[pct-l] 80 lbs

[ned at mountaineducation.org]

An expedition-heavy load is never desired, but sometimes a necessity. This 
is why:

We were HD video-taping along the Crest from KM to the Muir Trail Ranch to 
create 1) a PBS documentary, "The PCT Experience" for our producer who 
already had completed the first episode about the history of the trail, 2) 
navigational skills training segments about how to follow the trail when 
covered in snow above and below timberline, 3) snow skills training shorts 
detailing how to safely go up and down all the passes, 4) some video of all 
the creek crossings and how to get across them in one, preferably dry piece, 
5) sponsored product reviews filmed on-trail, 6) product promotional shorts 
for sponsor's websites, and 7) narrative details for the up-coming Snow 
Guide to the PCT. We were in for 10 to 12 days each segment moving along at 
about 4 to 8 miles per day filming everything we could think of that future 
hikers would want to see and know about.

We decided to leave KM "early" to capture what conditions would be like at 
their worst and how to deal with them for future hikers, thus the start date 
of May 10th out of KM for those who leave the Border north-bound in March or 
early April. We were alone out there until we came back in from a resupply 
in Independence and two and a half weeks off for a funeral and new sponsor 
gear between May 26th and June 13th. June 14th is when Calorie fell and we 
called in his rescue. (Still waiting to hear how the rest of Calorie's hike 
went after he healed up?) Back on the trail over Glen Pass we realized that 
about one or two dozen thrus were now ahead of us.

Therefore, we had a ton of food, camera gear, and snow and foul-weather 
equipment that allowed us to do what we did. The stills you can see at our 
Mountain Education FB page's two albums on the trip (our website is being 
remodeled--something I need to work on today...).

With ideal timing and weather, pack weights can be MUCH lower than ours, as 
daily attested by many on this list and others, so I'm sure our weights are 
a shock to see. We were out there to hike in the worst of what a thru might 
encounter, so for safety sake we chose to carry more of everything including 
large group stoves with extra fuel, big ice axes, extra-durable clothing, 
enough food for five meals a day (we liked eating!), extra communication 
(personal radios and Satellite phone) and GPS devices, snowshoes, and so 
forth.

Could this have been done lighter? Sure! We could have gone in for shorter 
lengths of time, but would have had to move faster to reach the next exit 
out (not our priority). We could have pre-placed caches along the way so we 
wouldn't have had to come out at all and would have had frequent resupplies 
on-trail that would have allowed lighter packs, but we didn't (and this 
probably would have been illegal, anyway). We could have left later and 
hoped for better weather other than the 3 or 4 snow storms we got, but that 
wasn't the point of the research trip. We could have carried less and 
lighter gear, but our choices, here, were based on the comfort level and 
safety margins we wanted knowing the conditions we anticipated and our skill 
at dealing with them. Oh, and we could have carried less food (especially 
the 30 bagels, meat logs, pounds of real cheese...), but we wanted to eat 
what our G. I. tracts were used to and what we liked and in quantity.

Sure, hefting heavy packs is not fun, but once it's up there and you're in 
strong physical shape, it was no big deal to go the short distances we 
planned with lots of stops to photograph, video tape, eat, explore, sit and 
enjoy each other and the scenery, eat, cross another creek, do frequent map 
checks, eat, and look forward to pulling into camp, setting up the tent, and 
scarfing down a big dinner and dessert and going to sleep on our fluffy down 
air mats early (most of the time after listening to a comedian on the IPOD).

Would we do it again? Absolutely! Why? Because it is beautiful and fun out 
there, especially when you can go slow and you have what it takes to be safe 
(in hand and between the ears). Lots of food plays a big part in our 
enjoyment of wilderness and maintaining a healthy safety margin. Other 
hikers can certainly do it however they feel based on their trip's 
objectives and parameters.

As Wes asked, "What was the payoff for Ned?" Time spent with my two sons, 
taking our time in incredible scenery, and documenting the whole thing to 
help others make decisions for themselves about their own future trips.

Next year we will be documenting more trail in Southern California that we 
couldn't get to this year and then doing a South-bound version from Manning 
in June. All to produce a Snow Guide to the Pacific Crest Trail that we hope 
will help future thru hikers with their planning and safe execution of their 
own pct hikes.



Ned Tibbits, Director
Mountain Education
1106A Ski Run Blvd
South Lake Tahoe, Ca. 96150
    P: 888-996-8333
    F: 530-541-1456
    C: 530-721-1551
    http://www.mountaineducation.org
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Wes Rose" <wb104475 at sbcglobal.net>
To: <reinholdmetzger at cox.net>
Cc: <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Sunday, October 17, 2010 10:07 AM
Subject: [pct-l] foot ware and Spring run-off


> Thanks for answering for Ned, Reinhold.  I value Ned's contributions to 
> the list.  Perhaps
> it's prickish to ask about the pack weight of 90lbs, since it seems like 
> an excessive amount
> of weight to carry.  Ned promotes himself as an expert and outdoor 
> trainer, which is not in
> question.  90 lbs is a lot of weight and a curiousity, however.  Chris 
> Townsend, in his book
> "The Backpacker's Handbook", concedes to carrying a similar weight on his 
> back, explaining
> that he is an avid photographer.  One wonders what the payoff is for Ned?
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