[pct-l] When to leave KM / Sierra snow

[yogilists@xxxxxxxxxxx (yogi hicker)]

Many thru-hikers in 2002 were emailed copies of the following snow
information that was posted to this list in mid-May 2002:

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Upper Tyndall Creek at 11,400' shows 8.5" with a steep decline.  As a matter
of fact all sites south of Yosemite that show any snow content exhibit such
a steep decline that within two weeks there shouldn't be any registered
anywhere, provided that a late storm doesn't reverse things.

North of Yosemite snow levels appear to be deeper as you go north.

What does this mean?

If you are comfortable and equiped to handle a little bit of snow and some
ice at passes you could enter the Sierra today!  By the time that you get to
Yosemite, the snow levels there will have melted down to what the Southern
Sierra is showing now, i.e. no snow below 9,000'.  Equipped with an ice axe
and in-step crampons I would enter the Sierras today (if I were hiking).
The risk of leaving Kennedy Mdws now is that you could encounter a late
Spring storm at high elevation.  These storms are not typically very cold
and as such melt off quickly.

If you are not as comfortable or confident in your abilities, capabilities
and/or tolerance for such conditions, then wait two weeks, i.e.
approximately June 1st to leave Kennedy Mdws.

If you wait until the middle of June to enter the Sierra you will likely
find horrendous mosquitos, bears becoming active and extremely light snow
and ice conditions.

In My Hummel Opinion,

Greg "Strider" Hummel

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I was a lurker on PCT-L for a long time and read many of Strider's posts and
benefited from his trail knowledge.  So, when I received this email, guess
what I heard?  "you can SAFELY leave KM on June 1, and if you don't hurry up
and get there, you'll be eaten alive by mosquitos and bears will get your
food."  I know that's not what was stated, but when I was sitting in the
library in Wrightwood CA, EXCITED to get to the high sierra, that's what I
heard.

You know the part where Strider states "provided that a late storm doesn't
reverse things"????  Well, that's EXACTLY what happened two days after I
left Wrightwood, but of course none of us paid attention to that.  We didn't
put 2 and 2 together, cause we were on the trail and excited to be there.
We simply got rain/hail and were miserable for a day.

We found out later that that storm dumped an extra foot of snow in the
Sierra.  I think I left KM on June 3 and the passes were CRAZY.  We lost the
trail constantly.  Never found it on Mather Pass, or Muir Pass, or Pinchot
Pass, or any of the other passes.  We all glissaded down Forester, cause we
HAD to.  No other way to get down.  We walked in snow for at least half the
miles between KM and Tuolumne.  The year before I left KM on June 16 and
walked on snow for MAYBE 2 hours for my entire trip.

So what's my point?  In my opinion, the guys who post on the list all the
time, who know the area, who do the research, have good information.  Just
be careful and read ALL of what they write.  Don't pick and choose the parts
that sound good.  Don't forget the disclaimers.  They're just as important
as the rest of the stuff.

yogi







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