Unplanned Zero (Weather)

I woke up this morning and looked at the weather. A high in the mid-30’s and a low well below freezing. Our ride wasn’t able to return us to the trail until 11 a.m., so we were not in any rush. At breakfast I proposed that we remain in the condo until the weather improved. I’m from Wisconsin, and I don’t want to backpack in these conditions, especially in light weight gear. We are much better off staying warm and dry for $15 a night than struggling out in the cold and wet. The hot tub is nice as well.

We’ve been watching Facebook. People around us are hiding in bathrooms, calling for extraction from trail angels, and are miserable. One of the hikers I know who scaled Everest even called for an extraction, while we went to a theater to see the Avengers.

It is supposed to rain until 7 p.m. tomorrow, but it will be warmer. Then it will be in the mid-40’s. The day after will be sunny. The PCT is risky enough. There is no sense in compounding the danger when you have an option to wait a day.