[pct-l] WEATHER ALLERT between Laguna and Warner Springs

[bluebrain at bluebrain.ca]

The weather turned HARSH up there today.  We left Laguna at 7:00 and by
early afternoon it was raining/snowing.  By late afternoon the temperature
was dropping rappidly to below freezing and the water was coming down
heavy and the snow was starting to collect and freeze on the ground.

Our frogtoggs and DryDucks didn't work, all three of us were soaked and
headed towards hypothermia.  I expected we would get damp, but I didn't
expect that the temperature would drop below freezing.  We doubled back a
bit around mile 59 and got off on whatever highway is right there above
the trail, walked a mile up to a new trailhead that another hiker had told
us about.  We were just setting up in the new outhouse there for the
night, it was REALLY freezing out.  Cop and ranger showed up, they were up
there hunting for any hikers who had left Laguna that morning.  We got a
ride to Warner Springs. Dissapointed to be here before we were supposed to
arrive, but better than sleeping in an outhouse!

There are at least two hikers who left Laguna this morning (friday 20th)
that they (ranger, police) havn't managed to track down.  We're worried
about them as we know at least one of them only had a tarp and we're quite
sure neither was expecting or prepared for such harsh conditions.  They
are Rachelle from Ontario and Stacey, two girls who just started out on
Tuesday.  I'm sure they'll make it through the night, but if anybody knows
them/hears from them tomorrow, I'd appreciate knowing for sure.

Conditions are supposed to stay bad through Monday, I would advise nobody
to try to hike that section before then unless you're prepared for very
wet, very cold winter conditions.  Anybody who's up there tonight is
having a very cold night.

Quick water update too, I don't have the guidebook in front of me but
there are two water sources out of Laguna before Pioneer mail Picnic area
... one is about eight miles out and one about nine, if I recall
correctly.  Don't know about the first, but there was a note from a hiker
on the sign pointing to the second (a water pipe and horse trough near the
highway) saying that both were bone dry.  Appears to be water at the
picnic area.

Someone might want to call the Laguna store and get the owner to let any
hikers who are there know that the conditions out there are wet and
freezing. There are long stretches there with no good spots for camping,
very exposed and nothing flat.

I'll put up a journal entry about today (was an adventure, that's for
sure) up here:  www.trailjournals.com/paulm/

I'll also let you know tomorrow morning if we find out anything about any
of the hikers up there tonight.

Freakin' blizzard in California ... sheeeesh

Paul