[pct-l] SOBO Ashland TO Walker Pass rather than NOBO

[Stuart Smith]

I was going to start hiking north from Walker Pass (mile 652) to Ashland Oregon (mile 1718) on May 26th, but training 4 weeks ago had a bit of a knee injury and although I am mostly recovered am thinking that might not be a good place to start at that time of the year given snow levels, likelihood of postholing and higher level stream crossings. I am mulling as a safer option for my knee starting at Ashland at mile 1718 and going southbound thus theorically getting much less snow initially and lower snow conditions and stream levels in the Sierra when I exit at Walker Pass about July 16th?  Trying to remove some of the unpredictablity of snow travel on knees. It looks like there is very little snow Ashland to South Lake Tahoe other than the usual north facing slopes and it would take me 3 weeks minimum to reach South Laje Tahoe..

 Any thoughts on this plan?