[pct-l] Section Hiker goes 0 for 5 at Quincy LaPorte Rd
Dale Combs
comebackwalking at yahoo.com
Mon Aug 1 14:29:00 CDT 2011
I wanted to hike the trail between Quincy LaPorte Rd and Gibraltar a couple days ago
and I had a mountain biker with me who wanted to do the Butcher Gap ride down to Downieville.
After more than 2 dozen trips to the PCT, I've become more and more confident using trail/road intersections to break down the trail into smaller pieces.
First attempt I tried to access the trail by the Johnsonville Rd but the road was closed. Even if it wasn't closed it wasn't suitable for a car.
Second attempt, I tried the Quincy LaPorte Rd intersection, and without any signage I drove too far. So the third attempt I went back and I found the jeep road with signage to Pilot Peak that parallels the trail, but not the trail itself.
4th attempt, went down to Little Grass Valley and followed the road around the reservoir, on the other side of the dam is road that leads to the PCT but there is a bridge that is out that prevents you from going past the dam.
5th attempt, drove back to the area near Pilot Peak. The closest I got to PCT was seeing some diamonds sprayed orange like they were a detour. Maybe I was on the dirt road that is parallel and north of the PCT?
It seems that there were 3 jeep roads coming from the south in the vicinity.
I had the Northern California PCT guidebook and I had a good road almanac
but I could not find any trail markings.
Can anybody give me clues to finding the trail southbound from Quincy-LaPorte Rd?
Any clues for heading northbound from Quincy-LaPorte Rd?
There's a paved Rd intersection and it looks like there was an old trailhead parking spot that is now marked private property with chains around it. Is this where the trail crosses?
Did signage get removed? I'm incompetent? Both?
The mountain biker? I drove him up the next day to Butcher Gap and that was my only time on the PCT this weekend. I drove 600 miles this weekend and completed 0 miles of trail.
Dejected and Embarassed,
Comfy
--- On Mon, 8/1/11, pct-l-request at backcountry.net <pct-l-request at backcountry.net> wrote:
From: pct-l-request at backcountry.net <pct-l-request at backcountry.net>
Subject: Pct-L Digest, Vol 44, Issue 1
To: pct-l at backcountry.net
Date: Monday, August 1, 2011, 5:00 PM
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Today's Topics:
1. Re: PCT post office closures (Blanchard, Sym (GE&O))
2. Bus options leaving Manning Park (Connie Davis)
3. Hammocks (Ed Jarrett)
4. Re: Tarp shelters (CHUCK CHELIN)
5. Steel-Eye Away From PCT-L (CHUCK CHELIN)
6. Re: Light tent (Scott Williams)
7. Re: Pct-L Digest, Vol 43, Issue 32 (Heather Darnell)
8. Re: Current high sierra condition, of trail and hiker
(Lisa Valenti-Jordan)
9. Hammocks (enyapjr at comcast.net)
10. Whitney Time Lapse (tom aterno)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Sun, 31 Jul 2011 17:40:45 +0000
From: "Blanchard, Sym (GE&O)" <SWB3 at pge.com>
Subject: Re: [pct-l] PCT post office closures
To: "pct-l at backcountry.net" <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Message-ID:
<35B3DCD753F48E4098CB647DC40F9AAE08187631 at EXCHMBSF391.Utility.pge.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
I was planning to send a supply package to the Castella PO tomorrow. The reason I like the Post Offices is that I can bounce from one PO to another (or back home) with just a phone call and for free. I don't think the Ammirati's Market will do that. The PO hours do suck.
___________
Diane wrote:
>
- Castella, CA
You can go to Dunsmuir. You can just shop in Dunsmuir or in the small store in Castella. You'd be surprised what you can subsist on if you have to.
>
You can also send boxes to Ammirati's Market in Castella which is literally right across the parking lot from the PO. Much better pick-up hours at the market too: 7:30 am to 9:00 pm 7 days a week. I don't know why anyone would want to use the Castella PO, actually.
Eric
------------------------------
Message: 2
Date: Sun, 31 Jul 2011 12:56:14 -0700
From: Connie Davis <connielavondavis at gmail.com>
Subject: [pct-l] Bus options leaving Manning Park
To: pct-l at backcountry.net
Message-ID:
<CAEN-zOD-Wnn5PAZhDS+_dsMbetD3E_RtMy8-YA49JY5L8NRBFw at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252
Just updated info on options for leaving Manning Park via Greyhound.
