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[pct-l] View from here II



The snow that is on the ground this year shows a PCT where much of the
trail has snow way above average and way above what happened last year.
This year seems to be unusual because such a high percentage of the trail
has above normal snowpack; normally there is a reprieve from the snow
either in central and Northern California or in Oregon, depending on which
direction you start out from.

the normal focus is not hitting the sierras too early, or starting in
Washington too early.  Most of the Scenic Trails snow page and the data
that is easily available has data for the two extreme ends of the trail -
Washington and the Southern Sierras.  The important story this year may be
what lies in between.  

Anybody that attempts a Washington to Mexico thruhike is in my prayers.

I feel that I can get through the High Sierras, even in May this year (with
crampons, and very early morning starts, etc.)Wading through the snow in
the Sierras passes means that you usually have a valley below where camping
will be possible off snow.  As you go father North however, the snow gets
deeper and deeper AT LOWER AND LOWER ELEVATIONS. This means that after
wading through the Sierras, you now have another month at least to not only
break trail but to live in the snow.  At that point, I am willing to wait
for a while or go north to Castella or Ashland for hopefully better
pickings.  But I also know and am intimately acquainted with the "winter
wall" that happens in Washington, and know that by the end of September all
hopes of reaching Manning may be erased ( and it can happen sooner than
that ).

Goforth
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