Dry Sections (Was Re: [pct-l] Class of 2004 Gear)

[ROYROBIN at aol.com (ROYROBIN@aol.com)]

According to my PCT Trail Guide (1997 edition), milepost 639.9 would put you 
at the road to McIvers Spring, on Map F12.  McIvers Spring is 0.3 miles off 
the trail.  The next water is 7.4 miles ahead, at Walker Pass Campground.  

I don't have a current Data Book (which, incidently, can be a better source 
of water info than the Trail Guides, and well worth carrying) but I recall it 
listing only water sources that are right on the trail.  There are many springs 
and tanks along the southern PCT that are not listed in the Data Book because 
they are off the trail, sometimes only a few feet off.  The Trail Guide lists 
these.  

Carry the Data Book with you, and also buy the Trail Guides.  The guides are 
too heavy to pack along, so tear them up into sections and put them into your 
care packages to use as you need them.  

If I'm not correct about the Hat Creek section, someone on the list will set 
us straight.  It is certainly one of the longest stretches on the trail where 
you will find no drinkable water.  You expect to deal with that in the S. Cal. 
deserts, but not when you get north of Lassen.  Another surprisingly arid 
section is in Oregon, north of Crater Lake NP.  It's all volcanic pumice, and 
very little water stays on the surface.

Anyway, best of luck to the Class of '04!  I hope to see you at the 
ADZPCTKOP!       
_____

In a message dated 1/20/04 3:05:26 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
edmond@mydogmeg.net writes:

> At 03:31 PM 1/20/2004 -0500, ROYROBIN@aol.com wrote:
> > Oh, and for the Class of '04, who
> >may not have done all their homework?  The longest stretch of the PCT 
> without
> >water is not in southern California.  It's the Hat Creek Rim.  Look out for
> >that.
> 
> Is that correct? My data book lists a 35.5 mile water alert starting at 
> mile 639.9 (north bound). Also according to the data book, the Hat Creek 
> Rim water alert is listed as 29.4 miles. I know you can find water in water 
> alert, but I seem to recall that 35.5 mile dry section as I ran out of 
> water there.
> 
> In '02, Hat Creek Rim was made mercifully easy due to Luke "Amigo" Synder 
> and family maintaining Cache 22 roughly 16 miles into the dry section, 
> after road 22. Amigo, if you are out there, thanks!
> 
> Tangent 
> 
> 
>