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ОглавлениеChapter 2
Planning Your PCT Hike
Trekking Days or Weeks versus Trekking Months
On the basis of our limited research we have concluded that approximately 90 percent (or more) of those who buy this book will do parts of the trail as a series of short excursions, each lasting about two weeks or less. For those people, little planning is necessary; you should be able to carry enough food in your pack. You need not worry about mailing supplies to post offices along or near the trail. Furthermore, you can hike the desired stretch in its optimal season, and not need the additional clothing and gear that through-hikers must carry for the times they may have to traverse miles of snow and confront many cold-weather storms. If you prefer to dayhike along the PCT, consider obtaining a two-volume set, Day Hikes on the Pacific Crest Trail (California and Oregon & Washington) by George and Patricia Semb. (For books on or related to the PCT, see the section “Pacific Crest Trail” under “Recommended Reading and Source Books.” For books on general hiking or riding, see the section “Backpacking, Packing, and Mountaineering.”)
At the other end of the spectrum of PCT trekkers are 200-300 or so each year who start at the Mexican border and attempt to do the entire trail in one multi-month Herculean effort. Before the early 1990s there was a rather high attrition rate among these through-hikers—typically 50+ percent don’t complete it. This need not be so. Today there are great books out there to prepare you—mentally, physically, and logistically—for the grand odyssey. Ray and Jenny Jardine were instrumental in a long-distance backpacking revolution with their 1992 how-to book, The PCT Hiker’s Handbook, published by AdventureLore Press (unfortunately, out of print since the late 1990s). The Jardine’s book advocated ultralight backpacking. If you have only 20 pounds on your back, you’ll be able to traverse more miles per day than if you have 60. No longer do you have to take 5½-6 months for a through-hike; traveling light, you can do it in 4½-5 months or less (the Jardines did it in under 4 months). Fortunately, Beyond Backpacking: Ray Jardine’s Guide to Lightweight Hiking is available, covering this material and other useful tips, with sections also tailored to the “casual” backpacker.
Southern Terminus of the PCT
There are several advantages to ultralight backpacking. A lighter pack is easier on your joints and muscles, making the excursion more pleasurable. Furthermore, by traveling light you are less likely to have an injury because: 1) your body isn’t overly stressed; 2) you’re less likely to fall; 3) and if you do, the impact isn’t as great. Traveling light, you’ll perspire less, which is a plus on the long dry stretches. Additionally, you’ll burn fewer calories, getting by with less food and, hence, less weight. By reducing your pack’s weight to less than 20% of your body weight (that is, about 25-35 pounds for most hikers), you probably can get by with lightweight running or walking shoes, or even high-quality hiking sandals, making you less prone to those painful blisters synonymous with almost all boots. Both lighter packs and lighter footgear increase your daily mileage, providing an advantage other than comfort. You can start later and finish earlier, thereby encountering less storm-and-snow problems in the High Sierra early in your trek, and less storm-and-snow problems in Washington near completion.
However, there is a drawback to ultralight backpacking. If you’re caught in a blizzard or some other adverse condition, you may not have sufficient gear to survive; indeed, some ultralighters on long-distance trails have died. Also—and this applies to everyone, whether they take 4 or 6 months for a through-hike—foremost on your mind will be keeping to your schedule, but because unexpected events or trail conditions can delay you and force you to make up for lost time, you likely won’t have the time or energy to “stop and smell the flowers.” For this reason alone we suggest to those intent on doing the entire trail, to do it in 2-5+ more hiking seasons, each 1-3 months long, taking sufficient time to enjoy your trek. To most hikers 10 miles per day under optimal trail and weather conditions is far more pleasurable than 20 miles per day under hell-or-high-water conditions.
Perhaps the best book in print on through-hiking the PCT is Karen Berger’s Hiking the Triple Crown: How to Hike America’s Longest Trails: Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, Continental Divide Trail. Where Ray Jardine’s books advocate ultralight backpacking, Karen Berger offers you a smorgasbord of choices since each successful through-hiker has his or her own preferences. The first third of her book is a how-to on long-distance backpacking, while the remainder addresses specific issues on the AT, PCT, and CDT. If you plan to be on the PCT for more than a month, then by all means read Berger’s book.
There are other books for the long-distance backpacker to consider, especially two inexpensive ones published by the Pacific Crest Trail Association. The first is Leslie C. Croot’s Pacific Crest Trail Town Guide, which has detailed accounts of supplies and services available for most PCT towns or resorts, each complete with a detailed map. This is great for planning and, at 4.5 ounces, is easily carried. The second PCTA book is Benedict Go’s Pacific Crest Trail Data Book. Although the guidebook in your hand has all the necessary mileages (state mileages, section mileages, point-to-point mileages), some trekkers want more when planning their hike, and Ben delivers. The bulk of his book is a synopsis of the Wilderness Press PCT guidebooks’ point-to-point mileages, each named, and each accompanied by overall mileage from Mexico, plus elevation, and what water and/or services are available.
How-to books and reference books certainly are useful for preparing and planning a through-hike, but so too are personal accounts, and several (both in-print and out-of-print) are listed under “Recommended Reading and Source Books.” Larger libraries may have copies of out-of-print books. There’s nothing like first-hand accounts to give you a feel for the through-hike and its challenges. And don’t forget to subscribe to the outstanding Internet mail list, “PCT-L.” To join and learn about up-to-date trail conditions, send an e-mail to: pctl@mailman.backcountry.net, with no subject and a message that reads, “subscribe pct-l [your e-mail address].”
Given that few equestrians attempt most or all of the PCT, it is not surprising that a how-to book for them does not exist. However, Ben and Adeline York have self-published their notes on the whole trail, which are quite useful for potential PCT equestrians. To obtain a copy of their publication, PCT by 2 in 1992, write them at 1363 Peaceful Place, Alpine, CA 91901. For horse use in the mountains, they recommend you obtain the packers’ Bible, Horses, Hitches and Rocky Trails, by Joe Back (Johnson Books, Boulder, CO). You will encounter more problems than do backpackers, and so the following caution is even more important: a short horseback trip does not qualify you for a lengthy excursion on the PCT.
Two views of the annual PCT kickoff party in Lake Morena Regional Park, San Diego, California
Volunteers place trail registry north of Canebrake Road
Halfway between hikers and equestrians are those who walk the trail but pack with llamas. Like horses, llamas were native to western North America before going extinct here. Unlike horses, llamas are native to high mountains, and on erodible tread their foot pads have less impact than horses’ hooves. They are also much less damaging to mountain meadows, and do not spread exotic grass seed there. David Harmon and Amy S. Rubin have written a llama-packer’s guide, which stresses minimum-impact in the wilderness. Unfortunately, it’s now out of print.
Organizations Relevant to the Pacific Crest Trail
The previously mentioned books should answer most of your questions about hiking or riding the PCT. But if questions linger, they may be answered by contacting one or more of the following organizations.
Pacific Crest Trail Association (PCTA)
Those planning a long trek can write or phone the PCTA for advice that is either timely (e.g., current snowpack conditions) or expert (e.g., providing specific answers tailored to each individual). If those in the office cannot answer your questions, they will attempt to find one of their directors or members who can. Since this organization has both hikers and equestrians as members, they should be able to answer questions for either type of travel.
