[pct-l] Campo to Kennedy Meadows gear list

[CHUCK CHELIN]

Happy New Year, Bill,

Without knowing your style of hiking or what you carry on the JMT in August
it’s hard to be specific, but here are some general observations:

1.      Everything up to KM is outside the SIBBG control area so there is no
requirement, or functional need, for a bear ‘can.

2.      The southern portion can be cool at night – often freezing – so I
carry something warmer than a summer sleeping bag.

3.      The desert regions can be hot, depending upon the particular year,
maybe 100+ deg. F during the afternoon, so sun protection is important.

4.      I pack the ability to carry about five liters more water than I
would in the Sierras.

5.      You could hike the JMT without a water purification method, but some
of the southern water sources are kind of “iffy” so plan accordingly.

6.      I find additional electrolytes are necessary when sweating
profusely.  I like the flavored kind which also helps me gag-down 120 deg.
water from my bottle.

7.      I find AsABat’s water report is the single most valuable piece of
information that I carry up to KM.   http://www.4jeffrey.net/pctwater

8.      I recommend getting the gear weight down to less than ten pounds,
and the “skin-out” weight less than fifteen.  Of course, that applies to the
entire trail as far as I’m concerned.

Enjoy your planning,

Steel-Eye

Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT – 1965

http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye

http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09


On Fri, Jan 1, 2010 at 7:05 AM, Bill Thoms <wthomsjr at comcast.net> wrote:

> After whetting my PCT appetite with a traverse of the JMT last August I am
> planning a section hike from the Mexican border to Kennedy Meadows starting
> in April.  Would anyone care to comment on differences in gear recommended
> for this section in spring compared to the High Sierras in summer?
>
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