[pct-l] JMT thru...on skis

[Reinhold Metzger]

Jesse (Mountain Goat},
What an incredible adventure.
A JMT thru is tough in the summer, but a JMT thru on skis just boggles
my mind.
I salute you and your accomplishment.
I have thru-hiked the JMT eleven times, and skied the Sierra for many
years, but I never thru-skied the JMT.
Again, I salute you and your accomplishment.

Jesse, I have the book  "High Odyssey" by Eugene A. Rose about the first
solo thru on skis of the JMT by Orland Bartholomew.
Orland started his trek on Dec. 25, 1928 about 11 miles east of Cottonwood
Pass and then after 300 miles, via Cottonwood Pass, Mt. Langley and Mt.
Whitney, arrived in Yosemite Valley on April 3, 1929.

Jesse, I don't know if you read the book but, if you have not, I would
highly recommend reading it.

BTW.....how many days and resupplies did you allow for your trek?

JMT Reinhold
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Jesse {Mountain Goat} wrote:

Hello All,
Just got back from a thru-ski of the JMT a couple days ago.
There is a lot of snow right now, 2-4 feet along the touleme river, 8+
feet in colby meadow.  Lots of big avalanche debris from this winter.
Thru-hikers might get lucky and be able to cross Evolution creek on
avalanche debris about a mile upstream from the regular ford, the debris
pile is about 15 feet thick, and proably has some trees in it.

Switchbacks from guitar lake up to Trail Crest are mostly melted out,
and the trail to the summit of Whitney is easily passable WITH an ice
axe.  There is about 5 miles of trail near the muir trail ranch turn off
that is melted out, and a couple miles of partly melted trail on the way
up bear ridge, but other than that the trail is 100% snow covered.

All bridges are in good condition.

The tub at reds meadow is open, there are a few dry patches of ground to
camp on, but the bathrooms are all locked.

My message to thru-Hikers: if the sun cups dont get to big, it might be
a great year to do the jmt on skis, if the conditions are right, it can
be way faster.

For pictures see:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1861081323656.2093224.1139611913&l=547923e3b9  <http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1861081323656.2093224.1139611913&l=547923e3b9>
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Mountain Goat(pct 2009)