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[pct-l] South to North or North to South; Which will it be?



Were I doing only the high Sierra section after the main through hiking
season, I would also favor the North to South route. You start relatively
high and go slowly up so you acclimate to the elevation quite well (although
those valleys north of Tuolumne Meadows certainly are very challenging).
Also, the JMT section is more scenic than the PCT section (in my opinion)
and much easier to do from North to South (southbound, quite a descent to
Devils Postpile and Reds Meadow). And finally, ending (or close to ending)
your trip at the top of Mt. Whitney is climatic. That takes only an extra
day and is well worth the "high" you can feel, both literally and
emotionally. After that, it is mainly downhill to Kennedy Meadows (water
will only be a problem the last 2 days). You would also meet several PCT
through hikers who could give you some good info about water, etc.

Marshall Karon
Portland, OR
m.karon@attbi.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Marion Davison" <mardav@charter.net>
To: "Eric and Ingrid Glazzard" <glazzard@anandabell.net>; "PCT List"
<pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
Sent: Tuesday, April 15, 2003 7:21 PM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] South to North or North to South; Which will it be?


I concur with the arguments in favor of a southbound hike.  I like to
maximize my enjoyment of the places I visit, by being there when they are
most enjoyable.  To put it another way I am a risk-averse pleasure seeker.
We planned to spend last August between Donner Pass and Sonora Pass.  We
spent ten days hiking around Desolation Wilderness and loved it, but as soon
as we started hiking south of Echo Summit the heat and lack of water had us
really miserable.  We hiked back to the vehicle, drove to Bishop and
resumed hiking in the high country.
I think Desolation Wilderness is delightful anytime, but the volcano country
from Echo Summit to Sonora Pass is best enjoyed earlier in the season when
water is still available and the temperatures are a bit cooler.  As you hike
south you will increase in elevation, encounter cooler temperatures and more
abundant water.  You will hit the high passes (Muir to Forester) in August
when the bugs are gone, the rain has stopped and the snow has melted.  Those
same passes could be downright dangerous in early July.  As a
section hiker I have a different perspective.  I only get two work-free
months of summer in the backcountry, so I want to be at the best place at
the best time.
llamalady

Eric and Ingrid Glazzard wrote:

> This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
> --
> [ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
> Dear fellow PCT'ers....
>
> It is wonderful to be on this mailing list. The amount & quality of
information passed around is so helpful. Thank you!
>
> For a few years now, my girlfriends and I have been part of a hiking group
called "Women Who Run with the Chipmunks."  This year, we are planning a six
week hike on the PCT from July 6 to August 16. We are still debating if we
should start at Kennedy Meadows and end up at Echo Lake or.... start up near
Desolation Wilderness and end our hike either up Mount Whitney or nearby.
Does anyone have any thoughts which way would be better to go especially
with regards to snow/ice conditions on the trail, mosquitos, etc.
>
> Looking forward to your input. :=}
>
> Ingrid for the Chipmunks!!!!!!
> --
>
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