[pct-l] shoes/new member

[scourtway@xxxxxxxxxxxx (Steve Courtway)]

On the contrary, don't let anybody talk you out of the most exciting,
deserted, magnificent time to be in the Sierra Nevada, the peak of the snow
melt.

Steve "moskys high creeks & cranky bears - bring 'em on" Courtway

----- Original Message -----
From: "Joanne Lennox" <goforth@cio.net>
To: "Nathan Goldfarb" <natgold@ufl.edu>; <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
Sent: Monday, February 10, 2003 2:06 PM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] shoes/new member


>
> >
> > We are very excited about our first trip to the Sierra's.
> >
> > We are planning on starting at K.Meadows in early June.  I know this is
> > the early season, however I've been reassured that our journey, though
> > fraught with challenges, is possible.
>
> Looks like a good snow year so far for the Sierra.  This is your first
trip
> in the Sierras; and you are going to do the JMT in early June???????
Hum.
> >
> > keeping in mind we'll be on snow a lot.
>
> Chances are if it is cool or cloudy or after about 5 in the afternoon you
> will be skating on ice.  The snow freezes Hard (can't get enough snow into
> a pan to melt it if you don't use an ice ax) as the sun gets low.  When it
> warms up between 9-12 on a sunny day; you will be postholing.  Most
> thruhikers have developed their leg strength in the months reaching the
> Sierras; even then the postholing can be a real strain.  If your feet get
> to the ground there will probably be water running over them.   hours of
> this can be most unpleasant.
>
> This is not the AT - you will be camping above 10,000 feet.  What I
> remember about the Sierras in mid June on a low snow year was the snow .
I
> was probably on snow about half the time; and it was almost never easy
like
> it is inthe Cascades in the summer. ( I like snow in the Cascades because
I
> have bad knees and I can just plunge step down a slope or rest step up a
> slope choosing my own pace and steps.  the snow "consolidates" and is
firm,
> your shoe or boot just makes a nice depression in the snow.  This is not
> true in the Sierras).
>
> When I would finally find the trail, it was useless.  Like a small creek,
> interspersed with 4 foot high snow drifts that always ran across the
trail.
>  As I went lower, the forest got quite cool and dark.
>
> The biggest obstacle you will face are the river crossings.  After a few
of
> these you will think more fondly of the snow work; but all the long hours
> on snow, you will be thinking and wondering about the next river.
> And when you hear that Sierra water ROARING, you will ask yourself many
> questions with no answer.
>
> I would nibble first. Take a shorter trip to test yourself and the
> equipemnt  Go in at independence and come out Bishop Pass maybe - that is
> about 70 miles counting the coming and going. This is a difficult area to
> resupply and you will probably have to come in and out of those resupply
> points anyway.
>
> The Kennedy Meadows area is quite "tame" relatively speaking.  Once you
get
> over Forester Pass it is a differnt ballgame.
>
> Goforth
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