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Zero days

‘Zero day’ is the term used on the trail for a rest day. Simply, you cover zero trail miles that day. Avoiding too many zero days is key to a low daily mileage hike. In 2006 EricD had taken 30 zero days by the time he reached Donner Pass and, despite hiking between 25 and 35 miles every day, still took longer to reach that point than the author, whose longest day was about 20 miles. The thru’-hiker who completed the PCT in 1979 averaging 15 miles a day, with no zero days, had it much better worked out.

Why do you need zero days? Hikers in 2006 gave many reasons. Some said their body needed a break after covering too many miles in successive days. Others had blisters, repetitive strain injuries, were ill or simply needed to recover from the night before! Some had started their thru’-hikes too early and needed to wait for the Sierra snows to melt, while others waited in town for rain and snowstorms to pass through.

Resupplying was another reason for taking zero days. Some hikers had reached town on a Saturday to find the post office to which they had sent their resupply parcel didn’t open until Monday. Even those who reached town mid-week sometimes needed time to organise supplies. Others spent a day with a husband or girlfriend, waited for another hiker to catch up or took time out to attend a family occasion including weddings and funerals, or to visit attractions such as Las Vegas or the Quincy Music Festival.