[pct-l] Current high sierra condition, of trail and hiker

[Lisa Valenti-Jordan]

Hey all!

Just got back from Reds Meadow - Whitney, thought I'd give my 2 cents:

Summary: I'm not sure you need any of the snow gear anymore, GPS was nice,
but there were footprints up almost everything, and I'm sure there are more
now as each day a few more people went t brave the trail.  Ice Axe was
mostly used for messing around with glissading (sp?) and digging poop
holes.  Khatoola's were nice, but not necessary if you climbed later in the
day - of course that would lead to more postholing and slippery walking (the
drunk walk as I call it).  River crossings - all doable, we crossed all but
mono at the trail, and mono crossing you could see from the trail.  In short
- IMHO head out there!  There IS snow.  Alot of it, but it was also doable.
(not to say it wasn't hard, but heck, why would you go if you didn't want
something hard?)  Detailed descr. below.

Silver Pass - simple, minimal snow when we went over on 7/16, but plenty of
suncups
Silver creek - crossing under the waterfall is awesome, looks scarier than
it is.  No real comment on any of the other crossings, easyish.
Mono Creek - thigh high and going down, head downstream to cross as everyone
tells you.  Took a dunker in mono #2 b/c I was trying to rock-hop and show
off.  Water was cold, as was the ride to VVR on the boat!!
Seldon Pass - almost no snow, went over 7/19
Bear Creek - waist high, from here on out we crossed everything at the trail
and I had little difficulty (5'9" 140lb female, on my own with only pole
assistance).
Muir Pass - we heard rumors of 10mi of snow.  Closer to 8, 3 on the northern
side, 5 on the southern, and some nice glissade tracks on the N. side.  With
the sierra cement even a newb like me to gilssade can have a hecka good
time. (7/21)
Mather Pass - there was a lot of snow on this headed up going SOBO, we
climbed it early with the kahtoola's and had no problems, though it was
technical.  There was a note at the ranger station that there were big holes
under the snow so we rock scrambled. (7/24)
Pinchot pass - did this the same day as mather, some snow, and this was the
hardest route-finding (not super clear footprints), but mostly hard b/c we
were tired.  Not sure I'd do that again. (7/24)
Kings Canyon R. - Lots of hulabaloo about how this was hard and to walk 1.5
mi upstream.  I crossed at the crossing and it was maybe knee-to thigh high
med. speed.  Crossed at noon.
Glen Pass - perhaps my favorite, plenty of footprints to follow and a clear
path with no false summits.  Met awesome folks at Rae Lakes (7/25)
Forrester - Also pretty simple with footprints, at one point trail goes
straight up cutting several switchbacks across snow, I missed it at first,
but the tracks are real clear.  (7/26)
Mt. Whitney - 7 million people, clear tracks, if you head out whitney portal
there's a sweet glissade to miss quite a few of the switchbacks, though it
was melting out fast when I walked out (7/28) so you may not be able to do
that anymore safely.

Everything was melting fast, so likely even less than when I went, but with
new fun and dangers - enjoy JMT folks!  I'm off to do the TRT bit I missed
earlier in the season, going to try to keep up on foot with some friends on
mountain bikes - wish me luck :).

Puddlejumper