[pct-l] Sierra days and routes details

[ukstoveman at hotmail.com (David Toms)]

Disclaimer as for previous email. This is our route which doesn't make it 
right or good. It did get us through tho'. There's almost as many typos as 
there was snow. Hope this is of some interest/use to people.

Day 1: Kennedy Meadows to 1.5mi after 10,540 saddle c. 20mi
No snow until 9k FT
10,300 false saddle snowed in, trail was just after saddle goin up the ridge 
to the right.
10,540 saddle descended 250FT slightly to the right to hit the bottom 
switchback.
Trail thereafter clear. Camped at around 9-9.5k FT.

Day 2: To poison meadow. c. 20mi
Lots of snow after trail pass but could still see switchbacks. Saddle above 
poison meadow obvious; the drainage pulls you that way naturally.

Day 3: To just after Guyot Creek.
Cottonwood pass all snowed in - the trail is obvious at the pass itself. We 
lost the trail by chicken spring lake but crossed the outlet and headed 
straight up the side of the ridge to intersect the trail again at a 
switchback. We then aimed for the ridge (large rocks at left on ridge with 
nice views) which the trail travels along for c. 100FT before traversing 
off.
Siberia pass - we headed up the ridge for the low point where the trail 
traverses off on the other side heading to the right (as you aproach the 
ridge) - it was clear enough to see trail just over the ridge. Others got a 
bit lost here.
Then we got hopelessly lost and descended to little Rock Creek. Mr Roboto 
did the same (independently). Freebird followed the sound of a wood thrush 
(I kid you not!) and found the trail the whole way. He had an uncanny 6th 
sense for the trail.
On the PCT crossing of rock creek there are lots of logs that can be used- 
we forded the first one after the waterfall which was about 0.5mi too early 
so had to bushwhack down the other side of the creek to find trail. There is 
a 90 degree bend in the river (by a small cliff on the NW bank) which is not 
on the maps - the 90 degree bend on the maps is further downstream from the 
first one you meet.
The ascent up to Guyot creek was on clear snow free switchbacks.

4 to just before forrester. 14mi
Easy climb up through Guyot pass, no major snow. Guyot flat ok, then lost 
trail in a broad snow covered plateau but refound it by heading to our right 
for the traverse to crabtree meadows. The trail was clearer hear; we forded 
Whitney creek in the meadows rather than at the real ford, and travelled 
downstream till we hit the PCT. Then we had a snow free ascent to Sandy 
(snowy!) meadows. Thereafter it was continual snow.
We lost the trail goin into Wallace but it was an obvious drainage with an 
easy crossing at the trail.
Wright creek was also easy. Found and lost trail many times goign to 
tyndall, but lakes provided a reference point. Tyndall was an easy ford 
(could have used a flaky snowbridge) tho I dropped one of my lighttrek 
trekking poles and it was gone instantly :-(
Then headed due N up to the plateau and headed across it to the forest, 
right through the middle up to a rounded ruidge ahead N. We 
traveresed/ascended to the R of the ridge and camped on a small bare spot up 
there.

5 To just before glen
Ski mountaineers pass was obvious and relatively snow free but I hate scree 
so we elected (actually, Mr R wasn't given a vote!) to go over Forrester. 
The pass is obvious from miles away, and we could see the switchbacks coming 
in from the R about a quarter of the way down the avalanche chute. It was an 
easy snow ascent up the lower, snow covered switchbacks. Just at the point 
as the gradient and flaky snow surface approached the crampon limit, we 
reached clear switchbacks up to the snow chute. I cut steps across this 
(there was already a set of steps on the direct 'scott wiklliamson' line up 
to the top, but I couldn't assess the cornice from below so didn't want to 
chance a reversal). The switchbacks on the other side were clear, apart from 
the last 6 feet which was a solid wall of snow so we scrambled up the rocks. 
Descent was intialy by glissade through soft, postholey snow.Lots of snow on 
the N side, bubbs creek was snowed over. Centre basin creek was an easy 
ford. The snow lessened at 10k FT tyhrough vidette meadows, with clear 
switchbacks up initially towards Glen, then lost of snow around the creek 
crossing (can't remember which one!) and an endless ascending traverse into 
the glen pass drainage.

6 To just after pinchot. 18mi.
We could make out the switchbacks under the snow up to the pass. We climbed 
up the snow from the L, and just to the L of the switchbacks, then traversed 
left to a rock back for 100ft of ascent, then back R across to a few clear 
switchbacks until we hit a snowfield just belwo the pass, where I cut steps 
across and up to the pass.
The descent was easier than some had suggested, traversing down and R, to a 
faint ridge where we could see the edge of a switchback, then straight down 
the ridge to clear switchbacks 500FT below.
Thereafter the trail was buried. There was a good log bridge across the Rae 
Lakes ford and at dollar lake, tho we had to chip the ice layer off these 
first.  We made it out of the snow before posthole hell and had a fast 
descent to the wonderfully thick air at woods creek. We asecnded and hit 
snow at 9500FT, solid by 10k FT all the way to Pinchot. The snow was 
refreezing hard at 5pm easing our ascent up pinchot. We took the line up the 
ridge to the L of the pass (as you stand and look at it), then cut steps 
across over to the low point of the pass. The descent was very easy; we snow 
camped 30mins after the pass in the shelter of some rocks.

