PCT sections a and b mid may

[janos mathiesen]

Hi all… I am going to be doing my usual yearly section hike next month starting in Campo and ending in Palm springs via backside of San Jacinto from Idyllwild.

Couple of gear questions as I am a cascades hiker for the most part (closest I have been to these environs is the JMT a couple summers ago…)and not sure of desert particulars.

Rain shell. Tempted to just take my feathered friends jackorak wind shell as it is sub 4 ounces and brushes off a little mist or drizzle ok. Will I likely encounter any rain mid may?

Tent. I usually just hike with my Spinntwinn tarp, set it up in case of bad weather and cowboy camp. I have a Yama mountain gear inner but the only reason I could see to take it is so I don't have scorpions walking all over me. What's the scoop with scorpions (or any other critters in the desert). Do people usually cowboy camp? Any reason not to?

I usually wear a truckers cap and was thinking about augmenting that with a bandana worn underneath the hat to fall over my neck and ears to protect from sun. Does this sound reasonable? It worked on the JMT at elevation but just have not experienced the desert — ever.

Lastly, I am planning on bringing my usual Gatorade bottles paired with a couple of the 2-liter collapsible nalgenes for long hauls without water. I plan to use aqua mira and filter through said bandana when needed for sediment. Does this all sound reasonable?

Thanks in advance and happy hiking to y'all!!!

[Frank T]

From my experience on those sections:

Light rain gear should be fine. It is not likely you'll see rain in May but it is possible and you can even still get frozen stuff at higher elevations. A few years ago we had a frozen fog event while we camped near the top of San Jacinto. In the morning we hiked out getting pelted by ice blown out of the trees by high winds.

I cowboy camped a few times on my A & B section hikes and was never bothered by any critters. That said, I think if you have problems with anything, it will be with ants more than anything else.

I think your hat & bandana idea is fine. I use a wide brim hat but supplement it with a bandana when the sun is low. I still use sunscreen to protect against reflected sun.

I never carried more than 5 liters in those sections (I sweat A LOT), but you'll need to check the water reports and judge for yourself. Some of the sources have dried up since I was there.

PCT Water Report — Part 1: Campo to Idyllwild

Have a great hike!

[Nick Gatel]

Probably your biggest challenge will be wind (at times). I mostly 'cowboy' camp, so you will be fine. Yes weather in the San Jacintos and other mountains along the way can be fickle.

This picture is the Desert Divide on Memorial Day, 2011. The tree in the foreground is covered in ice. The night before it snowed in the upper elevations with 100 mph winds. Atypical, but anything can happen.

Normally it is a great time to hike, but you can get into the triple digit temps in the desert.

[janos mathiesen]

Thanks for the feedback guys… Nice to see your name pop up Nick as I have followed your posts and blog from time to time and know that's basically your back yard.

As a Cascade Hiker it's a totally weird idea to NOT have a raincoat in the bag but I think I'm going with just the windshirt… If it actually starts to rain I guess it's time to hunker down under the tarp and read a chapter of my book:)

Sounds like sleeping sans enclosure isn't considered a bad idea and it is definitely my preferred way to sleep outdoors.

Except for the occasional high water load I'm stoked to have such a light base weight — one I can never quite get in Washington.

[Harry Netzer]

Yeah I literally didn't pitch my tent until north of KM (started campo late may) and I think many hikers have similar experiences. I'd still probably bring a tent and raingear if i did it again, as a precaution, but don't expect to use it.

[D M]

I took my tarp and bivy until Idyllwild, then I switched reluctantly to my Yama tent which actually turned out to be a huge stroke of luck since Fuller Ridge had a very cold windy snowstorm, then after Big Bear another snowstorm with ice and then sandstorms….so although I prefer my tarp I admit the tents' enclosed structure made a huge difference in my comfort and survival. You may consider that when making a decision on what gear to use. Also take into consideration that you do not always have the luxury of perfect campsites and most of the time have to take what you can get especially if you are anywhere near groups of people. Many times I had to make do with what space was left at the end of the day in areas with limited sleeping spots and the tent was much better for those times as those spots did not always offer the best protection. I also did more miles than I wanted to get away from said situations so I could have a better spot.

[Jeff Jeff]

I am also a Cascades hiker that did those sections back in 2008.

A snowstorm blew in over Mother's Day weekend. I was in town, but I used my shell for 2 days. Bring a light windshirt for msot days and the absolute lightest keep-your-ass-alive rain jacket you can get. I would go with Dry Ducks or Frogg Toggs.

I took a tarp + bivy and cowboy camped. Would do so again. You'll never use the tarp. The bivy will cut down the wind and keep ants and spiders away.

If the hat worked on the JMT, it will work in socal.

I took a Gatoraide bottle and three 2.4L platy bags. I can't recall if I ever loaded up all three bags. I also used Aqua Mira. If I did it again, I would take a Sawyer squeeze. I drank from some of the most disgusting sources I have ever seen and I was fine. Bring a tiny cup to dip into the springs to fill your bag.

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