[pct-l] ice axe to ?

[weathercarrot at hotmail.com (The Weathercarrot)]

Bob "Trekker" wrote:
<<   Should I ship my ice axe to S CA, and if so, where? >>

Radar responded:

<< Many people talk about using an ice axe on Fuller Ridge,
which is *after* the Devil's Slide trail into Idyllwild but it seems
to me there are some seriously exposed areas of the trail before you
get to the turn-off into Idyllwild.  In a couple places, the trail
is blasted into the rock face.  I would think that these places
might call for an ice axe also (or an alternate route). >>

Just to add to that - When Chris and Jenelle were northbound in the VERY 
high snow year of 1998, they said that one of the most precarious areas of 
snow they had to cross was in a few short stretches south of the Devil's 
Slide turn-off. Before the PCT somewhat levels out on more gentle terrain, 
there are apparently some very steep snow chutes, most likely in those 2 or 
3 spots where you round the corner abruptly from southeast slope to north 
slope. Chris told me that he found one of those spots to be worse than 
anything he had in the Sierra. My suggestion would be to either get the axe 
at Warner Springs, unless Kamp Anza (Hiker's Paradise - a recommended stop) 
is accepting packages.

wc