Yogi's GUIDE BOOKS

HOW CAN I CONTACT YOU?

Jackie McDonnell
PCT-CDT Handbooks
PO Box 860573
Shawnee Mission, KS 66286

My email address is seen at the bottom of each page on this site, please send me an email.

Yes, I live in Kansas. And, yes, I'm aware that Kansas is flatter than a pancake.
No, I do not hike in ruby slippers, but I did have a dog named Toto when I was a kid.

HOW DO I PLACE AN ORDER?

Go back to the main page, select the products you want, then click [Add to Cart]. To complete your order, scroll up to the top of the main page, click [View Cart], choose the proper shipping (USA, Canada, or International), click [Check Out], and keep following the prompts.

WHAT FORMS OF PAYMENT DO YOU ACCEPT?

We only accept payments via PayPal. Only PayPal. We do not accept personal checks, money orders, or cash.
Please do not mail a check, money order, or cash to us. We only accept payments via PayPal.

WHAT MAIL SERVICE DO YOU USE?

USPS Priority Mail. This is the only shipping method available. We do not ship overnight, FedEx, or UPS.

The USPS states that USPS Priority Mail usually takes 2-3 days for United States shipping, and 6-10 days for Canada and International shipping. Please note that these are estimated delivery times. Often the actual delivery time is twice the estimated delivery time. International shipments usually take four weeks.

We take packages to the Post Office once per day, Monday thru Friday. Sometimes this happens in the morning, sometimes this happens in the afternoon. We do not mail packages on Saturdays, Sundays, or Holidays. PayPal will send you an email when your package is shipped. That email will have tracking information.

BUT I *REALLY* NEED TO HAVE THE HANDBOOK OVERNIGHTED TO ME!

USPS Priority Mail is the only mailing method we use.

BUT I'D RATHER PAY LESS POSTAGE AND HAVE IT SENT VIA MEDIA MAIL!

USPS Priority Mail is the only mailing method we use. Seriously.

HOW OFTEN ARE THE HANDBOOKS UPDATED?

Hard to say. They are updated when there are a sufficient number of changes to warrant a new layout. The latest revision on the PCT Handbook was November 2009. The latest revision on the CDT Handbook was March 2010. An extraordinary amount of work went into these editions.

We print in small quantities. This allows the books to be updated more often. This also keeps the printing costs relatively high. You see, printers give quantity discounts; we choose to not take advantage of the cost savings of printing thousands of copies at one time. Sure, it would be cheaper to print enough books to last 2-3 years, but then the books would be drastically outdated by the time hikers purchase them.

IS THE INFORMATION IN THE HANDBOOKS GUARANTEED TO BE ACCURATE?

We work extremely hard to keep up on the changes to trail, town, and planning information for both the Pacific Crest Trail and the Continental Divide Trail. However, it never fails that as soon as a new edition is sent to the printer, something major changes. You might purchase your book in November for an April-to-September hike. In July, a resort closes where you had planned to send a resupply box. There is no way we could have foreseen something like that happening. Just be prepared for some glitches. We do try to keep both books current, but they will never be 100% correct 100% of the time. No guidebook can promise you that. We can promise you that we make every effort to provide hikers with accurate information. Things will not always work out as planned. Get used to that.

HOW CAN I MAKE SURE I HAVE THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION?

We will post update files to this website approximately April 1st of each year. You can print the update file and either make the changes by hand onto your Handbook pages, or you can take the printout with you on the trail. That's your choice. You are in control.

The PCT Update was posted to this site on April 6, 2010. To find the PCT Update, go to the "details" section for the PCT Handbook. The pdf file is right there at the top. Click and print!

Since a new edition of the CDT Handbook was completed in March 2010, there is not a CDT Update for 2010.

HOW DO YOU OBTAIN THE INFORMATION FOR THE HANDBOOKS?

All the information is first-hand knowledge either from Yogi hiking the trails or from other hikers sending updates to us. Yogi has hiked the PCT 3 1/2 times and the CDT once. Yogi has personally visited every trail town along the PCT and CDT many times to verify town services. This is first-hand knowledge; it is not swiped from other guidebooks.

CAN I HIKE THE PACIFIC CREST TRAIL USING ONLY THE HANDBOOK?

No. The Handbook is supplementary.

