From susan at newstories.org Thu May 9 12:15:37 2019 From: susan at newstories.org (Susan Virnig) Date: Thu, 9 May 2019 13:15:37 -0400 Subject: [pct-l] hiking Section E southbound Message-ID: Dear Hikers, Many of you kindly responded to my request in March for help, ideas, and information. Just wanted to share my experience, so that others can benefit. Tehachapi Pass to Agua Dulce ? flew in on April 5, started hiking on April 6 1. Flew from Spokane into BURBANK; you can catch a bus in front of the airport (#794 Hollywood Way/Thornton) which takes you to the Antelope Valley railroad stop on the NORTH side of the airport. People will try to direct you to the south railroad station, which is NOT the right one. Take the train to Lancaster. From the train station in Lancaster you can take a bus, which stops right in front of the station, to Tehachapi. 2. Trail Angels in Tehachapi are the BEST!!! There is a network of several dozen people who help hikers, and the Chamber of Commerce will direct you to them if you call or write them. (There are also phone lists in plastic at both Willow Springs Road and Tehachapi Pass with names and numbers.) Jeff & Kerry picked me up at the bus station in Tehachapi, stopped at a Big 5 so I could buy fuel and dropped me off ? I was the first hiker to sign their book this year, and followed on the 268 hikers they picked up last year! ? at Brenda?s home for an overnight stay and a ride back to Tehachapi Pass. Brenda also helped huge numbers of hikers last year. 3. Water and caches were in good shape in early April and I frequently texted pctwater.com to share that information. 4. The superbloom flowers were incredible! Temps ranged from below freezing at night to a day or two of 80 degrees. This is absolutely a great time to hike Section E. 5. The trail was pretty deserted. Met some thru hikers who had walked every step of the way (thru the huge snowfields) from the border, and some who skipped the worst of the snow and plan to come back to hike those portions, plus a few section hikers like myself. 6. Hiker Town, Casa de Luna and Hiker Heaven are all delightful places to spend a night or take a zero day. Happy trails, Sunshine/Susan from Spokane From gary at hbfun.org Thu May 9 21:45:09 2019 From: gary at hbfun.org (Gary Schenk) Date: Thu, 9 May 2019 19:45:09 -0700 Subject: [pct-l] hiking Section E southbound In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <4f73429bf4c18598f46efabfb89c143d.squirrel@sm.webmail.pair.com> Sunshine, Thanks for the nice report. Glad you had a nice hike. Gary On Thu, May 9, 2019 10:15 am, Susan Virnig wrote: > Dear Hikers, > > Many of you kindly responded to my request in March for help, ideas, and > information. Just wanted to share my experience, so that others can > benefit. > > Tehachapi Pass to Agua Dulce ? flew in on April 5, started hiking on April > 6 > > 1. Flew from Spokane into BURBANK; you can catch a bus in front of the > airport (#794 Hollywood Way/Thornton) which takes you to the Antelope > Valley railroad stop on the NORTH side of the airport. People will try to > direct you to the south railroad station, which is NOT the right one. > Take > the train to Lancaster. From the train station in Lancaster you can take > a > bus, which stops right in front of the station, to Tehachapi. > > 2. Trail Angels in Tehachapi are the BEST!!! There is a network of > several dozen people who help hikers, and the Chamber of Commerce will > direct you to them if you call or write them. (There are also phone lists > in plastic at both Willow Springs Road and Tehachapi Pass with names and > numbers.) Jeff & Kerry picked me up at the bus station in Tehachapi, > stopped at a Big 5 so I could buy fuel and dropped me off ? I was the > first > hiker to sign their book this year, and followed on the 268 hikers they > picked up last year! ? at Brenda?s home for an overnight stay and a ride > back to Tehachapi Pass. Brenda also helped huge numbers of hikers last > year. > > 3. Water and caches were in good shape in early April and I frequently > texted pctwater.com to share that information. > > 4. The superbloom flowers were incredible! Temps ranged from below > freezing at night to a day or two of 80 degrees. This is absolutely a > great time to hike Section E. > > 5. The trail was pretty deserted. Met some thru hikers who had walked > every step of the way (thru the huge snowfields) from the border, and some > who skipped the worst of the snow and plan to come back to hike those > portions, plus a few section hikers like myself. > > 6. Hiker Town, Casa de Luna and Hiker Heaven are all delightful places to > spend a night or take a zero day. > > Happy trails, > Sunshine/Susan from Spokane From dhbmallard at comcast.net Mon May 13 01:00:16 2019 From: dhbmallard at comcast.net (Dave Baugher) Date: Sun, 12 May 2019 23:00:16 -0700 Subject: [pct-l] Dunsmuir Message-ID: <3AD6476D-8EEF-439E-AB5A-9BFABFE60877@comcast.net> Does