[pct-l] Snowpack

[Georgi Heitman]

I'm gonna get flack...I can feel it coming, but I gotta say it.
Please, next seasons hikers..... don't be shortsighted when it comes to snow
pack in Kennedy Meadows or anywhere else in California for that matter.
Unless you and future trekkers want to walk thru forest and prairie after
forest and prairie  burned to a crisp from Mexico to the OR/CA border, ya
better be praying for a damned good snowpack not only this coming winter,
but for several more to follow.  We're talking about from the Lagunas to the
middle Cascades at the very least.  Snow pack in the Sierra and the other
mountain ranges translates to reservoirs fuller, snow melt runoff that lasts
longer, forests and plains that stay greener longer.  And that just might
translate to hikers who don't have to skip miles and miles of trail because
it's closed due to wildfires. Several really good El Nino years in a row
wouldn't a bad thing.....
Now I'm just a 70+ year-old Trail Angel who's never hiked but short patches
of the PCT and never a long trail or broken trail thru deep snow for more
than a day (shady, east-facing slope, no postholing) and it was tough, so
you can say, 'what does she know'.  But I know this: I've been saying for a
long time we'd better hope for some really good, wet snow years.  And this
past August the reason for that hope hit not only me, but the 19 to 21
hikers here at the Hideaway at the time, smack in the face!  After a
horrific thunder storm that seemed to last for hours, 39 separate fires
burned in the Hat Creek Valley and the Hat Creek Rim east almost to Fall
River Mills  Two that were lit on Sugar Loaf, a cinder cone directly behind
the Hideaway grew together with astonishing speed, threatening us, our
hikers and the entire community of Old Station.  It wasn't huge...not by
SoCal's unfortunate standards....but big enough for us.  It closed the PCT
in two places (due to another fire further north at the Fall
River/Cassel//PCT cross), diverted approximately two dozen NOBO hikers at
either Drakesbad or Hwy 36 and required us to find a way out for the folks
who were here when all this fun started.
The simple reality that faces all of CA is that we've just gotta have some
seriously wet years!  In a row....with storms coming one on top of another,
not six weeks or so apart with warm weather in between.  And if FireWalker
and I have to plow and shovel deeper snow more ofter and longer for a few
winters, Hallelujah!  We won't mind...in the larger scheme of things it
beats more and larger wildfire as our state gets drier and drier. So,
please...practice your compass reading/map skills, get lightweight
snowshoes, learn to use them and your ice axe as well.  Don't hike alone in
the Sierra and other heavy snow/rushing stream areas and maybe follow Eric
D, Scott or Adam closely.  They seem to find their way thru, over and around
most anything.  Most of all, for the well being of all of CA, please pray
for a wet winter!
I would like to thank Big John, Happy Plate, Speak Easy and all the other
hikers who were stuck here, some for four or five days for their help, their
patience and cooperation thru the trail and road closures, the lack of phone
and power and other inconveniences during the fire.  And I thank Rock Star
for taking three of our hikers out, my daughter, Nikki for helping evac the
last four and Tammy aka Quad S (the Goddess) for hanging in and continuing
to provide us wonderful assistance here at the Hideaway. Also, the eight
hikers I took to Redding for their endurance...eight hikers AND their packs
was a bit much for a minivan, even an extra long one...but we made it with
just a few jabs from all the hiking poles.
Some of these folk may still be on the trail or may not be on this list, but
please pass the word that FireWalker and I really appreciate their
willingness to not only be of assistance but to also keep smiling and just
deal with the situation. Other hikers who were stuck here after some hiked
out the morning following the storm ( they were evaced from the trail
somewhere after getting off the Rim because of the fire further north...has
anyone heard from Giggles?, he was behind the rest), included Happy Feet,
Hatman, Bert, BooBoo, DWreck, The O.S.G., Miner and at least two more.
Thanks,
FireFly and FireWalker from The Hideaway at Old Station
PS...if we can be of assistance to anyone needing to hike north from Old
Station or even further south to complete their thru-hikes, we're glad to do
what we can.  Drakesbad closes on 10.15.09, tho there are still people there
til all the winter preparations are complete, and they'll feed hikers as
they can.  We'd love to know in advance if possible of arrival dates as
we're no longer cooking for masses of folks.  In fact, we're enjoying a few
frozen dinners for a while, so unless that sounds good......
FF and FW