[pct-l] optimal conditions

[Brick Robbins]

On Tue, Sep 7, 2010 at 12:20 PM,  <ned at mountaineducation.org> wrote:
> Again, we teach "snow sense," winter skills and techniques that keep you warm and dry and allow you to safely enjoy the Fourth Season.

I've done the same sections of the Sierra PCT in the summer, in a UL
style, that I've done in the late winter/early spring on skis.

I brought a totally different set of gear for those two types of trip.
While I might see a snow storm on the PCT at any time of year, and
might traverse long sections of snow over high passes, generally in
the summer, I'm not going to need go in a group with avalanche
beacons, spare pole baskets or 2 stoves (because you get your water by
melting snow, and a failure can be fatal) as I might do on a winter
ski trip. I am going to carry an ice axe in in the Sierra in early
thru-hiking season for those long snow sections, but probably not for
an August JMT trip.

On a PCT  thru hike, I'm going to generally be 70-150 miles between
resupply stops, and I'm going access those without long descents, or
long side trips (which is why the 150 mile sections.) At 30 miles a
day, which is a reasonable 8-10 hours of hiking with UL gear, I'm only
looking at 3-5 days of food.

IMHO, Ned's advice is great for winter mountain trips, but no so much
for a thru hike.

YMMV