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6 PCT Through-hikers today...5 men, 1 woman...
All bailing via Mulkey Pass...
Rumors are:
-There is a (solo) skier doing the High Sierra sections of PCT...
-There is a group of 12 heading for a re-supply at Bishop...(kind of doubt this one...there were NoBo tracks, but definitely not a dozen people worth...)
I spent quite a bit of time talking to a solo at Mulkey Pass...4 days from Kennedy Meadows...another group of 3 couldn't handle more than 10 miles per day and had had enough...The guy at Mulkey told me there were tracks NoBo, so I headed to Trail Pass...no noticeable tracks heading down, but I've been there enough and just plowed my way down to the TH...Look for another thread with photos...
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Joined: Dec 2002
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I have been following a few PCT hikers on Youtube. This one posted video, showed 16 hikers leaving Kennedy Meadows in the morning. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymidY-un52E&t=779sIt was amazing to see the South Fork of the Kern flowing as high as it was. I can't imagine river crossings this year. I have 4 wilderness permits this year starting at the end of June over Trail Pass to Rocky Lakes Basin. No sure any more on the hike. paul
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Joined: Jun 2003
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The consensus among the hikers (4 0f 6) I talked to...
Forget about this summer if it involves a stream crossing...
My added thought...think about how much of a bog the meadows crossings are going to be...
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Rode up past Kennedy Meadows to see if Sherman Pass Road was open...it isn't...
Turned around and headed over to Kennedy Meadows Campground and got chased off by a County Worker...
I saw a big group of SoBo hikers near the river...
The Chimney Peak Scenic Byway has been repaired...
There were campers at the Chimney Creek Campground.
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Joined: Jun 2003
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Sorry Paul...with the weather not hitting summer temps yet, I've been riding dirt bikes the past few days...
Crossed paths with a thru-hiker on the contour below Mt. Jenkins (climbed it from above the Mine...)
As expected. none of the drainages off of Morris and Jenkins were running any more...
On another note: the damage up in Indian Wells Canyon is pretty extensive...worse than earlier this year...yesterday (luckily, on a light bike) I dropped into one of the ruts and couldn't ride out, so I had to lay the bike on its side and drag it up-and=out...
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Joined: Jun 2003
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Stopped to talk to a SoBo'er just north of Honeymoon Peak while doing 10k on the PCT out of Walker Pass...(Hey Shin, I can still walk...:-)
Interesting conversation...
-Still snowfields to deal with as he was passing thru the Sierra...
-The NPS had finished dismantling the damaged bridge...he felt that it would be replaced...I fear the Wilderness Weenies may protest, making enough noise that the NPS will pass...I'll be glad if I'm wrong on this one...
-When asked about a detour, he said that the water level was low enough that he waded across...
(Shin feared that I might have to learn how to walk again...mileage totals well in excess of 8k miles (physical and virtual on bikes and dirt bikes...)) If winter stays away, I'll probably try a few climbs up Whitney...soon.
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Joined: Jun 2003
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Monday, Tuesday and Thursday (2 electric, 1 gas) I went for rides into the Southern Sierra... Indian Wells Canyon is in even worse shape than it was last year...high clearance, or 2 wheels (moto) required... (I rode 177 instead of 164... to the Owens Peak Trailhead...) I'd be surprised if there is any snow on the PCT from Walker Pass (significantly) North... Here are a few photos...the Wildflowers are pretty wild right now:  Five Fingers.  Owens Peak has little snow remaining.  Back side of Five Fingers.  Five Fingers (south).  KTM Freeride (poster photo).  RFN ebike (poster photo).  Hiking up to Five Fingers.  From Morris Peak to Sawtooth...almost no snow...  
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Richard.....great pictures. You really do a great job of capturing the essence of the area. I've never been there but your pictures make me want to go and enjoy the area.
Just a side note. I visit Vasquez Rocks 2 to 3 times a week for hiking. A little over a week ago, a couple of PCT hikers went through, which seems early. However, come April, when most start arriving in town, you run into, sometimes ten or so a day.
Richard, I don't have to say this, but enjoy life.
Paul
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Joined: Jun 2003
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thanks Paul.
I rode up to Kennedy Meadows Campground and did 6+ miles round-trip up the PCT. One snow patch...
The north facing slopes up above about 7k are still holding a little snow, but I don't think those slopes will pose much of a challenge...
I'm thinking of testing my long-distance legs by doing KM to Olancha Pass sometime soon...
Might ending doing the JMT by sections again this summer...
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I did my (somewhat) annual ride up to McIver's Cabin on a 12hp 150 today...plenty of 1st gear riding...  2 SxS's and 3 4WD's were all I saw...no PCT hikers yet. The spring is running strong...  I don't know if it's just me getting old, but the trail just keeps getting worse...and this year there was absolutly no snow...
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I rode up past Bird Spring Pass to Wyleys Knob today... Lots of water and some (emergency?) supplies at the Pass... From Wyleys, I could see quite a bit of the PCT and didn't see any hikers... Here are a couple of photos:  PCT South...  PCT North... Oh, BTW, if you like Lupine, a trip up into Indian Wells Canyon would be worth your while...amazing display up high in the canyon...and I actually saw a man and his dog walking there yesterday afternoon...
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Joined: Jun 2003
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Richard, how was the road to the Owen's Peak trailhead ? Is it passable for cars ?
Thanks Here's a video of the condition of 164 (Owend Peak TH Rd)... Scroll to 1:53.. I cut over to the Aqueduct Rd at about 2:13... Indain Wells CanyonI think a skilled driver with high-clearance (2wd) could make it up... (There are enough detours around the really extreme damage.)
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