[pct-l] Winter Thru Hike

[Barry Teschlog]

A telemark / alpine touring ski set up may be a better choice compared to snow shoes.  On the down hills, you could make some good time and enjoy some turns along the way.  
Obviously, avalanche danger would make such an expedition hazardous.  The sections where this would be the case are too numerous to list.
 
Not that I'd try such an adventure myself.......the logistics would be very difficult as has been mentioned in other posts.  But, if you could do it....wow!!!!
 
Here's an account of a winter traverse from Stevens Pass to Snoqualmie Pass on a back country ski rig...... perhaps a taste of what one could expect on a winter thru hike.  
 
http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Board=3&Number=668203&Searchpage=1&Main=50183&Words=snoqualmie&topic=0&Search=true#Post668203
 
If the link doesn't work, go to Cascadeclimbers.com, scroll down to the Alpine Lakes trip report section, and go to the 7th page or so, toward the bottom, they're sorted by last post date, this one is last posted on 6/20/07, under the title of "[TR] Traverse: - Steven's Pass to Snoqualmie Pass (Gold Creek) 4/2/2007"
 
Unfortunately, the photos are no longer showing in the trip report - they were quite good as I remember.
GPS traces are available - check Postholer.  In 2006, Jack aka Union aka One Strap did a GPS trace of the trail for Backpacker Magazine.  Check there as well.


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Message: 7
Date: Fri, 6 Jun 2008 11:02:20 -0400
From: "Gracie Sorbello" <onewheelforlife at gmail.com>
Subject: [pct-l] Winter Thru-hike
To: "PCT Forum Post" <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Message-ID:
    <95440ee10806060802w33fadd26h8335f31810c5c7b at mail.gmail.com>
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Hi,
I have been thinking about doing a thru-hike for several years, and in all
my pondering began to wonder what it would be like to thru-hike the PCT in
the winter.  I'm sure someone out there has at some point, but does anyone
have info on such a trip?  This is something I'm very interested in doing,
and an informative resource would be really helpful.

Further questions I would have include:
- will any sections become simply impassable during the winter?
- do any trail guidebooks include GPS coordinates for the entire PCT?
- are there many sections of the trail that are particularly prone to
avalanches?
- would MSR Denali Ascent snowshoes (with flotation tails) be enough for
both flotation on snow and traction on ice?  or would I need crampons as
well?

Thanks!
Gracie