The organization is part of the legacy of Warren Rogers (the PCT itself is the other part). After the demise of the Pacific Crest Trail System Conference with the death of Clinton Clarke, Rogers in 1971 formed the Pacific Crest Club to be a “world-wide fellowship of persons interested in the PCT,” as his son, Don, put it. Then in 1977 he founded the Pacific Crest Trail Conference, which addressed the needs of both the trail and its users. But old age eventually interfered with running these organizations, so in 1987 the club was merged with the conference, and for several years Larry Cash was its chief officer. The conference campaigned against trailside clearcutting and against mountain bikes, and for additional water sources along the drier stretches and for volunteer trail maintenance. In 1992 the organization changed its name to the Pacific Crest Trail Association. The mailing address is 5325 Elkhorn Blvd., PMB 256, Sacramento, CA 95842-2526; phone is (916) 349-2109; e-mail is info@pcta.org; and Web is www.pcta.org. Increasingly, this organization has become active in coordinating volunteer trail maintenance. For example, in 2000 the PCTA coordinated trail crews that donated more than 20,000 hours of their time. For this reason alone the organization deserves support, and you should consider becoming a member. Most hikers and equestrians on any trail give little thought to trail maintenance. Indeed, many PCT trekkers complain about sections being not up to snuff. Without the volunteers, though, there would be far more to complain about, since, in these years of tight government budgets, trail maintenance is one of the lowest priorities. (Trail maintenance is ongoing locally, where erosion damages parts of the trail, fallen trees and rolling boulders obstruct it, and shrubs continually encroach upon it.)
Pacific Crest Trail Association Registers in California, South to North
Because the locations of PCTA registers are not always obvious, a list of them is presented below. These locations are subject to change, although most are quite stable, especially the sites that are post offices. Unless otherwise designated, the register is located in a post office, which at some places is just a tiny room in a store or a resort.
Campo
Mount Laguna
Julian, Banner Store
Warner Springs
Anza
Idyllwild
Cabazon
Big Bear City
Fawnskin
Wrightwood, Mountain Hardware
Agua Dulce, Agua Dulce Hardware
Tehachapi
Mojave
Onyx
Kennedy Meadows, Kennedy Meadows Store
Lone Pine
Independence
Vermilion Valley Resort, store
Mammoth Lakes
Tuolumne Meadows, concessionaire’s store
Lee Vining
Bridgeport
Markleeville
Soda Springs
Sierra City
Belden Town Resort, store
Old Station
Cassel
McArthur–Burney Falls State Park, camper store
Castella
Seiad Valley, Seiad Valley Store
Ashland (southern Oregon), Youth Hostel
What services does the PCTA provide the potential trekker? In addition to answering your PCT letters, phone calls, and faxes, it publishes a bimonthly newsletter, The Communicator. While addressing general issues and timely matters, it provides informative accounts by those who have hiked or ridden much or all of the PCT. The Communicator also has a section on trip partners where people can post their background, experience, and what kind of partner they’d like. Through an agreement with the Forest Service, Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, and other agencies, the PCTA also provides wilderness permits for trips of 500 miles or more on the PCT (free to members, $5.00 for non-members). The association’s Web site contains hundreds of pages of information, including trip planning, current trail conditions, trip calculators, and more (including permit applications and links to other useful sites). Additionally, the PCTA maintains registers (see below) along or near the trail. These provide the organization with a list of who did what, relative degree of trail use, and annually and seasonally changing trail conditions and special problems. By signing these registers the backpacker over time develops a camaraderie with other trekkers. Although you may never catch up to those ahead of you, by trail’s end you may feel that you’ve come to know them. Finally, the PCTA has been making a concerted effort to lobby Congress for funds ($4.5 million by early 2001) to help acquire nearly 300 miles of private land, ensuring future generations of PCT users a protected corridor. Related to this are suggestions to government agencies on future reroutes to make the trail safer, more practical, or more scenic.
American Long Distance Hikers Association-West (ALDHA-West)
In 1993 Ray Jardine founded the Western States Chapter and also began publishing The Distance Hiker’s Gazette, a quarterly newsletter. After a couple of years, Ray left his organization, and a few of its members took it over and reorganized it. Its mission is to promote fellowship and communication among long-distance hikers, and those who support (but don’t necessarily do) long-distance hiking. As the association’s name implies, it is aimed at long-distance backpackers only (i.e., not dayhikers and equestrians). Although the association’s emphasis is on the Pacific Crest Trail, it also addresses relevant backpacking matters on other long trails or treks, not only in the western United States, but even overseas, and members hail from around the country, not just from the west. If you’re a long-distance hiker, there are at least two reasons to join the association: first, in The Distance Hiker’s Gazette there are good descriptions of various trails and routes, plus backpacking advice; and second, each fall they have the ALDHA-West Gathering, where one can find lots of camaraderie among distance hikers. To join the organization, write to ALDHA-West, Box 5286, Eugene, OR 97405, or visit its Web page at www.aldahawest.org.
The vast majority of PCT trekkers are hikers, but there is fair use from equestrians on certain stretches. Occasionally an equestrian party will attempt to do the whole trail. This is more difficult than hiking, since horses don’t wear crampons and don’t cross logs over deep, raging streams. Consequently, it’s virtually impossible to do the whole trek in one long season without making serious diversions, such as skipping the High Sierra entirely or doing it later, after the snow has melted and streams are safe. Should you want to ride the entire trail without any diversions or leapfrogging, then do it over two or more summers, making sure you do the High Sierra between mid-July and mid-September (and Washington during August— before then there is too much snow, after then, too much chance of snowstorms). For help on planning your trip through California, contact the Backcountry Horsemen of California; for Oregon and Washington, start with the Backcountry Horsemen of America.
Equestrians, you might do it while you can. Although the PCT is solely for hikers and equestrians, pressure is underway to ban equestrians from overnight stays in the backcountry, as in Yosemite National Park. (For years they’ve been banned overnight in the backcountry of Lassen Volcanic National Park.) What logistics could you devise if ultimately you were banned from overnight camping in wildernesses and national parks? In effect, you would only be able to do those parts you could do as day rides.
Backcountry Horsemen of California
This organization (which, despite its name, is open to horsewomen) was created in 1981. Though its mailing address has shifted in the past, in 2001 you can reach it at Box 40007, Bakersfield, CA 93384-0007, or by phone at (888) 302-BCHC (information and fax line) and, in the 209 area code, 530-0662, or at its Web site at www.bchc.com. BCHC is dedicated to conserving backcountry wilderness and protecting stock users’ historic use of wilderness trails. Among other things, the organization offers clinics that show you how to pack with a horse and/or mule in the mountains. Besides teaching the fundamentals of packing, it stresses low-impact use, courtesy, and common sense. Available from the organization, directly off its Web site, is “Gentle Use: A Pocket Guide to Backcountry Stock Users.” Much of their good advice also applies to backpackers. The BCHC is a member organization of the Backcountry Horsemen of America (BCHA).
Backcountry Horsemen of America
Like the previous organization, BCHA also includes horsewomen, but it does not include all of the United States, but only 11 western states plus several others of the coterminous 48 states. If you plan to continue riding north beyond California, into Oregon and/or Washington, you might start with this organization. It publishes a quarterly newsletter plus a book—very relevant for California equestrians—Back Country Horsemen Guidebook (see “Recommended Reading and Source Materials: Backpacking, Packing, and Mountaineering”).
