[pct-l] Pictures from my hike last May near Big Bear

[david woods]

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Message: 2
Date: Fri, 9 Sep 2011 20:25:22 -0700
From: Diane at Santa Barbara Hikes dot com
       <diane at santabarbarahikes.com>
Subject: [pct-l] Pictures from my hike last May near Big Bear
To: pct-l at backcountry.net
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       <46D2004F-968A-4800-BE7E-96DE4F5EE40B at santabarbarahikes.com>
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I uploaded my pictures from last May when I hiked between Highway 18
and Swarthout Canyon Road near Big Bear/Cajon Pass last May. For
those worried about the desert, here's what the desert actually looks
like. You never know what you will get. In 2008 when I hiked through
here it was very pleasant in the trees but once I dropped out into
the Deep Creek area, it was around 100 degrees. It was tolerable
though because there were little side creeks and I would just wet
down my long-sleeved desert shirt and hat and keep walking. The
evening was nice and balmy. This year it was raining and snowing and
I risked hypothermia. Both times the wind around Cajon Pass was so
violent I could barely stand up!

http://tinyurl.com/3z7hbe5

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Very nice and well captioned pictures. They really tell the story of your
hike.

Given your prior PCT hiking I was surprised that you were caught out with no
cold/wet weather gear. Hopefully future hikers will take note of your
experience.

When my son and I attempted the trail in late April of 2005 several people
and been pulled off the trail around Mount Laguna with hypothermia and John
Donovan had died after getting lost in a snow storm on San Jacinto the week
before we started.

People, especially those coming to SoCal from wetter and cooler climates
often seem to assume that "desert" means warm and dry. Much/most of the
trail in Socal while semi or just plain arid is above 5000 feet (as high as
9000) and before mid-June/July can be both wet and/or very cold and/or very
windy. At the risk of being pedantic I will say that most years it is
probably not prudent to leave the border at Campo in those months without at
least a rain jacket. Some long pants and a down or synthetic jacket of some
sort and even a pair of gloves is not a bad idea either. Hypothermia can
ruin your day.

Be prepared.