[pct-l] SoCal in winter

[Erik The Black]

RE: SoCal in Winter

Hi Jona, 

The first 151 miles of the PCT from the Mexico Border up to Highway 74
should be mostly snow-free. You might encounter some snow around Mount
Laguna (mile 43) and near the end around Highway 74, but it should be brief
and passable. 

>From Highway 74 (mile 151) through Mill Creek Ranger Station (mile 419) the
PCT passes through several mountain ranges above 6,000 feet (San Jacintos,
San Bernardinos, San Gabriels) where there is currently lots of snow and it
will probably not melt until March or April.

There are pockets in this section of lower elevation where the trail passes
through valleys/deserts that are snow free throughout the winter, but they
are not big enough for a week of hiking before you head back into the hills.


>From Mill Creek Ranger Station (mile 419) through Tehachapi Pass (mile 567)
you might encounter some scattered snow here and there at the higher
elevations, but it should be mostly passable.

To recap: 

Mile 0 - 151 (Mostly snow free)
Mile 151 - 419 (Lots of snow in here)
Mile 419 - 567 (Mostly snow free)

If I were you I would hike from Mount Laguna to Highway 74. That is about a
108 mile stretch. You will start out in the mountains and then drop down
into the desert and then back up into the foothills. From Highway 74 you can
go to the Paradise Café (if they are open) and then head into Idyllwild (one
of the best little towns on the trail).

If you are feeling a little more adventurous you *might* be able to press on
further from Highway 74 up into the San Jacintos to Devil's Slide Trail (an
additional 27 miles) and then hike down into Idyllwild from there. There
will be snow there this time of year, but the good news is that there are
several bail-out opportunities between Highway 74 and Devil's Slide where
you can descend to Highway 74 and hitch to Idyllwild if you feel
uncomfortable.


Happy trails,
Erik the Black
 
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Message: 5
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 2010 13:52:30 -0500
From: Jona Schuman <jonaschuman+pct at gmail.com>
Subject: [pct-l] SoCal in winter
To: pct-l at backcountry.net
Message-ID:
	<dfcb0bd61001071052h10926840tafa61d8af61a467 at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

I'd like to do a week-long section hike near LA at the end of
January/beginning of February. I was thinking of starting at Cajon
Pass and heading west over the San Gabriels. Having never hiked in
SoCal (I'm from the northeast) I'm wondering if any could advise me on
what conditions to expect. Do any parts of this section of the PCT
reach elevations where snow will be a problem? Will snowshoes and full
crampons be required? What night-time temperatures should I expect?

I'm not looking for a winter alpine excursion, so are the San Gabriels
doable or should I just hike somewhere else?

Many thanks,
Jona