[pct-l] Footwear in the Sierra

[Ned Tibbits]

Here's our take on this very important safety subject:

Your safety on the snow depends on your stability and ability to control you 
balance and speed.

Irregardless of hard or soft snow, a shoe that provides a firm platform that 
allows you quick control of your balance via edge weight transfer on 
unpredictable, soft surfaces is preferable to the soft, twistable soles of 
the numerous trail runners.

The issue of speed comes up on descents. A vertical heel front is your 
brake. Throw your weight onto your heels in this scenario and you will feel 
more stopping power on a sudden downhill slip than with any non-vertical 
heeled shoe. If you wish to be able to glissade smoothly, then by all means 
a smooth bottomed sole is preferred. Forget the little lugs of the light 
hiking shoes providing any kind of traction in soft snow; only your heels or 
ice axe will stop your slide from a fall.

Ankle support is crucial to balance in unstable terrain, especially if you 
have weak ankles. For those who have walked on snow with a loaded pack, 
you're already top-heavy, so any variations in terrain support has the 
potential to throw you off balance, like an air pocket in the snow suddenly 
compressing under your weight causing your shoe to twist, ankle to roll 
over, your center of balance to shift to your side, and down you go.

Mtnned

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Gary Wright" <gwtmp01 at mac.com>
To: "Brent Davis" <brentadavis at gmail.com>
Cc: <Pct-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2008 2:56 PM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Footwear in the Sierra


>
> On Feb 28, 2008, at 2:00 PM, Brent Davis wrote:
>> What are your experiences?  Do I need to think about getting some
>> hiking boots for that segment through the snow?  What about a
>> combination of running shoes and a traction device such as yaktrax
>> (http://yaktrax.com/)?
>
> I wouldn't get boots just for the Sierra.  In my first trip
> through I had Montrails with Vibram soles (can't remember the
> model).  The Vibram was quite nice while rock hopping.
>
> Last year I had Montrail Hard Rocks, which worked well also
> but don't have Vibram soles.
>
> If you need something more than running shoes to kick a step
> in the snow in June, then you aren't planning your day
> correctly.  You are getting to snow covered slopes too early
> in the day.
>
> And if you are postholing for long periods of time, you
> are getting to the snow too late in the day.   Last year
> I didn't get to the snow on Muir pass until after 1:00pm
> and had an exhausting afternoon and early evening on the
> snow.
>
> Radar
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