[pct-l] Snow Questions for 2007 Alumni

[CHUCK CHELIN]

Good morning, BF,

I hiked in the low-snow ’07 year, departing Kennedy Meadows 28 May.  The
first Sierra snowpack I encountered that I had to walk on was in the chute
immediately below Forester Pass, and that required three -- or possibly
four -- steps to cross.

Most of the passes were substantially clear of snowpack on the trail
approaches because of their generally southern aspect.  The descent from
most passes was over moderate-to-light snowpack for the first 100-500
yards, and then clear.

The exception was Muir Pass whose approach had about a mile of solid
snowpack.  That part of the trail is not steep – mostly just rolling high
country; and it’s significant that Muir is an east/west pass which is
approached by hiking southwest rather than by hiking north as it might seem.

I didn’t carry an ice axe or any traction aids.  A couple of times some
better traction would have been convenient, but there were always easy
work-arounds available. Doing it again under the same conditions I might
install shoe-screws for the slickest surfaces
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=264768

http://www.trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=429216

http://www.trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=429217

I’d consider the screws because I’m old and not quite as quick and agile as
I was even a mere 50 years ago.

With good hiking conditions and a reasonable schedule hikers should be
through the Oregon Cascades on occasional spotty snowpack, and should be
through the Washington Cascades on bare trail before new snow arrives.
http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/cgibin/westsnow.pl

The stream crossings in the Sierra were easy.  Evolution Creek was less
than knee-deep, and I hardly broke stride.  Bear Creek was about knee-deep
but not very fast.  There I almost fell down and dunked on the opposite
bank just because I got careless.

The deepest water I crossed was the outflow of Wilma Lake.  It was about
waist-deep; but there was a nice soft, level, sand bottom, and the current
was very slow.  I could see that it was deep so I stopped to be extra
certain everything in my pack was in plastic bags.  I didn’t worry about
the bear ‘can, but I bagged all the food inside.  It was more of a nuisance
than a drama.

This should be a great hiking year…enjoy,

Steel-Eye

-Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT – 1965

http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye
http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09/

On Fri, Mar 22, 2013 at 9:47 AM, BF <playswmatches at punk.net> wrote:

> With the California Snow Water Graph now sloping downward, in a trajectory
> very similar to that of the winter of '06/'07, I have a couple of
> questions for those that hiked the PCT in 2007:
>
> With the benefit of experience would you say that snow walking gear is
> necessary or not needed in the High Sierras or the Cascades?  If so, what
> style would handle the job in your opinion?   When considering safety vs.
> speed what do you think is the wisest gear plan for those area when it
> comes to those areas?
>
> Since it may matter: I'm 5'10" at 160 pounds, and at my current level of
> training I'm hiking 21 miles in 7 hours with a 27-pound pack, but will
> probably be hiking through those areas with a 40 pounds on my back.
>
> Thanks,
> -BF
>
>
>
>
>
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