[pct-l] Tahoe snow update!

[ned at mountaineducation.org]

Mountain Education just returned from our last "Basic" Snow Skills Training Course for this season (#9) to report that it is still snowing up there like mad!

The Course was held last Friday, Saturday, and Sunday up in Desolation Wilderness out of the Echo Lake trailhead. It started snowing once we were a mile in and hasn't stopped yet, at times creating virtual "white-out" conditions with winds attempting to blow the tents flat all day and night. The snow was warm and wet, amounted to about 6 inches over the three days (not much compared to the feet/storm we had during the winter), and piled up on a consolidated base where walking in our boots on the surface without snow shoes was not too tough (a little slipping on steeper traverses and post-holing in the afternoons).

Do not worry about walking on the consolidated pack through the Sierra, all you thru hikers still waiting your start dates, just have the skills to stay balanced on you boots, protected by a Whippet and axe and the skills to know when and how to use them, and utilize timing your Pass ascents to get up, over, and down the backside snow before you start post-holing.

Hopefully see you at the KO! (We survive on your donations to provide this instruction. Right now we are not sure if we have enough finances to make it to there...)


"Just remember, Be Careful out there!"

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