[pct-l] Mexico to Palm Springs

[Ned Tibbits]

I'll speak up to the snow aspects of hiking from the border to hwy 10 during 
the winter months.

No matter whether you find yourself on the trail in the North Cascades, 
northbound, during the first snows of the season (September/October) or in 
the southern mountains around LA during the winter months, the concern is 
what type of snow you'll be dealing with, powder vs. consolidated.

New snow is soft. Until it settles out, compacts down, and hardens up (from 
freeze-thaw cycles on its surface or from the consolidation process), it is 
not a pleasure to walk in because you'll have to plow through it. It is not 
hard enough to walk on without suddenly plunging through its surface 
(post-holing), so even with snowshoes, it takes a lot of strength and energy 
to make any distance through it at all. Expect 1 mile an hour at best in 
powder.

There are, also, concerns of avalanches in steep terrain since loose snow 
wants to move downward in and of itself. Your own weight on it or the path 
you cut through it can be a sufficient trigger to cause a slide's release. 
You'll need to know how to identify avalanche-prone slopes and avoid them. 
For the most part, though, SoCal's PCT doesn't have many, if any, avalanche 
slopes until you get to the Desert Divide and San Jacinto.

Then, there's the issue of navigating over a buried trail. You'll need to 
learn how to identify the signs present around you indicating where the 
trail most likely goes. Halfmile's maps and a GPS with his data will easily 
get you through, but your pace will be slow and steady. Remember, it doesn't 
take much snow to hide the trail!

>From Mountain Education's opinion regarding hiking this section during the 
winter months? Certainly do-able below snowline. You might get wet and cold 
(yes, even in sunny California). Above snowline you'll need a little wise, 
snow-savvy to get through and a lot of time and food.



Ned Tibbits, Director
Mountain Education
www.mountaineducation.org
-----Original Message----- 
From: Diane Soini
Sent: Thursday, September 19, 2013 5:20 PM
To: pct-l at backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Mexico to Palm Springs

Yes, it is worth doing.

You can do it starting mid-march most years. During a high snow year
that may be a little early. You can do it in February up to Pines to
Palms Highway. The San Jacintos are close to 10,000 feet so that's
what limits an early start time.

You can do it in fall, too. If you do it before we've had a good rain
storm, there will not be much water for you. If you want to hike in
November, it'll be similar to February, including the limitation of
snow blocking your way in the San Jacintos, but with probably warmer
daytime temperatures.

Enjoy the desert.

On Sep 19, 2013, at 10:00 AM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:

> From: "Doug Carlson" <doug-sue at centurylink.net>
> Subject: [pct-l] Mexico to Palm Springs
> To: <pct-l at backcountry.net>
> Message-ID: <001f01ceb54d$dc722360$95566a20$@net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> I have been section hiking the CDT for years.  I am just starting
> to look at
> the PCT, ordered my first guide book this week.
>
>
>
> I would appreciate some suggestions on when to hike the section
> from Mexico
> up to Palm Springs/Hwy 10.
>
>
>
> What is the earliest one can do this hike?  Or would it be better
> to hike it
> in late fall/winter?  I have the time and prefer quality in the hike.
>
>
>
> And maybe this section isn't even worth doing?  I did enjoy liking
> up from
> the border in New Mexico and wonder how southern CA compares.
>
>
>
> -Trew

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