[pct-l] Ice Axe in the Sierra?...Snowshoes in Lassen N.P?

[Georgi Heitman]

Can't answer part one...but (Tuesday) night, according to a trucker I chatted with at the O.S. Post Office, it snowed at the 6000' mark on Hywy 44/89 between Old Station and the N.P.'s northern entrance, tho it didn't stick.  And it apparently got colder, because as I passed over the summit (6000') at noon on Wednesday, it was also coming down slushy, but it was definitely snow.  There were at least 2 inches of the stuff on the ground at 5:00 P.M. on my return run.  Hikers should keep appraised of trail conditions by checking Cal Trans road conditions (Hywy 89) as the trail summit is only 300 'below the road summit.  When the Hywy thru the park is closed for the winter, so is the trail.   Note that a road closure this early may be a temporary one, so a second check hours later or the next day may show the road as being plowed and reopened.   Do remember tho, that there are no plows on the PCT, and that the trail summit has a cliff on it's west side, so it's on the shady side of the mountain.  
Hike on carefully.....
"Firefly" aka Georgi, 
Trail Angel, Old Station
P.S.  My reservations for ALDHA West went into the mail yesterday.  We've had too many hikers still coming thru to even think about attending in past years, but things have slowed down so early, this year I'll get to attend if there's still space.  Save cabin room and food for me, please.  I'm very excited to be able to do this!  May never happen again.