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

[tahoe.cat at verizon.net (Cathy)]

Hi the number on the signs at the wild animal ranch is 909-585-9286 I don't
think that that changed to 951. I wrote this down when my grandson and I did
that section in Oct.   Ground Pounder Bill
----- Original Message -----
From: <Lonetrail@aol.com>
To: <peter@onthecrest.com>; <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
Sent: Sunday, November 07, 2004 1:31 PM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] I-10- to Big Bear in November?


>
> 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
>
>
>
>
>
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