Re: [pct-l] Questions

[Brick Robbins <brick@fastpack.com>]

At 08:12 AM 2/8/99 -0700, Margo Chisholm wrote:

>1.  Is there ever water at Pioneer Mail in April?

The water there is from a tank, and the USFS has not displayed a pattern of when they fill it. The last couple of years they were pleading povertry and filled it irregularly. Call the PCTA from Campo, they should know. There is water just across HWY S1 about 3 miles south of Pioneer Mail Picinic Area near the GATR road at a place called (but not on the map) Penny Pines. There is trailhead parking there. Cross the road (S1), and you will see a horse trough. There is a faucet just past it.

>2.  Anyone have a sense of what kind of snowpack level is necessary for
>the springs in Section 1 to be running in late April?

No snowpack in Section A. Everything is runnoff/groundwater. A lot will depend on what happens between now and then. It has been a VERY dry winter in San Diego.

>3. Is there an Ok place to camp within a mile or so of the fountain at
>Snow Canyon Rd?

Not really. There are tollerable places to camp in the desert brush, but nothing I would rate as OK. Plus I think that the Snow Creek Water District caretaker would have a s**t fit if she found a someone camping along "her" road. Hike the extra 4 miles down to the town of "West Palm Springs Village" and stay at the Middleton's cabin instead. They have invited hikers to stay there for the last several years. They also set out water along the trail (they live about 50 yds from the trail) near their house for hikers to use. They live about 1/4 mile north from the I-10 bridge. True trail angels.

>4.  Where did you carry ice axe and instep crampons (or whatever you used)?

Ice Axe needed in So-Cal from near Red Taquitze peak (map B9) to Black Mountain Road (map B10), Mt Baden Powel (map D5) and from Trail Pass north (Map G13 on). Your milage may vary.

>5.  Do you really need 3 gallons of water when leaving Elizabeth Lake
>Canyon Rd. or can you pretty much count on Upper Shake Campground and/or
>Atmore Meadows?

When I was there in 95 there is NO piped water in Upper Shake campground. The California Clean Water act imposed strict testing requirements for potable water. Since the water in the campgrounds cannot be tested that often, they took out the pipes in most of them in the Sierra Pelona (I was told that just labeling it _non-potable_ is not legal). I found water in the creek below the campground

>6.  Does Jack Fair appreciate being notified of approximate arrival
>dates at his place. Do you knock on his door to let him know you're
>there or leave him be?

Dunno. Didn't stay there.

>7.  Has the BLM put in a water source near Cameron Overpass yet?

I dont' think there was one there in 95, but I resupplied there, so I didn't look very hard.

Hope this helps.


--
Brick Robbins                    Life is a Journey, not a Destination
mailto:brick@fastpack.com        http://www.fastpack.com/brick 


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