear - April 29th - Mile 211.1 - 4.9 days till next stop
***Sending myself a Resupply Box here***
Notes: Trail Angel House. $5 to pick up Resupply Box
Mail to - Ziggy and the Bears's House
Colleen Brown
Notes: Trail Angel House. $5 to pick up Resupply Box
Mail to - Ziggy and the Bears's House
Colleen Brown
PCT hiker ETA May 1
PO Box 826
Cabazon, CA 92230
5. Big Bear City - May 4th - Mile 274.1 - 4.2 days till next stop
***Receiving a box from Kathy here***
***Receiving a box from Kathy here***
Notes; Big Bear Hostel $20/$15 add night, outfitter, grocery, laundry, tacos, wifi, computers
Mail to - Adventure Hostel
Colleen Brown
Mail to - Adventure Hostel
Colleen Brown
c/o Adventure Hostel
P/O box 1951
Big Bear Lake, CA 92315
6. Wrightwood - May 9th - Mile 363.6 - 4.4 days till next stop
Notes: grocery, restaurants, Mountain Hardware store
Mail to - Mountain Hardware Outfitter
PCT hiker Colleen Brown
c/o Mountain Hardware
PO Box 398
Wrightwood, CA 92397
7. Acton - May 14th - Mile 444.2 - 6 days till next resupply
Notes: KOA campground $15/night, $4 for resupply box pickup
Mail to - KOA campground
Colleen Brown - pct hiker
c/o Acton KOA
7601 Soledad Canyon rd.
Acton, CA 93510
8. Tehachapi - May 21st - Mile 558.3 - 8 days to next resupply
Notes: motels, restaurants, grocery, Kmart, atm,
Mail to - United States Post Office
PCT Hiker Colleen Brown
c/o General Delivery
Tehachapi, CA 93561
9. Kennedy Meadows - May 29th - Mile 702.8 - 3.2 days to next resupply
***I am sending a resupply box to this location + my bear vault***
notes: $3 for resupply box pickup, Bear Can pickup, expensive general store
mail to - Kennedy Meadows General Store
PCT hiker Colleen Brown
c/o KM General Store
96740 Beach Meadow rd
Inyokern, CA 93527
10. Lone Pine - June 2nd - Mile 744.8 - 6.9 days to next resupply
notes: old western town, touristy, pool, pizza
11. Vermillion Valley Resort - June 9th - Mile 877.2 - 3.3 days to next resupply
***NO Package to this location, I will buy from the store***
notes: small store, restaurant, tent, cabins, showers, laundry $20 for resupply pickup w/ 20 lb limit
