[pct-l] optimal conditions

[Diane Soini of Santa Barbara Hikes]

I am aware of the elevation, yet I fail to see the heavy boots and  
expedition packs and the pictures do illustrate that people are not  
turned back in September nor that light gear is a prediction of  
failure. I can't make any assumptions about heavy gear because I  
don't see any in the pictures at the border.

Even if it were snowy at the border and people did need heavy winter  
gear to reach the end of the trail, would they carry it starting in  
April clear through to the end? Light gear makes it possible for more  
people to reach the border in September or even in August. Ned thinks  
that is rushing but to many people that is just guaranteeing success.  
I don't care how big my boots are and how roomy my tent is for  
waiting out big storms, I do not want to be hiking that last section  
from Cutthroat Pass to the border in heavy fresh snow. I'd rather  
reach the border monument in August or September. Light equipment  
makes that more possible.

As for people road walking in 2007, I think a lot of people really  
don't care how they get there towards the end of the hike. Many are  
ready to just go home but they are stubborn and do not want to go  
home before they reach Canada. Perhaps they should have sent some  
heavy boots and gear to themselves in order to stay on the trail. Or  
perhaps they realized that gear isn't going to make the end of the  
trail a good place to walk.

I met people in Washington when I came through (it was August) who  
returned hike it over again because they didn't see anything when  
they came through during their thru-hike because of weather.  
Meanwhile, I hiked in great weather with people carrying tiny packs  
who managed to complete their hikes before the end of August.

On Sep 7, 2010, at 8:28 PM, Eric Lee wrote:

> Diane wrote:
>>
> I poked around briefly and this is what I saw of pictures of people  
> at the
> Canadian border monument.
>>
>
> Not saying anything about the relative merits or risks of snow  
> travel, but
> remember that the northern monument is at 4240 feet.  Just ten  
> miles south
> of there the trail is up at 7126 feet, which in the North Cascades in
> October can make a huge difference.
>
> Eric
>