[pct-l] Ice axe needed for late Sierra entry? (Travis Beals)

[William Skaggs]

> My wife and I are section-hiking, and are planning to enter the 
> Sierras (i.e., reach Kennedy Meadows) in early July. We'll also be 
> moving slowly, at least initially. Since it seems to be an average 
> snow year (according to postholer.com and the discussion on this 
> list), are we likely to need ice axes and/or crampons?

You won't need one for the Sierras, unless there is a lot of additional
snowfall between now and then -- and that's unlikely, because April 1
is usually about the end of the period during which snow accumulates.
You'll probably see a little bit of snow on the high passes, but not
much more.

You don't say where you're starting -- if you're going early through
the San Jacintos, it's conceivable you could hit deep snow there.

> Finally, any idea what we can expect in terms of mosquitoes and stream 
> crossings, given that we're going to be a couple weeks behind the 
> majority of thru-hikers?

Stream crossings should be okay, if you use trekking poles or a
stout stick to help you balance.  You can expect to hit some nasty
skeets here and there.

  -- Bill