[pct-l] Flip-Flop Start

[Scott Williams]

It's OK to flip flop in the desert sections in April during a high snow
year, if that's what it turns out to be.  But in 2010, a high snow year, I
had to leave trail and drive north to Bellingham in May.  I stopped in at
Steven's Pass and the snow was still 5 or 6 feet deep.  Checked out the
trails crossing the highway near Shasta and the snow was deep as it also
was at Donner Pass at Tahoe.  Those who flipped up to Lassen and Shasta
that year had no better luck with snow than those of us who just headed
into the Sierra.  And several I know turned around after 50 miles of being
lost south of Shasta in Deep snow and a terrible tangle of blow down.  I
ended up going in the first week in June out of Lone Pine and we lived on
snow for 5 weeks and had the hike of our lives.  It was the most wonderful
part of the whole hike.  5 of us banded together and promised to stay
together till Sonora Pass and we all loved what we went through.  Hard,
exciting and totally gorgeous!  But there was nothing to be gained by
flipping north of Tahoe that year as the snows extended from the Sierra to
Canada.   So, really check out the snow depth up north.  You're still in
big mountains and relatively high elevations all the way, except for
Cascade Locks.

Shroomer

On Thu, Jan 14, 2016 at 10:45 AM, <TBrokaw at montmush.com> wrote:

> Great plan.  I think more of us should do flip-flops or section hiking.
> This would thin out the crowd on the trail.  I'm doing this myself.
> I'll let others comment on ideal start point.  Good luck!
>
> Tom Brokaw
> Corporate Project Manager
> Monterey Mushrooms
> 777 Maher Ct
> Royal Oaks, CA 95076-9014
> C: 831-535-2181
> O: 831-274-5520
>
>
>
> From:   Scott Diamond <scott.diamond.mail at gmail.com>
> To:     Pct Mailing List <pct-l at backcountry.net>,
> Date:   01/14/2016 08:26 AM
> Subject:        [pct-l] Flip-Flop Start
> Sent by:        Pct-L <pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net>
>
>
>
> I'm excited about the snow we have this yea.r I think it will make the PCT
> more of an adventure. But I was thinking I'd start mid-April and that may
> necessitate a flip-flop. My next thought  was that maybe I should just
> start off with a flip-flop? That is start my hiking somewhere north of
> Lake
> Tahoe.  My thought was that doing so I could avoid some of the large pack
> leaving from the Mexican border and have a better overall hiking
> experience.
>
> So I have two questions for the wisdom of the list:
>
>    - If I start North of Tahoe in Mid-April where would be a good place to
>    start?
>    - I don't want to hike in 110 degree desert heat so when is the latest
>    folks would recommend for flipping back to the border?
>
> Maybe this plan isn't practical at all?
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
>        -Scott
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