[pct-l] SOBO Questions

[T.Rem]

Hey Shon!
Thanks for the advice- much appreciated.   I loved your story of the
Chickamin traverse armed only with tent stakes.  I totally did the same
thing on my NOBO hike!!  I'd have to look at a map to remember where I was but
it was the same deal- a tent stake in each hand and scared shit-less.
 Hard-packed snow on a steep slope, solo, tennis-shoes, and nothing but
sharp rocks to catch my fall.  Fortunately I didn't have to use the stakes
for a self-arrest but it was risky and more then a little stupid.  Ahh, the
things we do.  Good times.

i mountainsides still with lots of snow on them.  However, it was more of a
challange.  It wasn't overly difficult, except for two times:

>
> 1) During a day of thick fog/clouds I was walking in complete whiteout
> conditions.  This was esp. difficult above timberline. There was one
> stretch, were the PCT traverses a high hillside above timeberline, and I
> had no idea where the trail was.  Was I on it?  WAs I going the right
> direction?  Maps were useless.  I must have lost the trail 10 times that
> day (only briefly, with on exception were I lost the trail in the woods)
> and only managed 13 or so miles.  It was a bear, but great memories.
>
> 2) On the Chickamin Mtn traverse there is a snow chute, were solid snow
> filled up a small ravine cut into the rock.  I was hiking soon after sunrise,
> and after a very cold night, so the snow was rock hard.  I tapped it with
> my knuckes, and dug in my fingers, and found I could only dig it 1/4 inch
> with a finger or show edge.  The slope angle was about 60-65 degrees, and
> if I fell I'd fall like a rocket 50-60 feet at that angle, with my head
> smashing against the ravine's rock walls, then a lower degree angle another
> 500 feet.  Not soft enough to kick steps.  I had no ice tools.  I should
> have turned around, instead I did something stupid.  I took out two tent
> steaks and used them as ice picks, wrapped my little fingers around them
> and started off across the snow chute.  It was about 15 steps to get
> across.  After 14 steps, with one to go, my feet slipped and one hand
> slipped, so I was hanging with one tent steak and two fingers, luckily I
> didn't fall and was able to drive in the other tent steak and take a step
> off the end of the snow wall and back onto the trail.  It was close to my
> death, and my heart was bounding so hard it felt like it could bound out of
> my chest.
>
> Other than that snow chute, nothing else required mountaineering tools.  I
> didn't take an ice axe, and didn't need one.  An ice axe would have done me
> zero good on that snow chute (
>
> I found the water caches were stocked, but some of the springs had dried
> up.
>
> McIver Spring (just south of HWY 78 / Tehachapi region) no longer had
> water coming out of the pipe.  Shallow standing water was found in the
> grasses.  It was so shallow (1/4 inch or so) that the only way I could get
> water was to suck up water into my mouth and spit it out into my water
> bottles.  Took forever to get 4 liters that way, and there were several
> bugs and spiders living in the grasses.
> On the long ridge just south of Saddle Junction / south of Mt. San Jocinto
> I went down the Apache Springs side trail to get water, but Apache Springs
> was dry.  There is a long black tube, that I pressed down on, which gave me
> mud water.  I had to use it.  I mean it was thick.  In my Nalgene the top
> 1/2 was dirty water, the bottom half was sludge.  I got 2 liters and
> continued on.
>
> I think the trail angles will take in SOBO's too.  I only went to the
> Saufley's, and they welcomed me.
>
> I don't think you need mountaineering skill or orienteering lessons.
>  Should you take an ice axe?  That's a question you will get different
> answers to.  I didn't take on, and I'm glad I didn't.  But if you are
> wanting ice axe lessions, I live in Seattle, and I could teach you.  Just
> going to a park (with some sort of hill) would be all that's needed.
>  Practicing on the snow is even better, though.
>
> good luck with your plans.
>
> shon
>
>   *From:* T.Rem <toddremy at gmail.com>
> *To:* pct-l at backcountry.net
> *Sent:* Thursday, February 14, 2013 9:04 PM
> *Subject:* [pct-l] SOBO Questions
>
> Hi all! After completing my 2012 NOBO thru-hike I stayed in Washington, got
> a job, and started day-dreaming about the next big walk. Since I'm already
> so close to Canada I've been entertaining the notion of trying a PCT SOBO
> attempt this summer.  I'm aware that SOBO can be more challenging and I had
> a few questions I was hoping some of the good folks on pct-l might be able
> to help me with.
>
> I read that mid-June is usually the average start date- depending on the
> snow of course- any thoughts?  Unless there are some more big storms on the
> way (you never know) it's been a fairly mild Winter in Washington- this
> could end up being a good year for a early SOBO start.
>
> The water caches in So-Cal- can  I expect them to still be maintained?  If
> so, for how long?
>
> Do trail angels usually still take in SOBO hikers or will they totally be
> burned-out from the NOBOs by the time I come along?  Not that I'd blame
> them!
>
> Is there anyone out there that lives in Washington and who might be willing
> to give a guy some mountaineering and/or orienteering lessons?  I learned
> a lot from my NOBO but last year was a cake-walk as far as snow goes.  I
> started April 6th so I probably ran into more then the rest of the herd
> (especially in Oregon) but I'm not sure if I'm feeling cocky enough to solo
> my way through some of these Washington passes without some more
> experience.
>
> Thanks!
> Pockets
> pct-footfalls.blogspot.com
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