7 To deer meadow.
Continuous snow from pinchot to Mather. Toughest pass yet, done in soft 
lunchtime snow. We came in from the left, ascended the second of 2 small 
avalanches, cut right to ascend some rocks, straight off the top of these 
past more rocks, then picked up a line of traversing prints heading R which 
after 50 FT went straight up to the pass at the very left. THe rest of the 
pass was heavily corniced and I would not have considered it safe to 
traverse under.
Great glissading descent to the bowl, then around the N side of the lakes to 
find the golden staircase (aided by skiers tracks). A few patches of snow on 
the staircase, and LOTS of water pouring down it. Some small washouts. Snow 
free at deer meadow, with fresh bear tracks.

8 To Muir
Easy cruise to Bishop pass trail tho 2 avalanches have made short sections 
problematic. Snow more prevalent from 9k, continuous 9.5k, but we followed 
the creek and often found patches of trail. Easy ascent to Muir. Naturally 
we didn't stay in the hut because that's not allowed, even if its snowing 
(which it was).

9 to Can't remember where :-)
Easy descent down muir, walked straight across Wanda, then followed lakes 
and rivers into the valley. Found clear switchbacks at 10.8kFT with enought 
trail to follow. Lots of avalanches over the trail with snow patches to 8k 
FT. Evolution ford easy - crossed 20 yds upstream from trail, across to 
where a branch/tree is dipping into the water.

10 To Bear dam diversion trail
Trail clearish to Senger creek then lost it so followed round into the 
natural drainage from seldon up Sallie Keys creek. Went to the R side of 
lakes up to the Pass; a few tiny bits of switchback appeared near the top 
but almost all snow. Beautiful pass, with lovely easy descent. Went L of 1st 
lake, then L of ridge on W of 2nd lake. Forded W fork of bear creek on log 
bridge, snow patches but could make out trail increasingly until main ford 
which was easy at the trail - knee deep. Alternatively 300yds downstream 
there is a wide slow area, or 30yds down of that are some potential log 
bridges. Little snow thereafter but trail often underwater.
11 To VVR. Easy ascent up ridge, then lots of snow as we traversed to N 
side. Snow down to 8k FT in the trees and trail very hard to follow.

VVR Ferry was not running so we walked the trail. The ferry should be 
running within a few days; even if its not its well worth the walk. They can 
ferry you back to the trail in a small motorboat if the water level is still 
too low for the main boat.

A few words on VVR, since there seems some controversy on the trail about 
it. We were treated incredibly well, given fantastic food in hiker sized 
portions, and prices were extremely reasonable. We've just paid more for a 
smaller breakfast in Mammoth than we paid in VVR. They are the only place in 
the Sierra that was prepared to guarantee being open (try getting a 
commitment from Reds or Tuolumne!) even tho they have to use ATVs and 
snowmobiles to get all staff and supplies into the resort; the road was 
still shut when we were there. It is a truely amazing place.

12 - Zero at VVR

13 - VVR- Fish creek bridge.
Mono creek fords were bigger than anything previous (much hotter weather) 
but still easier than they looked. Silver creek has some objective danger 
but was easy - just hug the rocks!
Silver pass was snowed in from 9-10k - we were almost caught out bu a falst 
pass 150ft below the real one; the real silver pass is 90 degrees to your 
right and up a bit when you think you've got to the top and are looking at a 
nearby, small, round lake. Descent was easy but we didn't lose the snow till 
fish creek bridge.

14- Fish creek bridge to halfway along mammoth side trail.
THought this would be an easy day, but everything apart from S facing slopes 
were in snow, and the side trail to mammoth was completely snowed in. It was 
constant GPS all the way from the PCT, and at 6.30pm we quite for the night 
just a mile from the trailhead.

15 to Mammoth trailhead , with no sign of trail at all. The trailhead is 
closed due to CO2 danger, so you have to walk a short way down the road, but 
there was enough traffic for us to Yogi a ride from some tourists.

Motel 6 in Mammoth $55+tax weekdays, $72 wekends, next to post office, free 
bus round town, free net at library. Great place. Reds is shut (est opening 
6/29), Tioga/Tuolumne also shut (locals don't believe they will get the pass 
clear this year at all!).

It was one of the most amazing, memorable experiences of our lives. Now we 
have to go out and repeat again for another 200 miles :-)

Feel the fear. Do it anyway.
Dave & Michele.

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