[pct-l] How much of (calif) section A-F is do'able in January

[Gary Schenk]

On 8/3/2010 2:15 PM, greg mushial wrote:
> I'm hoping to be a thru in 2011...  but in dropping said hint at work,
> getting that much time off in one piece might not be possible. So instead of
> a "true thru" (Apr->Oct, Mex->Can), my plan B would be a "thru in a year",
> ie, do pieces or all of A-F in January and March, and then pick up in early
> June where I left off. So, my question is: when does winter come to the
> south? When (nominally) does Baden-Powell become snow covered; or asked
> differently: what parts are still doable (meaning trail walking, not
> snowshoe'ing) in January, and again, in March?
> thanks - TheDuck

It's anybody's guess. I've been on the PCT at Baden-Powell in late 
December without a trace of snow. Or it could be buried. Every year is 
different. I've climbed 10,064' Mt. San Antonio, just south of 
Baden-Powell, in mid-January in conditions that could only be called summer.

With the proper equipment, none of which would be called ultralight, you 
could traverse the Southern California mountains that time of year in 
the worst conditions. It's up to your skill level and sense of adventure.

If you hit it right, it could be just a typical backpack, or it could be 
a ski mountaineering expedition.

SoCal is weird that way.