Mailing Tips
As was stated in the beginning of this chapter, the great majority of PCT hikers will not be on the trail long enough to bother with resupply points, which are mostly post offices. Those who will be on the trail for, say, one to several hiking sections can use the following table. The minority who attempt to do all of California also should consider obtaining Leslie C. Croot’s Pacific Crest Trail Town Guide, mentioned early in this chapter, since she gives post office hours as well as some of their phone numbers. (Be aware that this kind of information has changed in the past, and likely will do so in the future.)
You can mail yourself almost any food, clothing or equipment. Before you leave home, you should have a good idea of your consumption rate of food, clothing, and fuel for your stove. You can arrange for mailings of quantities of these things1, purchased at home, where they are probably cheaper than in the towns along the way. Address your package to:
[Your Name]General Delivery
[Post Office, State Abbr. Zip Code]
Hold Until [Date]
Post Offices Along or Near the Route, South to North
* = recommended for use
Some stations are seasonal. The best pickup time is weekdays 1–4 p.m. Hours of most are 9–12 and 1–5 or longer. Some are open Saturday mornings. Plan your trip schedule accordingly in order to avoid waiting two or three days in town because a post office was closed for the weekend (don’t forget about the three-day weekends: Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day). Additionally, some resorts or concessionaires may accept mailed or UPS parcels so check the introductory section in each of the trail-description chapters (Sections I–R).
*Tuolumne Meadows 95389
Lee Vining 93541 (Use this when Tuomlumne Meadows is closed)
Bridgeport 93517
Markleeville 96120
*Echo Lake 95721
South Lake Tahoe 96151 (Use this when Echo Lake is closed)
Tahoma 96142
Olympic (“Squaw”)
Valley 96146
*Soda Springs 95728
Truckee 96161
*Sierra City 96125
La Porte 95981
Meadow Valley 95956
Quincy 95971
*Belden 95915
Chester 96020
*Old Station 96071
Cassel 96016
*Burney Falls Camper
Services, McArthur–
Burney Falls State Park
24898 Hwy. 89
Burney 96013
Burney 96013
*Castella 96017
Dunsmuir 96025
Callahan 96014
Etna 96027
*Seiad Valley 96086
*Ashland, OR 97520
Federal Government Agencies
Most of the Pacific Crest Trail through California is on federal government lands and, while all have similar regulations, each may have specific requirements. For example, some of the federal government’s wildernesses do not require a wilderness permit for entry while others do, and for some there may be campfire, campsite, and/or food-storage restrictions, while some will have none. As stated earlier, the Pacific Crest Trail Association provides wilderness permits for trips of 500 miles or more on the PCT. However, most of this book’s users will do less than 500 miles, and may need to apply directly to a federal government agency for a permit; they may contact it for some other reason, such as to query trailhead parking fees or check for temporary road or trail closures. Therefore, the appropriate Bureau of Land Management, National Forest, and National Park offices are presented in the following table. While you can write or phone each, you may find it easier to check its Web site first for all pertinent information. If you need a wilderness permit, obtaining it through a Web site is perhaps the most painless way of getting it.
Federal Government Agencies, South to North
* = wildernesses and national parks that require a wilderness permit for an overnight stay
PCT Southern California begins
BLM-El Centro Field Office
1661 South Fourth Street
El Centro, CA 92243
(760) 337-4400
Cleveland National Forest
10845 Rancho Bernardo Road
Rancho Bernardo
CA 92127-2107
(858) 674-2109
Hauser Wilderness
contact: Cleveland NF
Sawtooth Mountains Wilderness
contact: BLM-El Centro
BLM-Palm Springs Field Office
690 West Garnet Avenue
Box 1260
North Palm Springs
CA 92258-1260
(760) 251-4800
Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument*
contact: BLM-Palm Springs
San Bernardino National Forest
1824 Commercenter Circle
San Bernardino, CA 92408-3430
(909) 884-6634
www.r5.fs.fed.us/sanbernardino
San Gorgonio Wilderness
contact: San Bernardino NF & BLM-Palm Springs
Angeles National Forest
701 North Santa Anita Avenue
Arcadia, CA 91006
(626) 574-1613
Sheep Mountain Wilderness*
contact: Angeles NF
BLM - Bakersfield Field Office
3801 Pegasus Drive
Bakersfield, CA 93308
(661) 391-6000
Kiavah, Owens Peak, Chimney Peak, Dome Land (east) wildernesses
contact: BLM-Bakersfield
Sequoia National Forest
900 West Grand Avenue
Porterville, CA 93257
(559) 784-1500
Dome Land (west), South Sierra, and Golden Trout* wildernesses
contact: Sequoia NF
Sequoia and Kings Canyon
National Parks*
47050 Generals Highway
Three Rivers, CA 93271
(559) 565-3341
Inyo National Forest
873 North Main Street
Bishop, CA 93514
(760) 873-2400
John Muir Wilderness*
contact: Inyo NF
Sierra National Forest
900 W. Grand Avenue
Porterville, CA 93257
(559) 784-1500
Ansel Adams Wilderness*
contact: Mammoth Ranger Station and Visitor Center
Box 148
Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546
(760) 873-2500, 924-5500
PCT Northern California begins
Yosemite National Park*
Wilderness Center
Box 545
Yosemite, CA 95389
(209) 372-0740
Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest
2035 Last Chance Road
Elko, NV 89801-4938
(775) 738-5171
Stanislaus National Forest
19777 Greenley Road
Sonora, CA 95370
(209) 532-3671
Emigrant Wilderness* and
Carson-Iceberg Wilderness*
Sonora Pass trailhead
contact: Summit Ranger District
#1 Pinecrest Lake Road
Pinecrest, CA 95364
(209) 965-3434
Carson-Iceberg Wilderness*
Ebbetts Pass trailhead
contact: Carson Ranger District
1536 S. Carson Street
Carson City, NV 89701
(775) 882-2766
Mokelumne Wilderness*
contact: Carson Ranger District (above)
Eldorado National Forest
100 Forni Road
Placerville, CA 95667
(530) 622-5061
also:
Eldorado Information Center
3070 Camino Heights Drive
Camino, CA 95709
(530) 644-6048
Desolation Wilderness*
Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
870 Emerald Bay Rd., Suite 1
S. Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
(530) 573-2600
Tahoe National Forest
Highway 49 & Coyote St.
Nevada City, CA 95959
(530) 265-4531
Granite Chief Wilderness
contact: Tahoe NF
Plumas National Forest
Box 11500
159 Lawrence Street
Quincy, CA 95971
(530) 283-2050
Bucks Lake Wilderness
contact: Plumas NF
Lassen National Forest
2550 Riverside Drive
Susanville, CA 96130
(530) 257-2151
Lassen Volcanic National Park*
Box 100
Mineral, CA 96063
(530) 595-4444
Shasta-Trinity National Forests
2400 Washington Avenue
Redding, CA 96001
(530) 244-2978
www.r5.fs.fed.us/shastatrinity
Castle Crags and Trinity Alps* wildernesses
contact: Shasta-Trinity NF
Klamath National Forest
1312 Fairlane Road
Yreka, CA 96097
(530) 842-6131
Russian and Marble Mountain wildernesses
contact: Klamath NF
Rogue River National Forest
Box 520
333 West 8th Street
Medford, OR 97501
(541) 858-2200
Red Buttes Wilderness
contact: Rogue River NF
Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail
Dayhiking
Roughly 86 percent of the PCT in California can be dayhiked, averaging about 15 miles a day, though over some sections you’ll do less than 5 miles, while over others more than 25 (but less than 30). As mentioned early in this chapter, George and Patricia Semb have a two-volume set, Day Hikes on the Pacific Crest Trail, and their California volume presents 124 dayhikes for the California PCT.