anybody here know of a trail angel in Dunsmuir who can provide a ride to Castle Craig?s/PCT junction? Chief Sent from my iPhone From bmontgomery746 at gmail.com Mon May 13 12:05:54 2019 From: bmontgomery746 at gmail.com (Brian Montgomery) Date: Mon, 13 May 2019 10:05:54 -0700 Subject: [pct-l] Pct-L Digest, Vol 123, Issue 2 In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: ... about a 3 mile walk... downhill... Just sayin'. On Mon, May 13, 2019 at 10:00 AM wrote: > Send Pct-L mailing list submissions to > pct-l at backcountry.net > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > pct-l-request at backcountry.net > > You can reach the person managing the list at > pct-l-owner at backcountry.net > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of Pct-L digest..." > > > Please DELETE the copy of the complete digest from your reply. ONLY > include stuff that applies to your reply > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Dunsmuir (Dave Baugher) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Sun, 12 May 2019 23:00:16 -0700 > From: Dave Baugher > To: Pct-L at backcountry.net > Subject: [pct-l] Dunsmuir > Message-ID: <3AD6476D-8EEF-439E-AB5A-9BFABFE60877 at comcast.net> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 > > Does anybody here know of a trail angel in Dunsmuir who can provide a ride > to Castle Craig?s/PCT junction? > > Chief > > Sent from my iPhone > > > ------------------------------ > > Subject: Digest Footer > > _______________________________________________ > Pct-L mailing list > Pct-L at backcountry.net > To unsubscribe, or change options visit: > http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l > > List Archives: > http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/pct-l/ > > All content is copyrighted by the respective authors. > Reproduction is prohibited without express permission. > > ------------------------------ > > End of Pct-L Digest, Vol 123, Issue 2 > ************************************* > From paintyourwagonhikes at gmail.com Fri May 24 12:36:44 2019 From: paintyourwagonhikes at gmail.com (Paint YW) Date: Fri, 24 May 2019 10:36:44 -0700 Subject: [pct-l] Ride from Klamath Falls Message-ID: Looking for transportation from KF to the Ashland then the PCT. Thanks, Paint From paintyourwagonhikes at gmail.com Fri May 24 13:19:34 2019 From: paintyourwagonhikes at gmail.com (Paint YW) Date: Fri, 24 May 2019 11:19:34 -0700 Subject: [pct-l] Ride from Klamath Falls In-Reply-To: <20d801c142ea4451bc63e59f03307729@S-F-EX02.fre.mb.ads> References: <20d801c142ea4451bc63e59f03307729@S-F-EX02.fre.mb.ads> Message-ID: Thank you for the quick reply! Good information Herb. Now at Hikertown, acting as temporary caretaker for Bob. Hikers from the Netherlands and Germany, were asking for advice... to facilitate a flip flop once they get to Kennedy Meadows. Lady Magic Sunshine and King Olli thank you. The PCT-L continues like a champ to provide- inside baseball, as advertised. Good job everybody! All the best- to the Class of 2019. Paint From reinholdmetzger at cox.net Fri May 24 21:58:24 2019 From: reinholdmetzger at cox.net (Reinhold Metzger) Date: Fri, 24 May 2019 19:58:24 -0700 Subject: [pct-l] PCT LIST Message-ID: <714e5eae-5259-044c-0a47-efaab6aa37c7@cox.net> Switchback, Ground Pounder, I just got back from a extended biking and hiking trip in Europe and cant believe what has happened to the list....17 posts in February, 39 in March, 16 in April, and 4 in May. What happened to the list? Where is everybody? Where are all the Hardcore Hikers that used post on the list? Seems like the list has died since we stopped posting on the list.....there used to be 500 - 600 posts a month. The list needs your hiking humor Switchback, to put the spark back into the list. JMT Reinhold --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus From pctl at oakapple.net Sat May 25 08:46:18 2019 From: pctl at oakapple.net (David Hough reading PCT-L) Date: Sat, 25 May 2019 06:46:18 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [pct-l] section E in great shape Message-ID: <201905251346.x4PDkIPi027257@server-f.oakapple.net> I dayhiked from Lake Hughes Rd to Hwy 138 May May 20-22. The trail is in great shape as far as logs - there are none. The SoCal Green Trench is always growing with a vengeance and is particularly fierce between the Horse Camp and Pine Canyone Rd, where the trail is pretty rutted due to the recent rains which also made for many miserable hikers going through the soggy brush. All the on-trail seasonal water sources are running, so the caches are empty. The last one just north of Pine Canyon Rd is pretty feeble, but much better water is just before it on the south side of the road. The stretch from Pine Canyon Rd to 138 looked completely unfamiliar, though I was pretty sure I had hiked it before. Sure enough, I had been there - right after a