[pct-l] Kennedy Meadows departure dates

["Chris Bailey" <hikertrash@earthlink.net>]

Original message:

>Date: Mon, 8 Feb 1999 09:53:06 -0800
>From: reynolds@ilan.com
>Subject: Re: [pct-l] Snowpack

>The snowpack is still below normal in the southern sierra. Assuming you
can
handle somewhat snowey passes leaving Kennedy Meadows on July 4 looks
possible.

> IMHO

Last summer, someone posted a message to the guest book on our website that
we couldn't possibly leave Kennedy Meadows before mid-July.  We left
Kennedy Meadows on June 14th.

I point this out because a lot of folks are probably thinking about leaving
Kennedy Meadows around mid-June (a popular time-frame based on a popular
set of published itineraries).  IMHO, leaving KM on July 4 is more than
just possible, it's a no-brainer.

IM further HO, leaving Kennedy Meadows around mid-June is practical for
many thru-hikers in any year, depending upon their skill-level and
determination.  I don't get the feeling from look at the snow data today,
that '99 is going to present anything like a big snow year for north-bound
thru-hikers, and that, therefore, those who are thinking about a mid-June
KM departure date ought to just chill out and worry about other stuff, like
whether this list is going to self-destruct.

The corollary to this is that, at this point, folks can start in mid-April
to mid-May, just like the aforementioned itineraries suggest, without
trepidation.  If it were me again, I'd start around 4/15 to 4/25 (beat a
little heat) and take my sweet time getting to KM, then leave KM around
mid-June so that I'd have plenty of time to get to Canada before the end of
September.  I'd be much more concerned about getting lousy weather in
Northern Washington (where I live) in late September and October, than I
would about whether I could leave KM in mid-June.

Thanks for the floor,

Chris.

http://www.skydivenet.com/pcthike
hikertrash@earthlink.net


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