A buddy and I have been section hiking the PCT for a couple of years. This year we are doing the desert portion starting at Campo and heading North. Our original plan was to start mid April this year. We have changed our mind and are starting in May. They have been having record snow falls in southern california this winter. I think there could be considerable difficulties in those areas above 7000 feet in April. I was in LA visiting friends last weekend (I live up in Canada) and we took a trip out to Joshua Tree. San Jacinto was stuffed with snow. From other trail journals I have read there are some pretty hairy sections of trail blasted onto the side of the mountain. It is one thing climbing a pass it is another thing contouring along a blasted trail. On the flight back we flew over the high Sierras (Mt Whitney to Sonora Pass). There is beaucoup snow! Totally stuffed. We hiked the High Sierras last summer and I sure wouldn’t want to be up there in a high snow year. I would try to time getting there at the end of June. It would still be hairy but doable. Any body else have thought on starting dates this year?
Cheers
Brian
Brian