[pct-l] Re: Temperatures

[CMountainDave@xxxxxxx (CMountainDave@xxxxxxx)]

In a message dated 1/27/03 4:59:36 PM, rellinwood@worldnet.att.net writes:

<< Yikes, Brick.  What were your specific coping techniques?
 >>

Don't know about Brick but I went through there when it was about 110 and
basically just toughed it out, hiking 40 minutes and resting 20 each hour
until the day was done, downing about a pint each break. I don't think I wore
a hat because they tend to make me overheat by keeping body heat from
escaping from my head. And I certainly couldn't spare any water to wet a
bandana that would have dried out in 5 minutes anyway.
    Umbrella? It had shredded long ago thanks to wind and chaparral
  I carried 7 quarts plus supplemental drinks from trail angels cruising the
viaduct. Many people skip the desert because they already have bad blisters
and the Mojave wasn't about to make them cure up. Plus people are pretty sick
of 500 miles of shadeless trail and theyve had some nibbles from the San's as
to the vast forest that will take them all the way to Canada . I thought it
was one of the highlights because it was one of the few-and longest-stretches
of true desert along the PCT. I had hiked a number of times in 90-105 prior
to the PCT and I think knowing what it was going to be like helped.
  Coldest temps were low 20's in the San Bernardino's June 1 (the 4" of new
snow squeaked) and probably teens in the Pasayten/ N. Cascades in Oct. (3
inches of soil froze one night)