[pct-l] Section D Mt baden powell snow

[Scott Williams]

Because of a lot of snow in the San Jacinto and beyond last year, and the
recommendation at the "snow report" at KO, many people had their winter gear
sent to Idyllwild, (Paradise was closed) and decided at that point.  Some of
us jumped forward to hike the Mojave and Tehachapis first and came back
several weeks later, and still found lots of snow to deal with.  People who
had sent their winter gear on to Kennedy Meadows were either buying new
traction devices etc in Idyllwild or were yogiing it from other hikers.  I
remember the gear shops had a huge run on winter gear because of us, and had
to ship in extra microspikes.  I loaned my ice axe to a Fidget, and then
ended up using Bacon's ice axe later.  Everybody was traiding gear to make
it work.  And then many chose to hike the roads around Fuller Ridge instead.
 If you want to hike that section in deep snow, have the gear.

My recommendation, given the snowiness of this year, is to have ice axe and
traction devices sent to Idyllwild, and then decide when you get there.  If
it's all melted down to a manageable level, as in many past years, then just
ship it on to KM.  But if you end up in conditions like last year, you will
be glad of anything you had planned to use in the High Sierra.  You may need
the option, or you may not, but if you need the gear and don't have it, you
may miss one of the great parts of the trail.  Frankly, those mtns, and
Fuller Ridge, which was scary even with the gear for many of us, were
beautiful, and a lot of fun to hike over.

Shroomer