That stretch of the Pacific Crest Trail through the Sierra Nevada wrecked me for a whole day

I hit the section near Evolution Basin last June and thought I was prepared but nope. Carrying 40 pounds of gear and bear canister through snowfields at 12,000 feet drained me in 3 miles. Anyone else hit a specific section that just took everything out of them?

3 comments

3 Comments

lee6894d ago

My first time through Donner Pass I dropped my bear canister down a ravine and had to climb after it.

beth_park4d ago

Drop your base weight before you hit that section again, even 5 pounds makes a huge difference at altitude. Pack a lighter bear canister like the BV450 instead of the 500 if you can stretch your food, and ditch any extra clothing layers you didn't actually wear. Trust me, I used to haul 45 pounds through the Sierra and cutting down to 35 made those snowfields feel almost manageable.

elliot_roberts4d ago

Also swap out your cook system if you're still bringing a full MSR stove and fuel canister. A cold soak setup or a tiny BRS 3000T with a 4oz canister saves like half a pound easy. Ditch the tent poles too if you can go with a trekking pole shelter, that alone shaved off damn near a full pound from my load last season. And for real, check your first aid kit, most people carry way too much stuff in there, pare it down to just the essentials.