[pct-l] Preparedness

Tue Oct 26 16:19:48 CDT 2010

Yes Ned,
That is what I have been trying to convey....but they are not listening 
to me.
Maybe they will listen to you.

JMT Reinhold
----------------------------------------

On 10/26/2010 1:15 PM, ned at mountaineducation.org wrote:
> Can we agree on this:
>
> 1. Hike your own Hike.
> 2. Carry what you want.
> 3. Go as light or as heavy as you meets the intent and desires of your 
> hike.
> 4. Realistically prepare for the challenges ahead of you as works for 
> you.
> 5. "Heavy" does not equate to "safe."
> 6. "Light" does not equate to ill-prepared.
> 7. Know what you're able to do, can't do, and don't want to do on your 
> hike.
> 8. Compare to learn, then go decide what "works" for you on test hikes.
>
> Don't be like the guy we searched for and rescued last night at 9:30pm 
> at 9,000 feet who was lost off the Tahoe Rim Trail, without food, 
> water, and lighting, in 32-degree weather in summer clothes, out for a 
> long day-hike with a bad knee, and who's friends left him in the back 
> assuming he knew where to go in the dark. He was not prepared in many 
> ways and it put him at risk:
>
> 1. Was injured already, yet assumed, himself, that he could "handle it."
> 2. Planned a long day-hike with a couple of thousand feet of elevation 
> gain starting at 1:00pm.
> 3. Didn't think he needed any food, extra clothing, water, map, 
> lighting, etc..
> 4. Had no communication plan with his two other hiking partners and 
> his cell phone was dead.
>
> All we ask is that you learn how to be safe out there. The wilderness 
> is too beautiful a place in which to have a bad experience. If you're 
> certain that you can be safe (in the conditions that occur) where you 
> plan to go, based on what you know and the experienced skills you can 
> do with what you've brought, then have a great trip.
>
>
> 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
>
>
> 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: "CHUCK CHELIN" <steeleye at wildblue.net>
> To: "Reinhold Metzger" <reinholdmetzger at cox.net>
> Cc: <pct-l at backcountry.net>
> Sent: Tuesday, October 26, 2010 9:50 AM
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] 80 lbs
>
>
> Good morning, Reinhold,
>
> I disagree.  Ultra-lite hikers are tacitly criticized by some through
> inference that a lack of gear is dangerous and irresponsible. Since I’ve
> been hiking the mountain west since the Eisenhower administration -- 
> and I
> haven’t perished yet -- I don’t much give a rip what they say about me,
> however I do object to their advising new PCT hikers that bizarre levels
> extra/emergency gear is necessary to stave off disaster.
>
>
>
> Without some proportion of skill and experience no amount of gear can 
> assure
> a hiker will be successful in a difficult situation.  Similarly, given 
> and
> skill and experience, a hiker with minimal gear can easily prevail 
> under the
> same circumstances.
>
>
>
> Enjoy,
>
>
>
> Steel-Eye
>
> Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT – 1965
>
> http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye
>
> http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09
>
>
> On Tue, Oct 26, 2010 at 9:23 AM, Reinhold Metzger
> <reinholdmetzger at cox.net>wrote:
>
>> Yes Diane,
>> Light is good, there is no question about it.
>> But, did you notice they were not criticizing or ridiculing your 
>> lightness
>> like you have a tendency to criticize and ridicule, Ned, Yoshi and 
>> "Heavy
>> Truckers" in general?
>>
>> JMT Reinhold
>> ----------------------------
>> Diane wrote:
>> This summer I hiked a few days on the JMT. At a creek crossing I knew
>> I would have to get my feet wet so I just walked right through to the
>> other side and kept going. On the other side, I heard someone holler
>> out to me, "That didn't slow you down one bit!" I turned to look at
>> the person and there were a couple of guys putting their shoes back
>> on after crossing the creek. I went over to say hi. They started
>> making comments about my small pack. They were genuinely curious. One
>> of the guys wanted to give me his card so I could go see his trip
>> report and pictures when he was finished. I never once made a
>> suggestion or anything to them about gear, but I did answer a few
>> questions.
>>
>> Later, I was sitting near a small stream treating some water and
>> having a snack. I was admiring the views when two women carrying
>> enormous loads rest-stepped up the trail. The first lady saw me and
>> the first thing she said was, "We're just taking it slow, trying to
>> savor the experience." I didn't even say hi yet to her. Anyway, I
>> asked her if she was hiking the whole JMT. I was feeling lonely and
>> wishing I could meet some friendly hiker trash who would want to talk
>> about their adventures. She said they were hiking the JMT and then
>> she started making excuses for not going light. I didn't care about
>> any of that, I just wanted to hear about her adventure.
>>
>> On and on it went for 4 days. It was always like that. I never really
>> met anyone. I never really got to talk about adventure and the
>> wonders of being there with anyone. Every conversation was steered --
>> not by me -- toward pack weight and how heavy their packs were and
>> how slowly they were going and excuses and apologies. I never said a
>> word. It's not my place. I just hiked along and people made these
>> comments to me out of nowhere. It was really frustrating.
>>
>> Diane
>>
>>
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