Читать книгу Day & Section Hikes Pacific Crest Trail: Northern California онлайн

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The summer hiking season, depending on snowfall, generally extends from early April to late October. But there’s also a best time for every hike. For hikes set at the 5,000-foot elevation mark and under, wildflowers will be most abundant April through June. Hikes at this elevation are also good late-season hikes (October and November), depending on the current year’s storm cycle.

For hikes above 5,000 feet, you’ll have to watch the snowpack carefully to best time your hike. Generally, the trail is clear of substantial snowpack between the 5,000- and 8,000-foot elevation marks as summer rolls into late June; by July, the meadows and mountainsides between these elevations are covered in beautiful wildflowers. For hiking above the 8,000-foot mark, I recommend August because it is generally the warmest month and, if you’re lucky, you’ll catch the wildflowers and miss the mosquitoes. But never expect to be lucky. September is another perfect month to enjoy hiking above the 5,000-foot mark, but take note that the wildflowers will most likely be burned out below 8,000 feet (if not 10,000 feet). If you plan to exceed 10,000 feet in elevation, always expect to be cold no matter what month you’re hiking. As a rule of thumb, the temperature decreases about three degrees with every 1,000 feet of elevation gained. And as you gain in elevation, the likelihood of wind increases also.