[pct-l] PCT hike window

[Donna Saufley]

Sarah,

I will leave it to those who have completed thru-hikes to answer your
questions, but I'll add these thoughts to your list.

Don't underestimate Southern California.  Your ability to make mileage
targets, and complete "all" of the trail, may be affected by the conditions
in the early season down south as well as further north.  That's especially
true if we set up to have a wet cold winter dumping snow in the mountains
down here.  The San Jacintos are a navigation challenge when covered with
snow.  In the early season Fuller Ridge and Baden Powell are skipped by
most, excepting seasoned veterans. When there's a good deal of snow in the
San Gabriels, many opt to road walk to avoid the icy high ridges.

The Pacific Northwest is having an exceptional snow year, and if the pattern
continues, it may not be as easy to avoid the snow as you might hope.  This
was true in '05 for the flippers, who skipped the Sierras only to find that
there was still snow in Oregon. Washington had less snow in '05, but it's
looking like a big snow year for them right now.

I don't know what the remainder of the season will do, and what spring will
be like.  I can only vouch for what we've been getting so far, and that's
been lots of rain and snow. With the wettest season on record in '05,
followed by another big year in '06, and the driest on record in '07, it's
tough to call what's going to happen this year. So far their predictions for
another dry year haven't been true, and we've been getting cold storm after
cold storm (no complaint about that here).  

Another thing to consider about being early is that you may be earlier than
the trail crews who clear the blow downs and repair winter storm related
damage. Anyone can tell you that it takes a good deal longer to get through
stretches that haven't been cleared, affecting mileage targets.

Just things to factor into your considerations.

L-Rod


-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
On Behalf Of Sarah Faulkner
Sent: Thursday, January 31, 2008 8:25 AM
To: pct-l at backcountry.net
Subject: [pct-l] PCT hike window

Hey there,

My name is Sarah and I am a hopeful 2008 northbound thru hiker.   I  
will be hiking with my friend, Laura.  We are both pretty fit and  
active.   This is to give some background for my question.  We have  
been planning to thruhike since last summer, but with the snow  
conditions tallied up to now, I am starting to wonder if it will be  
possible.

I start a new job September 1, 2008.  My impression for now is that  
the start date is not flexible.  However, our departure date is very  
flexible.

All of my questions relate to my (our) ability to get to the Canada  
border by september 1.  I realize that ideally there would be no time  
pressure, and we would take days off when we reached a great stopping  
point, and we wouldn't be hurried, but the situation is really that  
if I cannot reach the border by September 1 -- then I will not be  
able to hike.

I would be extremely grateful for you experienced folks' expertise on  
the following questions:

1.  For the postholer site that gives you an approximate sierra entry  
window, where exactly does this assume the sierra entry is?  I would  
assume KM, but looking at the TOPO map, it looks like there are  
reasonably elevated portions before there.  (I am trying to work  
backwards from that date/location to decide the earliest feasible  
date we can leave, and thus the earliest we could potentially finish).

2.  What would happen if we entered the Sierra before that date?   
Would it be possible/safe to get through with the right gear?  We are  
planning on taking an orienteering course in snow conditions in  
Vermont sometime soon.  ( I realize that the answer to this question  
depends to some degree on the amount of snow.)

Has anyone left "early" and could they give us advice?  Is it  
realistic at all to try?

I may just suck it up and hike until I have to be back, but it sure  
would be disappointing to get within a week or two of the border and  
then have to leave.  I could also just wait until April to decide,  
but I hate to put off buying all my gear until the last second.

Thanks so much!

Sarah







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