[pct-l] Sierra reports from bloggers

[ned at mountaineducation.org]

Great report, Walt!

Mountain Education was in the area at the same time! Too bad we missed each 
other!

Since pictures and videos "are worth a thousand words," we have them from 
our Snow Advanced Course between Kennedy Meadows, Forester Pass, and 
Kearsarge Pass, May 9-18, and will post them to the Mountain Education 
Facebook page under Photos/Albums or Videos.

So, keep an eye out for them!

Realize, the sierra is about 5 weeks ahead of season, so right now it looks 
and feels more like July 1st than May 21st! (cool days, not freezing at 
night, and no bugs)



Ned Tibbits, Director
Mountain Education
www.mountaineducation.org
-----Original Message----- 
From: walt Durling
Sent: Monday, May 19, 2014 1:47 PM
To: Luce Cruz
Cc: pct-l at backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Sierra reports from bloggers

Hi Andrea. It's me again, from earlier.

I just returned from KM 4 days ago.  While it was earlier than planned, I 
took the opportunity of a ride that was available to get me to Bakersfield 
to fly back east for a family to-do.

The week before last I flew to Reno and took the regional bus to Lone Pine, 
thinking I'd catch the bus the next day to Inyokern, hitch a ride to Walker 
Pass, and then proceed north from there.  But after speaking with a couple 
of thru-hikers at the Whitney hostel who had traversed the 50 miles between 
WP and KM, reporting very little water and temps to 100, I decided to 
re-plan. One of the hikers, Daniel, had summited Whitney 2 days before and 
had got caught in a snowstorm at the top, necessitating he spend the night 
there in terrible conditions.  He backtracked to Lone Pine to rest.  I think 
he's posting a video online about it.

The next day I managed to hitch a ride up the mountain to Horseshoe Meadow 
campground, where I stayed for 24 hours acclimating to the elevation.  I 
then hiked up Trail Pass to the pct and headed north, wanting  to see 
Whitney.  After several miles I ran into 2 day hikers who told me that more 
snow was coming.  That was a surprise because it had snowed 3 days earlier 
and there was a lot of snow - mostly frozen - on the trail, but I had heard 
nothing while in Lone Pine about more snow.  Anyway, I turned around and 
about the time I got back to the Trail Pass junction it began snowing.  It 
was late in the day so I went down the pass a bit and pitched my shelter. 
Fortunately only about 2 inches fell.

Anyway, for the next 2'days the daytime temps rose into the low 50's with 
plenty of sunshine.  The downside was the snow on the trail softened quickly 
and I found myself postholing quite a lot on long stretches of trail between 
10,500 and 11,500'.   I think I only made about 11 miles those 2 days. 
After that the snow became more infrequent.  The third night out I got 
caught in a hellacious windstorm near the top of Mulkey Pass.  I didn't 
think my cuben fiber shelter would hold up - a lousy night of howling winds, 
shearing wind gusts, and holding onto slim shelter pole hoping it wouldn't 
snap!  Each night the temps went below freezing.  :)

When I got to KM there were about a dozen thrus hanging out and chowing down 
on burgers and dogs.  Between just south of the portal and KM I had passed 
about  2 dozen hikers, all in the vanguard of this year's class.  I was able 
to pass on up-to-date trail conditions to them at least to Cottonwood Trail 
junction.

Spring in the high Sierras is nothing if it isn't unpredictable, which I 
found out.  I still had a great time and the mountains are beautiful.  Most 
of the seasonal streams from KM up to Whitney portal are running, so water 
availability isn't a problem this early.  Of course, the long climb north 
out of KM is arduous and has long stretches of arid hiking.  A few miles 
above the Kern Bridge - the 1st one you cross shortly after leaving KM, 
there's a seasonal stream running well which crosses the path.  North of 
that  Cow  creeks have water to get you the second Kern Bridge.  Beyond 
that, Death Canyon Creek awaits, which has plenty of water.  So, too, does 
Diaz Creek.

Several weeks from now, what with the low snow and persistent draught, I 
fear that the 50 miles from KM to Cottonwood Trail might not have as much 
water as it does now.  I overheard one old local geezer hanging out at the 
store lamenting on how low the Kern River was, though it looked like it had 
plenty of water to me!

Anyway, this is what I encountered.  Unless it shows again I think there 
will only be patches around.  I imagine Whitney will have snow, as will 
Forester Pass, but I also think that much will have melted and will be 
passable.  Once my family to-do is finished, I'll figure where to return to 
the trail.  Hope this helps somewhat, and have fun!  Walt

Sent from my iPad

> On May 19, 2014, at 15:07, Luce Cruz <lucecruz13 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> On Mon, May 19, 2014 at 11:41 AM, Andrea Ogston 
> <andreaogston at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> Greetings:
>>
>> I am heading to Kennedy Meadows Friday and was wondering if anyone has 
>> read
>> a PCT blog of someone currently in the Sierras?
>>
>> Andrea
>
> Folks in the Sierras right now may not be able to get their reports posted
> due to technical limitations. We have to either be patient, or bold.
> -- 
> Luce Cruz
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