Should you dayhike the trail? Maybe not, but perhaps most of those on the trail are just doing a dayhike. There are at least five advantages to dayhiking. First, the national parks and the popular wildernesses require wilderness permits for overnight stays, and some popular PCT stretches even have trailhead quotas for overnighters, yet there are no permits or quotas for dayhikers. Second, dayhiking requires very little planning or preparation. Third, because your pack is lighter, you may enjoy the hike more, since you’ll expend less effort with less wear and tear on your body, especially your feet. Dayhikers can usually get by with running shoes or cross-training boots, which, though still likely to furnish blisters during the break-in period, are much lighter than hiking boots. Fourth, you can easily carry a day’s supply of water. This is an advantage, for some lakes, streams, and springs contain harmful microorganisms. You can leave water-treatment chemicals or water filters behind. And finally, dayhikers have less impact on the environment. For one thing, dayhikers usually use toilets near trailheads rather than along the trail. Particularly around a popular lake, excrement can affect the water quality and lead to an increase in microorganisms. Excrement from humans infected with harmful intestinal microorganisms, such as Giardia lamblia, discussed under “Drinking water,” can lead to the establishment of these microorganisms in a previously untainted lake or stream.
PCT and the Marshy Lakes canyon, Trinity Alps Wilderness, Section P
Items to consider for your backpack
waist or fanny pack
your keys
watch
wilderness permit
guidebook(s)
additional maps (e.g., USFS)
compass
first-aid book
nature books, novels
camera, film, and accessories
binoculars
fishing gear
California fishing license
trekking poles
ice ax
other special gear
sleeping bag
pad or air mattress
ground cloth
tent or ground cloth large enough to serve as an emergency rain shelter
raingear or poncho (the latter can double as a ground cloth)
windbreaker and/or sweatshirt
vest or parka (down, wool, or other)
hiking shoes or boots
lightweight camp shoes (e.g., gymnastics slippers) or sandals
socks (preferably polypropylene and/or wool)
shorts
pants
T-shirt or short-sleeved shirt
long-sleeved shirt
underwear (incl. thermal)
handkerchiefs and/or bandana
cap or hat
dark glasses (preferably polarized)
gloves
swim suit
towel and/or washcloth
toilet paper
plastic bag for used toilet paper
personal-hygiene items
birth-control aids
first-aid kit
molefoam
mosquito repellent
bear repellent (pepper spray)
lip balm
sunblock
prescription medicine
pocket knife
flashlight or headlamp
extra bulb and batteries
cigarette lighter or matches in waterproof container
stove & fuel
cooking and eating utensils
Sierra cup or coffee cup
water bottle(s)
water filter or purifying chemicals
food and drink
several trash bags
salt, pepper, spices
2 or more stuff sacks for bearbagging
50’ of parachute cord for bearbagging
50’ of parachute cord for emergencies
bearproof food containers
duct tape for emergencies (broken pack, bone, etc.)
Backpacking
If you are a typical backpacker, you will hike from perhaps two days—usually over a weekend—up to two weeks. For hikes of such length, you won’t need to resupply. (Those doing considerably longer hikes with a number of resupply points might consult the books mentioned early in this chapter.) What follows is a checklist to help with your packing. You may want to carry more or less, but regardless of your preferences, be prepared for potentially bad weather. Without food, your backpack should weigh only about 15-20 pounds; with food, an additional 2 pounds per person per day. If you are out for a week, your pack initially should be 40 pounds or less (some get by on 30). Too often you see backpackers in massive boots, using trekking poles, and needlessly suffering under their 60+ pound packs. If your pack weighs less than 25% of your body weight, you probably can get by just fine without poles or boots.
Trail Advice
Once you have your wilderness permit (if required) and a full pack, you are ready to start hiking. The following advice, most of it from the Park Service and Forest Service, is provided to help make your hike more enjoyable and also safer.
1 The wilderness permit does not serve as a registration system for hikers. Leave an itinerary, a route description, and expected time of return with friends or relatives, or inquire at the nearest ranger station about hiker sign-out procedures.
2 Stay on maintained trails unless you are good at using a compass and topographic maps. When off the trail, you can easily lose your sense of direction, especially in a viewless forest or in bad weather.
3 Solo hiking can be dangerous, particularly if you have large streams to ford. If you do set out alone, stick to frequently used trails so that you can get help if you become sick or injured.
4 Watch your step on trails; the mountains are no place to get a sprained ankle. Don’t shortcut across switchbacks, for this leads to trail erosion.
5 When you meet pack stock on the trail, remain quiet and in plain view. Allow them to pass by stepping off the trail; equestrians have the right-of-way.
6 Close all gates. They prevent stock from wandering up and down the trail.
7 If you want to wear hiking boots, make sure they are well broken-in to avoid blisters. Wear at least two pairs of socks, and carry molefoam just in case.
8 If you bring children along, be sure they have some personal identification on them at all times. Tell them what to do if they get lost (they should stay put) and give them a whistle or other means of signaling for help. Don’t leave them alone; there are mountain lions out there.
9 Confusion about which trail to take at trail junctions frequently results in spread-out parties becoming separated. To avoid confusion and the possibility of someone getting lost, faster party members should wait for slower members at all trail junctions. If your party has members who want to travel at different paces, then be sure enough of them have a marked map that shows the party’s route and campsite for each night.
10 Be prepared for rain or snow any time of the year above 7000 feet. Learn survival techniques, especially how to stay warm and dry in inclement weather. Above 9000 feet, wear dark glasses and/or a hat, for the dangerous ultraviolet radiation up there is very intense, and prolonged exposure increases your risk of skin cancer and damage to your eyes. On exposed skin, use a strong lip balm and a strong sunscreen (30+).
11 Don’t underestimate the power of moving water, particularly since streambeds tend to be quite slippery. One of the greatest dangers to backcountry travelers is crossing streams. White water and areas above cascades and waterfalls are especially dangerous. A rope is useful in crossing swift streams, but hang on to it rather than tie into it. Hikers tied in have drowned before they could untie the rope after slipping, because their taut rope forced them underwater.
12 Lightning is a hazard in the mountains. You can gauge how far away a lightning strike is by counting the seconds it takes for thunder to arrive after you see a lightning flash. A 5-second delay means the strike was about a mile away. A 1-second delay means that it was about 1000 feet away, and you are too close for comfort—absolutely seek shelter. Do not continue upward into a thunderstorm. Get off ridges and peaks. Stay away from meadows and lakes and also avoid exposed lone objects such as large rocks, isolated trees, railing, cable, and sizable objects. Find shelter in forested areas. Your vehicle is a safe place to wait out a storm.
13 If the trail’s tread is vague, if it is under snow, or if there are multiple paths due to cycles or cattle, then look for blazes or ducks. A blaze is a place on a tree trunk where someone has carved away a patch of bark to leave a conspicuous scar. A duck is one or several small rocks placed upon a larger rock in such a way that the placement is obviously human-made. Where a trail crosses bedrock, it is often bordered by large rocks placed there by trail crews. Occasionally a large human-made rock pile, or cairn, will be found, usually marking a route.
