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[pct-l] October/November hiking



In the last week of October, 2004 I started the PCT in Campo and got to 
Scissors Crossing.  A month later, end of November, I did another week and got from 
Scissors Crossing to Idyllwild.  

Most of the time there was plenty of water (it had rained 4" at the end of 
October) and it wasn't hot, so water just wasn't a problem.  It was actually 
quite nice most of the time.  

The only problems I had were cold (10 degrees F and windy at night) and snow 
in the San Jacintos.  Snow obscures the trail and slows you down quite a bit. 
Around Red Tahquitz the trail is on the north slope and the snow was deepest; 
2' to 3' in spots.  That is the only place I would have needed show shoes, but 
I got off the trail at Idyllwild.  They would have been needed further on if 
I had continued.  

Scott Williamson came through the San Jacintos two weeks earlier in November 
and I read his entry in the journal at the restaurant (is it Paradise 
Corners?) a mile from the trail on Pines-to-Palms Hwy 74.  He said he had used snow 
shoes in the San Jacintos.  The 4" of October San Diego rain probably equaled a 
lot of snow there.

The San Jacintos were beautiful and despite the cold I would hike them again 
this time of year in a heartbeat.  Despite the weight, I'd take snow shoes for 
the deep snow.  

Hope this helps.  

Lee Marsden