[pct-l] New Subscriber -- 3 Questions

[Bob Bankhead]

1. Yes

2. There is always a risk when travelling with or slightly behind "the
herd". Said 'herd" resembles a plague of locusts if they reach a resupply
point before you do; they can strip the shelves bare in minutes. Plan
accordingly. 

That said, I recommend you ship supplies to yourself at:

Kennedy Meadows CA - limited inventory and massive thruhiker Sierran entry
point.

Belden, CA (very small store with small selection and very poor inventory
control)

Muir Trail Ranch, CA (you can't buy food there, although there is a hikers'
barrel). Can be bypassed in favor of Vermillion Valley Resort 1.5 days
further north, but if your last resupply is Kennedy Meadows, you could be
carrying a very heavy 10 day food weight so MTR lets you lighten that by 2
days. If the roads to either Horseshoe Meadow and/or Onion Valley are still
closed by snow, you won't be able to reach traditional resupply towns along
hwy 395. Forget trying to walk either of those roads due to both distance
and elevation changes.

Stehekin, WA (has a store but inventories are small and prices are high
because everything has to come in by boat). Figure to ship a supply box
there as well as it is your last real opportunity to resupply before
reaching Manning Park. 

3. Had zero snake encounters from Mojave to Manning Park. I cowboy camped on
the ground until well into the Sierra. Bugs are a different matter,
especially the snow melt mosquito hatches, of which you will encounter many,
most annoyingly throughout the Sierra, the Sky Lakes Wilderness of OR, and
the Indian Heaven Wilderness in WA. Carry a head net and your favorite
insect repellent. If you're really paranoid about flying insects, consider a
tarp with netting sidewalls - like the Six Moon Designs Wild Oasis or one of
the zPacks or Mountain Laurel Designs shelters.