14 Pets aren’t allowed on national park trails. Elsewhere, you still shouldn’t take your pets on the trail. Dogs in particular annoy other hikers, spook stock, harass wildlife, pollute campsites, and sometimes import diseases harmful to other mammals. Furthermore, dogs do get lost, contrary to what many people believe. Finally, rocky trail treads can badly cut a dog’s feet. Carry bandages or duct tape if you do bring your dog.
15 When John Muir roamed through the Sierra during the 19th Century, he cut branches to sleep on and built a bonfire to warm himself through the night. Muir made very little impact on the environment, but due to the great number of backpackers today, each of us must treat the environment with a great deal of care. One consideration is where to camp. Set up camp at least 100 feet away from lakes and streams (200+ feet is better) to prevent water contamination and damage to protective shore and bank vegetation. Also, try to camp at least 100 feet or more from trails. Avoid the fragile sod of meadows, lake shores, and stream banks. You’ll sleep better on a forest floor: it tends to harbor fewer mosquitoes than found in wet areas, and you will stay warmer and drier if you sleep under the trees rather than in the open. The forest retains heat better, tends to have drier ground, and certainly has less nighttime condensation. Once you have selected your campsite, minimize your impact on it. Don’t clear away brush, level the ground, cut trenches, or build a fire ring. Don’t destroy, deface, or carve up trees, shrubs, or any other natural or cultural features.
16 Litter and food scraps not only are unsightly intrusions on a wilderness experience, but also are an unnatural food source that attracts animals—bears and rodents in particular. Your food source in the long run is detrimental to the well-being of these animals. All trash, including cans, bottles, metal foil, tampons, disposable diapers, toilet paper, orange peels, apple cores, etc. must be packed out. Do not burn or bury trash or scatter organic wastes. Carry plastic bags for trash. An old cliché is still true: If you can pack it in, you can pack it out.
17 Chemicals found in both biodegradable and nonbiodegradable soaps and detergents pollute backcountry lakes and streams. Pollution by organic wastes has led to bacteria spreading through many lakes and streams, so you should bring your water to a boil, or treat it with chemicals, or—most conveniently—purify it with a water filter. Unfortunately, our own bodies, as carriers of bacteria, contribute to the bacterial population. Keep the bacterial count low by cleaning pots, washing clothes, and bathing yourself—at least 100 feet away from any body of water. On the trail, soap is unnecessary and is best left at home. You can let the toughest of the baked-on food accumulate and then clean your pots thoroughly when you get home. To eliminate the need for pot scrubbing, as well as the weight of pots, a stove, and fuel, you could eat cold meals, and indeed, many trekkers have hiked the entire PCT this way.
18 Proper disposal of human waste is another serious environmental consideration. Pick a spot at least 50 yards away from any trail, camping area, meadow, stream, or lake. Dig a hole about 6-8 inches deep and 8-10 inches across. After use, put the toilet paper in a plastic bag; don’t bury it. Cover the hole with the soil and duff you removed, and make the site blend in with the surroundings. Women should not burn or bury tampons or sanitary napkins, and parents should not burn or bury disposable diapers. They are difficult to burn and require years to decompose. Pack them out in a plastic bag. If you have a large group, make a latrine site, then thoroughly cover it when you leave.
19 Wildfires are caused by lightning strikes and human stupidity. The first is not anything you can prevent; the second is completely under your control. If you must build a fire, use only dead wood lying on the ground, and build a fire no larger than you actually need, in an already existing fire ring. Put it out at least ½ hour before you are ready to leave, adding water to it and stirring the ashes. In the High Sierra, fires usually are banned at elevations above 9000 feet. At a few popular backcountry lakes camping and/or campfires are banned, and these are mentioned in the text.
Animal and Plant Problems on the PCT
If you hike the entire California PCT, you’ll see dozens of bird species. You’ll also pass by dozens of mammal species, but will see very few, except for deer, marmots, pikas, and squirrels, particularly the nearly ubiquitous California ground squirrel. However, the animals are around; just camp near a spring in southern California, and you’ll hear quite a flurry of activity during the night. Without a tent, you may hear or feel toads and mice traversing around or over you, and a scorpion or two may get under or, worse, into your sleeping bag. The rodents are harmless, although they can carry fleas that transmit diseases. What follows is a brief synopsis of animal and plant problems you can face on the PCT.
Poison Oak
Some botanists have claimed that there are places in the chaparral belt, stretching from Southern California’s coastal plains north through Sierran foothills, where poison oak is the single most common plant! In some locations, optimal conditions allow the waist-high shrub to assume the proportions of a small tree, or a thick, climbing vine. Certainly, many PCT travelers would agree that, with the possible exceptions of flies or mosquitos, poison oak is the most consistent nuisance along the trail in California. The allergic rash it causes in most people leads, at worst, to a few days of insane itching and irritation. It may, however, completely incapacitate a luckless few.
Poison-oak dermatitis is best managed by avoidance, and avoidance is best accomplished by recognition of the plant, in all phases of its life cycle: In spring and summer, it puts forth shiny green leaves, each divided into three oval, lobed leaflets, which, even on the same plant, exhibit an unusual variety of sizes. Toward fall, the leaves and stems turn reddish, and the small whitish flowers become smooth berries. In winter and early spring, when its leaves are gone, identification is most difficult: look for gray-dusty bark on stems, with smooth green, red-tipped new growth, and possibly some white-green berries left over from the previous season.
Avoid touching any part of the plant in any season—all parts contain an oily toxin that will, in a few days, lead to an allergic reaction where it has penetrated the skin. If you do brush against the shrub, wash the area immediately. Water helps to inactivate the toxin, and alcohol helps to extract the oil from skin, as does soap. Try to avoid spreading the oil by rubbing, however: because it takes a few minutes to an hour to fully penetrate the skin, you might actually spread the dermatitis by rubbing the oil around, without washing. Better yet, avoid exposure entirely by wearing loose, long-sleeved clothing, tucked into boot tops. But beware—poison-oak oil on clothing can, hours later, be wiped onto the skin, with toxic results. If you must wear shorts, try applying a commercial barrier cream, which catches the oil before it can reach your skin. Above all, avoid smoke from burning poison oak, and never eat any of the plant—fatal internal reactions have occurred.
If you do develop the itchy, red, blistering, weeping rash of poison-oak dermatitis, console yourself with the knowledge that it will be gone in a week or so. In the meantime, try not to scratch it—infection is the biggest hazard. Use calamine lotion, topical hydrocortisone cream and oral benadryl for itch relief. Severe allergic reactions, characterized by trouble breathing, dizziness, or swelling around the eyes or mouth, should be treated promptly by a doctor.
Waterborne Microscopic Organisms
Many of the PCT’s springs, streams, and lakes have clear water, but what you can’t see might make you ill. The microscopic organisms probably are far more threatening than virtually any black bear you’ll meet on the trail. One microscopic organism is Giardia lamblia, which causes giardiasis (jee-ar-dye-a-sis). Although giardiasis can be incapacitating, it is not usually life-threatening. After ingestion by humans, Giardia organisms normally attach themselves to the small intestine, and disease symptoms usually include diarrhea, increased gas, loss of appetite, abdominal cramps, and bloating. Weight loss may occur from nausea and loss of appetite. These discomforts may last up to six weeks. Most people are unaware that they have been infected and return home from trips before the onset of symptoms. If not treated, the symptoms may disappear on their own, only to recur intermittently over a period of many months. Other diseases may have similar symptoms, but if you drank untreated water, you should suspect giardiasis and so inform your doctor. If properly diagnosed, the disease is curable with prescribed medication.
