[pct-l] The most common snow fear

[Dave and Cindy]

In response to Ned's request we would like to say that we learned so much 
from Ned and Julie, his wife's, snow course last year.
We attempted a thru in 2008 and were very interested in taking Ned's course 
to fine tune our snow crossing skills.
The first night we were out we were very cold all night.  We had a fairly 
thick pad and not the one we would take on a thru.  Our Montbelle down 
jackets were not the warmest for sleeping on snow which is a little 
different than you will encounter while on a thru hike on the PCT.
We were ready to bag the second night out until we all put our heads 
together to figure out how to stay warm with the resources we had.  We ended 
up putting our pack and extra maps and gear under our sleeping mats for 
extra insulation.  Ned and Julie luckily had two big down jackets that we 
borrowed for extra warmth.  We place our tent in a warmer location for the 
second night which also made a big difference.
The second night was much more comfortable and well worth the stay.
The last day we all practiced our self arrests to make sure we really knew 
that what we were doing in a real situation where a fall was inevitable.
By the end of the course we felt confident and ready to tackle the snow in 
most conditions. For myself I can say that knowing I have practiced self 
belay and arrests with an ice axe with someone making sure I was doing 
things properly gave me enormous confidence.  We are now even more prepared 
to attempt a 2010 PCT thru using what we have learned with a follow up this 
coming spring.
So if anyone is wondering if this course is something for them,we would 
highly recommend it.  It never hurts to go out there and practice when your 
life or injury might be at risk.
Thanks Ned and Julie for volunteering your time and skills.
Tarzan and Zelda
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <ned at pacificcrestcustombuilders.com>
To: "PCT MailingList" <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Monday, November 23, 2009 9:51 PM
Subject: [pct-l] The most common snow fear


> The most often heard snow fear is, "I'm going to get wet and cold!"
>
> [Hey, Tarzan and Zelda, how did you resolve this last year? If you're out 
> there reading this, please respond to the List and describe, again, what 
> you went through with the cold, how you solved it, and how happy you were 
> about how it all worked out! Please note, folks, that they'll be back 
> again this year for more fun in the snow!]
>
> First of all, layering solves much of this. Daily thermal management, 
> controlling your temperature while you hike or have lunch, for example, 
> prevents excessive sweating which will, also, get you wet. Of course, wet 
> skin in cold air makes you cold quick, so you don't want to have wet skin. 
> A good wicking layer next to the skin prevents this. A good outer layer 
> that repels water will solve the getting-wet-from-the-outside issue. If 
> you're prone to sitting in the snow, you might consider a Gore-tex shell. 
> Also, make sure your shells have adequate ventilating zippers to help you 
> manage your heat levels before layering-off.
>
> Just because the air temperatures are cold, doesn't mean that you will be, 
> too. Remember the layers and put them on before you feel the cold. For 
> example, when you stop to eat lunch, immediately layer up with a shell in 
> the Spring sun or a down jacket in the Winter shade. If you're getting 
> cold, nevertheless, add a good Windstopper fleece hat and fingerless 
> gloves. Still feeling the cold wind? Add your fleece pants and wind 
> shells, too. It doesn't matter that you look like the "Michelin Man" out 
> there, your layering system works, you're nice and warm, and can enjoy 
> where you are, how much fun you had getting there, and the great meal 
> you're eating!
>
>
> Mtnned
> Mountain Education
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