[pct-l] Re: PCT snow

[Henry Shires <hshires@jps.net>]

As the second person behind Will last year -- by about 3 days; his 
footprints were still barely visible in a couple of spots -- I'd have to 
agree that snow is the greatest danger on the PCT, followed closely by 
raging water. I was also solo and there were a few times -- Mather Pass 
especially -- when I feared for my life.  Bad snow conditions make you 
look for alternatives, like climbing rock walls, that you'ld rather not 
take and probably shouldn't attempt.  Raging Sierra waters make you look 
for shallower, slower moving raging Sierra waters but workarounds are 
easier.  I've since seen pictures of Kennedy Meadows --> VVR that were 
taken a week later and it's astonishing how much snow had melted.  Early 
June in the High Sierra is an unforgettable experience but, having done 
it once, I'm not sure I'd want to do it again.  At least not solo.


Henry
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