mail to - Vermilion Valley Resort *ETA on all 4 sides of box
Colleen Brown
Vermilion Valley Resort
c/o Rancheria Garage
62311 Huntington Lake rd
Lakeshore, CA 93634
12. Tuolumne Meadows - June 12th - Mile 942.7
Notes: grocery, restaurants, Mountain Hardware store
Mail to - Mountain Hardware Outfitter
PCT hiker Colleen Brown
c/o Mountain Hardware
PO Box 398
Wrightwood, CA 92397
7. Acton - May 14th - Mile 444.2 - 6 days till next resupply
Notes: KOA campground $15/night, $4 for resupply box pickup
Mail to - KOA campground
Colleen Brown - pct hiker
c/o Acton KOA
7601 Soledad Canyon rd.
Acton, CA 93510
8. Tehachapi - May 21st - Mile 558.3 - 8 days to next resupply
Notes: motels, restaurants, grocery, Kmart, atm,
Mail to - United States Post Office
PCT Hiker Colleen Brown
c/o General Delivery
Tehachapi, CA 93561
9. Kennedy Meadows - May 29th - Mile 702.8 - 3.2 days to next resupply
***I am sending a resupply box to this location + my bear vault***
notes: $3 for resupply box pickup, Bear Can pickup, expensive general store
mail to - Kennedy Meadows General Store
PCT hiker Colleen Brown
c/o KM General Store
96740 Beach Meadow rd
Inyokern, CA 93527
10. Lone Pine - June 2nd - Mile 744.8 - 6.9 days to next resupply
notes: old western town, touristy, pool, pizza
11. Vermillion Valley Resort - June 9th - Mile 877.2 - 3.3 days to next resupply
***NO Package to this location, I will buy from the store***
notes: small store, restaurant, tent, cabins, showers, laundry $20 for resupply pickup w/ 20 lb limit
mail to - Vermilion Valley Resort *ETA on all 4 sides of box
Colleen Brown
Vermilion Valley Resort
c/o Rancheria Garage
62311 Huntington Lake rd
Lakeshore, CA 93634
12. Tuolumne Meadows - June 12th - Mile 942.7
MORE EXAMPLES
 |
| 5 Days of Food - 1 package tortillas, 1 package of cheese |
 |
| 1 DAY = Breakfast - Poptarts, Breakfast Essentials, coffee Lunch - Slim Jims, Cheese & Tortilla Dinner - Rice a Roni and tuna Snacks - 5 including 1 fruit source Drinks - I lemonade 1 EmergenC |
 |
| 1 DAY - Breakfast - Poptarts, Breakfast essentials, coffee Lunch - Beef Jerky, Cheese and tortilla Dinner - Ramen and tuna Snacks - 5 including fruit and candy bar |
 |
| 1 Day - Breakfast bar and breakfast essentials and coffee Lunch - tortilla, cheese and some beef crumbles taco sauce Dinner Easy Mac and beef crumbles Snacks - include fruit and candy Bar |
Great list, Colleen!! <3 <3
ReplyDeletethanks mom, I'm getting there! very slowly, but surely.. I know I have some repetitive info on this site right now, but I just thought that this would be an easier way to show people what to pack if that is what they want to do..
DeleteOkay, so where is the sign up sheet? So that no one sends to two places in a row and then four people send it to one place. I know that you have that figured out, but I can't find it. :)
ReplyDeleteNo sign up sheet per say, but once we talk and figure something out I will add you name under the address... like ***getting a little something from kathy here*** or ***getting a resupply from the brown family here*** just like I did for the ones I'm sending.. fyi I am not done with the list.. not even to the half way point yet, and I will need the most help in Oregon and washington... hope that helps :)
ReplyDeleteOkay, so when we pick a spot to send, and it says 2.2 days to next stop, do you only want that much food for 2-3 days? Or should we still send 5 days worth of food? And where it might me longer, still only send 5 days worth? I know that only so much will fit in the Bear can, when you pick that up. Also, I saw on a blog that a lot of hikers leave stale trail mix in those drop off box places. They suggested taking out any chocolate and heating over fire, stirring every couple of min and it should be good to go, again. ;) Just wanted to share, in case you get really extra hungry, being without pizza and all for the most part! :D
ReplyDeleteI was gonna say why don't you email me these questions lol but I guess it's questions everyone has.. so, if it says 2.2 days till next stop then I only need that much food no more. If there are stores in town you can send a little less and I can supplement. My cousin Katie might have dibs on idyllwild. But you can send 2 days of food to any place if you want anything helps! I have taken care of the stops early on that have little resources.. guess who will be eating pizza in town!!
DeleteAlso, since you are starting in just a couple of days, where do you want the first care pkg sent? To the very first one listed? I am putting this out there, so I know if anyone else is planning to send the first one. (I am still having trouble locating all the different foods.) So you will only have 5 days of food that you are carrying at a time, right? The tortillas can be any type that are sold on the shelf and not in a cooler right? Do they have cheese sticks not stored in the cooler at the store, or does that matter since they are individually wrapped? Do you like Salmon and Salami? Where do I find the individual PB?
ReplyDeleteDon't send to the first couple stops, it's already too late. I have packages going to places with little resources. If there is a store in town I can pick up the fresh items myself. Cheese and tortillas. But yes the shelf kind of tortillas nothing more than a 10 pack or so, and the babybels are fine not refrigerated. Do not like salmon and love salami. Will probably carry salami often. Don't worry about peanut butter, but a real treat would be to send a small jar, take some out and add stuff like coconut, chocolate chips, nuts or some broken up candy bars and mix it all up. I got a really tiny jar at the dollar store. Good place to look for stuff btw.
DeleteFor supply pick up fee, do we put that in the box, too? Lots of questions on this end, too!
ReplyDeleteIf you want to include fee you can but it's not necessary, I will be carrying $ for that
DeleteToilet paper?
ReplyDeleteA few dried out baby wipes would be better 1 or 2 per day. Or a small amount of tp per day. I will only be using it for #2, and will be packing it out (meaning carrying dirty stuff to next location) so maybe 5 squares a day?
DeleteI have included 2 baby wipes in each condiment package.
Delete