Don’t Panic and Wing-it are likely hikers #5-6 in the northbound wave. I talked to them today, June 14th, from Mammoth Lakes. They have some interesting and potentially helpful information to pass along. As you read this, know that the conditions they faced are likely much different from those that you will face. That doesn’t necessarily mean that it will be easier, but it will be different. Note that Don’t Panic and Wing-it have already hike the PCT, CDT and AT (Wing-it missed some miles on the PCT so they’re doing the whole trail again). They are super fit and strong hikers who averaged 29 miles per day from the border, often walk 30+ miles per day and don’t take many days off.

They left the Kennedy Meadows area on June 2nd, and arrived at VVR on the 10th (where they zeroed). They left VVR on the 12th and arrived at Mammoth Lakes on the 13th. “It’s been wild. It’s nothing I’ve ever experienced.” Wing-it said. While there were decent steps across Forester, the chute was “hard snow and ice that our ice-axes couldn’t penetrate”. They felt that their Microspikes were essential but wished they had real crampons. An impassible cornice blocked Mather Pass and they did a near vertical rock climb on the left side of the pass to bypass it.

It seems like runoff hadn’t peaked yet. They crossed Evolution Creek at the appropriate crossing, upstream of the PCT at the meadow crossing. Bear Creek was their hardest crossing. They crossed it at the PCT, in tandem technique, it was swift and reached Don’t Panic’s upper thigh (he’s 6’2’’).

They never had to camp on snow, but only achieved this through a lot of hard work. Generally, it was all snow walking from south of Crabtree Meadows to Woods Creek. They report 8-10 feet of snow in the valleys and that it “won’t melt anytime soon”. In a few weeks, “it won’t be any easier because the snow is like a series of ramps that you need to walk up and down”.

“Snow makes it an incredible amount of work. It’s discouraging to hike the hardest you’ve ever hiked for only 13 miles of progress.” “We did things that not a lot of average thru-hikers could do. We hiked Pinchot and Mather Passes in the same day to avoid camping in snow. It was about 20 miles on snow.”

“This is not hiking the trail. It’s more a winter ice endurance event. The experience doesn’t relate to thruhiking. For people who aren’t into that, it won’t be fun at all.” They also made sure to emphasize that the Sierra is “beautiful!”

Please be prepared if you’re heading into the Sierra. A fall on snow, a slip in a creek or running out of food because of slower miles and exhaustion are all real possibilities.

VVR is open. The road to Red’s Meadow was just starting to be plowed on June 13th (there was ten feet of snow), so Red’s is unlikely to open any time soon. Tuolumne Meadows is still closed and will be closed for a long time. Don’t Panic and Wing-it plan to resupply at Kennedy Meadows North. The store at Echo Lakes is closed, the road has not been plowed and it is possible that it won’t open until early July. The box that they sent there is being held in nearby Twin Bridges, CA.

Written by Trail Information Specialist, Jack Haskel.

Ned Tidbits reports to us by satellite phone that his party is north of Kennedy Meadows, having recently passed the Olancha Peak area. He says that there are thruhikers at Kennedy Meadows gearing up to follow his tracks.

Snow is reported to be "hard and compacted" at 2-5 feet deep on south facing slopes and 3-5 feet on north facing. Snow level starts at 10,000 feet on south facing and 9,500 feet on north facing. Early morning the snow is hard, reportedly requiring traction devices.

His party finds that their Kahtoola Microspikes are "rolling off the bottoms of our feet" on side hills, but that their Kahtoola KTS crampons are "great".

I did a backpacking trip from Chimney Ck CG to Clover Mdw and I want to report how the trail is.I did this trip on May 10th to the 12th.The trail is in real good condition in that area it looked like tread work in the area of Long Valley was done not that long ago so its in great shape I counted a total of 11 felled snags and there are no washouts to report.

Just a heads up for planning for 2011; The Sierra snow pack is at an all-time high! (200%) Mammoth has 15 feet on the ground still, Tioga almost as much. Expect solid snow on the ground from Cottonwood area north well into June this season!

Tioga will definitely be late in opening, which means the Post Office at Tuolumne won't be open - maybe until very late in June. All passes and trails out to roadheads will be under snow well into June - think about your resupply points.

Basically - don't come too early. Not this year. Be prepared for a LOT of snow and difficult stream crossings until end of July!

Kennedy Meadows Store north of Walker Pass will be open to receive parcels, but know that you'll be in snow from there north!

I backpacked from Walker Pass Campground to Chimney Peak Campground on the weekend of 5/15 through 5/16/2010. I would like to report the trail concitions here.

From Walker Pass Campground to Owen's Peak Saddle, there were perfect trail conditions. However, after the Owen's Peak Saddle, the trail needs major pick-axe work. It almost seemed like side-hilling since the trail was almost erased by slides.

Although, when I got to Cow Canyon the conditions were almost identical. There is water flowing through a pipe at Joshua Tree Springs. BLM has a sign posted at this point which states that the water is unsafe for drinking, so I would recommend filtering any water obtained from this source (or the use of chlorine tablets).

Spanish Needles Canyon also needs pick-axe work done; however, in addition to the slides, there are also many trees downed due to high winds earlier this year. The Spanish Needles Creek is flowing and is a good water source.

Over the Spanish Needles Saddle on the north side, the trail was in fair to good condition all the way to Chimney Creek Campground. I am interested in helping to maintain this section of trail. I can be reached by email at hyltonsteve@rocketmail.com if you desire my help. There is no water at the Chimney Creek Campground since BLM has shut the well off. There were BLM officials working there. When I asked them about the well, they stated that they were attempting to repair the well to working order.