[pct-l] Trip Report - Pines to Palms Highway to Saddle Junction

[jake]

Wing It and I just hiked the Section from Pines to Palms Hwy 74 to Saddle
Junction. We had microspike "crampons" and ice axes (real ones, not the
"potty trowels"). It was a very high snow year in Southern California and
sections of the trail still have a lot of snow: 3-4 feet on the North side
of Apache Peak, and even more by Saddle Junction.

We met the first 3 thruhikers to make it through this section at Tahquitz
Meadow. They had made it through to Saddle Junction and if they stay on
schedule they should make it through Fuller Ridge today. They chose to hike
over the top of Apache Peak, rather than around it on the PCT grade and from
their description it sounded like their route was significantly less exposed
than ours.

There are some VERY steep and icy traverses that will probably not melt very
soon. We were forced to chop up to a quarter mile of steps in the ice to get
around some of the more difficult sections. If you plan on hiking this
section soon I highly recommend carrying an ice axe as well as some sort of
extra traction for your shoes.

Patchy Snow starting after Cedar Spring Trail - nothing difficult to
navigate or traverse until Apache Peak but after that all North facing
slopes were covered in snow.  The slope on the North side of South Peak had
a particularly dangerous traverse - I would have much preferred to have real
crampons, and would not have attempted to go around without some sort of
extra traction on my shoes.

>From Red Tahquitz to Saddle Junction the PCT is entirely snow bound.

Don't Panic - PCT '08