Looking for advice on a PCT section

[ticky]

I'm interested in doing a section of the PCT this summer. I'd like to do a trip from about 6/5 to 7/10. I'm an experienced backpacker, and I expect to average about 18 miles/day, excluding zeros. Based on this, I'm looking to do a 550 mile section.

So, I have a few questions. What section of the trail would you do if you we're going to do 550 miles? I live in AZ, and so Cali is most convenient for me. I'm also used to hiking in the heat, and don't mind dry conditions. But on the flip side, it would be good to get out of the heat. Lastly, I enjoy meeting people on the trail, so it'd be good to be about in the middle of the 'pack'. Any other advice y'all have would be welcome also.

[Sly]

I'd start from Walker Pass and head north. You'll be through most of the desert and have about 100 miles behind you before entering the High Sierra at about the right time.

[neighbor dave]

i agree with sly!

[fiddlehead]

It's a low snow year so far.
So you should be ok there (walker pass)
Normally you'd hit a lot of snow and big fords in the Sierras that early.

Possibly Tehatchapi for a little bit later time table into the Sierras. Up to you and how much you like snow.

[Helmuth.Fishmonger]

It's a low snow year so far.
So you should be ok there (walker pass)
Normally you'd hit a lot of snow and big fords in the Sierras that early.

the snow is almost 'normal' for the year, about equal to last year, which still had snow on the high passes in mid June.

http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/snow/PLOT_SWC

[Helmuth.Fishmonger]

a really wet storm expected this weekend, dumping another 2 feet in the high country, which will bump snow levels in the Sierras easily to what a 100% of normal winter looks like:



FORECAST FOR THE OWENS VALLEY, MAMMOTH AND MONO COUNTY
PROVIDED BY DENNIS MATTINSON
EASTERN SIERRA WEATHER FORECASTER
KSRW 92.5 / 96.5 FM AND TV-33

FRIDAY, 01-MAY-09, MORNING REPORT

AN RATHER IMPRESSIVE EARLY MAY STORM IS HEADED OUR WAY. THIS THING HAS THE ADDED "JUICE" FROM THE TROPICS AND WILL IMPACT THE HIGH COUNTRY WITH ONE TO TWO FEET OF NEW SNOW FROM THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TOMORROW MORNING AT THE LEAST. A WINTER STORM WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE SIERRA, FOR THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS, FROM 5 PM TODAY UNTIL 10 AM SATURDAY. HECK, EVEN THE OWNES VALLEY MIGHT SEE SOME MOISTURE FROM THIS SYSTEM, PARTICULARLY LATER THIS EVENING AND INTO SATURDAY MORNING. BY SUNDAY, LOW AMPLITUDE RIDGING BUILDS IN TO DRY THINGS OUT FOR THE OWENS VALLEY, WITH THE HIGH COUNTRY REMAINING A BIT UNSETTLED WITH SOME LINGERING SHOWER ACTIVITY NEAR THE CREST. THAT UNSETTLED WEATHER WILL PRESIST FOR THE HIGH COUNTRY, WITH HIGH SNOW LEVELS THROUGH TUESDAY. THE STORM TRACK WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE IN A NORTHERLY DIRECTION, GIVING US THE HINT OF SUMMER CONDITIONS BY LATE NEXT WEEK AND INTO THE WEEKEND.

[kyhipo]

I really like the Oregon section but being my dads people live close to crater lake go figure.ky

[garlic08]

Another vote for Sly's route.

[handlebar]

You can probably make it all the way from Walker Pass to Donner Pass just before I-80 or Sierra City assuming you don't get slowed down to much or held up by Sierra snow if the forecast dump actually materializes. You'll be hiking through absolutely stunning scenery the whole way and there's public transport from LAX to within hitching distance of Walker Pass and from Donner Pass to Reno airport if that's a concern. I left Kennedy Meadows on June 3 last year and would have left the 1st but was held up by the Crawford Meadows fire just north of KM. Made it to I-80 by June 30. There was still quite a bit of snow both before and after the high passes, but I was able to eventually locate the trail. I used my ice ax a couple of times and should have been using it a couple more times. Didn't have crampons and don't really think I needed them.

Handlebar

[Jester2000]

Listen to Sly. Unless he suggests staying for a month at the Andersons.

[TwoForty]

I'd start from Walker Pass and head north. You'll be through most of the desert and have about 100 miles behind you before entering the High Sierra at about the right time.

+1

This is now long enough to post

[Shutterbug]

I'm interested in doing a section of the PCT this summer. I'd like to do a trip from about 6/5 to 7/10. I'm an experienced backpacker, and I expect to average about 18 miles/day, excluding zeros. Based on this, I'm looking to do a 550 mile section.

So, I have a few questions. What section of the trail would you do if you we're going to do 550 miles? I live in AZ, and so Cali is most convenient for me. I'm also used to hiking in the heat, and don't mind dry conditions. But on the flip side, it would be good to get out of the heat. Lastly, I enjoy meeting people on the trail, so it'd be good to be about in the middle of the 'pack'. Any other advice y'all have would be welcome also.

Your planned dates are too early for Washington.

[ticky]

Alright. Thanks everyone. It looks like the trip is a go. I was planning my gear, and I was wondering what a decent guess at the lowest temp. would be on this route?

[TwoForty]

You'll see temps in the 20s in the Sierra for sure. If you have plenty of extra clothing, get a pad/bag setup to about freezing and pile on the clothes when it gets below on a few nights in the Sierra.

[Matteroo]

oregon is melting dang fast right now......could be clear in 2 weeks i swear. summer has turned on here with an intensity equal to the 'its always rainy in the winter' sentiment.. sun sun sun sun every day for the past 10 days, for the next week.. 70s and 80s..lows 55