[pct-l] Ice Axe -- Forrester Pass

[john@rompel.org (John Rompel)]

Strider writes:
> Having done technical ice climbing in the High Sierras and on Mt. Rainier I 
> WOULD NOT attempt to cross Forrester Pass (remember 13,200 feet!) without an 
> ice axe before late August in ANY year.  Perhaps my limitations - fears - 
> reservations are greater than yours, but I'd have to say, IMHO, you must be 
> highly confident on steep ice with deathly exposure to make this statement.   

I think that's being a bit overly conservative.  I crossed Forrester on
July 13, 2000 and on July 1, 2001.  Both times were about the same:  no
snow at all on the south side or at the top of the pass, some snow obscuring
the trail on the north side, but nothing that couldn't be traversed quite
comfortably.

Note that these data points are not relevant for early- or normal-season
thru-hikers.  But, based on my experience, late-season thru-hikers may very
well get away with leaving the ice axe in the bounce box.

--John