[pct-l] castella north to carter summit

[Scott Zarnegar]

hello hikers,

I just hiked from castella (I-5) to the carter summit (north of the trinities).  the snow was manageable with crampons and an ice axe up until the high trinities.   As of yesterday, the high country in the trinities was completely covered in snow, and trail finding was very challenging.   I know the trail well, so I was able to follow the general way.  I would not recommend this area for at least a week or two (I don't know how long it will take this to melt down to the point where you will see trail every so often).  I'm down in etna at alderbrook b&b (great place for a zero day) and I'm considering hitchhiking around the marbles up to seiad valley.  I know the marbles hold more snow and there are two very scary areas (the notch above cliff/maneaten lake and the shoulder of black marble mountain).   There are giant holes in the ground around black marble mountain, and if they are covered with snow and you posthole, that might be a very deep posthole!

Anyway, not to dissuade anyone, but this is not your typical year up here in norcal and if you are approaching soon, be prepared for a different kind of hike, more of an extreme winter survival mountaineering style event.

take care,
scott (haywire)