[pct-l] Departure Date Kennedy Meadows to Sierra(s).

[Donna Saufley]

Words of wisdom.  Everyone has their own comfort and experience level.  And
who knows what the weather will bring in the coming weeks.  It's still not
too late for a storm to revise the outlook up there.  Overall, Andy compared
the conditions during his passage to be less than what he had seen and
experienced in June last year.  He also indicated that the lack of
consolidation of the snow on the north facing slopes was challenging, which
seems to correlate to the journal entry quoted below.  Much will be changing
in the next few weeks, too.

-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
On Behalf Of AsABat
Sent: Monday, May 21, 2007 4:45 PM
To: 'Phil Newhouse'; pct-l at backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Departure Date Kennedy Meadows to Sierra(s).

While Andy suggests no problems, Andy is a very strong hikers. A
different view from Daniel Wood's trail journal 5/16
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=182043 . While it sounds like
those leaving on Ray Day should be ok, HYOH.

"He got up to Forester at 10:00 after having to cut steps across the
famous chute just below the pass. It was solid ice and this took some
time. When we crossed the chute last August on the trail it was scary
enough. I can imagine it was not pleasant with ice. I asked him what he
would have done if he did not have an ice axe. He said he would have
gone back. That is the correct answer!

"He tried to walk down the north side but had a lot of post holing
troubles so he glissaded to the south end of the lake below the pass and
post holed down beyond Center Creek. He did not make too much of this
but it must have been quite a chore because he is planning to take more
food into the next section than I would expect he would need."


> -----Original Message-----
> 
> I got a call from Andy Skurka, who has made it through to Yosemite
Valley.
> Here's what he reported for the Sierras:
> 
> -	The approaches to the passes (for nobo hikers) are relatively
clear,
> and will be clear by the time the pack reaches there.
> -	The descents on the passes have more snow.  The temps have been
cool
> up there, and the snow isn't melting fast.
> -	The snow is not very consolidated, and timing will be very
> important; go over the passes early!!  There's a transition zone where
the
> snow is pretty thin.
> -	The fords were relatively good, as there is not the huge volume
of
> snow melt experienced in the past two years.
> 
> All-in-all, it's looking great up there right now for the nobos.

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