[pct-l] KM Date, Ray Day, snow hiking

Fri Jul 24 00:38:59 CDT 2009

I'd like to chime in on this tread, and share some very good advice that
learned at KO '08, dealing with crampons. I carried them, mostly for
insurance, but didn't use them once. Someone with experience said, "Crampons
will likely get you some place you ought not be!"

Crossing Forrester Pass @ 13,000 feet was about the most scary thing I've
ever done in my entire life! I arrived at the base of the pass at about 3:00
pm and was very unsure where the trail went. I decided to camp there for the
night, even though it was early, and attack it in the morning. I saw three
hikers that had already started up, but they were further to the right than
I thought the trail went.

The next morning, a young hiker from Germany stopped by my camp as he was
starting up. I can't remember his name, but I called him SPIDERMAN! He raced
up the pass on the same projectory as the hikers I saw the night before.
After I went up about 100 yards, I could finally see the trail, several
hundred yards to the left, about where I thought it should be. To get on the
trail, I actualy had to hike back down, but I was sure glad I did.

SPIDERMAN left me a note at the top, saying not to worry that I had sent him
up the wrong way. He was wanting to do a good cliff crossing up at the top!

Yes, there are things you will need to know and be prepared for when hiking
in the deep snow, but it well worth it. I did not have an ice ax, and I'm
not sure I would have been able to save my life with it even if I did have
one. I was really glad to have my trekking poles, and they saved me more
than once. Postholing was as big an issue for me as creek crossing.

Another night, following a heavy thunder shower, I made the very wise
decision to camp at 3:00 pm on this side of a very swollen creek rather than
trying to cross it. The next morning, the water had dropped about 3 - 4 feet
at least, and was fairly easy to cross. The afternoon before, the water was
dark brown, and large bolders were being pushed downstream. Trust your gut
and do the right thing!

O. Ikem Sofar, Class of '08
Sisters, Oregon

On Thu, Jul 23, 2009 at 1:35 PM, <ned at pacificcrestcustombuilders.com> wrote:

