[pct-l] For the Record...

[Sean 'Miner' Nordeen]

Ned,

Don't take some of what we say too personally.  I do think you have alot to offer hikers and I had signed up for one of your classes before I hiked in '09 though you had to cancel the class and I couldn't make the new time.  We are perhaps getting too much into arguements and discussion over gear weight and type when the real issues are experience and knowledge; with the gear one has (light or heavy) and what conditions are possible at different places along the trail along with what skills may be necessary to overcome them.

Just thinking about the last few years on the trail, there are some who started who didn't know how to properly setup their shelter of choice in high winds or bad weather.  Some had no rain gear and sometimes no shelter at different points on the trail assuming it never rains in summer (wrong) and some even became almost (if not) hypothermic.  Many from outside the state had an assumption that SoCal is all desert which ignores the 10K+ ft mountains here and the fact that the trail climbs all the way up to 9000ft at times.  It most certainly can rain or even snow in the spring including in late May in those very same mountains to some people's surprise so have enough warm dry layers (that was a big complaint this spring in particular).  Relying on water caches is dangerous as they can be empty when you get there.  The temps at times can be very hot with no shade so learn a few desert travel techniques.  Since rattle snakes are polite enough to make noise when you are near, make sure the music blasting in your ear buds is low enough that you can hear it (roll eyes).  In some places, depending on the snow pack that year and when you arrive, snow and raging creeks may be encountered, so have some some idea on how to safely travel over snow and ford water.  Bears can be encounterd even outside of the High Sierra (know some who lost food in Socal at Little Jimmy CG, at that high uranium levels spring north of Tehachapi/Mojave and in Sierra City north of Tahoe).  Mice can be found along the trail and they can chew holes in your gear; nothing like the AT shelters, but something to be aware of when choosing a camp site and don't forget to dump those granola crumbs in the bottom of your hipbelt pockets (unfortunately I have personal experience with this).  Just because the weather has been hot the last 3 weeks in NorCal doesn't mean you should mail your sleeping bag ahead as the temps can turn cold (has happened more then once).  So.Oregon is part of the Pacific Northwest so please have some sort of shelter with you (who knew this even needed to be said).  Periods of rain or snow are likely in September (particularly the 2nd hafl) so be ready to hike in it.  October often has cold temps and can have heavy snow.

Does that about cover most things?

-Miner

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Check my 2009 PCT Journal out at http://www.pct2009.lifesadventures.net/Journal.php