Care packages and letters.
I would love to receive letters and packages from you! I don't want to scare you off, but here are lots of specific instructions. I want to make sure that I actually get the packages and letters that you send to me. Picking up mail on the trail is more complicated than at home.
Letters can be mailed First Class (this is normal, regular mail).
Most boxes must be mailed via Priority Mail throught he US Post Office. If you send a box via First Class or Prcel Post, I probably won't get it. Don't believe the Post Office employees when they tell you they can have a Parcel Post box to me ia week to 10 days from now. It's not true.
Some maildrop locations only take UPS. Those locations are noted in my maildrop list. If you send a box via USPS Priority Mail to a UPS address, I won't get it.
Do not use FedEx.
However you send a box, please make sure that I DO NOT have to sign for it.
What should you send? Cookies, interesting articles, short stories, cookies, poems or personal updates, care packages don't have to be big.
What should you NOT send? Anything that I would have to carry. If you send gadgets, gear or books I will have to send them home because I am limited on space and am unwilling to add more weight to my tired legs.
I do not have firm dates for when I'll be at specific locations. If I say that I'll be someplace on June 5, it's possible that I will get there a couple days early, like June , or a couple days late, like June 7. Or I could be off by a week or more. Plans are never set in stone on the trail, so it's a good idea to plan for you box to get the the town a couple days earlier than my scheduled ETA. If you're planning on sending me something, I suggest you email my mom Kathy to check on my predicted arrival date.
It is also a good idea if I know to expect a package. This will not only boost my spirits tremendously but it will make me know to ask for it at the pickup spot. It is easier on the post office if I can tell them exactly how many packages to look for. You can leave me a voicemail that I will be able to check when I get into town, hopefully.
Note: These instructions were taken, many of them word for word, from Yogi's PCT Handbook.
Maildrop Locations and Addresses.
Location:Mt. Laguna
Warner Springs Agua Dulce Kennedy Meadows Lone Pine (Whitney Portal Hostel) 760-876-0030 Tuolumne Meadows Tinker’s Station Belden PO (UPS)Burney Falls State Park (UPS)Castella Seiad Valley Crater Lake (UPS)Shelter Cove Big Lake Youth Camp Timberline Lodge White Pass Snoqualmie Pass Skykomish Stehekin |
Address: Karl Schmidt
c/o General Delivery Mt. Laguna, CA 91948 Karl Schmidt c/o General Delivery Warner Springs, CA 92086 Karl Schmidt c/o The Saufleys 11861 Darling Road Agua Dulce, CA 91390 Karl Schmidt
c/o Kennedy Meadows General Store 96740 Beach Meadow Road Inyokern, CA 93527 NO LONGER RESUPPLYING HERE.
Karl Schmidt (USPS) Karl Schmidt (UPS) c/o Whitney Portal Hostel c/o Whitney Portal Hostel PO Box 61 238 Main Street Lone Pine, CA 93545 Lone Pine, CA 93545 Karl Schmidt
General Delivery Tuolumne Meadows Yosemite National Park, CA 95389 Karl Schmidt (USPS) Karl Schmidt (UPS)
c/o The Hostel at Tinker's Station c/o The Hostel at Tinker's Station PO box 700 21728 Donner Pass road 21728 Donner Pass Road Soda Springs, CA 95728 Soda Springs, CA 95728 Karl Schmidt
General Delivery Belden, CA 95915 Karl Schmidt (UPS ONLY!!!) (I have to pay a fee
c/o Burney Park Camp Store to pick up boxes and McArthur Burney Falls State Park letters here.) 24900 State Highway 89 Burney, CA 96013 Karl Schmidt (UPS)
c/o Ammirati's Market 20107 Castle Creek Road Castella, CA 96017 Karl Schmidt
General Delivery Seiad Valley, CA 96086 Karl Schmidt
c/o Grater Lake Camp Store Mazama Village Crater Lake, OR 97604 Karl Schmidt (UPS ONLY!!!)
c/o Shelter Cove Resort 27600 West Odell Lake Road Highway 58 Crescent, OR 97733 Karl Schmidt
c/o Big Lake Youth Camp 13100 Highway 20 Sisters, OR 97759 Karl Schmidt (I have to pay a fee for boxes
c/o Timberline Ski Area here. It also needs to say WY'East Store "Hold for PCT Hiker" Timberline Lodge, OR 97028 Must be obvious that it is a hiker box.) Karl Schmidt
c/o White Pass Rural Branch PO at the Kracker Barrel Store 48851 US Highway 12 Naches, WA 98937 Karl Schmidt (This one may change.)
General Delivery Snoqualmie Pass, WA 98068 Dinsmore's Hiker Haven
Karl Schmidt PO box 374 Skykomish, WA 98288 Karl Schmidt
General Delivery Stehekin, WA 98852 |
ETA:4/30
5/5 5/25 6/10 6/17 6/27 7/11 7/18 7/24 7/27 8/8 8/15 8/18 8/22 8/27 (By this point I anticipate being ahead of this schedule, contact my mom for dates.) 9/7 9/11 9/14 9/21 |