Debris from the storm of 2003 (Section 96)
Thunderstorms develop mainly as a result of convection currents caused by the power of the sun and are concentrated in the summer months, with July being the peak. The frequency of thunderstorms diminishes as you head north. Storm clouds usually start to build in the early afternoon, with the storm arriving in the late afternoon or evening.
Yucca at Vasquez Rocks (Section 18)
A thru’-hiker can expect hot, dry weather in Southern California and the High Sierra. Northern California is hiked at the peak of the thunderstorm season but there are fewer here than further south. Oregon in August is generally warm and dry but an occasional frontal storm or thunderstorm can be expected. In Washington in September you can expect periods of frontal rain but you can also get long sunny periods.
The weather’s boring!
Liz Willis, a British thru’-hiker in 2002, after weeks of continuous sunshine in California.
The weather does not always follow these patterns. You must be prepared for rain or snow at any time in the mountains.
Plant and wildlife
Vegetation
The mountain vegetation of California and Oregon has to deal with a difficult climate. Most of the precipitation at higher altitudes comes in winter, in the form of snow, and there is very little rain in summer. It has to survive high summer and low winter temperatures, as well as the poor quality soils in areas where granite is the predominant rock type.
The first thing Northern Europeans will notice on the PCT is the absence of grass and the poor quality of the meadows. Grass requires a lot of water and it isn’t until you reach Washington that it seems to thrive.
The second feature Europeans will notice in Southern California is the absence of trees at lower altitudes, except along creeks. Only at higher altitudes are temperatures cool enough and water plentiful enough for trees to survive. Below tree-line chaparral predominates. Chaparral is composed of broad-leaved shrubs, bushes and small trees, usually below 8ft high, which have evolved to cope with hot dry conditions. At the lowest altitudes, in the drier areas, only true desert vegetation survives and you will see various species of cactus and yucca.
Just some of the flowers and cacti you may see along the Trail
There are many different species of tree on the PCT and each seems to have evolved to fill a particular niche in the ecosystem. Deciduous trees predominate at lower altitudes where there is sufficient water but in the mountains you see a wide variety of pine.
There is also an upper limit to tree-line, above which conditions are too harsh for any tree to survive. In Southern California the hardiest species eek out an existence at 9000ft on exposed ridges but in Washington you will find that trees struggle to survive on ridges at 6000ft.
You will see many dead or dying trees. In many areas they are suffering from beetle infestations, as well as problems caused by pollution and forest fires.
In Washington you will spend much of your time in what is described as temperate rainforest, with the profusion of vegetation you would expect when there is plenty of rain throughout the year.
For much of the PCT you will hike through areas of forest that are only very lightly managed. Often this consists of little more than keeping trails clear for hikers. Fallen trees are allowed to rot, providing habitat for insects and returning nutrition into the soil. Only in Northern California will you hike through areas of commercial forestry, and even here authorities try to ensure a ribbon of natural woodland remains along the route of the PCT.
The variety and abundance of flowers increases as you head north. In Southern California the desert flora waits for rain before producing flowers and if you arrive in a wet spell you can expect to see the desert bloom. In a dry spell, however, there will be few signs of flowers. As you head north you will see plenty of flowers in the damper meadows.
Animals and birds
Some of the animals you will see are mentioned in the Wilderness Hiking section of the introduction; others will be featured in the map sections.
Birds have generally evolved separately in the Americas, and Europeans will find few species with which they are familiar. Migration patterns are mainly north-to-south rather than east-to-west and the greatest species-overlap is among waterfowl and waders (shore birds). Notes on the birds you are most likely to see appear in the map sections.
What the walking’s like
Southern California
The distance between Campo and Kennedy Meadows is approximately 700 miles. The terrain is varied, with rolling hills and mountains rising to 9000ft separated by sections of desert. This is an arid landscape with desert vegetation at low altitudes and chaparral (brush) at intermediate altitudes; only in the mountains is it cool and damp enough for forests to thrive. The PCT goes right past Deep Creek Hot Springs in San Bernardino National Forest, possibly the best wilderness hot springs in California.
Spring is the best season for hiking this section of the PCT but you need to wait until the snow has melted in the higher mountains. Thru’-hikers will tackle this section in April, May and June and this is the best time for section-hikers as well. In a dry year most of the creeks and springs will have dried up by early spring and you will encounter long stretches without water. Fortunately this section is well provided for by trail angels, who maintain many water caches to help hikers through the drier parts. Despite their help, there could be times when you need to carry up to six litres of water. To be successful and enjoy the conditions, you must work out a strategy to cope with the heat.
Even in April temperatures can reach 90°F (32°C) but don’t depend on it. You can get snow in the mountains and it can freeze at night. By May or June temperatures can exceed 100°F (38°C).
The ground is mainly sandy and finding somewhere to camp will rarely be a problem. You will see plenty of rattlesnakes but these are only really a danger to those who try to handle them. Any wild bears you encounter will run when they sense you and mosquitoes shouldn’t pose any problems.
The High Sierra
The 450 miles from Kennedy Meadows to Donner Pass take you through a spectacular alpine landscape. You reach an altitude of 13,180ft at Forester Pass and cross a succession of passes above 11,000ft. For much of the time you will be above tree-line, where ice age glaciation has produced a landscape of crags and bare rock, dotted with thousands of lakes. Between the high passes you drop into deep, forested valleys. The mountain ridges and summits are the realm of the rock climber and mountaineer, the valleys and high passes are for the walker.
Many hikers take a day off to scale 14,494ft Mount Whitney, the highest mountain in the US outside Alaska. For 200 miles the PCT coincides with the world famous John Muir Trail (JMT), which starts on the summit of Mount Whitney and ends in Yosemite Valley. The PCT leaves the JMT at the head of Yosemite and some hikers might want to take a few days off to explore this wonderland of rock domes and plunging waterfalls.
The High Sierra is the most exciting section of the PCT but also the part with most problems to overcome. Supply is a problem, with a 200-mile section without a single road. Any bears you meet might be after your food and mosquitoes can be a problem, especially just after the snow has melted.
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