[pct-l] Basic Snow Skills Class in Sisters, OR Feb24-26

[dougearly at aol.com]

Greetings to all PCT Hikers:

We have arranged to have a Basic Snow Skills Class in Sisters, OR on Feb 24-26. This is a great opportunity for anyone in The Pacific Northwest who is planning a thru hike, or wanting to learn to be able to handle the snow of a thru hike, to have a class closer to home. Please check the website of Ned's at www.mountaineducation.org to get more information about a Basic Snow Skills class. Please respond to the website or call me at 541-419-2986 to discuss any logistics. Looking forward to getting a good support from the Northwest for this class- See you on the trail... Doug





-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-request <pct-l-request at backcountry.net>
To: pct-l <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Fri, Dec 2, 2011 10:00 am
Subject: Pct-L Digest, Vol 48, Issue 2


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oday's Topics:
   1.  biography of John Muir (Dan C. aka Thumper)
  2. Re: Stabler's Country Store Closed (Sam Griffin)
  3.  78% hike Cascade Locks to White Pass - skip Trout Lake
     (Hootie Martin)
  4. Re: biography of John Muir (Russell Mease)
  5. Re: 78% hike Cascade Locks to White Pass - skip Trout Lake
     (Diane Soini of Santa Barbara Hikes)
  6.   78%, er, 50%  hike Cascade Locks to White Pass - skip Trout
     Lake (Scott)
  7. 78%, er,	50% hike Cascade Locks to White Pass - skip Trout
     Lake (linsey)
  8.  78%, er, 50% hike Cascade Locks to White Pass - skip Trout
     Lake (Scott)

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Message: 1
ate: Thu, 1 Dec 2011 10:41:23 -0800
rom: "Dan C. aka Thumper" <dofdear at cox.net>
ubject: [pct-l]  biography of John Muir
o: pct-l at backcountry.net
essage-ID: <20111201134123.RZHB2.183742.imail at fed1rmwml107>
ontent-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
Try this site;
http://www.yosemite.ca.us/john_muir_writings/
Thumper aka dofdear

-----------------------------
Message: 2
ate: Thu, 1 Dec 2011 10:53:38 -0800
rom: Sam Griffin <samgriffin4 at gmail.com>
ubject: Re: [pct-l] Stabler's Country Store Closed
o: pct-l at backcountry.net
essage-ID:
<CA+K-w5SNPEJ2TuQ4MVhRDp1Rm0-X-=65M6zWVeQA1Exe17iBHA at mail.gmail.com>
ontent-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Cascade Locks to White Pass isn't bad at all, by that time you can cover
hat distance in a relatively short amount of time (speaking from a mid
ile/day hiker, 25-30 in southern WA). Most of the people I hiked with this
ast summer didn't stop in at Trout Lake, though a few did. I didn't need
o for supplies,  but I almost went in for the legendary burger and shakes!
 even had a ride offered! It was too late in the day though, so I trudged
n.
hat said, I think Trout Lake is definitely a place to be considered. I
EALLY regret missing the huckleberry shakes, fact is I could have made it
ut I felt unusually lazy that day. People talked about the burger for
iles. I did, however, munch on many a huckleberry while waiting for my
als to hitch out.
--Rattler

