[pct-l] Baden Powell/Wrightwood conditions

[metam01 at earthlink.net (Monty Tam)]

Right Dave
Just west of Islip Saddle is no good.
I roadwalked southbound through the two tunnels next to it.  Other than
that the trail worked well for me.
On the South Fork.  Beautiful, I mean really nice 5 mile canyon, white
water below, no snow, saves miles, water on the trail, I loved it.

Tough part was connecting the Manzanita and South Fork junction. Vague.
After 5+ miles(NOBOs) on the Mazanita/High Dessert Trail, turn left/north
at the grey rocky campground before the river.  Very first left on the
campground road.  Follow it up the river direction past where you walk in
the river 50-100 feet (shallow) where there's a little trail washout. 5++
miles uphill.

Monty

(Michele, thanks for the granola bar.)


> [Original Message]
> From: David Toms <ukstoveman@hotmail.com>
> To: <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
> Cc: <jackcain70@hotmail.com>
> Date: 5/15/2005 3:29:05 PM
> Subject: [pct-l] Baden Powell/Wrightwood conditions
>
> 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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