[pct-l] Jacket questions?

[Donna Saufley]

>When I moved to Southern California many years ago I had the same 
>misconceptions. Folks back east come out here expecting to start in the 
>desert. Well, it's not desert, very little of the trail is in desert. 
>And even if it was, some of the coldest days and nights of my life have
>been in the desert!

Growing up here, I distinctly remember being taught in elementary school
about the extreme temperature shifts that occur in the desert.  Temps can
top out around 100 during the day, they can plummet to freezing at night. I
thought this was common knowledge, but apparently not.

You are so right that not all of the PCT in southern California goes through
desert.  The PCT is not called a "crest" trail without reason.  In SoCal,
the PCT will travel frequently to 5,000+ ft. elevations, and over 9,000 ft.
through truly rugged mountainous alpine terrain. Storms are not unheard of
in April or May.  The San Jacintos, San Bernardinos, and San Gabriel
Mountains are formidable ranges.  These ancient mountains are older than and
were once taller than the Alps. Even John Muir found them to be too rugged,
steep, and daunting. I believe today they mentally minimized or discounted
somewhat because they are not the Sierras. That miscalculation can be fatal.


In "A Walk in the Woods," Bryson points out that more people die of
hypothermia in temperature ranges around 40-50 degrees than do in freezing
conditions. Why? People tend to be more prepared in places they know can
throw storms at them.  But the unwary start will out in warm temps dressed
and prepared for only warm weather.  In that scenario, when temperature
drop, the body cannot tolerate the change, even from 70 down to 50 degrees.
It's even worse if you're wet, because of sweating or inclement weather.

Every year I hope the same thing:  that people will do their homework and be
prepared (like asking questions in this forum!). Take a snow course
(Mountained's are great). Study the PCT elevation profiles and weather
patterns.  Read some journals from various years. Carry warm clothes.  Don't
mail your rain gear or shelter ahead.  I love hikers, but I also see them
doing the most bonehead things out here. Lightening up the pack is one
thing, sacrificing safety is another.  Seeing ill prepared hikers is the
single biggest concern I have as a hiker host. Losing hikers due to their
ill preparedness is devastating and so preventable.

L-Rod