High Sierra Topix

I like to follow PCT journals/blogs to get an idea of conditions. Supposedly there are thru-hikers who are going to at least attempt the Sierra. Evidently started from south Kennedy Meadows recently. Is anyone following these? PS- I do not do Facebook.

I'm following this one. Just started the Sierra.
https://www.youtube.com/@melissakozyra1480/videos

Here's a comment from 9pm (pacific) last night on Facebook:
As part of a group of 5 we made it from KMS to Bishop over Forester, Glenn, Pinchot, Mather and Bishop pass. Yes, the current conditions make it harder but it is doable. Everything is fully covered in snow. With crampons and ice axe and common sense, you should be fine. See Farout DVVPCT comments on the passes for details.

Daisy... Yes, I am following what I can find but am not subscribed to Far Out (Gut Hook) so have no details on "DVVPCT's" postings there. I find it remarkable that they managed to get from KM-S all the way to Bishop Pass without re-supply. That is 130 snow miles just to the PCT/Bishop Pass junction. Oh, and going over Forester up the ice chute sounded beyond my fear grade.

I am trying to get a "backpacking" trip in before the big thaw and the big mosquitoes but am floundering somewhat as do not want to do so alone in big snow land. Thus am closely looking at a PCT 'follow the trail' hike out of KM-S within the next week or so. I'm presuming there will be a fair amount of other hikers on the thing by then. I even got a cell phone (gaaahhh!) and downloaded CalTopo onto it as realized that with full snow cover I needed GPS positioning.

Anyway, IF the plan works out I may have a bit more direct info. in a while. Meanwhile I search Facebook PCT 2023 group (joined Facebook for the first time just for that - so some "sacrifices' have been required!) daily and also YouTube. I saw the video that @The Other Tom mentioned, but ends just some miles from where I turned back at 8,000+ ft. two weeks ago.

Best ~ Michaelzim

For those interested in PCT conditions - well, as of a week or so ago - here is a link to a detailed report by one of the first group to get all the way to Bishop Pass from Kennedy Meadows-South. Remarkable really, in trail runners and micro-spikes (or crampons).

https://tinyurl.com/bdf8sf4c

I was in KM-S a few days before this group left and they caught the severe cold snap just right. Since that window conditions have been very warm (and daily snow showers up at Bighorn Plateau zone!) and I have doubts that it is anywhere near as doable now. Creeks are likely much higher, snow bridges thinner, and post-holing from early morning on.

If anyone has more current reports on this please post. I'm twiddling thumbs watching the "window" disappear.

Best ~ M.

I have been following Joshua de St Croix (google "2023 PCT Journals"). He is in a group now going from Kerasrge north, last post at Woods Creek Bridge, which is useable. I like his reports because he has good photos and more information than just chit-chat about the group. His group has been able to cross creeks mainly on snow bridges, alpine starts at 2-3 AM, about 10-11 miles each day. Total snow, crampons, ice axe, camping on snow, heavy packs. For we mortals, I doubt we could get 5 miles a day with current conditions. They did not try to do Whitney- just went on through.

Great find Daisy...a more comprehensive look than many of the Facebook posts. Indeed, not mere mortals. The difficulties this year for PCT'ers have been considerable to say the least. I've met a few who are pining that they quit going northbound at Kennedy Meadows - S. and remind them strongly that 700 miles on foot, through a lot of snow too down south, is no small feat! Going off into the High Country this past month has been more of an "adventure" than I cared to take on.
M.

I've been following Dave's PCT Hike, see the link below. About a week ago he posted several videos of Whitney (his Day 70), Forester Pass (Day 72), and Kearsarge Pass (Day 73). It appears he exited Kearsarge and skipped up to Northern CA. He and his group were doing alpine starts, up at 2 am, hiking by 3 am, using snow bridges for many water crossing.

https://www.youtube.com/@davedurham5321/videos

Wandering Daisy wrote: ↑Tue Jun 06, 2023 4:25 pm I have been following Joshua de St Croix (google "2023 PCT Journals"). He is in a group now going from Kerasrge north, last post at Woods Creek Bridge, which is useable. I like his reports because he has good photos and more information than just chit-chat about the group. His group has been able to cross creeks mainly on snow bridges, alpine starts at 2-3 AM, about 10-11 miles each day. Total snow, crampons, ice axe, camping on snow, heavy packs. For we mortals, I doubt we could get 5 miles a day with current conditions. They did not try to do Whitney- just went on through.

Nice find. I much enjoyed reading the journal entries and viewing the photos. I noticed that rather than exiting at Bishop Pass, his group managed to make it across the San Joaquin at the broken bridge. Or at least I assume so, given the journal entries for the day before and after. But the entry for the day they did that particular 17.5 mile section is blank, which me makes me wonder if it was censored on purpose (either by himself or by a moderator?). Who knows, the crossing might have been less sketchy for them than some of the passes they already had to make it over, based on his journal descriptions, but I suppose that there is also the question of possibly misleading other PCTers that will follow. I do note they didn't have a problem writing about crossing the Woods Creek bridge, which is in far better shape but still officially "closed". And censored or not, anyone with a map is going to be able to figure out that they were somehow able to get through that section, so I'm not sure that leaving out a description makes things any better.

I imaging the snow bridges won't be an option much longer for many of the crossings.

I think skipping past the Sierras and coming back to them after getting to the Canada border is the saner option for most PCT thru hikers this year.