[pct-l] questions about gear for 2009

[Steel-Eye]

Good afternoon, Patti,

When I read your inquiry about snowshoes my first thought was I may have
mislead you by my post yesterday about the "Two Little Feet" tune, which
included the link to my TrailJournal page.  Unfortunately, that page has a
winter photo of one of my packs including snowshoes and an ice axe.   That
photo was just an example of a pack loaded for one of my local training
hikes in the Cascades near my home.  It should not be considered a
recommendation to carry snowshoes on the PCT during the regular hiking
season.

During an average hiking season in the south and central California
mountains the snow is usually well coalesced into snowpack rather than being
the familiar early/mid season fluffy stuff.  Most of the time a hiker can
walk on top of the snowpack, which can make for good walking.  I say
"can" because several things will cause grief.

If the crust of the snowpack will not quite support the weight distribution
of your hiking shoes  one leg will probably break through and fall up to
your crotch in a "posthole" while the other foot stays on the surface.  This
is extremely tiring in addition to being totally inelegant.  Sometimes you
will make an occasional posthole; other times, as the crust warms and
weakens, every step will send you crashing down.  There are two common ways
to obviate the problem:  1) Walk across the snowpack early in the day when
the crust is still firm from the night, or 2) increase your footprint with
snowshoes.  Most thru-hikers try to cross snowpack early in the day to avoid
postholing.  Very few carry snowshoes.  The snowshoes in my TrailJournal
photo are Northern Lites Quicksilver-30, which weigh 45 oz. per pair.  I -
and most other ultralite hikers - aren't willing to carry an additional 45
ozs. if the problem can be managed in another way.

There's one other important point about walking on snowpack: If you are on
its surface, it doesn't really matter how deep the snow may be.  It's like
swimming - once the water is over your head it doesn't matter if its 1,000
feet deep.  Similary, you can walk as easily on 50 feet of snow pack as on
50 inches or 5 inches.  The reason hikers are so interested in the season's
snowpack is really because of length rather than its depth.  Low snowpack
means there may be only a mile or so of snowpack-length on each of the big
Sierra passes, whereas in a heavy snow year there may be five miles or more
adjacent to each pass.  Generally, snow walking is slower, more tiring, and
more risky; plus route finding is more difficult and time consuming.
Anything that adds time to a hiker's passage also means it will be necessary
to carry a heavier load of food and fuel, and/or take even more time to exit
and resupply more frequently.

One downside to walking on cold, firm snow pack is scheduling.  We can't
always arrange to be on the snowpack at the exact time for the best walking.
Also, cold hard snowpack is notoriously slick when wearing average sneakers.
The very best time to walk on snowpack with sneakers is just as soon as the
surface melts a bit to provide traction, but before it softens sufficient to
allow postholing.  That's not very much of the day.  The usual answer is to
walk on the snowpack with some kind of traction devices on the shoes.
Full-platform crampons are good, but they are overkill and are heavier than
necessary.  I often use minimal instep crampons for about 1/3 the weight.
Another good option is to install screws in the soles of your shoes to
significantly increase traction on ice and snowpack.
http://www.skyrunner.com/screwshoe.htm

When I hiked the Sierras it was a low snow year so I didn't carry any
traction aids.  A few times something would have been handy but I do not
regret having saved the associated weight.  That year I didn't carry an ice
axe either, but I did use trekking poles.

Steel-Eye

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "patti kulesz" <peprmintpati88 at yahoo.com>
To: <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Sunday, September 07, 2008 8:49 AM
Subject: [pct-l] questions about gear for 2009


>I am getting stuff ready for next years trip and I was wondering if I am
>gonna need snow shoes, crampons, ect at all.I know the conditions this year
>were kinda off the wall, but what's the norm? If so what do you suggest?
>For the snow shoes...should they be for flat and rolling conditions or or
>steep and challenging? Also are tails needed?
>
> thanx
>
> patti
>
>
>
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