[pct-l] Ray Day

[Steve Fosdick]

I guess I don't get this. Is there accurate "snow data" available by Mid April to help set a start date, or do you just pick a date and go for it.  For me, I think I'll be more concerned in adjusting my schedule to avoid 'the wave' than I'll be to adjust for snow or lack of it. My pace might flex a little early on depending on the snow data, but once I'm on the trail, will there be a good way to get the data? I doubt I'll be connect to this list much once I'm on the trail. (I'm actually looking forward to a summer of no e-mail and no cell phone!)
   
  Hikin_Steve


Sean Nordeen <sean at lifesadventures.net> wrote:  This is what I read somewhere, but since I'm not Ray Jardine I could be wrong.

Ray Day is June 15th in a normal snow year. It was the opinion of Ray Jardine base on HIS hiking style and a normal snowpack year as the optimal time to enter the Sierras with the least gear, make the most mileage and not to have to deal with the peak water levels and its associated dangers at the major fords while still having time to make it to Canada before the weather turned cold/snow. Basically its a compromise between snow levels and ford levels. You could wait a few weeks latter for the water levels to drop after they crest, but you'd be behind schedule for finishing.

RJ also typically traveled with more of a minimumist gear list then many hikers do, even by todays standards. He always sleept at low altitude to compensate for the lack of gear and covered more miles/day in the Sierras then most to insure that he was indeed at a low elevation when he stopped.

Ray Day is probably not the ideal day for most hikers as they aren't hiking Ray Jardine's exact hike. I suspect for the hiknig pace of many, a few days earlier would be better, but it is close enough. The problem with it is many years are not average snow years but most people treat it like a fixed date on a calender much like Christmas with no understanding of the reasoning behind the date and fail to adjust their departure date accordingly. It also should be adjusted to take in your own gear/skills/experience with snow and fording rivers.

The Postholer website is an attempt to adjust the June 15th based on the current snow conditions. It doesn't do a bad job, but, in my opinion, it is an imperfect algorithm that doesn't deal with the extreme weather years very well. Case in point was the recently passed 2007 hiking season with its extremely low snowfall in the Southern Sierras. Considering how low the snow pack was by May 1st, I found the idea that the best entry date still being in early June unreasonable.

But the best entry date depends on you. Some enter in May with the gear, skills and mindset to deal with the snow. Others enter latter and have the high pace needed to still finish their hikes on time. Pick the date that works for YOU and HYOH.

-Sean
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