[pct-l] How much of (calif) section A-F is do'able in January - March?

[Gregory L. Colvin]

A lot, in our experience section hiking NOBO.

We did the first 110 miles to Warner Springs in January 2004 and it was
great, much cooler in SoCal as compared to spring or summer.  Did it all
in day hikes with two cars, except for one overnight backpack in the San
Felipes.  And we did many other pieces all the way to Walker Pass in
February and March, except when the snow and weather forced us off the
trail or forced us to choose a different part of the trail.  So do what
you can in Jan-Mar and then come back later in the year and fill in the
pieces you missed, assuming you can handle the transportation logistics.

Greg Colvin, with sons Jared and Chris, now at Tuolumne Meadows, and a
few pieces to go back and fill (e.g. San Jac)
 
------------------------------

Message: 3
Date: Tue, 03 Aug 2010 16:57:15 -0700
From: Gary Schenk <gwschenk at socal.rr.com>
Subject: Re: [pct-l] How much of (calif) section A-F is do'able in
	January
To: pct-l at backcountry.net
Message-ID: <4C58ACDB.3020905 at socal.rr.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

On 8/3/2010 2:15 PM, greg mushial wrote:
> I'm hoping to be a thru in 2011...  but in dropping said hint at work,

> getting that much time off in one piece might not be possible. So 
> instead of a "true thru" (Apr->Oct, Mex->Can), my plan B would be a 
> "thru in a year", ie, do pieces or all of A-F in January and March, 
> and then pick up in early June where I left off. So, my question is: 
> when does winter come to the south? When (nominally) does Baden-Powell

> become snow covered; or asked
> differently: what parts are still doable (meaning trail walking, not
> snowshoe'ing) in January, and again, in March?
> thanks - TheDuck

It's anybody's guess. I've been on the PCT at Baden-Powell in late
December without a trace of snow. Or it could be buried. Every year is
different. I've climbed 10,064' Mt. San Antonio, just south of
Baden-Powell, in mid-January in conditions that could only be called
summer.

With the proper equipment, none of which would be called ultralight, you
could traverse the Southern California mountains that time of year in
the worst conditions. It's up to your skill level and sense of
adventure.

If you hit it right, it could be just a typical backpack, or it could be
a ski mountaineering expedition.

SoCal is weird that way.