Wilderness Skills Instructor and thruhiker Ned Tibbits discusses the drawbacks of choosing a Southbound (SOBO) start for a Pacific Crest Trail thruhike. Ned has been involved in many search and rescue efforts in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range and has also been a USFS Wilderness Ranger, a paramedic, ski patrolman, and much more. In short, he's an allaround Sierra snow travel and safety expert!

During this discussion, Ned goes over the cons of weather, logistics, and strategy as hikers start their Southbound thruhikes.

Ned has founded a nonprofit organization which promotes wilderness safety called Mountain Education. If you feel like this information added value to your hiking preparation, consider donating to thank him for his time and knowledge. You can donate below:
https://mountaineducation.org/donations/

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**Disclaimer: This information is based off of Ned's extensive experience in the outdoors. However, this is information that should be only part of your research as a hiker going in the backcountry. In short, determine your skill set, the weather conditions, your comfort level, etc. before making any decision about gear choice, etc. in the backcountry. Be safe, and take an in person class if you need more instruction on these subjects.

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