[pct-l] Section Hike

Mon Jan 23 23:09:02 CST 2017

Mid-June NoBo starts, maybe to begin in the Sierra and go to M78....

2017...

Clearly we getting nailed so far this winter with lots of snow. Scott had some good advice to throw into the thread, but let's see if I can add anything of value...

It's beginning to look like the High Sierra, as Scott noted, may be still covered in consolidated snow into July or later on the high passes. That isn't a problem if you'd like to see some awesome scenery want to learn add snow-hiking to your list of wilderness abilities, but if you as a section hiker want to avoid the dreaded white stuff, you may be waiting a long while this season!

Also as Scott noted, and I experienced when I did my PCT thru, after a normal to heavy winter you can have off-and-on snow all the way to September in the North Cascades. I went through Oregon in July (July 4th at Crater Lake) on 3-4 feet of snow in the south and 2-3 feet in the north around Mt. Hood. So, plan for that if this winter keep going hot and heavy! Yes, Oregon offers much less steep snow situations, so swinging your feet up the state, even on snow, can be quite easy and fun. Realize that snow lingers on the shady north sides of things, so if you see on your topo map that you're going to have a short but steep, northern aspect drop into a creek canyon ahead, you might want to learn those steep snow skills, if for nothing else but peace of mind and confidence in knowing what to do to maintain your personal safety and make wise decisions.

Clair and Colton and many others looking for dry-trail summer adventures may just have to either wait until August, look for lower elevation trails, or learn your snow skills, then go have a great summer!

Shifali, this summer consolidated snow may remain covering the high sierra trails above 11,000 feet well into August. (I know that we haven't seen this "normal" type of summer in many, many moons, but this used to be the normal way back when). This means that you'll have a few miles of snow-hiking on either sides of every high pass, especially on the north sides, and steep ascents and descents. If the trail is at all exposed and melted out, you will be on and off it frequently, requiring the right footwear, traction aides, and poles (Self-arrest pole required). It is only "dicey" if you don't know how to approach it, walk on it, and get off it before postholing time, which could come very early in the day. Going over the snow-bound passes becomes a logistical thing making you get up at 0400 to be off by 0530 so you get over the pass while the snow is still "hard" (any time after the thaw starts, the snow will turn to soup around mid-morning and make for horrible snow-hiking!), so you get down to dry trail on the other side before you start postholing.

Realize everyone that when we talk about snow into summer, we, also, have to address the creek crossings, which will be high, deep, and fast, depending on when you are there staring at them.

I could go on forever talking about mountain safety, because that is what Mountain Education is all about, but I get long-winded and folks don't want to read a wall of text. So, you all should consider learning how to be safe on snow and in creeks before you go into the high and steep mountains this summer. We do offer exactly this kind of safety training directed to the inexperienced summer hiker. One of our Snow Advanced Courses will give you all you need to know and do to eliminate your fears, navigate wherever you want to go over snow, keep you safe on the ups and down (no slip and falls), boost your confidence, and allow you to enjoy whatever the high country wants to throw at you in peace of mind.

The type of training I'd encourage you all to consider would be for Early-Season JMT or Future PCT thrus:  the "SAC-7" or Early Season Mountain Advanced Course. Here are the links. Have a look and let us know how we can be of service to making sure you have a safe and fun summer in 2017!

http://mountaineducation.org/snow-advanced-course-overview/ 

http://mountaineducation.org/snow-advanced-course-sierra-pct-nobo-full-course-description/ 

http://mountaineducation.org/early-season-mountain-advanced-course-introduction/ 

If you want to look at the raft of valuable info we freely give regarding snow/creek safety, go to our school's Facebook page, too

https://www.facebook.com/mountaineducation/ 

I hope this helped!