Greyhound leaves Manning at 1110h (11:10 AM) every day. It leaves from next
to the restaurant. You can go to Vancouver, BC (arriving at 1505h) and get
a plane or transfer to another bus. If you want to get to Bellingham, WA
and take a train, bus, ferry or plane, see below.
IF you get a ride to Hope, BC, Greyhound is heading west from Hope at 0910h,
1145h, 1210h, 1410h and 1810h. It takes about 3 hours to get to Vancouver
from Hope on Greyhound. The Bus Station is at the Laundromat at 800-3rd
Ave. There are three campgrounds in town, one on the Fraser River is fairly
close to the bus station, another on the Coquihalla River is not far.
Getting to Bellingham WA: One Gallon's Greyhound/walking/public
transportation option for getting to Bellingham, WA and from there points
south (or Alaska if you feel like taking a cruise or a ferry.)
MANNING PARK TO ABBOTSFORD, BC
Take Greyhound to Abbotsford:
www.greyhound.ca 1-800-661-8747
currently leaves at 11:10 AM each day, arrives Abbotsford at 1:25 PM.
Current fare without advanced purchase is $28.00.
ABBOTSFORD, BC TO SUMAS, WA-- 2 options:
1) Bus to the border www.bctransit.com:
Walk from the bus station south onto Marshall Rd. Walk left (East) on
Marshall Road to the bus stop.
Take Route 2 to Huntingdon. (That?s the border crossing station).
Current fare is $1.75.
Buses run regularly Monday-Friday, less frequently on weekends and not at
all on statutory holidays in Canada. (Canadians celebrate the same Labor
Day as the US and Thanksgiving is the second Monday in October).
2) Walk to the border. (a little over 3 miles)
>From the bus depot, walk south to Marshall Rd. Cross the street and walk
south (take a right) on Riverside Road. Walk on Riverside Road. It will
take a left 90 degree turn and become 4th Avenue Walk a few blocks on this
street, then take a right on Sumas Way, aka Route 11. Walk south to the
border.
AT THE BORDER
Walk past Canadian Customs and Immigration (the first building you see on
the left.) Don?t bother to try and show them your permit. They generally
will not know what to do with it. Cross the street near the cars waiting to
go through US customs and enter the US Customs building on your right. Speak
to the customs agents inside, show your passport, and then exit through the
building to the left of the counter. DO NOT TELL THEM YOU WALKED ACROSS THE
BORDER TO ENTER CANADA unless you want to spend a lot more time at the
border. Just tell them you?ve been hiking in Manning Park in BC (which is
true.) I'm not recommending you lie, I'm just recommending you give enough
information to enter the US without a lot of hassle. Answer questions
truthfully. You can give them my name as someone you know in BC.
IN SUMAS, WA, walk south on Cherry Street (same thing as Route 11 in Canada)
until you see the bus stop.
SUMAS TO BELLINGHAM
Whatcom Tran 1 360-676-7433 www.ridewta.com/main.php Route 71X
The bus leaves Sumas at at 0625h, 0745h, 1231h, 1723, 1853.
Current fare is $1. Ask for a transfer.
FROM BELLINGHAM you can fly, bus, train or boat.
- *Fly:* Bellingham has a small airport. From the #71X bus, transfer at
Cordata station to bus route #50 and asked to be dropped off at airport
(this is not a routine stop!)
http://portofbellingham.com/bellingham_airport_home.php
- To take a shuttle *bus* to the Seattle airport. Two choices.
- 1) Airporter (leaves from Bellingham airport or Bellingham
GuestHouse Inn, reservation required 24 hours in advance
1-866-235-5247, current fare is $35.00) http://www.airporter.com/
- 2) Quick Shuttle (leaves from Bellingham airport, reservation
required,, 1- 800-665-2122) $28.00 http://www.quickcoach.com/
- To take *Amtrak* or *Greyhound*: In downtown Bellingham, transfer to
bus route #401 or 105 to Fairhaven Transportation Center.
