[pct-l] January PCT hike, Stove fumes

[Brick Robbins <brick@fastpack.com>]

Randy Forsland wrote:

>Does anybody have any recommendations for a 100 to 150 mile hike?? I have
done 
>most of the California PCT North of Red's Meadow but I am not at all
familiar 
>with the southern portions.

You could probably do Campo to Anza, 153 miles, without too much worry
about snow impeding your travel. It may snow on you in the Laguna's, but
snow there seldom sticks for more than a couple of days, so the chances of
hiking through snow more than a few inches deep is not great. In normal
years, we can XC ski out there only about a total of 7-10 days, so you can
figure the odds.

HOWEVER the weather can really Suck. On November 7, I ran a 50 mile race
from Boulder Oaks to just short of Pioneer Mail, and back. A storm was
raging at the time, and across Mt Laguna (6000ft - 1800m) the temps were
about 34F (1C) with 50mph (80kph) winds and driving sleet. The aid station
volunteers said after we passed through the temp droped more and it started
to snow. Race management actually closed down the course early (stopping
runners at aid stations) so the volunteers could leave early and  wouldn't
freeze to death.

Montedodge@aol.com wrote about stove fumes.

The composition of the gasses given off by a stove have more to do with how
efficient the cumbustion is than  the type of fuel. You can get CO from
Kerosene, and you can get clean combustion (only C02 and H20) from white
gas and Propane. BUT, just a little tweak off optimum (which I doubt any
stoves even approach) can poison you, so IMHO don't even try. Plus, i
really hate those big burn holes in the tent floor!

-Brick
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