[pct-l] Yosemite Section in September!

[Bruce Harvey]

Jesica,

You and friends have done "lots of hiking and camping, but only some  
backpacking"?  Want to pick someone's brain?   Probably haven't read  
posts to this list for months or years, since that enables picking  
lots of brains.  I've picked a bunch, and have twice hiked the two  
sections ('portions') you ask about, so I'm good for a memory dump.   
[Dating myself!  That phrase harks back to magnetic core computer  
memories.]

Advice:

1.  Get in shape. and lighten pack weight as much as possible.  The  
necessities are knowledge, food, safe water, shelter, sleeping gear/ 
clothes for the temps, clothing for the range of conditions, foot  
care knowledge and footgear that enable continued hiking multiple  
days.  Those last two are very particular each individual!   
Absolutely the ONLY luxury needed when hiking day after day is a  
light pack.  Take training hikes with all pack weight that will be  
used on either of the two PCT sections.  Lots of training hikes.  Two  
to three days at a time if possible.  With ascents and descents.     
With the shoes (or sandals) and socks that you'll hike in and the  
foot care material you plan to use or need.  Hike up and down  
building stairwells with pack on during lunch breaks on workdays.  It  
all will cause you to jettison stuff (weight) you don't need, and  
possibly refine things related to your feet.  Note your water  
consumption rates (expressed as miles per liter is a good choice),  
temps, & elevation gains during training.

2. If your books include the Northern California PCT Guidebook by  
Wilderness Press, fine.  If not, get a copy.  May as well have it if  
you intend hiking sections of the PCT.  Cut it apart and take only  
the dozen or so sheets applicable to a section while hiking that  
section (reduce weight).  Navigation (avoiding wrong trail at trail  
junctions, or taking a dogleg on a road to resumption of trail) is an  
issue in only a few spots in each of the two sections  you've asked  
about.  By September the PCT will be mostly, but not totally, a  
beaten path.   In any case, bring maps (the Guidebook includes maps)-  
you'll need to know distances & elevations gains to next certain  
water sources.

3.   If you intend to hike both sections successively and if  
transportation affords, hike Sonora Pass to Echo Lake  first.  If up  
for more, hike Tuolumne to Sonora Pass second.  Sonora Pass to Echo  
Lake is 76.2 miles with 6940 ft. gross elevation gain and three  
highway crossings for bailing out.  Tuolumne to Sonora Pass is 76.4  
miles with 11,790 ft. gross elevation gain and no bailout options.    
Sonora Pass to Echo Lake is at lower elevations overall than   
Tuolumne to Sonora Pass.  Bear canisters are required throughout  
Yosemite N.P., so you'll have to carry canisters (more weight!)  
Tuolumne to Sonora Pass.  Canisters aren't required for Sonora To  
Echo Lake, although carrying them could be conservative (of your  
food).  All reasons to attack Sonora Pass to Echo Lake first.

4.    If you intend to hike both sections successively, decide on  
your transportation and resupply.  Trailhead parking at Tuolumne and  
Echo Lake fairly secure due to their setting and nature of  users,    
Trailhead parking at Sonora Pass is excellent due to remoteness, lack  
of casual traffic, and setting well off the highway.  Cars parked at  
any of the three should be scent free (absolutely so at Tuolumne!).  
with no loose items visible inside.  Food and any scented stuff  
cached at Sonora pass or Echo Lake will need to be in bear canisters  
back in the woods.  At Tuolumne trailhead there are bear lockers  
(which get full sun most of the day- not good for any perishables).   
Quite good lake resort store at Echo Lake and good camping/hiking  
store at Tuolumne, no store at Sonora Pass.  The town of Bridgeport  
is a dozen miles or so down the mountain from Sonora Pass.

5. Keep reading posts on this list.  As you mull over plans, post  
specific questions; there are lot of helpful hikers who frequent this  
listserv (though many are out hiking during the summer).

My Experience on the two sections:

Hiked both, twice.

Hiked Sonora Pass to Echo Lake with two other hikers September 2-5,  
2005,   Parked at Echo Lake upper parking lot and slept overnight in  
cars.  Cached food in bear canister in woods above the lot, for a  
follow-on solo hike Tuolumne to Sonora.  Next morning hikers rode in  
my car to Sonora Pass and parked it there.  Although parking is  
excellent at Sonora Pass, I disabled my car under the hood because of  
the remote location and because I would be returning there alone  
after solo hike from Tuolumne.  Hike from Sonora Pass to Echo Lake  
was a bit more than a half day the first day, then two high mileage  
(for us older guys) loong days, and a bit less than a half day to  
finish, so roughly three days hiking.

Hiked solo Tuolumne to Sonora Pass september 5-9, 2005.   After  
finishing with the other two hikers at Echo Lake, retrieved my food  
cache, and rode to Tuolumne where I was dropped off.  After a bit of  
cleanup of self and clothes and reorganizing pack, had a short 6 mile  
day to Glen Aulin.  Succeeding days' mileages were 20.4, 19.3, 19.2,  
and 11.5 on the finishing day to Sonora Pass.  Re-enabled my car, and  
began drive for home.

Did a PCT 'thru' hike in 2007.  Hiked from Tuolumne to Echo Lake  
without resupply.   Days' mileages were 16.6, 19.1, 20.3, 20.4  
(camped at Sonora Pass), 23.4, 23.4, 21.5, and 7.9 into
Echo Lake.  (Hiked further later, after picking up mailed resupply,  
reorganizing pack and visiting with other hikers while eating a LOT  
from the store.)  The difference between the sections' mileages by  
day is indicative of the difference in gross elevation gain.

Have Fun !



On Jun 18, 2008, at 12:12 PM, Jesica Deputy wrote:

>
> Dearest PCT list,
>
> I am in the midst of planning to hike a portion of the PCT in mid- 
> September.  I will make the trek with a few of my friends!  We have  
> all done lots of hiking and camping but only some backpacking.  I  
> would love to pick somone's brain who has hiked the Yosemite  
> section from Tuolumne Meadows to Sonora Pass (or possibly even  
> through to echo lake resort).  I have some books and have picked  
> through the website which seems to have limited information.  Let  
> me know if you're willing to help a fellow hiker!
>
> Jes Deputy
> deputydan01 at hotmail.com
> _________________________________________________________________
> The i’m Talkathon starts 6/24/08.  For now, give amongst yourselves.
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