[pct-l] Baden Powell/Wrightwood conditions

[ukstoveman at hotmail.com (David Toms)]

Just a short conditions update from Michele and me (Dave) regarding 
conditions on the PCT from Wrightwood.

1) Most importantly: if hikers are uncomfortable with snow travel, the 
alternate route presented at the kickoff (Manzanita/south fork trails to 
Islip saddle) may be inappropriate. This route brings you onto the PCT at 
Islip saddle, leaving you to pass over the 7900 foot high ridge of Mt 
Williamson. The descent from this ridge has a northerly aspect and 
considerable snow in places. It took longer to descend this route than to 
ASCEND Baden Powell. Other hikers used Manzanita/Burkhart (brings you out in 
cooper canyon and reportedly a nice hike) or planned to roadwalk around 
Williamson. Whether the road tunnel is safe for hikers I don't know.

2) 'Official' PCT from Vincent Gap towards Baden Powell hits snow rapidly. 
By 6900ft you are in continual snow. The trail was not visible at all.  
There is what appears to be an old avalanche slope (40ft wide, no trees, 
35-45degree slope) that leads pretty much all the way to the summit of Baden 
Powel; this is what we took. There were 2 other sets of footprints both 
ascending and descending.

3) This slope is relatively exposed; we were using 6 point crampons (not 
insteps) which cover the whole front of the foot. We also used ice axes, and 
at times were close to the limit where we felt comfortable unroped (ie if 
we'd had a rope we wouldn't have used it, but if the slope had steepened 
5-10deg we would have).

4) At 7700ft the gradient drops to a comfortable 25 degrees or so, the views 
opened out and it was a nice fast ascent - 3hrs from Vincent gap to summit. 
At summit the monument is not visible.

5) We followed the ridge from Baden Powell over Burnham, Throop and Hawkins 
- this isn't the true PCT; we were just above it. Beware of the cornices; 
some break lines were at least 12 feet back from the edge. Following the 
true PCT 100ft below the ridge would be much less scenic and misses all the 
summits. 6hrs from Baden Powell summit to Little Jimmy. At Windy gap the 
trail sporadically reappeared.

6) We spent the night at little Jimmy. There were fresh adult & cub bear 
tracks in the morning near the camp. We've already heard of other hikers (at 
South Forks camp on the alternate route) having bears in camp. We've been 
hanging our food since Wrightwood.

7) At little Jimmy there is so much snow that the outhouses are completely 
buried. You can walk over the roof and not realise, until you see 2 inches 
of the roof poking through the snow. I guess that means 8-10 feet of 
consolidated snow at 7500 feet.

8) After little jimmy we followed the PCT until 0.2 miles from Islip saddle 
where it disappeared under a huge avalanche. I suspect that when the snow 
melts there may not be a PCT underneath any more. We couldn't find the exit 
from this avalanche and descended it to Hwy 2 and roadwalked the last 4 
minutes :-)

Hope this is of use to people; I've cc'd it to Jack Cain at the Wrightwood 
hardware store who requested a conditions report so he could put it in the 
register.

Hike safely. Baden Powell will be there next year.

Dave & Michele

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