A heads up for '10 PCT thru-hikers:
The PCT is snowbound on the north & northeast faces of the peaks along the Desert Divide south of Idyllwild starting @ Apache Peak (PCT Mile 169). (patchy snow starts just after the Live Oak Spring Trail - PCT mile 158 @ 6000’)
From Apache Peak to Red Taquitz, all the north & northeastern faces are snow/ice bound rigt now. The sections where the PCT is dynamited out of cliffs is burried under ice - they are currently almost vertical avalanche chutes.
I was able to get as far as South Peak by backtracking & climbing over the summits of both Apache Peak & Antsell Rock - but the climbing is sketchy & there is manzanita hell to deal with on the bushwhacks.
When I reached the northeastern flanks of South Moutain, I found a long, extremely steep snowfield that was mostly hard packed ice with a deadly runout hundreds of feet below, so I decided to attempt a climb of SOuth Peak. I ran into multiple cliffs, so I backtracked and found an unmarked, unmapped trail which leads down to private property. (of course I cannot recommend a private trail to others, but in an emergency they are very accomodating)
Two other thru-hikers had near death experiences on this section in the last few days. One fell on Apache Peak, was able to self-arrest, but said he nearly died. (The problem is how to recover on a avalanche chute without full 12-point crampons - which thru-hikers don’t carry)
A good bailout point if you don’t have winter mountaineering skills / ice climbing skills, is Fobes Saddle which has good camping & a Spring just a half mile down.
There are good dirt roads to road walk to Town.
Happy Trails,
freebird
freebird