[pct-l] I-10- to Big Bear in November?

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

Hi
 
I did it solo Sobo from Big Bear to I-10 several years ago a week after New  
Years. Its very dramatic going from High Mountain to High Desert to Low 
Desert,  from 2 + feet of snow to desert. We had three prior snow falls and  melts 
which made ice under each snows fall. The North face of the mountain can  be a 
challenge since the tail accumulate the ice and snow with a pregnant  look 
leaving only several inches of ground on the down side for traction.  The 
mountain was wind slept blowing even more snow on the notched  trail.  A fall can be 
fatal. I used crampons but had to take  them off and on quite often. I found 
my leki were life saving. I  did not have an ice ax but would have felt better 
with one.
 
I followed someone who was on snow shoes who must have been two days ahead  
of me I could see he was having problems with the snow/ice and he jumped of the 
 trail or went cross country.
 The most exciting part of the hike is the wind at night in the high  
mountain. The N/E face of the Mt. receives less sun and therefore you have more  snow 
and colder temperatures compared to the S/W slop. At night the cold air  
scooped down under the rising warm air of the S/W slop, the result the wind  
starts whirling and howling around the mountain about every eight minutes  sounding 
like a freight train blowing trees down. I had to find shelter along a  rock 
cropping eating a cold meal. Plan on one cold meal in case you can't heat  up 
your meal.  
 
When you are out there in the snow and see the bear and mountain lion  tracks 
you realize you are not alone. Would you do us a favor when you pass the  
Wild Animal Sanctuary would you write down the mile marker. They also have a  
telephone number on the fence for planned tours write that down also. We had a  
discussion about the Sanctuary several weeks ago. I had no problen following 
the  trail
 
 When I got down to the low desert it was so quite at night I missed  the 
winds of the mountains, but then the coyotes started their howling. There  was 
never a dull moment even hitch hiking to the Bus Station in Banning. The  
Greyhound Bus Station is a story in its self.
 
Hey! have a nice trip. 
 
Lonetrail 
 
 

My son  and I are going to be in Palm Springs, and we are looking at hiking
from  San Gorgonio to Van Dusen Canyon Road--64 miles--begnning on the
afternoon  of 11/15. The problem is we have only 5 days and I understand from
talking  to National Park folk that there's already 2-3 feet of snow on most
of the  distance. While my son is a fast hiker, I'm slow. Which sparks  these
questions:

-- Is the 64 miles totally unrealistic, given the  snow conditions?

-- How easy would it be to get to Route 38? How long  is it likely to take?
Is that road passable? Is there sufficient traffic to  viably hitchhike to
Big Bear?

--Is there any other road that comes  close to the trail, by which we might
leave the trail and get to Big bear  in an easy 5 days?

-- Are the conditions such that it'd be advisable to  carry an ice ax? A GPS?

-- If this part of the PCT is not viable, given  our time constraints, can
you suggest an alternative 30-40-mile hike from  Big Bear north? How about
Big Bear to Hwy 173?

--Are there any N to  S vs. S-N slants?

I would very much appreciate any suggestions  regarding the above.

Peter "Powerful Tiger"  Haskell