Hiking Through Hyperbole Part 2: The Snowy Sierra

[Ryan Linn]

Gabe, the word "suncup" instills a rage in me that not much else can. I hate suncups! :)
Glad you liked it. cheers!

[Michael Sagehorn]

As a US Marine and a longtime Sierra backpacker, I have training and experience crossing swollen creeks with a heavy pack. Last summer I thought all of my skills/experience would make a Trinity Alps creek/river an easy affair. Being north of 50, my strength and skill with a loaded packed in a cold creek was not the same as a young man. I splashed across after falling face first with a loaded Dana Design Astralplane OverKill. Soaking wet I made it to the car, but a realized my age and physical abilities have declined my abilities to make water crossings alone.

[Chris Bailey]

Apologies for the late post too Ryan but I have to agree that the article is great and give you thanks. I am coming in from NZ to do a section of the PCT in May amongst other things this year and am considering my options. Ideally I would want to be in the prettiest terrain at higher elevations but it really will be too early to be very far north of Kennedy Meadows, especially considering my newbie status. So at this stage I think I will be going in at Mojave or Walker Pass and heading to Kennedy Meadows or vicinity.

I was interested to see that temperatures in June 2011 when you would have been on the trail north of KM were down to between 15 F and 0 F at night (Casa Viejo meadows weather station at 8300 feet). And your gear lists silk base layer, a North Face Beeline bag and a thermawrap. Were you wishing for more insulation? The daytime photos show your party in shorts at times so perhaps the weather station info is not a good reflection of conditions?

Thanks again for the great read. Cheers.

[Ryan Linn]

Hey Chris,

I don't think I had a cold sleeping night at all through the Sierra, but it did get below freezing each night. Definitely not down to 15 F. Being in the trees, in a tent (even a tarp tent), eating an insane amount of food, and supplementing the sleeping bag with the thermawrap was just fine for me. The only time I wished for more insulation was after I left camp in the morning, before the sun came over the mountains. The temperature swings between night and day were like… well, night and day.

For current conditions, I'd recommend getting on the PCT facebook groups (the official Pacific Crest Trail group, and right now the PCT Class of 2012 is a good one). I haven't been out there since 2010, so my info may be a little clouded by memory.

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