[pct-l] Traction on snow, gaitors, pants, and the reality of the whole mess

[ned at mountaineducation.org]

Ditto what Shroomer just said...

Consider this daily, Springtime Sierra scenario:

It was almost freezing last night, so you get started in the morning on a 
light crust of hardened and consolidated snow that is easy to walk on when 
the going is flat. But, of course, most of the route (note, not "trail," 
since we are almost always going up or down in the Sierras) is not only not 
flat, but sloped either up, down, or sideways to one degree or too many. So, 
you have to be a little cautious with every step since the outer snow 
surface is slippery (depending on your footwear, its lug pattern and depth, 
and whether you have any traction aide device available). Now, think, have 
you ever walked on an ice arena; now, tip it a little bit...).

Within a few hours, or maybe even just one, depending on how intense the sun 
is, whether the thaw has truly started, if you are in shade, the aspect of 
the slope you are on, and the proximity of the submerged objects just 
beneath your feet that have been warming, too, the surface of the snow will 
start softening, half an inch, an inch, two inches, then as time goes by 
(maybe by 9 or 10 o'clock in the morning, you will find yourself popping 
through the recent freeze-layer that is beneath the surface freeze-layer to 
greater depths on your leg, which is what we affectionately call, 
"post-holing."

Ok, at first this is no big deal. You have soft-soled trail runners on with 
low "dirty-girl" gaitors that rise up to just above your ankles and at this 
point you only feel the cold and wet of the snow against your lower legs 
since you're wearing shorts. You've got your microspikes on and you're 
primarily concerned about choosing a route up the south side of Mather Pass. 
The snow is still "good" and you only pop through to mid-shin once in a 
while, sometimes noticing rocks at the bottom of the holes. Edge control up 
the Pass was a serious issue, but you make it and celebrate on top with 
friends.

Now it is about noon and hot. When you start out again, the snow is very 
slippery because of how loose and wet it has become on top and you post-hole 
almost immediately once you leave the dry haven you enjoyed for lunch on top 
of a big, flat boulder. No big deal. "I'll just glissade my way down to the 
dry trail below," is your plan. Just to get over to the crest of the slope 
where you can begin a, hopefully, safe slide down that pitch, you have to 
suffer through several deep posts that rise above the knees. You also look 
ahead and see that once the glissade-able pitch ends, you will have 4 or 5 
miles of moderately sloped snow "over" which to walk on suncups in the 
afternoon sun. Joy!

As you post awhile in the noon sun-warmed snow, you realize that the inner, 
lower layer of old frozen snow seriously scrapes your legs, almost to the 
point of cutting them in numerous places. You ignore it, largely, because 
your legs are numb to a degree, anyway. You struggle out of one post hole 
just to plunge into the next, however this time your leg slides down the 
granite edge of a large, submerged boulder that you didn't notice as it was 
just a hump in the surface snow. Your leg is stuck beneath it and bleeding. 
With a little wrestling and rolling about on the snow, you are able to get 
out of the hole and do a damage assessment. You'll be fine, but cursing 
nevertheless.

How to avoid such a routine, daily injury? Wear taller gaitors and pants 
that will protect your legs from abrasion and the sun. Consider starting 
your hike earlier in the season so that you cruise through the high 
elevation snow while it is still hard, before the thaw starts (don't forget, 
once the thaw starts and finds you in the deep, long canyons of the Sierra 
where there is lots of collective run-off, the creeks will become deep, 
fast, and dangerous to the untrained and unpracticed) and post-holing 
becomes a daily mess. Consider starting your day earlier so that you not 
only get over the Pass while the snow is hard, but you can get down and over 
the 5-mile descent to "dry" trail before post-holing starts. Do not go 
faster in slippery conditions for obvious reasons. Reduce your daily mileage 
needs. Double your food intake so you have the energy to deal, make sound 
decisions, and think before you move ahead.

Mountain Education video-documented this whole daily routine last year 
during "thru hiker season" (still tied up in production) over each of the 
major Sierra Passes from Cottonwood to Muir, complete with showing the 
skills to safely climb and descend the Passes and cross the creeks. We've 
been teaching Sierra snow-travel safety since 1982. Been there, done that, 
now want to help other be safer out there. Now it is your turn as a PCT thru 
hiker, 2011--listen to, take, and apply our advice and experience to your 
trip preparation and daily choices or not. What was written above is usually 
the "reality" of the day in the high, Spring Sierra.


"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
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Scott Williams" <baidarker at gmail.com>
To: "Mike Beaty" <mike_beaty at q.com>
Cc: <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Friday, March 11, 2011 10:50 AM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Self Arrest - Instep Crampons


> Hey Terrapin
>
> I think what ned is referring to, but he may correct me, is full length
> gaiters and pants, long enough to go down inside them.  Post holing can 
> just
> tear up any exposed skin.  I used full length gaiters all through the High
> Sierra and then went back to the Dirty Girls after Sonora Pass.
>
> Shroomer
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