Hello,
Due to my inability to start the the PCT until late May, I was hoping to bust out as many miles as I could from Campo sometime this January when I have time. Does anyone have experience with this section in winter and how far north do you think I could make it before I hit snow?..on an average year…?
The Hemlock Muppet
You could do the border to highway 74 which is section A and part of section B. After highway 74 (pines to palms highway) you climb up to the San Jacinto mtns which will have snow. I did this 150? mile section in January in 2004 and there was no snow. It got cold up around Mt Laguna in the teens but mostly it was really nice hiking weather.
mat
I did section A in winter this year for the same reason. It was perfect hiking weather in the 60s and nights in the 20s and 30s. It can be worse when a storm hits, so flexibility helps. Anyway, i lovd it. The only drawback has been having such a long answer when everyone has asked me the usual question “so when did you start?”
Cuddles
Hi there I was thinking about doing the same thing! I was curious as to the gear yall used (clothing and bag wise) during this time of the year. I live out on Catalina Island and was not sure if it is much colder over there during january.
blackfoot
Blackfoot- Its a great time of year to be out there though its a bit colder at night then Catalina. I pretty much used the same stuff as on a regular thruhike: 15 degree bag, tarp, alcohol stove plus I had a down jacket, full raingear. I made sure to have an pair of long underwear I could keep dry in case of rain so I could be dry at the end of the day. Like mentioned above the weather was great during the day hiking in trail runners, shorts and a wind jacket and then at night it was in the teens to low 30s. Next time I would leave my tarp at home and use my lightweight tent because the tent is easier in the wind. For that section in January I would be tempted to bring a blow up pad and possibly my 0 degree down bag just for comfort. Im getting heavier on my gear the more I hike!
mat