[pct-l] Snow snow snow. Let's go!

[Scott Williams]

All good stuff Ned.  By far, the river crossings were the most dangerous
passages that I've ever done on any of the trails.  Lightning at 13,000 and
14,000 feet is right up there as far as danger, but the river crossings in
high melt out are by far the most dangerous.

One thing to know when coming to a really full stream, is that there can be
a tremendous difference between the depth of the water in the late
afternoon with the depth in the morning.  Overnight, the temperatures
usually fall below freezing and the runoff slows down considerably.  With a
nice sunny California mountain day, the snow melts creating torrents and
waterfalls where they don't usually exist, and streams get deeper and
deeper all day.  So, if you come to a really dangerous crossing in the
afternoon, and can't find a safe place upstream to cross, camp on the bank
and try again in the early morning.  Nothing like ice water first thing in
the morning to get you running down trail to warm up.

We camped on the bank of the Tuolumne River in Lyle Canyon.  In the late
afternoon the banks of the river were overflowing into the meadows.  By the
next morning the river had dropped about 3 feet. Huge difference.

The whippets and other devices look good, but I still prefer an ice ax and
found plenty of times when plunging the shaft to belay was the only safe
thing to do on steep traverses on the PCT and the CDT.  But the whippets
look good, I just haven't made the switch.

As for hiking cramps, the Kahtoolas I used in 2010 were my favorite piece
of gear for the summer,  they were so solid. Much better than microspikes.
I have their original aluminum spike cramps, which friends have had trouble
finding lately.  I talked to the Kahtoola folks last week at the Outdoor
Retailer show in Salt Lake City, and learned that they have fazed them out
in favor of steel spike hiking cramps, which although only a few ounces
more, are much better at staying sharp.  It seems too many people were
walking over rocks in their aluminum cramps and dulling the metal.  I think
they got tired of replacing them.  Anyway, they're all steel now.  But,
again, my favorite piece of gear in a high snow year.

Shroomer

On Thu, Jan 19, 2017 at 10:32 PM, <ned at mountaineducation.org> wrote:

> Hey, Shroomer!
>
> I'm going to start adding a few comments to each of your snow-related posts
> since 1/13, as I've been out of the office for a little while (medical
> recert courses...),
>
> There is a huge difference between having the right gear or the right
> skills
> for snow!
>
> Having the right gear means nothing if you do not know what to do with it.
> Even practicing at home, reading accounts, or watching videos doesn't
> translate to doing the right physical actions that will keep you safe.
>
> Having the right skills, coupled with understanding what you're looking at
> (regarding risks ahead of you on the snow), is what will bring you
> confidence, peace of mind, and free you up to enjoy and play on snow
> without
> fear or concern.
>
> This applies to creek crossings, too! When you're confronted by a
> whitewater
> torrent that makes so much noise you have to yell at your partners standing
> next to you just to be heard, you've got to take the crossing very
> seriously! Steep snow has the potential to bring you painful injury and a
> helicopter ride to the hospital, but creek crossings can and have been
> fatal
> to backpackers not trained in assessment and crossing skills. That's why
> Mountain Education teaches safe creek crossing techniques.
>
> Ice axes are great tools for mountaineering, but in the hands of a
> backpacker, they make little sense. How do you hold it, when do you use it,
> and why are all foreign concepts. Heck, walking on snow was something we
> all
> avoided until we couldn't, then realized it adds so much to the beauty and
> fun of a hike! The Self-Arrest Pole is a far more practical tool for the
> snow-hiker who isn't self-belaying or chopping steps in ice.
>
> The subject of traction devices has been exhausted, but if anyone missed
> those posts, just go to the Mountain Education Facebook page for great
> info!
> Basically, though, if you're not walking in someone else's footsteps, take
> hiking crampons early season; if you are in a boot-track, take microspikes.
> Know the pros and cons of both because tools, by themselves, do not make
> you
> safe!
>
> How much snow will you have to deal with? I can't answer that any more than
> I can predict the weather! As a few have already said,
>
> - the depth of the snow doesn't matter. You walk on top of it anyway.
> - the temperature of the winter will dictate where snowline may be when you
> get there. Colder = lower.
> - the timing and intensity of the sierra thaw will do the same. Late start
> =
> lower. Early & Hot = higher
> - additional spring snow, wind, cool temps, or even just clouds will keep
> the snow around longer.
> - heavy rains will accelerate the thaw and make the snow go away faster
> (and
> the creeks to rise higher!).
> - if you're staring at it, you're going to have to walk over or around it,
> but sooner or later you'd better know how!
> - waiting for the snow to melt is like watching grass grow. Yes, you can
> select a hiking date later in the season to avoid miles of snow-hiking near
> the high passes, but after a normal or heavy winter, that date may be
> mid-August...
>
> Snow is a joy and adds so much fun and beauty to a hike. Learn how to play
> on it safely and you'll have a blast out there!
>
>
> Ned Tibbits, Director
> Mountain Education, Inc.
> ned at mountaineducation.org
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Pct-L [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net] On Behalf Of Scott
> Williams
> Sent: Friday, January 13, 2017 1:55 PM
> To: Brick Robbins <brick at brickrobbins.com>
> Cc: pct-l at backcountry.net
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] Snow snow snow. Let's go!
>
> I completely agree with Brick regarding the relative safety of snow with
> the
> right gear and technique, vs the very real danger of the swollen streams.
> In 2010, a high snow year due to a very late melt out, we also had to go
> well upstream of the usual little summer crossing of Evolution Creek,  and
> made human chains to get the lighter weight members of our party across
> Bear
> Creek.  That one was really scary.
>
> One of my favorite pieces of gear that year were full on Kahtoola hiking
> crampons.  They're relatively light and allow you to cut steps and do the
> kind of plunge stepping you'll need.  Much better in real Sierra snow pack
> than Microspikes and only a touch heavier.  My buddy Venture in cramps, had
> to cut steps last year for folks with Microspikes who's spikes had "balled
> up" so badly they couldn't go forward.  In really serious, crusty, icy
> early
> season conditions, I much prefer real hiking cramps.
>
> A good light weight ice axe was also essential to safely belay yourself on
> the steep traverses, for cutting steps, and for safe glissading.
>
> Another thing we did because of the high snow was to head out of Lone Pine
> with a group of friends who promised to stay together through the High
> Sierra to Sonora Pass.  Not only was this a safe move, it gave all of us
> the
> most wonderful if hard backpacking experience of our lives.  I count all
> these folks as some of my dearest friends to this day.
>
> With all of this, keep in mind that all can change in a few weeks of early
> warm weather, or virtually overnight given a heavy "pineapple express" rain
> storm.  But being ready to change up your strategy and gear is often
> essential for a thru hike.
>
> Have a wonderful hike!  The snow only adds to the fun you'll have if you're
> prepared for it.
>
> Shroomer
>
> On Jan 13, 2017 11:53 AM, "Brick Robbins" <brick at brickrobbins.com> wrote:
>
> > On Fri, Jan 13, 2017 at 4:08 AM, Casey Stevens
> > <costevens078 at gmail.com>
> > wrote:
> > > Appreciate the admonishments!
> >
> > Snow is what seems to concern folks about early entry into the Sierra,
> > but snow is really not that big a deal. Postholing is a pain and slows
> > you down, but if you carry and iceaxe and you know how to use it, then
> > snow travel is fairly safe, just be careful of falling through the
> > snow into voids caused by running water.
> >
> > The REAL danger is getting killed in stream crossings. Most of the big
> > rivers will have bridges, but many of the "jump across" streams will
> > be swollen to raging waist deep (or deeper) torrents.
> >
> > I was swept away at Bear Creek, and could have easily been killed.
> > Kerrick Canyon was downright scary, and a fall would have been deadly.
> >
> > I had to cross Evolution Creek (in the meadows, well upstream of the
> > normal crossing) by putting my pack in a bag, and swimming in the
> > freezing runoff water. Crossing at the normal ford would have been
> > deadly.
> >
> > The water was so high that wading was require at both sides of the
> > Glen Aulin Bridge over the Tuolumne river.
> >
> > The snow may slow you down, but the water will kill you.
> >
> > Be careful out there
> > _______________________________________________
> > Pct-L mailing list
> > Pct-L at backcountry.net
> > To unsubscribe, or change options visit:
> > http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l
> >
> > List Archives:
> > http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/pct-l/
> > All content is copyrighted by the respective authors.
> > Reproduction is prohibited without express permission.
> >
> _______________________________________________
> Pct-L mailing list
> Pct-L at backcountry.net
> To unsubscribe, or change options visit:
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l
>
> List Archives:
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/pct-l/
> All content is copyrighted by the respective authors.
> Reproduction is prohibited without express permission.
>
>