-----------------------------
Message: 3
ate: Thu, 1 Dec 2011 12:41:42 -0800
rom: Hootie Martin <hootie2006 at gmail.com>
ubject: [pct-l]  78% hike Cascade Locks to White Pass - skip Trout
Lake
o: pct-l at backcountry.net
essage-ID:
<CAJcy8WHf7p2N2Pps0CZFuEg320RFLkmQi2Z1FWp8UUVFAkbGjg at mail.gmail.com>
ontent-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Postholer wrote:
Stabler Store closing is not a big deal.
78% hike directly from Cascade Locks to White Pass. It's quite normal.
What some folks do is skip the 34 miles between Cascade Locks and Wind
iver Rd and just walk Wind River Rd to Panther Crk Rd to the PCT at
anther Crk CG. You can shave a 34 mile day off that way. This doesn't
ork for the purist! :)
If you're considering Trout Lake, you really need to think twice about
hat decision. It's roughly 20 miles off-trail on a forest service road;
etting a hitch by most accounts will be a major pain. Subjective
estimonials of a few folks saying they had no problem should not be
onfused with the reality of it. Only 6% of hikers in the past have used
rout Lake and for good reason.
Scott, where have you pulled this data from and what percentage of
hru-hikers are included in this data extract?  I suspect that this is but
 small sample of actual thru-hikers.
As a few others have shared already, the pull between Cascade Locks and
hite Pass is not that bad at all.  I don't understand why anyone would
ecommend skipping this section of the trail and road walking simply to
educe the resupply leg.  This is not an issue of purist versus non-purist
n my view, given that you are talking about a 34 mile section of trail.
kipping sections of this size simply to reduce resupply legs is really
edefining the definition of a PCT thru-hike.  Sure, call it a Mex-Can
ike, but I struggle with classifying this as a PCT Thru-Hike if you are
oing to skip sections of this size simply to reduce resupply legs.
If one looks at it, this is approximately 155 mile leg, assuming one
hooses not to hitch into Trout Lake.  By this time most folks are kicking
5-30 mile days which would equate to 5-6 day resupply.  Why is this
ifficult?  Is this the result of more and more folks utilizing UL packs
hat simply can't carry a 5-6 load-carry?  During the planning stages of my
006 thru-hike, I read many journals from 2003-2005 to gather information
nd back then, a good majority of those journaling appeared to have a
umber of resupply legs of this length and even greater as many folks
ypically went straight through between KM and VVR on a 8-9 day resupply
eg.  Additionally, Tehachappi/Mojave to KM is approximately 145 miles and
his was often done in one resupply.
Not suggesting one is right or wrong, but it is interesting how the
ogistics have changed somewhat over the past 5-7 years.  Now, obviously in
he Sierra, the heavier snow years will have some impact on the ability to
o straight through, but there has definitely been a change in the overall
hought process of what are "manageable" resupply legs in the past few
ears.  It would make for an interesting study!
While I didn't stop at Trout Lake on my thru, I do recall reaching Road 23
nd there was a gentleman there that proactively encouraged me to take a
ide in with him and suggested the Huckleberry shakes were to die for!  It
s one of those spots that I have put on my list to go back to in th future.
Elevator

-----------------------------
Message: 4
ate: Thu, 1 Dec 2011 13:51:36 -0700
rom: Russell Mease <measerp at gmail.com>
ubject: Re: [pct-l] biography of John Muir
o: pct-l at backcountry.net
essage-ID:
<CAFtt5KKUAGK_1WzR4AGfD2dFWKkopO4Oh_+uz0o3QS9E33B4+Q at mail.gmail.com>
ontent-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Tanya,
I read "A Passion for Nature:  The Life of John Muir" by Donald Worster in
ugust and, like others in this list, I highly recommend it.  This book
eally follows the timeline of John Muir from his upbringing in Scotland to
is teenage years in the woods of Wisconsin (working on the family farm
nder the strict hand of his father) and on from there, discussing his
000-mile trek down to Florida and then his first days setting foot in San
rancisco and finding his way to the Sierra, a life-defining time for
uir.  In his later years, the book focuses on his rising prominance and
nfluence in the evolving environmental and conservation movements.  I
eally learned a ton about how special our preserved lands are and how much
ork it took to overcome the political jugernaut of the time, that if left
nchecked could have turned places like Yosemite into....well, use your
est imagination (another disneyland?)
A really good book and for someone who knew very little about Muir, this
eally covered his entire life and work.  It will make you yearn to take
ff on a long hike!
Message: 6
ate: Wed, 30 Nov 2011 23:04:55 +0000 (GMT)
rom: TANYA SAVAGE <tanya.savage2 at btinternet.com>
ubject: [pct-l] biography of John Muir
o: "Pct-L at backcountry.net" <Pct-L at backcountry.net>
essage-ID:
      <1322694295.82605.YahooMailNeo at web87016.mail.ird.yahoo.com>
ontent-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
Hi, can anyone recommend a good book about John Muir? I know embarrassingly
ittle about him, but would love to know more before doing the PCT next
ear. And it could be a good Christmas present suggestion for my family to
et for me (they're too busy to go shopping, so gifts from Amazon are good!)
hanks
anya

-----------------------------
Message: 5
ate: Thu, 1 Dec 2011 17:57:10 -0800
rom: Diane Soini of Santa Barbara Hikes <diane at santabarbarahikes.com>
ubject: Re: [pct-l] 78% hike Cascade Locks to White Pass - skip Trout
Lake
o: pct-l at backcountry.net
essage-ID:
<E7D2EB9C-F09E-42B6-8E8D-FACB6F19609A at santabarbarahikes.com>
ontent-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed

n Dec 1, 2011, at 10:00 AM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:
> 78% hike directly from Cascade Locks to White Pass. It's quite normal.

