SOBO advice please!

[cathytuke]

Hi all,

My boyfriend and I are wanting to do the PCT this year, but due to a non-negotiable work situation we can't leave until the 2nd week in August. We know this is much too late (even SOBO) to allow us to do the whole thing, but are considering starting at Hart's Pass and aiming to do the first 1000 miles or so, hopefully until the Or/Ca border (or one of us breaks a leg/gets giardia etc etc1!). The grand plan would be to then return at a later date to do the Californian section.

Could any seasoned hikers please let us know if this is possible (+/- sensible)?

Many thanks,

Cathy (UK)

[Kalaallit]

I would imagine you'd be fine. August/September is when a lot of NOBOs are coming through that area, while the last ones trickle through around October I believe. The snows hit the mountains usually in mid October, so just make sure to finish by then to stay safe.

[WestMich]

I did that a couple years ago, starting around Aug 10 and ending Sept 18, but ended at Crater Lake (I had a friend who worked there). It is a great time to hike. There was virtually no snow to walk through in Washington and Oregon was bug free. Enjoy your hike, but be aware that you will not see many, if any, people heading southbound. However, there will be days when you pass 50 or more NOBO's.

[Miner]

You should be able to hike til early October, possibly later. Northern California weather changes to winter later than Oregon and Washington, so if you can make it that far by October, you could hike for a bit longer. At least you won't have to deal with the snow at the beginning that a traditional SOBO would face.

[AllDownhillFromHere]

What's the latest you can do the southern Sierra, say from KM to Whitney?

[Miner]

What's the latest you can do the southern Sierra, say from KM to Whitney?
The trail goes over 10k a few times between KM and Crabtree Meadows just below Whitney. Then you have the big climb up to 14K at Whitney. In general, the climbs are spread out without a lot of switchbacks until you start the climb up Whitney.

Any hiking in the High Sierra in October is a gamble. That said, its usually safe to assume you can hike through the first week of October. The odds of major winter snow increasing as the month becomes later. There are a few rare years, like during our recent drought, where the snow just doesn't come until much later. But you can't count on that.

[AlpineKevin]

Although in most years the Sierra doesn't get snow in October they have gotten 86" in October before (04'-05') and in the last 10 years they have gotten at least 10" most years. They have even gotten 60" in September (70'-71'). Hiking in October in the Sierras can be a risky gamble... but then again in our age of smart phones and weather forecasts you could probably get out of the Sierras in time depending on where you are.