[pct-l] Section D snow hazard

[gwschenk at socal.rr.com]

---- Perry Chamberlain <juniper_canoeman at yahoo.com> wrote: 
>  Dangerous, Thats for sure, especially the ridge at the top with the 3,000 foot  straight drop off cliff.
> But so far,  I've yet to ever see a through hiker with a day pack, and snow shoes, in socal mountains.
> :-)
> With the deep snow, hikers might need their x-ray glasses as well.
> Canoeman

Back in the late '80s I was hiking south from I-15, having just finished a plate of French Toast from the late and lamented Tiffany's, when I stumbled into "the herd", such as it was. First, in Crowder Canyon, were three guys carrying ices axes, crampons and snowshoes. "Snowshoes in the desert?", says I. "We'll need them up there," one said, pointing towards Wright Mtn. An hour past them was another guy sitting by the trail shuffling through the Wilderness Press guidebook pages he had for that section. A half-hour later, another guy. He told me he'd been chasing the guy ahead for almost a week.

Last May I saw a woman from a church group tumble 150' down the heavily snow covered north slope of Throop Peak. Your words of caution are well taken.