There are several ways for you to treat raw water to make it relatively safe to drink. The treatment most certain to destroy Giardia is to bring your water up to a boil. Chemical disinfectants such as iodine tablets or chlorine drops may not be as reliable, although they work well against most waterborne bacteria and viruses that cause disease. However, they are not effective against a certain intestinal parasite, Cryptosporidium, which can occur at water holes fouled by cattle. The most convenient safeguard is to use a portable water purifier. While relatively expensive and somewhat bulky, it gives you safe water in a minute or two—no chemical taste and no waiting for chemicals to act or for boiled water to cool.
Mosquitoes and Other Invertebrates
“Truth bids me to say that mosquitoes swarmed in myriads, with not one tenth the fear but with twice the ferocity of a southern Secessionist.” So wrote William H. Brewer about his evening in Yosemite National Park’s upper Lyell Canyon on July 1, 1863. This statement is still very true for most of the High Sierra, for Lassen Volcanic National Park, and for the Klamath Mountains. Still, trekkers may encounter mosquitoes even in southern California, and wherever there is a water source suitable for their breeding. They can be quite abundant along the Sacramento River, which you encounter at a low elevation in northern California’s Castle Crags State Park. Mosquitoes occur near water from sea level up to around 11,000 feet, that is, near treeline. All mosquitoes can transmit various diseases, but those found along the PCT rarely do. Only females ingest blood, and their biting and buzzing are more of a nuisance than a health hazard. By late July the mosquito populations wane in the high mountains, as snow melts and meadows dry out (although they can still be abundant lower down, where water is available). Until then, you’ll probably want to carry a tent with mosquito netting just to get a good night’s sleep. This is especially true in June. From midmorning until late afternoon, when you are likely to be on the trail, a wind usually keeps their numbers down. Of course, you can postpone your hike until August, but this is not an option for through-hikers. Mosquitoes are pollinators, which explains why they are near their maximum numbers when wildflowers are so profuse. Without them, perhaps mountain wildflower gardens would be less glorious.
Flies can be a problem at lower elevations. Small black flies typically become numerous in warm weather, that is, from about June through early October. One favored habitat is among shady canyon live oaks, which can be locally common in southern California. They are attracted to sweat from your face and body, but if you clean up, the flies generally cease to bother you. Occasionally at low to mid elevations you’ll meet large, biting flies, usually deer flies, but they don’t attack in numbers. Furthermore, when one is preoccupied biting into your skin, it is easy to swat.
Mosquito
Tick
Another problem is the yellowjacket, a wasp that occasionally builds a ground nest under or beside a trail; if you trample on it, the yellowjackets will swarm you. You are very unlikely to meet them, though your chances increase if you ride a horse, for it tramples the ground far more than a hiker does. Their stings are multiple and painful, but not dangerous unless you happen to be allergic to bee stings. (More people in the US die from bee stings than from rattlesnake bites.)
One of the best arguments for avoiding squirrels, which frequent popular campsites looking for food, is that they may be rabid or their fleas may carry the plague. This is extremely unlikely, but small areas of plague-infested rodents are occasionally found in the mountains. Avoid fleas by avoiding rodents.
Ticks, the slow-moving relatives of spiders, are another potential carrier of disease. These blood-sucking arachnids are usually found in brushy areas below 6000 feet in southern California and below 4000 feet in northern California. Check your clothing and skin for them after you hike through brush at low elevations.
And finally there are scorpions, which are not merely desert creatures. You may find them in southern California up to about 7000 feet and in northern California up to about 5000 feet. These creatures, active at night, can give you a painful sting, although the species found along the PCT are not life-threatening.
Rattlesnakes
Few animals are more unjustly maligned in legend and in life than the western rattlesnake, and no other animal, with the possible exception of the American black bear, causes more concern among walkers and riders along the California PCT. Indeed, most through-hikers will have 5-6 encounters with these common reptiles by the time they reach the High Sierra! Even so, the author knows of only one PCT hiker who was ever bitten.
Frequenting warmer climes generally below the red-fir belt (although they have been seen much higher), rattlers will most often be encountered basking on a warm rock, trail or pavement, resting from their task of keeping the rodent population in check. Like other reptiles, rattlesnakes are unable to control their internal body temperature (they are “cold blooded”), and therefore can venture from their underground burrows only when conditions are suitable. Just as rattlers won’t usually be seen in freezing weather, it is also no surprise that they are rarely seen in the heat of day, when ground temperatures may easily exceed 150°—enough to cook a snake (or blister human feet, as many will learn). One usually will see rattlers toward evening, when the air is cool but the earth still holds enough heat to stir them from their lethargy for a night of hunting. They naturally frequent those areas where rodents feed—under brush, in rock piles, and at streamsides.
It is their nocturnal hunting equipment that has inspired most of the legends and fears concerning rattlesnakes. Rattlers have heat-sensitive pits, resembling nostrils, in their wedge-shaped heads that can sense nearby changes in temperature as subtle as 1°F. Rattlers use these pits to locate prey at night, since they do not have well-developed night vision. More important perhaps is their sensitivity to vibrations, which can alert a rattler to footfalls over 50 feet away. With such acute organs to sense a meal or danger, a rattler will usually begin to hurry away long before a hiker spots it. Furthermore, if you do catch one of these reptiles unawares, these gentlemen among poisonous snakes will usually warn you away with buzzing tail rattles if you get too close for comfort.
Like many of man’s pest-control projects, efforts to quell rattlesnake populations have been to our detriment—rattlers are invaluable controllers of agricultural pests, and fewer people are hurt each year by rattlers than by household pets. One unsuccessful program carried out in the 1960s eliminated the conspicuous, noisy rattlers and left the silent ones to breed. A population developed in which the snakes would strike without buzzing. Luckily, most rattlers encountered along your PCT way will gladly move aside without incident.
The easiest way to avoid a snake bite is to avoid snakes. Over 75 percent of rattler bites are in people who are handling a snake, and over 80 percent of all bites are on the hand. The lessons: don’t catch snakes, and look before you put your hands under rocks or logs, or into tall grass. Snakes will usually graciously depart as you approach, if you make enough noise—a good reason to carry a walking stick.
If bitten, get to a hospital immediately. The only truly useful treatment for rattlesnake bite is intravenous antivenin, which can be administered in most emergency departments. The sooner it is given, the better, even if you must hike a distance for help. If you are part of a group, have the victim rest, while another hiker goes for help. Because antiquated first-aid measures such as cold packs, tourniquets, and incision and suction devices are dangerous, they should never be used. There is no substitute for rapid evacuation to a hospital.
Mountain Lions
These large cats, also called pumas or cougars, range up to about 200 pounds for males, about half that for females, and they strike fear in many hikers. There seem to be two views about how threatening they are to humans. One is that they are merely curious, and that is why they track you. The other is that they are hungry, and that is why they stalk you. In California, an attack on humans by cougars is a rare occurrence. Certainly if they wanted to, cougars could easily kill you, best while you’re asleep, tent or no tent. To my knowledge there has only been one incident on the PCT, when in March 2001 a mountain lion attacked a hiker on the Mt. San Jacinto section.
Before the mid-1990s, cougars were hunted throughout the state, which kept their numbers down and gave them a fear of humans. With the hunting ban, their numbers are increasing and they may lose this fear. As urban areas sprawl into their territory, they sometimes take pet dogs (just as coyotes take pet cats). You are not likely to have a close encounter with a cougar, although one may get close to you. If the trail tread is soft, look for its tracks: paw prints about 3 inches across, like those left by a large dog, but without claw marks, since cats walk with retracted claws.
