[pct-l] re: (Guest Post) High Sierra 2001 (Eric S. White)

[pjkramer@one.net (Paul Kramer)]

IDate: Sat, 12 May 2001 18:39:48 -0500 (CDT)
From: "Eric S. White" <ewhite@massmed.org>
To: PCT-L@mailman.backcountry.net
Reply-To: ewhite@massmed.org
Subject: [pct-l] (Guest Post) High Sierra 2001
* Message posted to PCT-L from the National Scenic Trails Website
* by our guest Eric S. White <ewhite@massmed.org>.
* Please use <mailto:ewhite@massmed.org> to reply to the sender.
I hope to do Kennedy Meadows to Tuolumne Meadows starting on Saturday June 16th. Is this feasible?, i.e. what's  the 
snow pack like this year? the PCTA doesn't have current information on this section yet. Any suggestions?  ESW 

I relplied to this post with my two cents.  This is the text of my reply:

Eric,
I found a link that I use to check the snowpacks.  The link address is
http://www.aracnet.com/~cpacheco/snow_survey/snow/  Looking at this info, looks like the snowpack is about 65-
70 percent of normal. 
In my 1994 PCT thru-hike, I had roughly the same snowpack.  We left Kennedy Meadows in mid-June, and arrived in
Toulumne Meadows on June 27, after about 9 days.  (My friends and I did not go out to Bishop, Independence, or
Lonepine, we opted to carry lots of food instead of heading out to resupply.) 
The trip was very doable.  For example, for our group, Cottonwood Pass and Chicken Spring Lake were snow-free, 
The south side of Forrester Pass was snow-free except for the 100-foot cornice just below the pass, no big deal,  there
were big steps where everyone else had trudged through before. 
The north sides of all of the passes (Forrester, Silver, Muir, etc.) were snow covered, and a minor pain.  Since  we
ignored all advice about hitting the passes early, we postholed repeatedly as we worked our way down below  
snowline. 
I would definitely carry an Ice Axe.  However, snowshoes and any type of crampons were useless. 
I hope this information helps.  Best of luck with your hike
Paul Kramer
pjkramer@one.net