fire. http://pcnst.oakapple.net/photo/sc-pct/e/2005-05-29-e09/ I have now relocated to work on Oregon section B between storms. I walked a little bit around Hwy 140 on May 24. There were a few trees down on either side of the highway. Snow looks to start about 6000'. I heard that Hikertown was actually full at the height of the rain. I saw about two dozen through hikers on the trail who passed me as I hobbled along northbound. Palmdale, Medford are great beer towns and Ashland looks good too. I stopped in Legal Weed and in Turlock too, which have good brewpubs, though less convenient for hikers. From pctl at oakapple.net Sun May 26 09:00:19 2019 From: pctl at oakapple.net (David Hough reading PCT-L) Date: Sun, 26 May 2019 07:00:19 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [pct-l] Oregon section B Message-ID: <201905261400.x4QE0Jqv025491@server-f.oakapple.net> Dayhiked from Hyatt Lake to Keno Access Road yesterday, under sunny skies then gathering clouds, and a deluge started about 7pm. Showers today. The trail is in mostly good condition, no snow, no brush, all the natural water is running, but the Hyatt Lake trail faucet is still turned off. Mostly there were 1-2 logs per mile of standard 18-24" easily bypassed. But there was a stretch from Eve Springs Rd to Howard Prairie Canal, and then again up to Keno Access Rd, where trees were bigger up to 30", more numerous, and interlocked. Mild slopes made it possible to get stock around these, but I can't imagine most equestrians would enjoy it. Ashland does have Caldera Brewery, which is wonderful but inconvenient for hikers without cars. It's next to a bunch of hotels, but not close to the trail like Callahan's nor close to downtown. It's a great brewpub. But OR section B is a good bet right now, though there's nothing but trouble on either side of it - Mt McLoughlin and Mt Ashland show how much snow remains in either direction. From pctl at oakapple.net Sun May 26 09:05:29 2019 From: pctl at oakapple.net (David Hough reading PCT-L) Date: Sun, 26 May 2019 07:05:29 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [pct-l] Oregon section B Message-ID: <201905261405.x4QE5TfS025679@server-f.oakapple.net> The storm was more exciting than I realized - https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=MFR&issuedby=MFR&product=AFD&format=CI&version=1&glossary From douglastow at gmail.com Sun May 26 15:47:11 2019 From: douglastow at gmail.com (Douglas Tow) Date: Sun, 26 May 2019 13:47:11 -0700 Subject: [pct-l] 2019 hiker progress Message-ID: I see from postings and videos that a number of hikers have made it over Forester and on to Kearsarge, but I haven't learned of any that did not exit there to avoid the bad weather and consider their options. Does anyone know if there are thru-hikers in the Sierra north of Kearsarge? From jtpapini at icloud.com Fri May 24 22:03:39 2019 From: jtpapini at icloud.com (John Papini) Date: Fri, 24 May 2019 20:03:39 -0700 Subject: [pct-l] PCT LIST In-Reply-To: <714e5eae-5259-044c-0a47-efaab6aa37c7@cox.net> References: <714e5eae-5259-044c-0a47-efaab6aa37c7@cox.net> Message-ID: I?m out hiking the PCT! In Tehachapi, going to hike to Lone Pine and get a glimpse of the snow situation. Anyone have news of folks successfully hiking through the Sierra? Woodstock Sent from my iPhone - please excuse any typographical errors! > On May 24, 2019, at 7:58 PM, Reinhold Metzger wrote: > > Switchback, Ground Pounder, > I just got back from a extended biking and hiking trip in Europe and cant believe what has > happened to the list....17 posts in February, 39 in March, 16 in April, and 4 in May. > What happened to the list? > Where is everybody? > Where are all the Hardcore Hikers that used post on the list? > Seems like the list has died since we stopped posting on the list.....there used to be 500 - 600 > posts a month. > The list needs your hiking humor Switchback, to put the spark back into the list. > > JMT Reinhold > > > > > > --- > This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. > https://www.avast.com/antivirus > > _______________________________________________ > Pct-L mailing list > Pct-L at backcountry.net > To unsubscribe, or change options visit: > http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l > > List Archives: > http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/pct-l/ > All content is copyrighted by the respective authors. > Reproduction is prohibited without express permission. From hiker97 at aol.com Sat May 25 09:00:36 2019 From: hiker97 at aol.com (hiker97 at aol.com) Date: Sat, 25 May 2019 14:00:36 +0000 (UTC) Subject: [pct-l] PCT LIST In-Reply-To: References: <714e5eae-5259-044c-0a47-efaab6aa37c7@cox.net> Message-ID: <1943073494.7609481.1558792836922@mail.yahoo.com> I do not know about the PCT-List, since I rarely check it.? ?Meadow Ed and I went down again to Lake Morena at the end of April for the mini-Kickoff.? It was fun.? We drove over to the border monument too.? I, of course, goofed-off most of the time and really enjoyed driving out to Warner Springs, etc.? I am very disappointed with WSR not being like the old days with pool open.? Very sad.? Lots of hikers on the trail and that was great to see.? I noticed a lot of hikers do not have the lightest or best gear set-up for the trail.? I guess some things never change.?I?seem to?need my Kickoff fix every year.? ?Your humble and obedient servant,Switchback the Trail Pirate??