- To take a *ferry* (to Alaska, the San Juans, etc.), transfer to bus
route #105 or 401 to Fairhaven
Have fun out there!
Lookout,
Hope BC
------------------------------
Message: 3
Date: Sun, 31 Jul 2011 15:12:25 -0700
From: Ed Jarrett <edjarrett at msn.com>
Subject: [pct-l] Hammocks
To: <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Message-ID: <BLU149-W50815EAD8A518C2B75C90AA390 at phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
I doubt I will ever mount an all out attack on the PCT but have begun nibbling away at it. I have also recently converted from sleeping on the ground to swinging in the trees at night. I assume that the SoCal desert does not lend itself to hammocking. But what about the rest of the trail. Are there any places where a hammock would just not work?
Ed Jarrett
------------------------------
Message: 4
Date: Sun, 31 Jul 2011 15:57:20 -0700
From: CHUCK CHELIN <steeleye at wildblue.net>
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Tarp shelters
To: Mike Jurasius <syntectonics at yahoo.com>
Cc: PCT listserve <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Message-ID:
<CABc=HNmVJLJMdNyyg5ff6-xvZFth1=KTg-V=1apqTaqG64D7og at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252
Good afternoon, Mike,
My primary objective is to sleep out, under the stars, with all of the
associated freedom, while having the option to erect protection for the
10-15% of the time when the weather threatens to turn wet. I want that
protection to be adequate ? by my standards -- but minimal because weight is
the secondary concern. Protection against mosquitoes, or any other
real/perceived terror-of-the-night, is a weak tertiary concern.
When sleeping out, I choose a site to reduce the nuisance of ants, and I go
to sleep wearing a head-net to keep the mosquitoes at bay; removing it if I
awake later in the night when the cold air grounds them. Not all hikers
can/will abide the whinny little buggers: I can because I have considerable
high-frequency hearing loss ? I barely hear them ? and I will because it is
a low-weight position.
I must also deal with dew on the outside, top of my bag in the morning, but
many/most of the enclosed, single-wall shelters also have condensation
issues which can similarly dampen a bag.
I?m not a big bivy fan, although many experienced hikers swear by them. It
seems to me they are a relatively heavy solution in search of a problem, as
is ? again in my opinion ? most of the GoreTex-type stuff.
You must determine for yourself what your objectives and methods will be,
but if enclosed shelter is the answer the options you mention are good ones.
Steel-Eye
-Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT ? 1965
-http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye
-http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09
On Sun, Jul 31, 2011 at 7:05 AM, Mike Jurasius <syntectonics at yahoo.com>wrote:
> Steeleye,
> I'm debating whether or not to buys tarp Vs, tarp tent for my 2013 thru
> hike. I think bugs, especially of the blood sucking itchy variety, would
> keep me away all night without netting. Is there anything wrong, in your
> opinion, with say, SMD Lunar Solo...or anyother UL tent, other than a few
> extra ounces? I like the airy tarp idea otherwise. I've heard some will go
> with a tarp and bivy. Have you tried this in your later UL years of hiking?
>
> Mike
>
>
>
>
------------------------------
Message: 5
Date: Sun, 31 Jul 2011 16:02:11 -0700
From: CHUCK CHELIN <steeleye at wildblue.net>
Subject: [pct-l] Steel-Eye Away From PCT-L
To: PCT listserve <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Message-ID:
<CABc=HN=tuCbyjgChiFVfVr-mEVE=eR8AEZY+iE71z8sRVjsYwg at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252
Good afternoon, All,
Beginning tomorrow AM I will be away from PCT-L for a while hiking
PCT-Oregon. I should be back in about a month.
Enjoy the remainder of your hiking season,
Steel-Eye
-Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT ? 1965
-http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye
-http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09
------------------------------
Message: 6
Date: Sun, 31 Jul 2011 18:20:39 -0700
From: Scott Williams <baidarker at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Light tent
To: CHUCK CHELIN <steeleye at wildblue.net>
Cc: "Pct-L at backcountry.net" <Pct-L at backcountry.net>
Message-ID:
<CAGxcj11hDD0STMwBGeKFHeYv2FySwJc=6us7CrXGkG1fz=8ccg at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
I love the Lunar Duo and have used it on Rainier and the West Coast Trail on
Vancouver Island, both very wet places. The dual openings allow a lot of
ventilation. It does get condensation, but not nearly as much as other 2
person,one opening, tents I've used.
