[pct-l] Advice to a beginner about crossing Sierras

[Ann Marie]

Wow ":relatively easy...."  What a review from postholer, who was probably sitting in the safety of his living room while bemoaning how easy the two groups of us (the trio before us going over Forester first, and us following them....) had it in the snow, and ice, and wind, and cold.

postholer,

 I don't know you, but you seem hell-bent are insulting the hikers who actually get off their butt and DO hike thru the current snow and are super happy that they accomplished a hike only others dream about. Dangerous, you bet. But  waiting for the snow to melt means the following hikers will be facing more dangerous water crossings than I faced. And they will be missing the beauty of the snow-covered scenery. And they will be delaying when they could be moving forward.

Was I uniformed to do my initial hike from Kennedy Meadows to Independece? Maybe. But I went into the hike with my eyes wide open, taking every piece of advice I could glean from this forum and from Mountain Ned, And I found advice from BOTH sources indispensable and invaluable, even if I had to modify some of that info later to fit my needs,  I am a better person for giving it the try and getting to the end point no matter how hard it was on me physically and mentally.

I am not advocating that thru-hikers continue thru the Sierra without giving it a thought. But snow is snow, and you can definitely walk on snow and continue north if you choose without it being a great hardship, IF you give considerable though to your gear choices. If you don't go now, you may never be able to finish the trail in time - again this is the hiker's choice. But I know from my own experience that walking thru the existing snow is doable. If you don't want to do it, so be it. BUT don't belittle the hikers who have the courage and are learning the daily skills to do it now.

Snow depth matters not. It can be one feet or twelve feet. You certainly will not sink 12 feet in consolidated snow with the correct footwear. Yeah, it's slow, but it's still progress every day along the 5-month journey.

Ned is giving the most down-to-earth advice that he can. You are not even out there but seem to believe your advice is more pertinent.  Who's really blowing smoke?

I'm not only NOT in the league of an average hiker (I don't hike every day nor every week), but I'm an out-of-shape section hiker who managed to complete this section thru the snow.  Yes, I did it with group help, listening and depending upon expert help from 
Ned. But he could not carry me up the slopes, nor passes, nor across raging streams. I had to do that myself.  I completely recommend to every thru-hiker that they NOT do the Sierra without commiting to staying with a group that can pull them safely thru all ridges and passes and over streams. Encouragement is KEY..  As I recall, Ned has been giving the EXACT same advice.


I'm sorry pct-l forum. But enough is enough with the insults and misinformation

Deb

"Ned's trip was relatively easy as he only crossed Forester and it was
the furthest south section of the high Sierra. The farther north you
go the more snow you will find, as well as navigating in a much more
forest environment, which is tough.

I wish we could get some down to earth advice from Ned on the
conditions. He has ton's of experience, but getting him to see things
from the perspective of the average hiker seems difficult at best.

-postholer"