[pct-l] some section J trail and water conditions

[David Hough reading PCT-L]

I finished my rehike of section J this weekend starting from Highland Lakes
to join the PCT at Wolf Creek Pass and heading south to the Boulder Lake Trail
junction, then returning.    Flower season is about over, except a few 
stragglers along the creeks.   The mules ears are beginning to dry out and
rattle in the wind, a sure sign that autumn is approaching.    There were 12
hikers encountered on Saturday and Monday, and three on Sunday.

Cattle more than made up for lack of hikers.

In the following, mileposts are Halfmile 2019.

Trail conditions were excellent, except for one place: WACS1038, the easternmost
branch of Wolf Creek.    The canyon here tends to vertical banks.
The trail is washed out on the west side
and and requires a bit of scrambling with hands to ascend or descend to the
creek.    No problem for through hikers, but daunting for the elderly with
heavy packs.    And I think impassible for stock.   Hikers have invented
various workarounds, but I think the one that works best for them and the
only one possible for stock is -

Northbound, follow the trail to the water, then walk downstream in or near
the water around a small narrow bend to where the streak bed widens again,
the look for a ramp on the west side that leads up to a path on the bank 
back upstream to the trail.    
Southbound, when you reach the bank, follow the faint
path downstream to a ramp down to the water, then walk in or near the water
upstream until you see the trail up the east bank.

I don't know if a permanent fix is possible.     High water in this stream
looks like it might be very high indeed, washing away improvements.

I hiked from the PCT down to Boulder Lake from the trail junction mostly in
the dark some years ago.    The Boulder Lake Trail looks somewhat unmaintained
now at the PCT.

Water conditions - all the water sources mentioned by Halfmile looked 
perennial, from WACS1034 to WACS1039.

In addition, CS 1034 near the Golden Canyon/Paradise Valley trail junction
looks to have perennial water, so could be WACS1034.   And Boulder Creek,
at about 1030.7, looks perennial and has several campsites nearby.

Cattle are constant companions from GT1033 to WACS1039.   WACS1035 has the
most large flat campsites, but the most cowpie carpeting, and its stream
is small.    The drift fence and gate at GT1033 are now repaired and functional
and may help contain the cattle from going further east to the "lake" on
the map which is actually a meadow.

David Hough