[pct-l] G'day and some questions.

[gwschenk at socal.rr.com]

---- Caroline <parablesfromthe_electrichorseman at yahoo.com.au> wrote: 
> Firstly I'd like to say G'day to all on this list and introduce myself :D I've been a lurker on here on and off for a while over this past yr and have to admit I've found this an excellent source of info and occasional source of humour! My name is Caroline and my aim is to thru hike the PCT with the 2010 hikers. Obviously I'm also an aussie. 

Hi!

>  
> I still have a few questions I was hoping I might find some answers on. 
>  
> My first is to do with sleeping bags. I'm currently looking at bringing my Roman sleeping bag which is rated to 5 degrees celcius. So that'd be around 40 fahrenheit if I'm correct. I'm a little confused on this though. Most of the posts I've read on here seem to indicate a bag rated at 20 so I'm assuming 20fahrenheit? That's minus temps in celcius. That seems awefully extreme for most of the trek so I'm just trying to clarify and get an idea on whether mine is actually warm enough or not. 
> 

I have a found a 32 degree Fahrenheit bag to be sufficient for the Sierra from July to September. A 20 degree F bag works for me in late spring and late fall. Depending on you, the 40 degree F bag might be a little cold in June in the Sierra.

I've been carrying a 20 degree bag the last couple of years and find that I rarely have to zip it up.

  
> what are your thoughts on rattlesnake gaitors?

In my opinion, there's no need for that. Unlike Australia, the venomous snakes in California have a built in alarm system. The Pacific rattlers are the most numerous along the PCT and all they want to do is get out of your way, as their name indicates they are pacifists. The Red Diamondback will be a little slower to back-off, so you'll have time to take a couple of pictures before it leaves the trail to let you pass. It, too, just wants to be left alone.

Fortunately, you will not encounter the Western Diamondback, nor its Mojave Green variety, which is an evil tempered creature ready to fight it out with you. The ones I have encountered will not back off and you have to go around them. There are stories of Mojave Greens actually chasing people. But they live a bit to the east of the PCT, lucky for us.

So, don't worry about rattlers, just enjoy your sightings, and you WILL have sightings.

Gary