[pct-l] Re: Snowpack in Wa.--Southbound

[benarmstrong1@yahoo.com (Ben Armstrong)]

--
[ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]

Another key is that even if there is a low snow year, a southbounder will s=
till contend with snowpack at least through Stevens Pass except at the lowe=
r elevations and then again in the Goat Rocks Wilderness.  Route finding an=
d ice ax/self-arrest technique is essential.  Be physically and mentally pr=
epared to do 25 mile days, even if you don't do that mileage on trail due t=
o snow, getting lost, and the fatigue of beginning a thru-hike in one of th=
e most rugged stretches of trail in the country.  Train, train, train.
In 2001, route finding wasn't as much of a challenge as I anticipated.  Man=
y times the trail, filled with snow and ice, cut a straight white line acro=
ss the mountainsides which were essentially spotty snow, bare rock and flor=
a.  The trail was snowbound but relatively easy to follow.  If there was mu=
ch more snowpack (even 10-15% more), this bonus would have been eliminated.
Bottomline: if you choose to hike southbound, you raise the odds of somethi=
ng happening.  You will not have the benefit of 698 miles to Kennedy Meadow=
s (a trail section which is no joke either) to have your legs ready and you=
r trail savvy well-oiled.  It's dangerous.  And I can't wait to do it again=
.
Ben Armstrong

 Tom Griffin <griffin@u.washington.edu> wrote:on 12/30/02 10:00 AM, CMounta=
inDave@aol.com wrote:

I completely agree with Dave. In 2001 we had a low snow year. I was at Hart=
s
Pass on June 24th and it was virtually snow free. But that was a rare winte=
r
and it looks like we may have a more normal one this year. If you are
determined to do a through hike and only have one year in your life to do
it, then I'd opt for much better odds by starting at Campo and heading
north.

Tom Griffin
Seattle
PCT Pages: http://staff.washington.edu/griffin/pct.html

> From: CMountainDave@aol.com
> Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 12:50:18 EST
> Subject: [pct-l] Snowpack in Wa.
>
> I belive January is going to be a key month for those who might want to d=
o a
> South bound hike. After this eries of storms , snowpack will be about 50%=
 of
> normal, at best, in the Wa. Cascades.
> If 3 of 4 weeks in January are dry it will be below 50% going into
> Feb. and it would take a very stormy March to get anywhere near normal.
> If it storms a bunch in Jan, then all bets are off, but high freezing lev=
els
> could still save the day.
> I would check the date that the North Cascade highway reopens through Rai=
ny
> Pass. If it's way early, that would be a real good sign. Ditto for the ro=
ad
> to Harts pass. Remember, the Pasayten wilderness gets much less snow than
> Glacier Peak wilderness because it is somewhat in the rain shadow of the
> North Cascades where it would be quite rare to see the snow mostly gone b=
y
> June. But it has happened.
> How about June 10 - Nov -20
>

_______________________________________________
PCT-L mailing list
PCT-L@mailman.backcountry.net
http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l


---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now