Corbin man tackling Pacific Crest Trail

Corbin’s Scott Grove loves a challenge.
A recreational hiker until three years ago, Grove decided to up the ante and tackle the monstrous Appalachian Trail – a torturous winding 2,170-mile journey from Georgia to Maine. At age 40, he knew time might be running out on tackling the trail. Four months and five days after his April 1, 2002 departure day, he’d successfully navigated, straight through, a trail that only about 200 people a year complete.
He’s at it again.
On a quest to conquer the second of America’s three great trails, Grove begins today walking the more arduous Pacific Crest Trail … a 2,600-mile-long trek from that starts on the California-Mexican border and ends in British Columbia, Canada.
“I’ve had two years to study and research this,” said Grove. “I think I’m ready. I’ve always been a backpacker, but nothing like this. This is a harder trail than the Appalachian Trail.”
About 300 people a year attempt a “thru-hike” on the Pacific Crest Trail, but only around 50 complete their journey. Thru-hikers walk the trail on one go, stopping at towns and waypoints near the trail to resupply; but most of the time spending their time alone, sleeping in tents and foraging for water in the wilderness.
Grove said he hikes the trails alone, with but occasional calls to his family to update them on his progress and to ensure them of his safety.
“I have to go alone. It’s hard to find somebody that can take six months of their life off to do it.”
The journey should take about five months to complete. Grove said he plans to walk 135 days and average about 22 miles on the trail per day. The adventure will cost about $3,500 all told.
Grove said he works two jobs, one for the Corbin Recreation Commission and another as a self-employed contractor. He’s lucky, he said, to have more flexibility than most to engage in his hobby.
His 2002 trip on the Appalachian Trail was a learning experience, Grove said. He started that trail lugging about 52 pounds along in a pack and quickly had to lighten the load. The weight caused his toenails to turn black and fall off, and his knees swelled up double sized.
“There’s a saying on the trail, “the weight you are carrying is the weight of your fear,'” he said. “People who are afraid carry a lot of weight.”
After the first 300 miles of the Appalachian Trail, Grove said he lightened his load to 29 pounds. On the Pacific Crest trail he will be carrying only an average of 28 pounds.
“Pack weight will absolutely crush you,” he said. “The real problem with hikers is they carry too much weight. It’s a double-edged sword … the more weight you carry, the more calories you expend and the harder it is on you. You have to stay as light as possible.”
Grove said another big concern along the trail is drinkable water. Although he carries a small filtration unit that removes almost all impurities from water he does find, some lengths of the trail can be water-scarce. Also, intestinal illness can quickly take a hiker out of any thru-hike attempt.
The Pacific Crest Trail poses entirely new challenges over his hike three years ago. While most spending time in deciduous forest regions on the Appalachian Trail, this journey will be more climate-diverse. About 697 miles of the trail goes through two southwestern deserts – the Sonora Desert and the Mojave Desert. Fifty days will be spent above 10,000 feet in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. Grove said he will have to go from summer gear to ice picks and crampons along the way. The trail also goes through rainforest areas of British Columbia before ending at Manning Park in that Canadian Province.
“You go from desert to rainforest. You get all the spectrums of everything,” Grove said. “Weather will be a big problem on this trail because it changes so drastically.”
Now 42, Grove said if he successfully completes the Pacific Crest Trail, he’ll likely go for the Continental Divide Trail next, over the certain objections of his wife.
“I can’t say at this point because my wife said this is my last one … but I will do it,” Grove said. “It’s just a matter of time.”

Scott keeps a journal of his adventures on the trail and takes photographs of some of the amazing things he’s seeing. News Journal readers will have a chance to follow right along with him as Scott has agreed to write regular updates about his progress and send photos back electronically for publication in the newspaper while he is away. The News Journal will publish a map showing where he is from week to week. Join in on Scott’s grand journey by reading the News Journal.