1 month to hike (May 15 - Jun 12) Which Section?

imported
#1

I have one month to hike a portion of the PCT from May 15 - June 12. I had initially planned to do the southern portion from Mexico to Big Bear until I realized that I will probably be hiking through hot so-cal desert most of the time. I grew up in the deserts of so-cal and have seen plenty of it, so I’m not sure I’d enjoy that. I’ve already been to Idylwild a dozen times and live in Big Bear so neither of those get my heart racing.

I was wondering if there another portion of the trail further north that will be hikable from mid May - mid June that is more scenic and temperate? Obviously the Sierras will still be snowed in so I was thinking of doing Ashland Southbound to Chester. Would this section make for nice hiking this time of year? If I decide to go that route does anyone have any suggestions for getting out of Chester to go home? It seems kind of rinky dink. Is there a bus that could be taken to a nearby major city or any trail angels located nearby who might be willing to give rides?

Sorry for my ignorance of the area, I haven’t spent much time studying the northern portions of the trail since, up until five minutes ago, I was planning on doing So-cal. I’m also open to any other suggestions for sections that would be enjoyable in May & June.

Thanks.
-Erik

Erik

#2

I’d guess that even the relatively low elevations of southern Oregon and northern California would still have a lot of snow around then. This last weekend I was up at Snoqualmie Pass and found about 6 feet of snow at 3000 feet elevation. See

http://www.pierce.ctc.edu/faculty/cwillett/local/llundin2/index.html

for some pictures. The route is really quite pretty and one well worth doing, but I think it would involve a lot of suffering. The Marble Mountain/Trinity Alps/Russian River wilderness complex is fairly high and unless you went in prepared to do some route finding and equipped for reasonable snow travel, it might be more difficult than you’d want (better just come up to Washington in that case).

Instead, why not try something like Big Bear to Mojave? You can transit out of Mojave easily and the hiking is, I think, rather pretty. It won’t be super hot (as these things go) and water will still be good (as these things go).

Suge

#3

Suge, thanks for the advice. That’s dissapointing. I was thinking that since here at 7,000 feet in Socal its nice and warm and the snow is almost gone that it wouldn’t be much different up there, but I guess it’s a different story up north. I had settled on doing 304 miles from Burney Falls north to Ashland, but now I’m not sure, especially if it looks like that at only 3,000 feet in Washington. I’m leaving in a week, wherever I go, so I need to hurry up and make a decision. Anyone up in the northern California area who can comment on the conditions of the PCT from Burney -> Ashland? I think if we do have to stay in the south you’ve got the right idea about doing Big Bear north. I’ll have to check that out.

Erik

#4

An advantage of hiking from Big Bear north is that you’ll get to meet & hike with lots of thru-hikers! AND, you’ll get to stay at the Saufley’s, which is a highlight of any PCT trip.

Another option for the same stretch of trail is to get a ride up to Kennedy Meadows, Walker Pass, or Mojave, and then hike south to Big Bear. Hiking home would eliminate your transportation issues at the end of your hike. All you have to do is find a friend to take you to the beginning point of your hike.

yogi

www.pcthandbook.com

yogi

#5

Yogi, thanks for the advice, and the handbook, which will be going with me. I have decided to do the 300 miles from Hwy 74 to the Saufleys. That looks like a good stretch.

Erik