[pct-l] How steep is the trail

[Phil Baily]

I try to avoid hiking when it is cold and snowy, but I will try to 
give a serious answer to your question.   There are many places where 
the trail traverses along the side of a very steep slope. That is why 
horses can do the trail and not encounter undue steepness while we 
have to worry about slipping and sliding off trail onto a steep 
slope.. I have always assumed that the ice axe issue was about that 
kind of situation where the trail is snow covered and the flat 
trailbed is not apparent. Also, there can be a situation where there 
are switchbacks  over a pass and the trail is covered and the snow 
has covered and smoothed out or hidden the ledge of the trailbed and 
the slope is slippery.  I hope someone with more direct experience 
can indicate whether my understanding is correct.

Alternate routes --- It sounds like you have  experience with 
off-trail hiking and could probably find alternate routes in many 
cases. However, I think there are places where that may not be so 
easy. Forrester Pass comes to mind.

I hope this is helpful.

Pieces


At 10:53 AM 3/1/08, Kathi wrote:
>Hello PCT-l friends,
>I have a maybe silly question. How steep is the trail on the PCT? I 
>have had most of my backpacking expeditions in the Sierra's and have 
>found myself on steep areas but never on a "trail" to where I felt I 
>needed an ice axe... even in very snowy conditions. Including the 
>time I hiked in with "no" snow and woke up with my tent buried in 
>snow and had to slog out the next morning. I have always been able 
>to find another way on a not so steep slop, even sliding slowly on 
>my sleeping pad with my heels dug in to the snow like an inch worm 
>(that was always off trail in an unusual situation). Now if I went 
>off trail to explore I felt I needed one. If the trail is also 
>traveled by horses it seems it can't be that steep? Am I wrong? I am 
>the type who always find that easier way to go even if it means 
>going out of my way.
>
>I am proud to say that I have decided that 2010 is my year to thru 
>the PCT. Now of course all I can think about it the trail.
>
>Thanks for any insight!
>Kathi
>_______________________________________________
>Pct-l mailing list
>Pct-l at backcountry.net
>To unsubscribe or change list options (digest, etc):
>http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/pct-l/attachments/20080301/fcbcff7b/attachment.html