[pct-l] JMT/Sierra Conditions? + Bear Ideas

[Yoshihiro Murakami]

Dear Brock

I will visit JMT as the third times, and I will guide my wife to VVR
to Lone Pine. The snow pack melting rapidly. I think it remains at
most a few miles patch of snow in August. My wife will be terrified
very much, when faced with steep cliff covered with snow. So we will
carry aluminum crampons. If you are afraid of snow, it might be better
to carry Microspikes. But the snow pack will disappear, I think it
will be useless, except a few miles. Donahue pass (
http://bit.ly/oAcOdb  )

Steel-Eye already wrote the bear problems. Bears is wise, has various
bearsnality, knows humans are bad and trouble making animal. Generally
speaking, they never approach to humans, except a few bears who know
the taste of human foods. So, the bear canister is needed.  I used the
mos balls technique last summer. I don't know it works, since the
density of the bear is very low. ( it is very dense in Japanese
mountains). I think it has some effect to marmot or some creatures.
So, I  will use this technique once more.

I have a GPS, but it  is not needed in summer JMT,  the compass and
maps( http://bit.ly/qAJIbF ) are enough. No large creature. Full of
flowers.



2011/7/13 Brock Dallman <brock.dallman at gmail.com>:
> Good morning!  I'm planning a hike from Walker Pass to (at least) the
> Columbia Gorge, and i have delayed my plans due to the heavy snow-pack this
> year.  The JMT and High Sierras are to be the focal point of my trip, and I
> plan on taking my time going through them.  Obviously I am expecting snow
> and ice through the high passes and parts of the trail, but I want don't
> want to deal with the "hundreds of miles of continuous snow" at the lower
> elevations.  I have never been in that area and am wondering what the
> current conditions are, how fast they are changing, and when the "A GPS IS
> MANDATORY" status of these sections will cease to be, as I will not be
> buying one.  (I've got the Wilderness Press guides for all the sections and
> a compass.)  Any info would be greatly appreciated.
>
>    Also, a friend of mine gave me some great advise on bear deterrent that
> I have never heard anywhere else despite its simplicity.  AIR HORNS!
>  Instead of bear mace which is basically a last resort method with
> questionable effectiveness, hows about something more pro active?  Say it's
> the dead of night and you hear some large creature rustling around your
> site.  Just cover your ears and give the ol' air horn a lengthy blast!  Plus
> you could use it on the trail even at a distance if you spot a bear that's
> getting too close for comfort.  Probably not the best thing to use in an
> avalanche area but with discretion, I think it would be an effective tool,
> when combined with bear cannisters/ bear bagging of course.  Anyhow,  happy
> trails, and a safe Summer!
>
> Brock
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-- 
Sincerely
--------------- --------------------------------------
Hiro    ( Yoshihiro Murakami  村上宣寛 )
Blogs http://completewalker.blogspot.com/
Photo http://picasaweb.google.co.jp/CompleteWalker/
Backpacking since about 1980 in Japan
2009 JMT, the first America.
2010 JMT, the second America.
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