[pct-l] Sierra Conditions Report

[Mann]

This is a trail report from Jack Haskel, the PCTA's Trail Information
Specialist:
 
Sierra Conditions Report ­ 6/14/11
Don¹t Panic and Wing-it are likely hikers #5-6 in the northbound wave. I
talked to them today, June 14th, from Mammoth Lakes. They have some
interesting and potentially helpful information to pass along. As you read
this, know that the conditions they faced are likely much different from
those that you will face. That doesn¹t necessarily mean that it will be
easier, but it will be different. Note that Don¹t Panic and Wing-it have
already hike the PCT, CDT and AT (Wing-it missed some miles on the PCT so
they¹re doing the whole trail again). They are super fit and strong hikers
who averaged 29 miles per day from the border, often walk 30+ miles per day
and don¹t take many days off.
 
They left the Kennedy Meadows area on June 2nd, and arrived at VVR on the
10th (where they zeroed). They left VVR on the 12th and arrived at Mammoth
Lakes on the 13th.  ³It¹s been wild. It¹s nothing I¹ve ever experienced.²
Wing-it said.  While there were decent steps across Forester, the chute was
³hard snow and ice that our ice-axes couldn¹t penetrate².  They felt that
their Microspikes were essential but wished they had real crampons. An
impassible cornice blocked Mather Pass and they did a near vertical rock
climb on the left side of the pass to bypass it.
 
It seems like runoff hadn¹t peaked yet. They crossed Evolution Creek at the
appropriate crossing, upstream of the PCT at the meadow crossing. Bear Creek
was their hardest crossing. They crossed it at the PCT, in tandem technique,
it was swift and reached Don¹t Panic¹s upper thigh (he¹s 6¹2¹¹).
They never had to camp on snow, but only achieved this through a lot of hard
work. Generally, it was all snow walking from south of Crabtree Meadows to
Woods Creek. They report 8-10 feet of snow in the valleys and that it ³won¹t
melt anytime soon². In a few weeks, ³it won¹t be any easier because the snow
is like a series of ramps that you need to walk up and down².
 
³Snow makes it an incredible amount of work. It¹s discouraging to hike the
hardest you¹ve ever hiked for only 13 miles of progress.² ³We did things
that not a lot of average thru-hikers could do. We hiked Pinchot and Mather
Passes in the same day to avoid camping in snow. It was about 20 miles on
snow.² 
³This is not hiking the trail. It¹s more a winter ice endurance event. The
experience doesn¹t relate to thruhiking. For people who aren¹t into that, it
won¹t be fun at all.² They also made sure to emphasize that the Sierra is
³beautiful!²
 
Please be prepared if you¹re heading into the Sierra. A fall on snow, a slip
in a creek or running out of food because of slower miles and exhaustion are
all real possibilities.
 
VVR is open. The road to Red¹s Meadow was just starting to be plowed on June
13th (there was ten feet of snow), so Red¹s is unlikely to open any time
soon. Tuolumne Meadows is still closed and will be closed for a long time.
Don¹t Panic and Wing-it plan to resupply at Kennedy Meadows North. The store
at Echo Lakes is closed, the road has not been plowed and it is possible
that it won¹t open until early July. The box that they sent there is being
held in nearby Twin Bridges, CA.