[pct-l] SOBO

[Devon Taig]

I'm also a SOBO hiker (section hiker) having done the whole thing north
bound in the early 90's and now desiring to go the other way.  I've
discovered that the trail is considerably harder to follow SOBO than NOBO
because there are so many more NOBO hikers that will leave cairns for their
fellow NOBO hikers in places like the north side of a road crossings where
the NOBO trail picks back up.  So...here's a huge favor that you NOBO'ers
could do for us SOBO's.  Please leave a few cairns on the SOBO side of road
crossings or at navigationally challenging spots along the trail.  I know I
would greatly appreciate it. THANKS

Devon



On Tue, Mar 8, 2011 at 11:05 AM, Austin Williams <
austinwilliams123 at gmail.com> wrote:

> I agree with Barry whole-heartedly.  The June 15 start date is just a
> ballpark rule-of-thumb.  Hiking sobo, you have to be a lot more flexible on
> your start date, right up to the last minute.  This is because, as a sobo
> hiker, you'll be hiking in snow right off the bat, whereas nobo hikers have
> a while before they hit the sierras.
>
> Also, if you are hiking sobo BRING A GPS.  I know you will hear people
> telling you that you don't need one, but remember, 95% of all PCT hikers
> are
> nobo hikers.  They aren't aware of the nuances of a sobo hike.  Sure,
> people
> have hiked sobo without one.  some have been very lucky having hiked in
> low-snow years.  But I promise you... I PROMISE YOU... if you bring a gps
> on
> a sobo hike you will not regret it.   even if you're a gram weenie like me.
>
> You may only use it once or twice, but let me tell you.... that's all it
> takes.  :)
>
> You can totally ditch it after you get to Cascade locks.
>
> If you decide not to bring one then make sure you know how to do a
> backcountry bail-out (in general, find flowing water, follow it forever
> until you find a road, follow road to civilisation.  Works everywhere
> except
> Australia and remote parts of Canada and Russia).
>
> And have fun.  :)
>
> Austin Williams
>
> www.PlanYourHike.com
> Info on PCT gear, resupply points, maps, movies, etc.
>
> "*Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; Wisdom is not putting it in a
> fruit salad.*"
> -Proverb
>
>
>
> On Tue, Mar 8, 2011 at 9:44 AM, Barry Teschlog <tokencivilian at yahoo.com
> >wrote:
>
> > While June 15 is the typical date bandied about for SOBO, do watch the
> snow
> > conditions and adjust if / as required depending on your skill / comfort
> > level /
> > desired experience.
> >
> > Don't let folks say (as they have been) that WA is below average on snow
> > this
> > year.  While that may be true overall, it's not necessarily relevant to
> the
> > SOBO
> > PCT hiker.  In the northern most parts of the trail (where you'll start),
> > snow
> > pack is average to slightly above average, as indicated by the Harts Pass
> > snotel
> > site readings as of this date.
> >
> > Do your homework.
> >
> > Start with Snotel.
> >
> > http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/snow/
> >
> > Click on the little map of Washington.  Then start checking the various
> > sensors
> > near the PCT.  You'll want to look at the northern ones to give you an
> idea
> > of
> > what you'll encounter at the start, be it Canada (although be aware that
> > ICE is
> > getting their undies in a knot over SOBO border crossings - don't do it)
> or
> > just
> > south inside the US, say at Harts Pass (the northernmost road on the
> trail)
> > or
> > Rainy Pass (northernmost main highway).
> >
> > When you're doing this home work, compare previous years plots to this
> > years,
> > and read the corresponding previous years SOBO journals.  Correlate the
> > journal
> > entries descriptions of the snow conditions with the snow sensor readings
> > from
> > the same date (or the plot of how the snow melted and the last date for
> > "zero"
> > snow), then compare to this years sensor readings.  You should be able to
> > deduce
> > what is likely to be encountered.
> >
> > Moving from north to south, click on the site, then click on each of the
> > "snow
> > depth" (daily readings) and "snow water equivalent" (daily graph).  Check
> > the
> > following snotel sites:
> >
> >  - Harts Pass (On the PCT)
> >  - Rainy Pass (On the PCT)
> >  - Lyman Lake (near the PCT in the Glacier Peak area.  Note that the
> nearby
> > Miners Ridge is no longer in service)
> >  - Stevens Pass (on the PCT)
> >  - Olallie Meadows (on the PCT near Snoqualmie Pass)
> >  - Stampede Pass (on the PCT ~20 miles south of Snoqualmie Pass)
> >  - White Pass (on the PCT)
> >
> > Other resources:
> > http://www.stevenspass.com/ (check the web cams and compare to the
> Stevens
> > Pass
> > snow sensor)
> > http://www.summitatsnoqualmie.com/  (check the web cams and compare to
> the
> > Olallie snow sensor)
> >
> > Note that just because a snow sensor reads zero, doesn't mean there is no
> > snow
> > in the area - in fact there may still be significant snow in the area.
> >  Last
> > season, for example, the snow sensor at Stevens Pass showed "zero" yet
> the
> > web
> > cams for Stevens Pass Ski Area showed the slopes still ~2/3 covered quite
> > some
> > time later.  One factor influencing this effect is that here in
> Washington
> > the
> > passes are the LOW points of the trail, not the high points as is the
> case
> > in
> > the Sierra.
> >
> >
> > Another data point to consider:  Last season the WTA scheduled a log out
> of
> > the
> > PCT between Harts Pass and Rainy Pass for July 5-10.  It was canceled due
> > to
> > high snow (we logged out trails further east, in the Pasayten Wilderness
> > instead).  This year, the log out for that stretch of trail is scheduled
> > for
> > July 18-22.
> >
> > All that said:  Folks SOBO successfully every year.  Just go into it
> fully
> > informed.
> >
> > Standard Disclaimers:
> > YMMV, HYOH, 2 cents, opinions and back sides, value of free advice,
> yadda,
> > yadda, yadda....
> >
> >
> >
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