> Let's be clear. Ray Day is a concept that leads hikers to believe that
> there
> is a window of opportunity every year where you can enter the High Sierra
> to
> thru hike the PCT and be able to do so on dry ground and maintain your high
> mileage desires. Ascribing to this concept without doing your own research
> is simply naive. Every winter different amounts of snow fall in the Sierra
> such that whenever you get there you may still find snow on-trail. If it is
> your biggest fear, certainly try to avoid it, but you're missing out in
> experiencing one of the greatest visual treats of the entire Crest Trail.
>
> As TC said about hiking in the snow, "The reward is you will have the best
> 10 to 12 days of your life - period."
>
> This is some of what we teach when training folks for snow hiking:
>
> Plan your thru hike of the PCT or CDT so that you reach Canada before the
> new snow keeps you from finishing. You don't want the agony of having gone
> that far with all those dreams just to be blocked from completion.
>
> Select a daily mileage that you can accomplish and still be enjoying your
> hike. Only you, who know yourself better than anyone else, can decide what
> that is for you. If you want to have a leisurely trip, as I did, factor
> 17mpd and give yourself a day off once a week for fishing, peak-bagging,
> reading in a lovely field, photography up close, exploring those other
> lakes, etc., or for an emergency buffer in your schedule. Then back up the
> whole mess to figure out when you'll be starting from Mexico. If you have
> time constraints, this won't work. If you like high mileage days and know
> that you can sustain it for months, then do what works for you. This is
> your
> trip. Know what you can do and don't want to do beforehand and plan
> accordingly.
>
> If this start date becomes March 14th (as it was for me), don't panic
> because everyone says there is a better way. If you can end later than
> Sept.
> 2 and you're fairly certain that the PNW Snows won't start 'till October
> 1st, then bump your schedule up a month. About a month after you start,
> you'll be entering KM and the high altitudes of the Sierra. If this date is
> mid-April or mid-May, plan for snow hiking. Drop your daily mileage desires
> down to 10, increase your caloric intake to double, and train for the
> skills
> required to enjoy the incredible wonderland of snow and granite. I had snow
> from April 17th to mid-August. Four months! Don't worry, not only will you
> get used to it (of course, cursing and avoiding it from time to time!), but
> you will be able to increase your daily mileage as you get stronger, so
> your
> schedule will not suffer. Once high-summer arrives to the backcountry, the
> white stuff will melt off and the trail does, eventually, appear and you
> can
> actually camp on dry dirt!! Once the snow melts, the bugs arrive, mud
> becomes a hassle, and rains come, too.
>
> Snow is not a barrier to hiking, but, rather, a blessing. Usually there is
> no dirt or mud to get into everything, there are no bugs, and no mice,
> 'coons, or bears to worry about stealing your food. You can cook inside
> your
> tent if you want to. Water is everywhere (you don't have to carry water up
> the peak in order to camp on top!). A flat place to camp can be made
> anywhere. The coming of Fall and Winter no longer means you have to pack up
> your hiking gear for another season. Learn how to be safe on snow and go
> out
> and enjoy it!
>
> Sure there are hazards that are different than summer hiking. The advise TC
> gave all boils down to "Be Prepared." Really a small thing to do if it
> allows you to keep on living in and loving the awesome majestic mountain
> life we, as long distance hikers, are so blessed to be able to know.
>
> So, Hike Your Own Hike and do your own schedule according to what you want
> to get out of your expedition. Don't be another sheep on the trail pounding
> out those daily mileages just to "get there." Enjoy the Journey, start when
> you want to, enter the Sierra when you get there, go as slow or fast as you
> desire, and empower yourself with pre-trip training in the skills needed to
> deal with most anything the mountains will throw at you. Confidence,
> Experience, Wisdom = Safety and Fun.
>
> Mtnned and Lady J
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Barry Teschlog" <tokencivilian at yahoo.com>
> To: <pct-l at backcountry.net>
> Sent: Thursday, July 23, 2009 12:07 PM
> Subject: [pct-l] KM Date and Ray Day
>
>
> Ray Day (June 15th as the no earlier than, or optimal day to leave KM) is
> an
> obsolete concept.
>
> The Sierra's are quite passable earlier than this, even in extreme snow
> years such as 2005 and 2006. Within the mainstream hiker window, the
> Sierras
> are passable - go when you get there (Note that I'm not advocating mid
> May).
> I speak from first hand experience having departed KM on June 14, 2006 and
> heading straight through to VVR in 12 days, including the Whitney side
> trip.
> Also, I am not some Skurka / Williamson type either, but a slightly
> 'drought
> and famine resistant', mid 30's something when I thru hiked who took
> slightly longer than average to finish the trail. If I can do it, some
> young
> buck of early mid 20 something should have it easy.
>
> Now, will it be more difficult than walking on dry trail? Duh. Know and
> expect this going in.
>
> What will you need to head in before "Ray Day", especially in a high snow
> year such as 2005 or 2006? You will need to know how to navigate with map
> and compass. You will need to know how to self arrest with an ice axe. You
> will need to be prepared with proper shelter, sleeping equipment, clothing
> and rain gear. You will need to be prepared for very deep and dangerous
> stream crossings - belly button deep or full on swimming, depending on how
> tall you are. You need to know there is, in fact, a real possiblity of
> serious injury or death, be it by unarrested falls on steep snow slopes to
> jagged rock impact or being swept away in fast moving "streams" that look
> more like rivers. You will need to know you'll be walking on sun cuped snow
> for 5 to 10 miles at a pop over each of the passes. You will need to have
> very good sun protection, else be roasted to a crisp. Most importantly, you
> will need to have a stout heart and determined spirit.
>
> The reward is you will have the best 10 to 12 days of your life - period.
>
> Head in when you get to KM, don't wait. Take the American pioneer spirit
> with you. Don't wonder if you can do it. Find out. Don't let others
> timidness deter you - see for yourself and decide for yourself. Impossible
> to them may be merely difficult to you. To paraphrase Teddy Roosevelt, dare
> dreatly and don't be one of those poor, timid souls who knows neither
> victory or defeat.
>
> YMMV, HYOH, yadda, yadda, yadda......
>
> Respectfully
> TC
>
>
>
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