If you hiked the Appalachian Trail, you probably didn't use maps. Things are different on the Pacific Crest Trail and Continental Divide Trail. You need maps on these trails. Seriously -- you *need* maps.

If you are hiking the PCT, you need to purchase the three Wilderness Press Guidebooks and the Data Book. These are available at Amazon and also at the PCTA online store. The maps are the gold mine of the Wilderness Press books. They are the *only* PCT maps which are created from someone (Ben Schifrin) actually walking the trail and marking the path on the maps. All other maps in all other guidebooks simply show estimates of where the trail is. The mileage in the Wilderness Press books (and thus, the Data Book) is determined by someone actually getting on the trail and measuring the mileage. All other mileage data in all other guidebooks is determined by GPS and guessing. The Wilderness Press books also have maps and text descriptions for many alternate routes.

Yogi's PCT Handbook works in concert with the Data Book and each Wilderness Press Guidebook. There is a section in the Handbook which explains how to easily organize the pages from each book into a handy data bag. Based on Amazon prices for new copies of the three Wilderness Press Guidebooks and the Data Book, plus Yogi’s PCT Handbook, you will have all the information you need to hike the PCT for under $100. These books contain information and maps created by authors who constantly visit the trail and the towns. First-hand knowledge is the most true, most accurate knowledge.

CAN I HIKE THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TRAIL USING ONLY THE HANDBOOK?

No. The Handbook is supplementary.

If you are hiking the CDT, you need to purchase of the CDTS (Jim Wolf) Guidebooks and Supplements. You also need to get Jonathan Ley’s Map CD. If you have the slightest desire to stay found on the CDT, you *must* have Wolf's Guidebooks and Ley's Maps.

Yogi's CDT Handbook works in concert with the Wolf Guidebooks and Ley Maps. There is a section in the CDT Handbook which explains which Wolf pages, Ley Maps, and BLM/USFS/Other maps are needed for each trail section.

WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH THE TWO SIZES OF HANDBOOKS?

Each Handbook has two sections:

Pacific Crest Trail – Section one is the “Planning Guide” (8.5" x 11"), section two is the “Trail Tips and Town Guide” (4.25" x 5.5").

Continental Divide Trail – Section one is the “Planning Guide” (8.5" x 11"), section two is the “Town Guide” (4.25" x 5.5").

The two sections are bound separately because the two sections serve different functions. The “Planning Guide” contains information pertaining to the planning of your hike. The large size of this section allows you to make notes on the pages. This section remains as a whole book (pages are not ripped out).

The “PCT Trail Tips and Town Guide” and the “CDT Town Guide” sections are half the size of the “Planning Guide.” This section is designed to be dismantled (rip the pages out). You will only carry the pages which pertain to the portion of the trail you are currently hiking. Carrying the entire book at all times is silly, and adds unnecessary weight to your pack.

CAN I PURCHASE ONLY ONE SECTION OF THE HANDBOOK?

Nope. Although the two sections are bound separately, they always have been and always will be considered to be one book. The two sections are not sold separately. Each section contains excellent information which will aid you during your hike.

BUT I REALLY ONLY WANT ONE SECTION.

Hmmmmm. The two sections are not sold separately. Seriously.

I'D LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE NEXT EDITION OF THE HANDBOOKS. HOW DO I DO THAT?

We always welcome updates from current hikers. It's all those little snippets of advice from former hikers which help out the next year's class. If you have advice which pertains to the Planning section, please send that via email (see the bottom of this page for my email). For advice/changes to the Trail Tips and Town Guide section, the best way to get that information to us is for you to make the changes directly on your Handbook pages and then mail those pages to us here:

Jackie McDonnell
PCT-CDT Handbooks
PO Box 860573
Shawnee Mission, KS 66286

If you'd rather not mail the pages to us, shooting us an email would be perfectly fine, but please refer to places by their mile point or town name, NOT by the Handbook page number. Please use the email address found at the bottom of every page on this site.

DO YOU OFFER AN ELECTRONIC VERSION?

Nope.

WILL YOU BE OFFERING AN APPALACHIAN TRAIL GUIDE?

Ain't no AT guide in the works. Step back.

I LOVE YOUR WEBSITE! WHO BUILT IT FOR YOU?

Well, that would be my buddy d-low.