[pct-l] Help. Southern CA December hiking.

[c-jekurtz at state.pa.us (Kurtz, Jerid)]

I'm a potential member of the 2005 PCT thruhiker class. I hiked the AT in 2003 and over the summer of 2004 I am serving as a Ridgerunner for the southern PA section of the AT. 

In May I will graduate from college allowing my first possible date to start from Campo around May 16th. Because I don't want to be chasing the pack the entire summer and trying to avoid the snows up north, I am considering doing a large section of the PCT during my December-January break from college. I am curious if conditions from Campo to near Big Bear City are too extreme and cold to allow winter hiking. I have been tentatively thinking about trying to get between 200-300 miles in during December and January so that I could start near Big Bear, or farther north, when I get out to the trail for the duration of the summer come May. Any help or advice in this area would be much appreciated.

-Butta'