⛄️ Everyone in the PCT Facebook Groups is discussing 2023 being a high snow year which will make it incredibly challenging to cross the Sierras. High snow levels can contribute to hikers’ risk of hypothermia, avalanches, dangerous river crossings, and even springtime rock slides. We still have a few months to go so the weather can change in that time, but the charts at the moment are higher than 2017 which was a record snow year and that is quite concerning.
I have promised my family that I won’t take any unnecessary risks. So if it means that my hike stops at mile 702, at Kennedy Meadows (which is where the Sierra Mountains start) then that’s what I will do. I can save Mount Whitney for another day although I know I’ll be dreadfully disappointed.
💦 One of the bonuses of having a high snow year in the Sierras is that the desert section will have more water. Water is extremely heavy, so having more regular water sources on the trail will make life more pleasant during the desert hike.
🐀 I learned a very cool tip this week. I have purchased a couple of turkey roasting bags. “What for?” I hear you ask! One bag will go inside my DCF food bag and the other will house my shoes at night, inside my tent. Apparently, the critters (including mice, rats, and chipmunks) are attracted to all smells and salt. They chew through everything so it’s important to keep anything that has a smell to it inside an odourless bag, and then keep it inside your tent (turkey bags are perfect). This is only relevant to areas which do not require a bear canister which is a whole other topic!
Note to self, find out what a chipmunk is!
TRAINING – 🏋️♀️
🥾- Completed a 10 miler with a full pack in the mud and rain on Saturday. The average walking distance per day for the last 7 days is 8.58 (According to my Garmin I have walked 60.1 miles this week).
🎒 We have had very wet weather so I’ve been taking my full rucksack to the gym! I’ll be walking in the desert so I don’t need to practice walking in the rain! On the treadmill, I can increase the elevation which is very handy (Northants is quite flat!).
GEAR ⚙️
* Black Diamond Microspikes have arrived. I put them on my trail runners and they fit ok but I don’t think I’ll have an opportunity to test them out in the UK. I’m going to wait until I get to California before I hire or purchase an ice axe and bear canister.
* Added reflective strips to my food bag so I can see which one is mine when it’s hanging in the trees.
* Turkey bags are on their way!
* Two new Sun Hoodies have arrived, but I need to test them out before making a final decision.
Not too much to report at the moment as I am really just focused on training.
The photo below is Forrester Pass – this is just past Mount Whitney so I won’t be getting that far this time around. It looks quite scary!
93 DAYS TO GO!
THIS WEEK MY FOCUS HAS BEEN ON THE SNOW.
⛄️ Everyone in the PCT Facebook Groups is discussing 2023 being a high snow year which will make it incredibly challenging to cross the Sierras. High snow levels can contribute to hikers’ risk of hypothermia, avalanches, dangerous river crossings, and even springtime rock slides. We still have a few months to go so the weather can change in that time, but the charts at the moment are higher than 2017 which was a record snow year and that is quite concerning.
I have promised my family that I won’t take any unnecessary risks. So if it means that my hike stops at mile 702, at Kennedy Meadows (which is where the Sierra Mountains start) then that’s what I will do. I can save Mount Whitney for another day although I know I’ll be dreadfully disappointed.
💦 One of the bonuses of having a high snow year in the Sierras is that the desert section will have more water. Water is extremely heavy, so having more regular water sources on the trail will make life more pleasant during the desert hike.
🐀 I learned a very cool tip this week. I have purchased a couple of turkey roasting bags. “What for?” I hear you ask! One bag will go inside my DCF food bag and the other will house my shoes at night, inside my tent. Apparently, the critters (including mice, rats, and chipmunks) are attracted to all smells and salt. They chew through everything so it’s important to keep anything that has a smell to it inside an odourless bag, and then keep it inside your tent (turkey bags are perfect). This is only relevant to areas which do not require a bear canister which is a whole other topic!
Note to self, find out what a chipmunk is!
TRAINING – 🏋️♀️
🥾- Completed a 10 miler with a full pack in the mud and rain on Saturday. The average walking distance per day for the last 7 days is 8.58 (According to my Garmin I have walked 60.1 miles this week).
🎒 We have had very wet weather so I’ve been taking my full rucksack to the gym! I’ll be walking in the desert so I don’t need to practice walking in the rain! On the treadmill, I can increase the elevation which is very handy (Northants is quite flat!).
GEAR ⚙️
* Black Diamond Microspikes have arrived. I put them on my trail runners and they fit ok but I don’t think I’ll have an opportunity to test them out in the UK. I’m going to wait until I get to California before I hire or purchase an ice axe and bear canister.
* Added reflective strips to my food bag so I can see which one is mine when it’s hanging in the trees.
* Turkey bags are on their way!
* Two new Sun Hoodies have arrived, but I need to test them out before making a final decision.
Not too much to report at the moment as I am really just focused on training.
The photo below is Forrester Pass – this is just past Mount Whitney so I won’t be getting that far this time around. It looks quite scary!