So two votes for Lunar Duo.
Shroomer
------------------------------
Message: 7
Date: Mon, 1 Aug 2011 06:26:37 -0700 (PDT)
From: Heather Darnell <mom_and_alex at yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Pct-L Digest, Vol 43, Issue 32
To: "pct-l at backcountry.net" <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Message-ID:
<1312205197.41942.YahooMailNeo at web110507.mail.gq1.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
Nina, I have a Gossamer Gear Mariposa Plus backpack (http://gossamergear.com/packs/backpacks/mariposa-plus-ultralight-backpack.html )?(medium, I think) that is super light (around 22 ounces.) Purchased for about $175, used once so far, I'd be happy to sell it for $100. It is in near-perfect condition. I love my Gregory for it's Jet Stream back support, but it's heavier it doesn't hold enough volume for me,?so I got the Mariposa for when I go without my husband. But it turns out I can use his Gregory when he stays home! That is heavier, but okay fr the shorter hikes we have been taking.
What you need to know about the Mariposa - it's best for a narrower neck and longer torso. I am fairly?tall so I love the size, but it might not do if you are petite, like under 5'4" or short waisted.
?
Blessings,
Heather Darnell
(mom_and_alex at yahoo.com)
Message: 2
Date: Fri, 29 Jul 2011 19:37:59 -0400
From: nina white <nina.white at gmail.com>
Subject: [pct-l] looking for used gear
To: pct-l at backcountry.net
Message-ID:
??? <CAGGjC8JjcK1R9=eZR_9i8W8zQr13RqzGYCCtY-HREHD+c70gew at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
I'm starting to plan my first PCT thru-hike for next summer. I'm a graduate
student and on a budget. I have all the "regular" backpacking gear I need,
but will try to make the gear transition to ultralight for next summer,
which seems like it will be a big investment.
Bottom line: Does anyone have any used gear they'd like to sell? I'm in the
market for just about everything. Most importantly:
Pack (< 2 lbs) and tent (<3 lbs, with bug protection) are the basics.
I understand that used gear might either be (1) worn out or (2) not worn out
because it had some other unfavorable qualities, so I'm not getting my hopes
up.
I'm also in the market for an ice-ax.
Any other sources or leads for cheap or used gear would also be appreciated.
Nina
------------------------------
Message: 8
Date: Mon, 1 Aug 2011 08:49:10 -0700
From: Lisa Valenti-Jordan <valentijordan at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Current high sierra condition, of trail and hiker
To: ned at mountaineducation.org, PCT MailingList
<pct-l at backcountry.net>, johnmuirtrail at yahoogroups.com
Message-ID:
<CA+Wh8kkK7tJ3dxQ7reCOYZM+z_v6wTcxQ8u1xV40FUA=eEoMuw at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Hey all!
Just got back from Reds Meadow - Whitney, thought I'd give my 2 cents:
Summary: I'm not sure you need any of the snow gear anymore, GPS was nice,
but there were footprints up almost everything, and I'm sure there are more
now as each day a few more people went t brave the trail. Ice Axe was
mostly used for messing around with glissading (sp?) and digging poop
holes. Khatoola's were nice, but not necessary if you climbed later in the
day - of course that would lead to more postholing and slippery walking (the
drunk walk as I call it). River crossings - all doable, we crossed all but
mono at the trail, and mono crossing you could see from the trail. In short
- IMHO head out there! There IS snow. Alot of it, but it was also doable.
(not to say it wasn't hard, but heck, why would you go if you didn't want
something hard?) Detailed descr. below.
Silver Pass - simple, minimal snow when we went over on 7/16, but plenty of
suncups
Silver creek - crossing under the waterfall is awesome, looks scarier than
it is. No real comment on any of the other crossings, easyish.
Mono Creek - thigh high and going down, head downstream to cross as everyone
tells you. Took a dunker in mono #2 b/c I was trying to rock-hop and show
off. Water was cold, as was the ride to VVR on the boat!!