 What some folks do is skip the 34 miles between Cascade Locks and Wind
 River Rd and just walk Wind River Rd to Panther Crk Rd to the PCT at
 Panther Crk CG. You can shave a 34 mile day off that way. This doesn't
 work for the purist! :)
I did the road walk. I wanted to save carrying a day's worth of food.  
omeday I'll go back and do that whole first section of Washington  
ure PCT, no road-walk. It's funny how much I enjoy having reasons to  
eturn to the trail.
It seems so normal to stop and do your resupply in Cascade Locks, but  
f I could do it over again, I'd try to get myself to Stevenson  
that's the name of the major town across the river, right?) and do  
y resupply there instead. They had more upscale stores there, a  
etter-stocked grocery and several nice espresso places (for some  
eason espresso places became dreams come true for me on the trail  
hat with the delicious coffee and pastries and computer access).  
>From there I could either continue the road walk or return to the  
rail.
Although one nice thing about Cascade Locks was the free camping on  
he river-front and sitting in the setting sunset watching the river  
nd drinking a beer.
What I did end up doing was staying in Cascade Locks, doing the road  
alk, buying some supplemental items at the better grocery store in  
tevenson, stopping in at an espresso place for coffee, pastries and  
se of the internet, then continuing on along the road walk to  
anther Creek, getting lost somehow and walking along a really nice  
esidential street. Sure is pretty there.

------------------------------
Message: 6
ate: Thu, 01 Dec 2011 18:21:56 -0800
rom: Scott <public at postholer.com>
ubject: [pct-l]   78%, er, 50%  hike Cascade Locks to White Pass -
skip Trout Lake
o: pct-l at backcountry.net
essage-ID: <4ED83644.4020007 at postholer.com>
ontent-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
For those who don't already know, I'm an a$$. I owe everyone an apology.
I stated quiet emphatically that Trout Lake only received 6% of 
hru-hikers.
Trout Lake sees 22%. Stabler was seeing 28%. So that's 50% of hikers go 
rom Cascade Locks to White Pass without stopping at either.
Thanks Elevator for keeping me honest.
-postholer
-- 
ww.postholer.com

-----------------------------
Message: 7
ate: Thu, 1 Dec 2011 18:59:40 -0800 (PST)
rom: linsey <mowoggirl at yahoo.com>
ubject: [pct-l] 78%, er,	50% hike Cascade Locks to White Pass - skip
Trout Lake
o: pct list serve <pct-l at backcountry.net>
essage-ID:
<1322794780.85977.YahooMailNeo at web37102.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
ontent-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
When you say that 50% hike straight thru between Cascade Locks and White Pass, 
o you mean 50% of those who started not counting attrition or 50% of thrus who 
ave reached the Washington border?
Personally, I love Trout Lake and will miss Stabler's which was a terrific 
pportunity for the savvy nobo to not carry all that food from near sea level.
Both times I've had to hitch to Trout Lake from the trail have been no problem, 
nce you are in town it's simple to get back. ?Three of my four rides were with 
ocals, and I gave generous gas contributions to facilitate goodwill. ?
------------------------------
Message: 8
ate: Thu, 01 Dec 2011 21:02:39 -0800
rom: Scott <public at postholer.com>
ubject: [pct-l]  78%, er, 50% hike Cascade Locks to White Pass - skip
Trout Lake
o: pct-l at backcountry.net
essage-ID: <4ED85BEF.8090002 at postholer.com>
ontent-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
It simply means 50% of all hikers 'intend' to go straight to White Pass 
rom Cascade Locks without any stops.
 >>>>
hen you say that 50% hike straight thru between Cascade Locks and White 
ass, do you mean 50% of those who started not counting attrition or 50% 
f thrus who have reached the Washington border?

- 
ww.postholer.com

-----------------------------
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