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Re: High Water Reminder

Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2011 11:17 pm
by gary c.
I don't claim to be much more than a novice compared to most folks on here but this group of PCT hikers sounds like an accedent waiting to happen. It sounds like they came pretty close to loseing one on there way out of VVR.

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Snowcone went next, and through the series of stream crossings, we learned that she had never learned to swim, and consequently, was terrified of water. These fears that are encountered on the trail, rational and irrational, are tough. There isn’t a way to run away, there isn’t a way to avoid them. They can blanket you in a moment, tying you to that moment so tight, either immobilizing you, or forcing you to break through. My fear of heights has been pushed many times, and I can completely relate to the intensity of the moment Snowcone went through when she started across that stream. She made it through the first part fine, but once she hit the current, her steps became faster, she tried to run through it, and was swept away in a moment that must have been petrifying. The last thing I remember was her scream, arching out, and the result: Pyrite was still barefoot with his pack off, so he jumped into the stream, Stephane rushed across as he was already crossing, Liam went in, and Redneck went in, and 8 hands were grabbing on to her, pulling at her, keeping her from being completely taken under. Her pack, heavy with water, was weighing her down and she didn’t undue the waist or sternum straps, so that was the first thing that needed to be taken off. She was unable to get her feet under her, so it took 5 of us, to get her to a tree, pull her out, and get her on to solid ground. Everyone was shaken. And more than everyone, she was shaken. Shaken so much that at each subsequent crossing, and there were others, she relived that moment in the first Mono Creek Crossing. But she didn’t turn around, and she faced it, and she got through it.

Re: High Water Reminder

Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2011 1:48 am
by DAVELA
I think what these guys are doing is amazing but some of it seems insane-is it normal to hike thru a waterfall like this.I would mentally approach this like going over niagara falls in a canoe.Maybe this is for the X games?
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This photo is insane if not lunacy.Is this standard practice?Are these guys gonna come out alive of this adventure?

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Re: High Water Reminder

Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2011 11:36 am
by SSSdave
Am expecting flows on Bear Creek at 9550 to continue to increase as snow in the upper basins gets shallower. Currently all those areas are solid snow that tends to keep the melt reduced. As more rock shows and depths drop, melting will increase. Have read some early thru hikers have crossed with difficulty thus far but that is dead certain to change for the worse. Thru hikers are likely to go for it regardless because their food will be running out as they close in on VVR to resupply. A bad situation.

Re: High Water Reminder

Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2011 4:32 pm
by gary c.
Does anyone have an opinion on when the stream flows will start to drop?

Re: High Water Reminder

Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2011 7:31 pm
by Wandering Daisy
CDEC data shows that the peak flows are over, but still high, slowly going down. The PCT journals also indicate that the peak flows are going down, at least on the major drainages. Small upper creeks probably will peak later when the higher snow melts. You have to look at the elevation of the portion of the drainage that lies above the point you want to cross. If most snow still remains, the flows have yet to peak. The CDEC snowmelt data indicate that most of the snow is gone at elevations lower than 10,000 feet. A sudden thunder storm, of course, will cause higher flows for a short period. And northern Sierra, there is still a lot of snow at the 8000 foot level. Horsetail Falls out of Lake Aloaha is really huge!

Re: High Water Reminder

Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2011 9:14 pm
by gary c.
Thanks WD,
I hadn't seen any actual figures but it seemed to like the creeks are still very high from the PCT journals I've been following. Our trip starts July 23 over Duck Pass to VVR and then out over Mono to LLV. I have been kind of worried about whether or not we would be able to hike the JMT or have to take one of the lower trails. If the snow line is approching 10,000 now the end of the month should be fine. I was sure that the trail would be OK because of all the through hikers having passed. Crossing high water and finding fishable water anong the way has been my main concern lately.