[pct-l] PCT Thru-hike Southbound

[mkwart at gci.net]

Tavin:

I lived and worked in Yosemite National Park for two years. If you are 
going to be in the Sierras after November, better bring some skis or 
snowshoes. It is true that the John Muir Trail has been done in winter 
on skis--when I cross country skiied into Tuolumne Meadows in winter, 
the guy taking care of the ski hostel in the converted gas station 
building had done the Muir trail in winter on skis with a ranger named 
Howard Weamer, who was then the Ostrander Hut caretaker. This was in the 
late 90's. They were also expert backcountry skiers and I believe cached 
their own food before hand. It is a daring plan, but you better be an 
expert backcountry skier to finish it.

I have often conjectured to myself when "winter ascents" will start to 
be done on the PCT. It seems to me that when the challenge goes out of 
mere backpacking the PCT in summer, hardy souls will turn toward doing 
it in winter--like a major mountain ascent that has been done many times 
in summer, but now also has winter ascents added. I am not advocating 
this, but it does seem like the way these things evolve over time. What 
was considered impossible becomes the possible after someone does it. 
But the price without proper knowledge and experience could be more of a 
chance of injury or death.

Fireweed