Ned Tibbits, Director
Mountain Education, Inc.
ned at mountaineducation.org 

-----Original Message-----
From: Pct-L [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net] On Behalf Of Scott Williams
Sent: Wednesday, January 18, 2017 7:13 PM
To: Colton Kohnke <colton.kohnke at gmail.com>
Cc: Pct Mailing List <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Section Hike

You're not crazy Colton, but it's way too early to know what will be melted out by then.  Typically, in mid June there's still the good possibility of snow from the Sierra to the Canadian border.  We still found ourselves walking daily on some leftover snow till August, north of the Sierra, but that was a cold spring.  In years when things melt out early, as in all of the drought years, people were entering the Sierra in early May with no snow equipment.  So the weather closer to departure should be the guiding star for you folks doing sections.  With not having to make it to Canada, you're free to hike whatever sections are the best this year.

Doing Ned's training, as Scott suggests is a great way to get comfortable with snow.  If the year is high snow by departure, you'll want to have some kind of traction devices and an ice ax, and the ability to use both.  If we get a quick spring melt out, which is not uncommon either, you may not need either.

Another strategy  if the snow is high come mid June might be to start just north of Sonora Pass and head north, as the northern Sierra is much lower in elevation than the aptly named High Sierra to the south.  By the time you get to Oregon, you'll be incredibly strong and you could probably knock out the whole of Oregon, which is much faster hiking and quite beautiful.

But it's too early in the season right now to know with any certainty what the snow pack will be come June.

Shroomer

On Wed, Jan 18, 2017 at 6:53 PM, Colton Kohnke <colton.kohnke at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Very nice discussion. Except it has me reconsidering my section hike plan!
> I was planning on starting at Crater lake and heading northbound to 
> Manning. I'd start about mid June and end around mid August. 
> Basically, am I nuts to do that portion that early in the season?
>
> Thanks,
> Colton
>
> On Jan 18, 2017 7:37 PM, "Shifali Gupta" <sgupta15 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Hi Claire,
> >
> > Thanks for starting this thread. I was thinking along the same lines 
> > - section hike from Kennedy Meadows to Ashland or Crater Lake (still
> deciding
> > the end point).
> >
> > Scott, thanks for the pointer. Do we have a general snow forecast 
> > for the summer? Also, what would be the best way to train for snow 
> > hiking, especially in Sequoia and Yosemite Valley? I've read that 
> > crossing the passes while there's snow can be a little dicey.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Shifali
> >
> > On Wed, Jan 18, 2017 at 4:13 PM, Scott Diamond < 
> > scott.diamond.mail at gmail.com
> > > wrote:
> >
> > > That sounds like a great section to hike. Big Section. Given that 
> > > time
> of
> > > year and mileage that is probably the best section.  I expect much 
> > > snow this season so the later in June the better. Yes mosquito can 
> > > be bad
> but
> > > not that bad. Bring bug repellent and a mosquito head net.
> > >
> > > On Wed, Jan 18, 2017 at 6:00 PM, claire rdl <clairerdl at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> > >
> > > > Hi everyone! New to this list, not quite sure how it works, but
> figure
> > > I’d
> > > > give it a shot.
> > > >
> > > > Hoping to get some advice on a section hike, thinking around 
> > > > 1000
> miles
> > > > and starting in late June/early July. For now, I am starting at
> Kennedy
> > > > Meadows and heading to the Oregon Border. However, I was 
> > > > wondering if
> > any
> > > > of you know a better place to start around late June/early July, 
> > > > or
> > does
> > > > that sound like a pleasurable hike? I’ve heard mosquitos are 
> > > > pretty
> > crazy
> > > > around that time, any advice on avoiding them?
> > > >
> > > > Thanks in advance,
> > > > Claire
> > > >
> > > >
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> > --
> > Shifali Gupta
> >
> > Portfolio Deployment Associate | SolarCity M.A. (Climate and 
> > Society) | Columbia University B.E. (Information Technology) | Delhi 
> > University LinkedIn 
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> > <https://twitter.com/ShifGupta> | Website 
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