Re the bear can...
uh..
You realize you can build yourself a barcalounger with
cup holders in snow? Or chair, or..
But... if you wanna carry extra weight... knock yourself out. I'd carry 3 pounds of extra food instead of a bear can...
or another can of fuel to use for the huge amount of
snow you'll be having to melt.
If you haven't hiked big distances in the snow...
I'd highly recommend a late May hike ... there still
won't be hoards out or bugs... but the streams are more
of a concern... depending on snow pack year
Have fun
Yosemite NP requires bear canisters year round. Can't find anything online about it for Kings Canyon, but I bet where it's required it is required year round. I'm mostly worried that the damn Barikade will freeze shut on me rather than those 2 extra pounds
will consider the snow lounger on a slow day - would make a good photo, too
fuel - still no clear word about what's better in the cold - liquid or gas - but I already know that if you need to bring a lot of fuel, liquid in a bottle tends to be lighter.
Hiking in snow? Well, I live in an ice box here. We have snow from early Dec through March, 100+ inches a year in a good winter. My kids build snow caves in what I shovel off my driveway. I haven't used snow shoes much, but you just become used to this cold stuff living here. And if I am about to go for a big long white JMT, I'll just have to spend some time in the cold Wisconsin outdoors "warming up" for it. The good thing if spending a winter here before heading there in April is that I will be acclimated to the cold to some extent and not see that as a major obstacle. Moving across the snow with a heavy pack on sometimes sketchy terrain is enough to worry about.
Late May isn't what I am looking for - would be too similar to my early summer hikes in big snow years except for the bugs. The idea is to experience real winter conditions. Hey, at least I am not planning a winter yoyo hike but knowing how these things go, somebody will eventually do that, too.
