Pacific Crest Trail Water Report

ADZPCTKO 2015 Lake Morena, CA

About the PCT Water Report ❖

Available online at www.pctwater.com

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Water reports from Pacific Crest Trail hikers on the trail

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HTML or PDF file formats

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Often updated several times a day

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Please send Water Report updates to: ❖

email [email protected]

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text (619) 734-7289

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call (619) 734-7289 (no one will answer, leave voice mail)

New for 2015 ❖

The Water Report was started and maintained for may years by AsABat. It is now maintained by Double Tap and Halfmile.

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Expanded coverage for Northern California and Oregon.

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Reformatted: Campo to Idyllwild, Idyllwild to Action, and Acton to Cottonwood pass for more convenient printing and downloading.

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Stricter standards for reports about water caches.

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Reviving @pctwater Twitter account for 2015.

A note about the PCTHYOH app ❖

Sadly, Ruffwork the developer of the PCTHYOH app passed away on April 17, 2014.

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Many hikers used the PCTHYOH app to cache the Water Reports for offline viewing on smartphones.

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The PCTHYOH app no longer available in the iPhone app store. It should still work if already installed on your iPhone. Still available on the Google Play store.

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The PCTHYOH app will not display the new Northern California and Oregon Water Reports.

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We suggest using one of the many available PDF reader apps offline Water Report viewing.

Southern California Rainfall 2015 vs 2014 October

November

December

January

February

March

Total Inches

% Normal

2015 Lake Henshaw Dam (near mile 110)

0.00

0.88

5.40

0.68

1.78

2.41

11.15

49%

Big Bear Fire Station (near mile 266)

0.00

0.88

7.81

1.12

1.48

0.66

11.95

72%

Mount Wilson (near mile 403)

0.82

1.62

9.70

2.84

3.43

0.90

19.31

62%

Average of locations:

14.1

61%

2014 Lake Henshaw Dam (near mile 110)

0.76

0.60

1.02

0.38

4.30

2.68

9.74

Big Bear Fire Station (near mile 266)

1.78

0.74

1.12

0.31

1.25

4.75

9.95

Mount Wilson (near mile 403)

1.40

1.97

0.57

0.51

9.60

1.87

15.92

Average of locations:

11.87

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2.23 inches more rain has fallen in Southern California in 2015 than 2014 (19% increase). It’s still dry — Southern California rainfall only 61% of normal.

Source: California Nevada River Forecast Center — http://www.cnrfc.noaa.gov/rainfall_data.php

Water Caches ❖

Should not be relied on.

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With increased numbers of hikers, water caches will be even less reliable in 2015 than previous years.

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The Water Report uses a stricter standard for reporting of water cache info this year.

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Several water caches are no longer maintained — Scissors Crossing, 2 water caches in Section F.

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Unmaintained water caches are strongly discouraged.

The Number Of PCT Hikers Is Increasing Every Year Permits Issued By The PCTA Year

Total Permits

Thru-Hiker

Section-Hiker

Completions

2013

1879

1042

837

258

2014

2655

1468

1187

425

2015

??

??

??

Hikers at Ziggy and the Bear’s (mile 211) Year

April 1st

April 7th

April 14th

April 21st

2013

3

3

16

2014

26

40

79

235

2015

31

61

121

317

3rd Gate Water Cache 3rd Gate Water Cache Usage (gallons) Year 2012 2013 2014 2015 Used before Feb 28 25 100 31 Used by March 31 80 86 172 193 Used by April 30 399 486 628 409 Used by May 31 737 716 882 Total Gallons 737 716 882 409

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as of 4/16

Mile 91.2 (1/4 mile east of PCT) No other cache on the PCT as reliable as the 3rd gate cache — don’t expect to find any other caches like this one! Take the minimum amount needed No campfires Barrel Spring is only 9.9 miles north on the PCT Can the 3rd Gate Cache keep up with the number of PCT hikers in 2015?

Source: Jan

Lower Morris Meadow — mile 38

Willow Spring — mile 521 (1.6 miles off trail)

Piped Spring — mile 317

Golden Oak Spring — mile 538

Beware of Contaminated Water Purify backcountry water. Things that could make you sick are too small to see. You don’t know if a dead carcass was just removed from that tank/spring/creek or what’s hidden upstream. Close lids on springs and tanks to protect water quality. ALWAYS treat water that comes from a pipe spring or a tank. They cannot even guess what might be lurking in the water.

Barrel Spring on 4/16/15, just before cleaning by Lawrence the Spring Guy.

Section A — Campo to Warner Springs Water Sources: Mile 1 — Campo (19 miles to next water source) Mile 20 — Lake Morena Campground (6 miles to next water source) Mile 26 — Boulder Oaks Campground (7 miles to next water source) Mile 33 — Cibbets Campground (5 miles to next water source) Mile 38 — Long Creek (5 miles to next water source) Mile 43 — Mount Laguna Lodge Store, Visitor Center (6 miles to next water source) Mile 49 — GART Faucet (across Sunrise Hwy —11 miles to next water source) Mile 60 — Sunrise Trailhead (across Sunrise Hwy — 8 miles to next water source) Mile 68 — Rodriguez Spur Fire Tank (23 miles to next water source) Mile 91 — 3rd Gate, underground cistern, water cache (10 miles to next water source) Mile 101 — Barrel Spring (7 miles to next water source) Mile 108 — Canada Verde (3 miles to next water source) Mile 110 — Warner Springs, Community Resource Center

