[pct-l] Winter Thru-hike

[Eric Lee (GAMES)]

Steel-eye wrote:
>
I certainly agree with Postholer's comments, and would expand upon one
aspect:  Early to mid-season snow in the western mountains is vastly
different from what you see reported by typical PCT hikers in the Sierras or
North Cascades.  Early snow is deep and loose, not yet having had time to
coalesce into the mostly firm snowpack upon which it is usually possible to
walk.
>

I really like what AsABat said - impassible is a personal definition.

Postholer and Steel-eye have brought up really good points, too.  Winter travel in the high mountains is usually much slower than summer travel.  Skis would help speed things up, but your mileage is going to be pretty low regardless.  At the same time, resupply points are going to be far fewer.  Most resorts are closed, some highways are closed, most trailheads are closed.  You might spend more time walking out for supplies than you would making progress on the trail itself.  Of course, there would also be a huge risk from storms, cold, and avalanches, but that probably goes without saying.

I think a straight-through winter thru-hike is one of those ideas that, while not technically *impossible*, is achievable by only a handful of world-class mountaineers.  If you're not already a world-class mountaineer, it's probably not something you'd want to attempt.

That said, there are certain sections of the PCT that are passable in winter (mostly in SoCal).  If you're open to flip-flopping a lot, you could get started a lot earlier in the season than the standard mid-April.

Eric