[pct-l] Pct-L Digest, Vol 76, Issue 9_ Mexico to Hwy 74

[CClark]

Another question about CA Sections A thru C:

I have a foot condition such that I have to bring separate "water
shoes" for stream crossings, because it gets greatly aggravated if I
hike in wet shoes.

Are there likely to be any water crossings in Sections A to C in May,
that would require wading?

Thanks for your thoughts,
Carolyn



Message: 1
Date: Tue, 8 Apr 2014 10:27:32 -0700
From: Diane Soini <dianesoini at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Poison Oak and Poodle-Dog Prevalence, Mexico to
    Hwy     74
To: pct-l at backcountry.net
Message-ID: <74D88DDA-2766-4ACD-ACB9-0B6DD840EB3C at gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Poodle dog bush would be highly unlikely in that section. It requires both a wildfire in the past few years and altitude around 4000-5000 ft.

There is nowhere on the trail where poison oak is unavoidable. It's all easily avoided and there's not much of it. There is especially little in the section you plan to do. Poison oak requires below around 4500ft or so and likes oak woodland or chaparral. You walk through a small amount of oak woodland in the first 100 miles. As long as you don't wander off the trail among the oaks, you probably won't even see poison oak. You'll likely be most at risk of wandering off the trail if you camp or do other off-trail activities around Barrel Spring or anywhere that has similar vegetation (between the highways near Warner Springs for example).

On Apr 8, 2014, at 10:00 AM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:

> Message: 3
> Date: Mon, 7 Apr 2014 11:44:39 -0700
> From: harwoodcreek at gmail.com
> Subject: [pct-l] Poison Oak and Poodle-Dog Prevalence, Mexico to Hwy
>     74?
> 
> Is there any poodle-dog on this stretch?  Where is poison oak unavoidable
> along the trail?
> 
> Thanks, Roger