Dry Sections Of The PCT Mile 1 — Campo 19 miles to Lake Morena • Carry plenty of water. • If you get lost, paved Buckman Springs Road is probably 2 - 3 miles to the east. • The climb out of Hauser Canyon (mile 15) can be very hot in the late afternoon. • It’s OK to take two days to do this section. • If you only carry 1.5 - 3 days of food and resupply in Lake Morena Village (small store) and/or Mt Laguna (small store or mail a package) your pack will be much lighter. Mile 186 — N Fork San Jacinto 20 miles to Snow Creek • Rescues have occurred in this area from hikers who become lost, dehydrated, sickened by bad food, or difficult snow conditions. • No water for 20 miles after you pass mile 186. • PCT descends rapidly from Mt San Jacinto to hot sandy terrain. Mile 342 — Cajon Pass (Hwy 15) 23 miles to Guffy Spring • Long, usually waterless 6,000 foot climb, limited camping options, often hot weather. Mile 518 — Hikertown 24 miles to Tylerhorse Canyon • Aqueduct roadwalk, often very hot. Mile 566-653 — California Section F (Tehachapi Pass to Walker Pass) • Always one of the driest sections of the PCT. • Hikers usually arrive later in the season when weather is warmer. • Golden Oak Spring probably will not be reliable this year. • Several 30+ mile waterless sections. Mile 1375-1404 — Hat Creek Rim • 29 mile waterless section. • Hikers usually arrive later in the season when weather is warmer. • Very little shade. Mile 1821 - Crater Lake Rim 26 miles to Thielsen Creek • 26 mile waterless section. • Oregon can be surprisingly dry in some sections due to volcanic soil.

Section F — Tehachapi Pass to Walker Pass Water Sources: Mile 566 — Tehachapi (36 miles to next water source) • •

Golden Oak Spring WR583 is probably not reliable this year. Starting at Tehachapi-Willow Springs Rd adds 8 miles to the waterless stretch (making it 44 miles).

Mile 602 — Robin Bird Spring (7 miles to next water source) Mile 609 — Landers Camp (11 miles to next water source) Mile 620 — Willow Spring (31 miles to next water source) •

Willow Spring is 1.6 miles off-trail

Southern California Snow ❖

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It can snow at any place and anytime along the PCT. Snow is unlikely to be a serious issue this year. Mt Laguna (mile 42) can get light snow, but it usually melts quickly and not dangerous. Mt San Jacinto (mile 170-191) can have steep dangerous snow. A PCT hiker died in this area during a snowstorm in 2005. Big Bear area (mile 245 - 275) can have snow. Usually not steep or dangerous along the PCT near Big Bear. Mt Baden-Powell (mile 375 - 385) can have steep dangerous snow.

Sierra Snow ❖

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This is a very low snow year in the Sierra. Only 3% of normal on 4/17/15. Snow can linger on north and east facing mountain slopes or in shade. Snow can melt during the day and refreeze at night causing slick dangerous conditions in the morning. Hiking on snow be slower than hiking on dry trail even if conditions are not dangerous. Snow can completely obscure the trail making navigation difficult. Sonora Pass (mile 1017) can have a lot of snow.

PCT Closures ❖

Mountain Fire — Mile 163: On Mount San Jacinto near Idyllwild. An unofficial 20.4 mile detour bypasses the Mountain Fire closure area and rejoins the PCT at mile 178 near Tahquitz Peak. • Avoid hiking on Hwy 243 into Idyllwild

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Endangered Species Closure — Mile 386 or 390: After Wrightwood. A 20.5 mile detour that bypasses 7.8 miles of the PCT or the old 4.9 mile detour that bypasses 4 miles of the PCT are possible. • This closure has been in place for many years to protect the Mountain Yellow-Legged Frog. • Old detour is shorter but requires 2.7 miles of road walking along a potentially dangerous highway

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Powerhouse Fire — Mile 478: Near Lake Hughes. An unofficial 12.9 mile detour bypasses 15.2 miles of the PCT.

For the latest closure information see: http://www.pcta.org/discover-the-trail/trail-conditions-and-closures/ http://www.pctmap.net/updates/

Other Information ❖

Warner Springs Community Center — Mile 109: The Warner Springs Community Center [near the 1st PCT crossing of Hwy 74] is very hiker-friendly with wi-fi internet access, phone charging, hot meals at reasonable prices, and a small but surprisingly well stocked hiker store. Open 8-4 daily.

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The Saufley’s in Agua Dulce have closed — Mile 454: Hiker Heaven [AKA the Saufley’s] have closed and are no longer hosting Pacific Crest Trail hikers or accepting resupply packages. Agua Dulce does not have a post office. Alternate resupply options to consider: • The Acton KOA RV Park [mile 444.2] accepts resupply packages and has a very small store. • The small town of Acton [6 miles east of PCT mile 444.2] has a post office. • Agua Dulce [mile 454.5] has a good grocery store. • Green Valley [about 2 miles west of PCT mile 478.2] has a small convenience store. This is near the Andersons. Note that the Anderson’s are not able to accept hiker resupply packages this year. • Lake Hughes [about 2 miles north of PCT mile 485.7] has a post office and small store.