Seldon Pass - almost no snow, went over 7/19
Bear Creek - waist high, from here on out we crossed everything at the trail
and I had little difficulty (5'9" 140lb female, on my own with only pole
assistance).
Muir Pass - we heard rumors of 10mi of snow. Closer to 8, 3 on the northern
side, 5 on the southern, and some nice glissade tracks on the N. side. With
the sierra cement even a newb like me to gilssade can have a hecka good
time. (7/21)
Mather Pass - there was a lot of snow on this headed up going SOBO, we
climbed it early with the kahtoola's and had no problems, though it was
technical. There was a note at the ranger station that there were big holes
under the snow so we rock scrambled. (7/24)
Pinchot pass - did this the same day as mather, some snow, and this was the
hardest route-finding (not super clear footprints), but mostly hard b/c we
were tired. Not sure I'd do that again. (7/24)
Kings Canyon R. - Lots of hulabaloo about how this was hard and to walk 1.5
mi upstream. I crossed at the crossing and it was maybe knee-to thigh high
med. speed. Crossed at noon.
Glen Pass - perhaps my favorite, plenty of footprints to follow and a clear
path with no false summits. Met awesome folks at Rae Lakes (7/25)
Forrester - Also pretty simple with footprints, at one point trail goes
straight up cutting several switchbacks across snow, I missed it at first,
but the tracks are real clear. (7/26)
Mt. Whitney - 7 million people, clear tracks, if you head out whitney portal
there's a sweet glissade to miss quite a few of the switchbacks, though it
was melting out fast when I walked out (7/28) so you may not be able to do
that anymore safely.
Everything was melting fast, so likely even less than when I went, but with
new fun and dangers - enjoy JMT folks! I'm off to do the TRT bit I missed
earlier in the season, going to try to keep up on foot with some friends on
mountain bikes - wish me luck :).
Puddlejumper
------------------------------
Message: 9
Date: Mon, 1 Aug 2011 16:06:11 +0000 (UTC)
From: enyapjr at comcast.net
Subject: [pct-l] Hammocks
To: pct-l <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Cc: edjarrett at msn.com
Message-ID:
<1312240944.46886.1312214771561.JavaMail.root at sz0027a.westchester.pa.mail.comcast.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
Query from Ed:
> ... I assume that the SoCal desert does not lend itself to hammocking.
> But what about the rest of the trail. Are there any places where a hammock would just not work?
SoCal is NOT 'all' desert! ;o) The entire trail is definitely doable with a hammock (see links below)...
If you do not want your hanging to 'dictate' your daily mileage (mostly in SoCal), be prepared to go to ground -
I use a cut down Z-Rest (torso length) which is mostly used as a sit pad and lower leg hammock bottom insulation,
if needed (2/3 down UQ for hammock torso+ bottom insulation), and a lightweight Tyvek groundcloth (mostly used as
my hammock 'patio' and at trail breaks)... My hex tarp could be set up with my trekking poles when on the ground.
See "Roni from Israel" old pct-l post: <http://www.backcountry.net/arch/pct/0403/msg00694.html> and "guySmiley"
thread: <http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showthread.php?t=8764> on HammockForums.net (and he answers his own
original question at post #17: <http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showpost.php?p=331788&postcount=17>)...
Hopefully in a couple of years I will be thru-hiking the PCT - with a hammock, of course! - and will post to both
the pct-l and HammockForums regarding using a hammock on the PCT... ;-)
Happy trails!!! (& Happy hanging!!!)
Jim (PITA)
------------------------------
Message: 10
Date: Mon, 1 Aug 2011 09:20:14 -0700 (PDT)
From: tom aterno <nitnoid1 at yahoo.com>
Subject: [pct-l] Whitney Time Lapse
To: "pct-l at backcountry.net" <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Message-ID:
<1312215614.38107.YahooMailNeo at web160703.mail.bf1.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
Kudos to the Whitney Portal Store for posting time lapse video of the camera in Lone Pine trained on Mt Whitney.??The weather for the past several days on the eastern slope has been spectacular.? Probably not so much fun for the JMT hikers.? Be careful.? The rain plus snow melt will cause a quick rise to streams.
?
http://www.whitneyportalstore.com/
?
?
The Incredible Bulk
------------------------------
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