Since 1993, the Park Service in Yosemite has been warning visitors of increased lion sightings, and rarely, dogs, left alone in the park’s campgrounds, have been attacked. For hikers, here is amended advice offered by the Park Service. Foremost, avoid hiking alone; there is safety in numbers. If you hike alone, you may be safer with a backpack than a day pack because with the latter, more of your body, especially your neck, is exposed. Second, if you bring children, watch them closely; they are easy prey. Should you see a cougar, don’t approach it. Hopefully it, like you, will try to avoid a confrontation (also true for bears and rattlesnakes). Prey such as deer run, so don’t act like prey and excite its killing instinct. Stay calm, not fearful (easier said than done). Hold your ground, or back away slowly. Face the cougar and do all you can to appear larger and more threatening. Grab a stick; raise your arms. If you have small children with you, pick them up. If the cougar behaves aggressively, wave your arms, shout, and throw sticks and/or stones at it. Convince the cougar that you may be dangerous. Finally, if attacked, fight back. To flee is to die.
Bears
Black bears, which can come in a variety of colors and hues, are almost as far-ranging as cougars. While they are present along the entire northern section of the PCT, you are more likely to encounter them in the areas that traverse Sequoia and Yosemite national parks. Here, bears have become used to people and more aggressive in seeking out human sources of food; unfortunately, this means that many become “problem” bears, forcing the park service to take action. On occasion, you can see a helicopter fly over with a black bear dangling from below as it is transported to back country. In the future, bears may also become a problem in Desolation Wilderness, west of Lake Tahoe. In the High Sierra they can be found well above their normal range, taking the PCT over alpine passes, such as Glen and Donohue, despite these being, respectively, about 12,000 and 11,000 feet in elevation. Up here there’s little for them, except for what trekkers have brought along. If a bear does go after your food, and if you try to stop it, especially if you try to retrieve your food once it has taken it, you could end up in the hospital.
Black bear
Novice backpackers dread the thought of meeting one of these incredibly strong, 300-400+ pound adults who can out-run, out-swim, and out-climb you. Waking up in the dark of night to have one sniffing your head certainly gets your adrenaline rushing. However, although bears are carnivores by structure, in California they are mostly herbivores by habit, only about 10 percent of their diet being animal matter, and that is mostly insects. Humans are not a part of their diet. For example, in Yosemite National Park’s history not even one visitor has been killed by any of these usually gentle creatures (unlike grizzlies, which once ranged over much of California, but went extinct there in the 1920s). It is best for both you and the bears that they not get your food in the first place (problem bears are killed). Bears are boldest in Sequoia and Yosemite national parks, so the park personnel there have installed anti-bear food- storage devices, mostly bearproof metal boxes.
Safeguarding Your Food
There are several strategies you can use to safeguard your food. First, in the national parks use the food-storage boxes, vertical metal posts, or horizontal wire cables where available. Black bears are incredibly good tree climbers and are very intelligent, so suspending your food in trees, or “bearbagging,” is not always secure. You can store food inside deep cracks found either in the bedrock or in oversized, cracked boulders. If the crack is at least 3 feet deep and less than 6 inches wide, then neither adult nor cub can reach food placed in it. Before you store your food in one or more of these deep cracks, first place it in a stuff sack and then push it into the crack with a stick. Alternatively, if you are a good rock climber, you can climb up to a small ledge at least 15 feet off the ground and leave your stuff sack atop it. Bears are poor rock climbers. Many camping areas have adequate rock cracks and/or ledges within a few minutes’ walking distance. Be aware that rodents may eat through your stuff sack to get at your food, although this is very unlikely. Finally, you can carry your food in bearproof canisters. These are heavy and expensive (you can rent them), but are okay if you will be out for only a few days. A prime advantage of them is that you have quick access to your food.
Bearbagging is time consuming, both getting the food sacks hung and then getting them down. Still, it may be an acceptable option south of Sequoia or north of Yosemite, where bears aren’t likely to be as common or as savvy. You bearbag your food either on a cable (if one is available) or on a tree branch. The process is essentially the same for both. If you must use a branch, be sure your food is suspended at least 5 feet below it, at least 10 feet from the trunk, and at least 15 feet above the ground. Use the counterbalanced method of bearbagging, described here for a tree branch.
Counterbalanced bearbagging is simply suspending your food sack at one end of a rope and another weight (which may also be a food sack) at the other end, so carry two stuff sacks. When you set up camp, set aside your dinner food and put the rest in your two stuff sacks. To bearbag, you then:
1 Tie a rock or other object to the end of your 50+ feet of parachute cord and toss it over an appropriate branch.
2 Remove the rock and tie on your heavier stuff sack (one should be noticeably heavier than the other).
3 Hoist that stuff sack up to the branch and then tie your other stuff sack (or counterweight) to the cord you are holding. Tie it on as high as you can reach.
4 You will have some cord left over. Stuff all of it in the stuff sack except for the end. Tie a small loop on this end.
5 With a stick or similar object, push your smaller stuff sack up until it is the same height as your larger one, hopefully 15 or more feet above the ground, though this is often hard to do. If these two sacks are equal in weight, you’ll have difficulty pushing your second sack up due to friction. (Because a tree branch creates more friction than a cable, in trees the first stuff sack should be perhaps twice as heavy as the second.)
6 To retrieve your food, snag the small loop at the end of the parachute cord with your stick. Without a stick or similar object, adequate bearbagging is almost impossible. Unfortunately, sticks left by knowledgeable backpackers too often end up in someone’s campfire.
Weather
If you adequately prepare for bad weather, your backpack trip won’t be all that bad even if such weather occurs. Storms come in two categories: frontal storms and thunderstorms. The farther north you are on the PCT the more likely you are to get caught in a frontal storm moving east across the state, since the storm season is several months longer than in southern California. In northern California frontal storms may come in mid- or late August, but they don’t get serious until sometime in September. By October you’ll generally want to be out of the highlands, which likely will become snow-covered before month’s end and stay that way into early July. When you’re in the Klamath Mountains you can get snow any time of the year, although in July and August the storms are infrequent and may dump only a few inches, which is no real impediment if you’re prepared. In the High Sierra, from about the Lake Tahoe environs south to Sequoia National Park, the storm season is shorter. In average years these lands are not closed by snowfall until late October or early November; you can still have frontal storms in August or September, but the snow usually melts in several days. In southern California frontal storms may occur in November, but the serious ones will more likely be from January through March. Still, through-hikers starting in April from the Mexican border can get snowed on anywhere en route.
Contrasting with winter-centered frontal storms, thunderstorms are centered around summer and move north up the state. If you’re caught in one, you can get a real drenching from copious rain or a beating from hard-hitting hail. This can occur in the San Jacintos and the San Bernardinos (the San Gabriels are less likely), and in the southern and central Sierra Nevada. Especially in the high lands of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, these storms are likely, particularly in July. They are less frequent in Yosemite National Park, and once you’re north of the Lake Tahoe area they are rare events. The cumulonimbus clouds that create these storms build in the afternoon, and the storms themselves typically occur from midafternoon into early evening, that is, from about 2 or 3 p.m. until about 7 or 8 p.m. Therefore, if you have an exposed alpine pass to cross, try to do it before midafternoon. As mentioned under item 12 of “Trail Advice” earlier in this chapter, if you see the clouds looming and hear distant thunder, be prepared to seek shelter. Exposed high lands are no place to be dodging lightning strikes.
