[pct-l] Pct-L Digest, Vol 71, Issue 28

[Diane Soini]

According to the Wilderness Press book, the higher elevations are  
blanketed in snow in winter. Early to mid-spring and mid to late fall  
are optimal. Most thru-hikers arrive at the best time.

Most of them arrive in May and early June.

TrailHacker did this section last April and he started out at  
Tehachapi with freezing cold, incredible wind and ice storms/ice fog  
and ended at Kennedy Meadows in a heat wave over 80 degrees.

On Nov 28, 2013, at 10:00 AM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:

> Subject: Re: [pct-l] SoBo from Whitney (now Kennedy Meadows) Section
> 	Hike
>
> Thanks for the feedback on Whitney and hiking south from there  
> regarding trails in from Lone Pine and timing.  Being that I'm not  
> interested in winterizing my hike, what's the earliest (normal thru- 
> hiking style) time to depart Kennedy Meadows and section hike to  
> Tehachapi Pass?
>
> It looks like the high-point of this segment is about 8,000' at  
> mile 687 and then there are a few blips up to 7,000' also along the  
> way.  Is this something that could be done around the end of March/ 
> early April?  Or would later be recommended?  Do these high-points  
> have standing snow pack in the winter that have to melt off or do  
> they just get hit with storms that then melt off in between?
>
> I have a feel for this up in Oregon, but I don't have a feel for  
> the transition from winter to spring that far south.  I'd also be  
> curious if there's more propensity to rain (significantly) during  
> that time frame as my perception of southern California is that  
> it's generally dry all the time with some rare rain thrown in every  
> now and then that comes and goes pretty quickly.
>
> Thanks!  I'm trying to fit in an early section hike down south  
> while I'm waiting for the Oregon snow to melt to do my section hike  
> up here later in the summer.
>
> -GoalTech