[pct-l] April 2017 Thru Hike

[Todd Cantor]

Howdy Brick, I really appreciate that you chimed in mate!

Fortunately I live in San Diego and I have taken a sabbatical to do the trail. Started training in August in earnest. Added a lot of non sport specific training in the core and upper body as my sticks, aka legs are as solid as they are going to get at 48 and have been putting in Sierra days at our local regional park, albeit not at altitude. Got a day up to the summit of San Jacinto from Idyllwild (Humber Park via Devil’s slide) right before first snow. That is a good day when you wake up at sea level and are at 10,800+ by 1:30 PM. Not that I am a stats guys, or believe that one days effort ever equals another, but 6 hours round trip for a 15.9 mile 4.5K vert gain and loss felt pretty darn good, except for the new boots blister on my heel. :-)

I am with you on the snow shoes, but I just added them recently and since I have not used the MSR Lightning Ascent in the past and they are supposed to be pretty good for steeps, edging, french stepping, etc I am going to head up to San Jac.via the tram and give them a ride on the upper slopes and see how it goes. I have flex tested them for lateral torsion and the flex enough that they might not be a total downer on uneven terrain, but I may be very wrong about that. In any case, take em out and see if they’ll have any value on sun-cupped choss, if not hold onto/forward them for what will inevitably be a late finish in WA.

So, as of now it is sort of wait and see. I’ll be able to hike San Jacinto and recon Baden-Powell in late March to determine if I want to carry the axe. As of now the Mountain fire closure is still in place and I do not expect it to be lifted this year. I am planning to do the unofficial Mountain Fire closure walk around and I have ZERO intention of humping my ass up to South Ridge to get back on at Tahquitz Peak. This is my backyard and I have hiked all these trails more times than I can count. In the eyes of some that may taint my hike, but as you said HYOH. If I hook up with a group that has their heart set on doing Devil’s Slide to get back on the trail I’ll join them…….maybe, otherwise I am going to hike the Deer Springs trail to hook into Fuller Ridge, and on this occasion I do not intend to stand on a summit that I have been on, again, more times than I can count.

Thanks for the feedback! My motto for the season, open-minded, adaptable, resilient, centered. We shall see.

Cheers,
Tod




> On Feb 1, 2017, at 2:59 PM, Brick Robbins <brick at brickrobbins.com> wrote:
> 
> On Wed, Feb 1, 2017 at 1:00 PM, Todd Cantor <tcantor33 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> All valid points. I am picking up snowshoes, mountain gaiters, an axe and a GPS at KM.
> 
> Showshoes will be unused dead weight in the Sierra for an April start.
> You will be walking on consolidated snow. Any fresh snow will be a
> small enough quantity that you won't need snowshoes. Sun-cups and
> postholing will be your issues, not fluffy powder. Your real issue
> will be the creek crossings.
> 
> Unless you have decided on a road walk from Idyllwild to Black
> Mountain Campground, and also skipping Baden Powell, I would pick up
> your ice axe in Idyllwild. If the trail is open between Hwy 74 and
> Tahquitz Peak I would pick it up in Anza. If you don't want to carry
> it across the desert, mail it to KM from Agua Dulce.
> 
> HYOH, YMMV
> Have fun
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