[pct-l] PCT hike window advice

[Ned Tibbits]

Sarah & Laura

A couple of things you need to know first:
    I own and operate an outdoor school that strives to help teach people 
how to
        enjoy and be safe in the winter backcountry,
    I try to offer to aspiring pct hikers each year a pre-trip clinic called 
"PCT-            Prep,"  to help hikers learn how to safely navigate on snow 
and ice in              hiking boots, snowshoes, and skis, how to camp while 
staying warm
        and dry, how to assess a potential avalanche slope and perform a 
"self-            arrest with an ice axe, and more route-finding related 
skills.
    I hiked the pct in 1974 and half the cdt in 1980 and skied the Muir 
once,
        snowshoed it once, and hiked it twice.
    I serve as a mentor at the PCTA and have been a guest speaker at Trail 
Fest, the Kick-Off, and ALDHA-WEST.
All the above is only to show you where I'm coming from....

I was warned by Forest officials up by the Canadian Border not to let my 
trip run too long into Sept./Oct. as early snows often start about then and 
they often have the potential to stop you dead in your tracks-just shy of 
the goal you've been working for and dreaming of all summer-so I chose, 
arbitrarily, to end my trip Sept. 1st.. If you research prior Trail 
Journals, you may find these words to be sadly true for some. Your end date 
is fine.

Decide your schedule, miles per day, drop locations, zeros, etc. to come up 
with a start date. Double check the viability of it all, hit the trail often 
to test yourself and your food and gear systems, train for what you don't 
know, and always have a "plan B." Please keep in mind that you will get 
stronger as you hike along and it will get easier to quite naturally hike 
longer and faster and accomplish more miles daily. You will be able to make 
up for your short days later in the trip. Don't agonize over low-mileage 
days. Plan for them when in snow and numerous creek crossings and carry lots 
more food there, too, and your overall schedule will work out. You won't be 
in snow forever.

Snowshoes, crampons, axes, etc.:

Do your own research and testing.  HYOH.  However, this is what our frequent 
trips into the spring Sierra high country has taught us:
    Snowshoes keep you going on top of the snow when it turns into afternoon
        soup. Otherwise, you will be post-holing through it, seeking 
alternate
        routes on rocks, or just quitting for the day. Those with claws work 
good
        for straight up passes on crusty snow/ice but terrible on hard 
traverses.
    Crampons (10-12 point) cause more injury than safety in the hands of the
        infrequent user. Go without. Maximize your foot traction with shoes 
that             have heels and lug soles. Heels make for good brakes. Lug 
soles grab             onto ice and rocks for more secure footing and 
balance=peace of mind.
        Trail runners are not good here. Instep crampons only help when your 
foot
        is flat; when your heel strikes ice or you are pushing forward off 
the ball of
        your foot, the device in not in contact and you may fall.
            The solution has to do with the time of day you walk and the 
condition                 of the surface snow. Get your miles in early in 
the day when you can
                walk on the surface without post-holing or slipping on the 
ice and                     make sure you have good footholds all the 
time-when you forget, you
                may fall.
            Know how to recognize ice and use your carried ice axe for 
chopping                 foot platforms and self-arrest! You don't need to 
walk on snow with
                your axe in your hand all the time. Have your partner remove 
it                         whenever you suspect a dangerous slope, up and 
down.
Got to go. More later.

Mtnned
The "optimal start date" of the end of April is there to maximize 
summer-like trail conditions for as much of the whole route as possible to 
make the hiking easier. If you leave early, you'll have more snow longer; if 
you leave late, you'll have less water down south and may be stopped by snow 
at the end.

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----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Sarah Faulkner" <sarah.faulkner at yale.edu>
To: <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Thursday, January 31, 2008 8:25 AM
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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