[pct-l] ELR to Ashland

[goforth at cio.net (Joanne Lennox)]

Well, 99 was a higher snow hiking year than any year since(Last winter was
higher but the spring and summer temps took care of that), and this year
may be shaping up closer to what the pack was in 99.  There was
intermittant snow in the higher places and deep woods of Desolation
Wilderness and it was sometimes hard to keepto the trail.  Granite chief
above squaw valley, right at the ski area had, enough snow to obscure the
trail, I also had problems Above the Teves trail trying to find the trail;
There were some dicey areas of cliffy rock and ice snow above Smith Lake
which I thought were the worst of the whole hike ( map P14 old CA guide,
just s. of Etna Summit, passed thru there on August 8) The alternate is to
go east at the Taylor Lake Saddle, all the way down to a jeep road, then
North to the Meeks Meadow trail which should bring you up past  Ruffey
Lake, which has a nice saddle to camp on near the north side of the
lake(one of the best camps that I had this year, has a great view and very
close to a nice warm lake - don't be put off by the tire tracks on the
saddle above the lake, they do not go far and the trail down from the PCT
is very good).  It is a long ways up and down if you go to Meeks Meadow but
Ruffey lake is only about 100 feet down and a 1/4 mile away from the PCT;
There was a lot of snow around Cliff Lake, be sure that you take the Man
eaten Lake PCT and not the old PCT above cliff Lake (map Q3)

Goforth