[pct-l] Hikers rescued near PCT in San Gabriel Mountains

[gary_schenk at verizon.net]

 On 02/09/15, Gail Van Velzer wrote:

I'm glad they are okay, but it always gets me when I see people come from 
the beach and go to 8000 feet in a day. What are they thinking?
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If they are like me, they're thinking they want to go on a nice hike. Living in Huntington Beach, I do this all the time.

The real issue in that story is that the slope is north facing and holds snow a long time. That slope can be totally loaded while adjacent south facing slopes are warm and dry. I saw a woman tumble 150 feet down that slope once in May. You need to have the right equipment there when it's icy. 

Gary