-----Original Message----- From: John Papini To: Reinhold Metzger Cc: PCT ; Hiker97 at aol.com ; Ground Pounder Sent: Fri, May 24, 2019 8:03 pm Subject: Re: [pct-l] PCT LIST I?m out hiking the PCT! In Tehachapi, going to hike to Lone Pine and get a glimpse of the snow situation. Anyone have news of folks successfully hiking through the Sierra? Woodstock Sent from my iPhone - please excuse any typographical errors! > On May 24, 2019, at 7:58 PM, Reinhold Metzger wrote: > > Switchback, Ground Pounder, > I just got back from a extended biking and hiking trip in Europe and cant believe what has > happened to the list....17 posts in February, 39 in March, 16 in April, and 4 in May. > What happened to the list? > Where is everybody? > Where are all the Hardcore Hikers that used post on the list? > Seems like the list has died since we stopped posting on the list.....there used to be 500 - 600 > posts a month. > The list needs your hiking humor Switchback, to put the spark back into the list. > > JMT Reinhold > > > > > > --- > This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. > https://www.avast.com/antivirus > > _______________________________________________ > Pct-L mailing list > Pct-L at backcountry.net > To unsubscribe, or change options visit: > http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l > > List Archives: > http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/pct-l/ > All content is copyrighted by the respective authors. > Reproduction is prohibited without express permission. From pctl at oakapple.net Mon May 27 07:49:47 2019 From: pctl at oakapple.net (David Hough reading PCT-L) Date: Mon, 27 May 2019 05:49:47 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [pct-l] OR B - half a day of winter wonderland Message-ID: <201905271249.x4RCnkr8011753@server-f.oakapple.net> Even the Weather Bureau was surprised by snow down to 3500' on May 26. At 4500-5000' there was about three inches accumulated, fairly uniform because there was no wind. It was quite a winter wonderland at Green Springs Summit at first but then the phlumphing started especially when the sun peeked out. By 2pm most of the snow had phlumped off. Snow on the trail isn't so bad, mud is worse, uphill slush is worse than that, and downhill slush is worst of all. Between Soda Mountain Road and Hyatt Lake, the trail is mostly in pretty good shape. There was one small but awkwardly placed tree that might have been aggravating for stock between Soda Mountain Road and the Hobart Bluff side trail. There were quite a few aggravations on the stretch of trail that circumnavigates Green Springs Mountain. Determined equestrians might be able to get through but wouldn't enjoy it. Mostly 18-24" with a couple up to 30". Did pass one guy heading southbound carrying snowshoes and a pretty large pack. He didn't seem to mind the weather. By the end of the day the snow was mostly gone, and section B was back to being a tolerable alternative to almost everything south to Kennedy Meadows. But more showers and thunderstorms are expected today, then better conditions tomorrow. From reinholdmetzger at cox.net Mon May 27 16:56:19 2019 From: reinholdmetzger at cox.net (Reinhold Metzger) Date: Mon, 27 May 2019 14:56:19 -0700 Subject: [pct-l] Fwd: Fwd: Fwd: Fwd: Fwd: Fwd: Fwd: JUST KIDS....Taking Chance In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Switchback, Ground Pounder...you guys served and know what I am talking about. ****** To my Hiking buddies,....those who served and those who know the "PAIN". Like always, on Memorial Day, I was watching the movie "Taking Chance" and it took me back to a time very long ago. If? "Memorial Day"? means anything to you, you owe it to yourself to watch the movie "Taking Chance". It will rip your heart out, make you feel all mushy inside and make you appreciate and respect the honor bestowed upon our fallen heroes on Memorial Day. It is by far the movie that best reflects what Memorial Day stands for. I don't know what it is about Memorial Day that makes me feel this way and makes me say the things I am about to say....... / We were? "just kids",? in the summer of 1965, when we landed in Vietnam. //"Just kids", most of us 18-19-20 years old, just barely out of High//School, not yet old enough to drink but old enough to die for our //country. / /We never could quite understand that....if you are old enough to die //for your country you