[pct-l] an east coast hiker

[CWillett at pierce.ctc.edu (Chris Willett)]

You should be fine in Washington around July 3, although you might get some bugs.  May 23 will be a fine time to start in SoCal, although you might get enough heat by Agua Dulce to want to jump up to Kennedy Meadows.  If you are planning on hiking all 700 miles of SoCal between May 23 and June 13, you might want to reflect that this would be considered very fast, although doable.  It is unlikely that you'll be able to go from Kennedy Meadows to Washington between June 13 and July 3, so presumably you are planning on jumping off after the JMT?  I would consider keeping going from Tuolumne Meadows to South Lake Tahoe, another 150 mile stretch. I consider this the most scenic long leg of any area on the PCT, and includes the most scenic ridgewalk of the all (Kennedy Canyon to Sonora Pass).  Transit from South Lake Tahoe will be very easy to arrange.


In Washington, if you are running short on time, get to Snoqualmie Pass and hike north to the border. Stunning land there. South of Snoqualmie Pass, things are a little less stunning, although there are the Goat Rocks, Mount Rainier, and Mount Adams, all of which have some pretty significant charm.

It is not yet clear if June 13 will be too early or too late on the JMT.  Personally, I wouldn't have a problem with planning on a June 13 start in Kennedy Meadows, but I'm comfortable on snow and (now) have some idea of what I'll be getting myself into.  I'm not sure what the easiest way to get to Kennedy Meadows is, but I'm sure others here will know (I'd go to Ridgecrest and hitch).

After South Lake Tahoe, transit becomes a little tough. There used to be Greyhound service to Snoqualmie Pass, but I don't think this is around any more.  There is, I believe, some limited service to Stevens Pass (next highway north from Snoqualmie).  You could take a bus to Ellensburg and then hitch west (illegal) on I-90 to Snoqualmie.  If you want to get to Manning, you can take a bus from Seattle to Vancouver, and then another from Van out east to Manning. Then, hike south.

Suge

---------------------------
Christopher Willett
cwillett@pierce.ctc.edu
www.pierce.ctc.edu/faculty/cwillett
Pierce College
9401 Farwest Drive SW.
Lakewood, WA. 98498-1999

> ----------
> From: 	pct-l-bounces@mailman.backcountry.net on behalf of Dustin Prickett
> Sent: 	Tuesday, February 8, 2005 2:09 PM
> To: 	pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
> Subject: 	[pct-l] an east coast hiker
> 
> I have been going through guide books and maps for about a month now, along 
> with reading emails.  I am an east coast hiker who has never been out west 
> or in major altitude, but still in decent shape.  I will have about 9-10 
> weeks off from college and at age 21 I want to see and do as much as I can.  
> I have tentatively come up with is do a three section hike spending about 
> 3-4 weeks in Southern California, the John Muir Trail, and part of 
> Organ/Washington.  Do to a college schedule I wouldn?> EUR> (tm)> t be on the trail 
> till May 23rd, be hitting the JMT around June 13th and Washington on July 
> 3rd.  Everything I am reading is saying the Northern dates may be too early, 
> is this true?  Is July 3rd too early for Washington and will June 13th be to 
> early for the JMT?  Will May 23rd be to late to start in the desert?  Is 
> this a good plan to hike three sections or should I stick to a single rout 
> maybe from Mexico to the end of the JMT area?  How would I go about getting 
> from trail head to trail head?  I?> EUR> (tm)> ll appreciate any help.  Thanks, Dustin 
> Prickett
> 
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