PCT2002_Jun02

Outdoor Adventures with Ancient Brit

PCT 2002 - June 2nd

Day 47: Sunday 2nd June        Peak 8226 - S. Fork, Kern River

  Most of today’s route was through the area burnt by the Manter Fire of 2000, which
had been started by an environmentally minded hiker burning toilet paper! I saw the
first wisps of smoke from the fire on 23rd July 2000, during my previous trip and by the
next day the smoke had filled Owen’s Valley and spread a hundred miles to the north.
Starting a long way from roads and habitation in the Dome Wilderness, the fire had got
out of control before the Fire Service were able to put in resources to suppress it and it
had still been burning when I left California at the end of august. It reached Kennedy
Meadows and burnt out a few cabins before it was extinguished.
  I crossed a jeep road where Scott, Ken, John and Jan were being dropped off to walk to
Kennedy Meadows. Their “chauffeur” offered to take my rucksack to Kennedy Meadows
store allowing me to slackpack for a few miles. While chatting with them “Goof”,
“Restless Wind”, Larry and Parker arrived down the trail at high speed and also took
advantage of the chance to slackpack. The sky clouded over in the afternoon and I was
concerned that it would rain since my waterproofs were still with my pack.
  Kennedy Meadows Store was a key point on the PCT as it was the final supply point
before the roadless High Sierra. It was the point at which decisions had to be made on
what equipment to carry in the high mountains. Many thru-hikers who have been
travelling very lightweight through Southern California now pick up more substantial
equipment to cope with the high mountains. Since I had been well equipped from the
beginning my only problem was what to carry to cope with the snow conditions. I decided
that I could manage without crampons, but that I had better carry an ice axe. Since I was
already carrying walking poles I wasn’t sure whether I would also need an ice axe, but I
decided on safety. Walking poles can do most things an ice axe is used for, but they
cannot be used to cut steps in hard snow or ice, nor can they be used for self-arrest in
case of a fall.
  When I arrived at the store the “deck” was overrun with hikers, including section
hikers: Scott, Ken, John, Jan, Laura and Jan and thru-hikers: Parker, Luke, Andrew,
“Grasshopper”, “Goof”, “Restless Wind” and Larry. Other thru-hikers present were
Ken and Cindy, Dan and “Hahn Solo”.
  “Hahn Solo”, (James Bennett) from Boston, was attempting to hike the PCT in 84
days. He was a member of the US National Guard and had to finish by the end of July
before getting back to duty. He was extremely lightly equipped with much homemade
equipment. Like many of the thru-hikers he was carrying a white spirit stove made from
a soda can. I wouldn’t want to cope with bad weather in the high mountains with the
equipment that he was carrying. He seemed to be living off noodles and dried vegetables,
which couldn‘t have been an ideal diet for such an arduous trip. He had just lost 3 days to
gastro-enteritis and his feet looked a mess. It seemed to us that he was doing the walk
solely as a challenge, rather than because he was enjoying the hike.
  Most of these thru-hikers were resting up for several days at Kennedy Meadows, but
since I had only just restarted after a week off I set off again in the evening and camped
by the Kern River above the Kennedy Meadows Campground. My pack was now very
heavy as I was carrying about 7 days food.

  Day 47: 21.0 miles        8.34 miles             Camp: S. Fork, Kern River