[pct-l] Bear Creek crossing 2010

[Scott Williams]

Good God I remember that crossing.  Smiles and I charged across and mid way
yelled back at the others to find a better place.  Turning around was just
as bad as continuing across, so we forged on, bent into the force of the
current.  Upstream, we anchored ourselves to some vegetation and then
started an arm in arm chain out into the creek.  As each of our group came
across we could help them the last bit and the chain got longer, but the
pain of that icy water.  Wow!

Smiles kept her Eric the Black book in her pants pocket just like Fuzzy
Monkey, and several times jumped in a stream and jumped right out again
when she remembered her maps.   At least she had the book and could dry it
out and continue using it.  I have to say, his books looked like hell after
those little swimming episodes, but still worked fine, wet or dry and
wrinkly.

One other tip is to make sure you attempt a crossing like this in your
hiking shoes or boots, no flip flops or camp shoes, and no way barefooted.
And tighten your shoe laces before wading in that kind of fury, or you'll
be hiking only partially shod out of the mountains as one dear friend had
to do.

Anyone hiking this year should take a look at this YouTube.  Even with the
lower snow year, if a good warm spell hits the Sierra while you're there,
this could be what you'll be facing.  If you come to a dangerous crossing
in the afternoon, make camp as the water is always lower in the morning.
The melt off slows down overnight due to the cold temps.  Icy cold shoes
first thing in the morning is not pleasant, but it's much better than a
knock down and swim in the afternoon.

While camping one evening along the Tuolumne River in Lyell Canyon, the
river had flooded its banks and come right into the meadow.  We all took a
quick icy swim and had an easy out right onto the grass.  By the next
morning it had fallen at least 2 feet.  It was that dramatic.

Good to see Fuzzy Monkey again.

Shroomer



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