To minimize any storm encounter, hike during an optimal time. For southern California lowlands this can be March or April, when frontal storms are less likely, temperatures are neither too cold nor too hot, there is still enough groundwater for springs to be reliable, and even some seasonal streams may still be flowing. Two-thirds of the PCT, and most of the sections described in this book, traverse relatively high lands, above 6000 feet. In the mid- and northern High Sierra, such high lands can remain largely snowbound through June and into early July. Much of the trail through Sequoia National Park, described in Pacific Crest Trail: Southern California, is above 11,000 feet and the snowpack can be serious until mid-July. Then, as snow melts quickly, another problem presents itself, namely swollen and rushing streams that you must ford. These can be just as life-threatening as icy passes. It’s best to avoid hiking in this area before mid-July in a year with average precipitation. August and September are good months with fair weather, but until Labor Day, they are also the most crowded times of the year on the PCT. In Lassen Volcanic National Park, and certainly lands north of it, September weather can be chancy.
Cloud formations above Tollhouse Lake, along the old (temporary) PCT.
Choosing an optimal hiking month is not an option with through-hikers bound for the Canadian border. They must start at the Mexican border by mid-April through early May, when there are still enough springs flowing and not too much snow in higher elevations. The hike through Antelope Valley (the western part of the Mojave Desert) can be grueling, usually too hot and always too dry. But a couple of weeks later they will be entering the High Sierra, which will be too snowy. Not until early July, when hopefully they’ve reached Interstate 80 at Donner Pass, will their problems be over—temporarily: snow storms await them in Washington in September.
If you plan to through-hike and can choose the year to do it, then pick one in which the south half of the Sierra and all lands south of it (Sections A-H in Pacific Crest Trail: Southern California) are having a relatively dry year. Though springs will dry up earlier in southern California, with a light Sierra snowpack you can start a month sooner, in early April rather than in early May. When central and southern California are having relatively low precipitation in fall, winter, and spring, Oregon and Washington usually are having relatively high precipitation, which means a thick, long-lasting snowpack. However, by the time you reach Oregon, perhaps in early July, the snow problems won’t be that bad and the snow will continue to melt as you advance northward to the really snowy country. Another bonus of hiking in such a year is that you can finish by early or mid-September, before the frontal storms start coming in thick and fast, besieging you with one snow dusting after another.
Perhaps the worst kind of year is one with heavy precipitation both in the central and southern Sierra Nevada and in southern California. On the plus side (which does not approach the heavy minus side), springs and seasonal streams will be flowing in southern California. On the minus side, snowpacks can slow you down in southern California’s mountains, and especially so in the Sierra. Hiking slower than average, you could run out of time, for Washington’s North Cascades can be snowbound and that section can be indecipherable when you reach it. If you don’t have access to information about the water situation in California, contact the Pacific Crest Trail Association (PCTA), mentioned early in this chapter. They keep track of trail conditions, including drinking-water availability, snow problems, and other issues pertinent to the PCT trekker.
Hypothermia
Hypothermia is the rapid and progressive mental and physical collapse that accompanies chilling of the human body’s inner core. It is caused by exposure to cold, and is intensified by wetness, wind, and exhaustion. Therefore, it’s always a good idea to carry raingear. An unexpected storm could otherwise soak you to the bone. Hypothermia almost always occurs at temperatures well above freezing. Anyone who becomes fatigued in wet and windy conditions is a potential victim. If you experience a bout of uncontrollable shivering, you should seriously consider yourself a candidate for hypothermia and take appropriate measures.
The best defense against hypothermia is to avoid exposure. Stay dry. When clothing is wet, it can lose as much as 90 percent of its insulating value, draining heat from the body. Unlike cotton, down and some synthetics, wool and polypropylene retain most of their insulating value when wet. If you can afford them, buy waterproof-breathable garments, which are made by a number of manufacturers. Be aware of the wind. Even a slight breeze carries heat away from your body, and forces cold air under as well as through clothing. Wind intensifies cold by evaporating moisture from the skin’s surface. Use proper clothing. Put on raingear immediately, not after you are fairly soaked. Add a layer of clothing under your raingear before shivering occurs. A hat or ski cap, preferably made of wool or polypropylene, should be worn to protect and help retain body heat.
If your party fails to take these precautionary steps, a hiker with hypothermia may progress to more advanced symptoms, which include slurred speech, drowsiness, amnesia, frequent stumbling, a decrease in shivering, hallucinations and, finally, stupor, coma, and death. The victim may strongly deny he or she is in trouble. Believe the symptoms, not the patient.
It is far more dangerous to hike alone than in a group. You may not recognize the signs of hypothermia by yourself and, if you do, you may have a harder time restoring your body heat than if you have others to help you. In the mountains it is extremely important to keep your sleeping bag and a set of clothes dry. If they get wet, and threatening weather prevails, try to get out of the mountains as quickly as possible. But, don’t abandon your pack and make a dash for the trailhead, which can be tantamount to suicide. If weather worsens, stay put in a sheltered area and keep warm and dry. Unless you are a very seasoned mountaineer, you should not attempt to continue hiking in bad weather.
High Altitude Problems
Altitude Sickness
Altitude sickness may occur at elevations of about 8000 feet or more. Symptoms include fatigue, weakness, headache, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and shortness of breath on exertion. Sleep may be difficult for the first night and, if you are above 10,000 feet, perhaps even for one or more additional nights. Regular periods of heavy breathing separated by periods of no breathing at all may awaken the sleeper with a sense of suffocation. Hyperventilation may also occur, causing lightheadedness, dizziness, and tingling of the hands, feet, and mouth. Altitude sickness results from exposure to the oxygen-deficient atmosphere of high elevations. It is aggravated by fatigue and cold. Some people are more susceptible to it than others. As the body adjusts to the lower oxygen pressure, symptoms usually disappear. Resting and drinking extra liquids are recommended. If symptoms persist, descend to lower altitudes.
High-Altitude Pulmonary Edema
However rare, this is a serious and potentially fatal condition. Cases have been reported at altitudes of 8500 feet, but usually it occurs considerably higher. The basic problem, as with altitude sickness, is a reduction of oxygen, and early symptoms are often unrecognized or else confused with altitude sickness. However, in the case of pulmonary edema, reduced oxygen initiates blood diversion from the body shell to the core, causing congestion of the lungs, brain, and other vital organs. Besides exhibiting symptoms similar to those of altitude sickness, the victim is restless, coughs, and eventually brings up frothy, blood-tinged sputum. The only treatment is immediate descent to at least 2000 feet lower and, if available, administration of oxygen. You should secure medical help as soon as possible.
Blood in Urine
If you are at high elevations and exercising to the point of dehydration, you can, like serious long-distance runners, have reddish urine. You are not dying, but this is a good sign that you are overexerting yourself. Slow down.
Ultraviolet Radiation
Above 9000 feet, wear UV-absorbing or reflecting glasses and a hat to protect your eyes, for the dangerous ultraviolet radiation at these elevations is very intense. You can get quite a splitting headache if your eyes get too much radiation. Prolonged exposure to ultraviolet radiation increases your risk of skin cancer, so be liberal with sunscreen on all your exposed skin.
