[pct-l] Multiple items ...

[Brian Lewis]

I'm at the backpacker's campground in Tuolumne Meadows as I type this
(surprisingly good AT&T reception here, btw Halfmile).  Lot's of
thru's here, more coming in just now at 8 pm.

I was just catching up on stuff on this list --- and thanks in advance
for any (detailed) updates on fire closures north of here.  BTW, for
any details, it would be great if NOBO mileage could be provided --- I
often don't recognize place names or road numbers of places well ahead
of where I'm currently at.

Anyway, my responses to three issues:

(1)  Smoke:  I saw haze yesterday and more today, and I could
occasionally smell a little really difuse smoke this afternoon, but
nothing significant here, now, anyway.

(2) Bear cans: a ranger was stopping every thru coming in today,
primarily asking to see our permits (first time I've been asked), but
he clearly saw my can in the process, and talking to others I'm pretty
sure he was checking to see that bear cans were being carried.

(3) Someone asked what Donohue Pass was like, and I crossed it today.
It's pretty typical of passes at around 11,000', a mix of snow and
no-snow, best crossed in the morning.  It was quite warm this morning
near Island Pass, mid-40's at the lowest, and it was into the 60's
beforee 8 am.

I found it no big deal, don't recall any sort of steep, exposure
sections (but I'm not bugged by that stuff).  Expect to get your feet
wet, pay attention to where footprints go across snow and in places
watch for cairns.  Coming south, the trail swings left, paralleling
the ridge for a while after coming down a bit from the pass, and then
it turns sharply right.



     Gadget '08