[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
[pct-l] Re: Hghwy 74 to Big Bear
At 10:07 PM 6/13/98 EDT, Charcholla@aol.com wrote:
>Brick,
>
>Now surely, you and Joe haven't already completed your trip from Highway
74 to
>Big Bear?
>
>Or, have you?
>
>Do you plan to post a report and share the condition of the trail (especially
>around San Jac)?
>
>Charlie
Joe and I hit Van Dusen Road in Big Bear yesterday at 2pm. We started on
Monday at Pines to Palms (hwy 74). There was lots of snow coverage in the
Tahquitz Valley and from Strawberry Junction all the way to the Fuller
Ridge trailhead on Black Mountain road. Lots of compass and cross country
navigation and Ice Axe use. Joe had several self arrests on Fuller Ridge.
Though I only used mine to cut steps in the early hours when the snow was
hard, having it made me feel much better.
The trip up to Fuller Ridge was actually harder than the trip down the
ridge because of some poor navigation choices I made: we stayed below where
I think the the trail went, and ended up having to bushwack through the
thorn bushes in the places where the snow HAD melted. Much better to be
high and only have the snow to deal with.....
We got to Fuller Ridge and met the trail peeking out under the snow on the
south side of the ridge and followed it over to the north side where it
dissapeared once again, under a deep snow bank with about a 70 degree slope.
We ignored the trail on the upper part of Fuller Ridge where it traverses
the north slopes, and stayed to the crest as much as possible. We were able
to follow the trail in the places it traversed the south side of the ridge.
Down lower where the slope is not so vertical we dropped down the north
side of the ridge where the trail passes below peak 8462. Suprisingly
enough we hit Black Mountain Rd within 1/4 mile of the PCT trailhead. Not
bad for not having seen the trail for about 4 miles....
This trip was two weeks earlier than when I crossed the same place in 95,
and then it was already snow free. This year is MUCH worse (snow-wise) than
95.
We went from Hwy 74 to Strawberry Junction on Monday (30.6 miles), To I-10
and the Middleton's on Tuesday (27.7 miles - including Fuller Ridge which
took 6 hours), to Randy's Hiker's Haven in South Mission Creek on Wednesday
(24 miles), to Arrastre Trail Camp on Thursday (21.9 miles), then the last
18.4 miles to Van Dusen Rd yesterday.
Wednesday and Thursday we got late starts because we socialized with our
hosts until about 10am each day. On Tuesday we hiked with the full moon
from Snow Creek to West Palm springs and finished around 10pm.
We met through-hiker "Jake from Antartica" on Wednesday, and through hiker
Jennifer Flowers (really her name!) with her temporary companion Brenda at
Arrastre Trail camp.
We saw no other through hikers. It was cold most of the trip. In the 30s in
the mountain bivouacs and in the 50s the nights we spent in the desert.
I will post a full report on my website just as soon as I get my photos back.
-Brick
* From the Pacific Crest Trail Email List | For info http://www.hack.net/lists *
==============================================================================