should be old enough to drink. / /With one year of advanced infantry training including jungle, desert, //cold weather, hand to hand combat and raider training we were "Gung-Ho//" Marines, tough enough to chew nails...I mean we were Captain //Tolleson's Echo 2/7, the cream of the crop of the Marine Corps' //Raider Battalion and ready to kick a$$. // We were "just kids", eager to be Marines, eager to serve during a time //of war, eager to be heroes. // That naive fantasy thinking can change mighty quick when the landing // crafts hit the beach and bullets start flying. //There is no glory in war, only misery......it is your worst nightmare. // Our first casualty was by friendly fire....the tragic part was that //the bullet that caused our first casualty was fired by the casualties //best friend. //In combat, sometimes reflex decisions have to be made in a split second and //sometimes those decisions turn out not to be the right ones. //In my mind there is no greater honor than serving your country during //a time of war and no greater sacrifice than a soldier paying the //ultimate price while serving his country during a time of war. //Take Pat Tillman for instance....Pat was a professional football //player who had fortune and fame yet walked away from a 3.6 million //dollar contract to serve his country and paid the ultimate //price...ironically, also by friendly fire. //But it does not matter, friendly fire, enemy fire, the results are //always the same and Memorial Day is to honor all of our fallen heroes,//for they served their country and paid the ultimate price. // If it were not for men like that, TRUMP might be our Prime Minister or //our national language might be German and Memorial Day is to remind us //of that and pay our respect to these fallen heroes who sacrificed //their lives so that we can enjoy what we have today. //We did not consider ourselves to be "just kids",...but now that I am older //and wiser I realize, we WERE "just kids". //Nothing has really changed and many of our troops//are still "just kids"....not yet / /old enough to drink, //but old enough to die for their country. // / /Think about that for a moment, on Memorial Day, and what that day //stands for. / /Reinhold Metzger //Sgt. USMC 1964-68 //Gunner, Echo Co., 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines / /http://imgur.com/aJGLZTh / --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus From hiker97 at aol.com Tue May 28 07:24:50 2019 From: hiker97 at aol.com (hiker97 at aol.com) Date: Tue, 28 May 2019 12:24:50 +0000 (UTC) Subject: [pct-l] JUST KIDS....Taking Chance In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <2052383946.8532296.1559046290008@mail.yahoo.com> I consider our Vets to be first responders too.? Only they responded for the whole nation, including all its various regions and groups.? Rare and impressive.? That is what I like about the trail community too.? They are first responders for Mother Nature and specifically the trail.? I remember back in the old days on the PCT, when the last Ice Age?snows were retreating from the Sierras.? When there were no first responders, when we had to deal with renegade Neanderthal tribes and Saber Tooth Tigers, etc.? This was back when mountainmen and women had to fight their way north to Canada through glaciers and hostile natives and no REI.? I thank you.??? From pctl at oakapple.net Tue May 28 07:56:59 2019 From: pctl at oakapple.net (David Hough reading PCT-L) Date: Tue, 28 May 2019 05:56:59 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [pct-l] OR B - Pilot Rock Message-ID: <201905281256.x4SCuxAc006846@server-f.oakapple.net> On May 27 I walked from I-5 to Soda Mountain Road, starting in dense fog and ending as the predicted showers began. In between there were some sunny breaks to illuminate distant Black Butte but not Shasta next to it, which remained veiled in clouds the whole day. Pilot Rock itself only revealed after lunch and was gone again when the showers resumed. There was a little snow left on the trail above 5000', and even some in sheltered patches down near I-5. Mud was more of an issue. The usual number of trees were down, one or two per mile. There was one that might be problematic for stock, only about 24", but off the ground at an angle on a fairly steep slope. I was passed by one guy with the through-hiker look but he was in a through-hiker hurry so I didn't ask how far he was going. I encountered no old snow from I-5 to Keno Access Road on this trip, but I could see plenty behind on Mt Ashland and ahead on Mt Mcloughlin. Missed dinner at Mt Shasta Brewing in Legal Weed; their kitchen closed at 7pm. Dined at Hi-Lo instead, where they have some Mt Shasta in bottles. Weather's supposed to be good starting today, but I have to go home. Forgot to mention above: the problem tree is on the north slope of Pilot Rock, maybe half a mile beyond the Pilot Rock Trail junction.