[pct-l] Leaving Date

[John Herrin]

My wife and I, we'll be 57 and 59 when we leave, are planning on
backpacking the PCT over two summers. Our plans are to hike the CA portion
in 2014 and OR & WA in 2015. This is the only way I can get her to agree as
5 to 6 months is just to long to be away from our 5 grandbabies. We are
fairly experienced backpackers and over the years have spent many summers
out west though our longest trip to date was the JMT in late July/August of
2010 (we went SoBo).

It seems most thru hikers leave the US/Mexico border somewhere between Apr
15th and the 25th with plans to head out of Kennedy Meadows and into the
Sierras no sooner then June 15.

Now we are concerned with snow in the mountains. If we left Campo around
May 25th with plans to reach Kennedy Meadows on July 15th, will we be to
late to hope for the occasional stocked water cache in the desert? Should
we expect the heat to be really oppressive? Are all the Trail Angels/Magic
done for the year?

Heading into the Sierras around July 15th will we find the water crossings
to hazardous? I realize there is no way to predict the snow levels in 2014
but from what I have been reading most folks try to cross before the snow
bridges are gone and the creeks become rushing torrents. Anyone have
experience heading NoBo into the Sierras around July 15th?

I love the emails listing the daily posts and answers. I have been pouring
over them and saving some of them. I can't wait to get out of Chicago and
back on the trails.

Thanks to you all,
John & Tina