[pct-l] Gear for late spring snow?

[ned at mountaineducation.org]

I'm not sure, yet, what this thread is all about, but I'd like to add a bit. 
I am in the middle of weeding through 26,000 emails received while not 
checking my account during a Search and Rescue training weekend this last 
Saturday and Sunday. Many of the individual emails are multiplied hundreds 
of times and corked up my mail something terrible. Took most of Monday to 
upload them. Now to go through it all....

Ok, as many have already said, it isn't the gear that will keep you alive 
out on the early-summer snow, but what you know and how you execute it. 
Durable gear and clothing certainly helps when you're miles or days from any 
trailhead, but just being aware that you will need to include it, like 
traction devices or ice axes, once on the high and steep pitches of the 
Sierra Passes is a major start to your hiking safety.

Everything safety starts with your feet. Your balance is crucial on snow. 
What you wear contributes to that predictability and certainty. You only 
want to slip and slide when you want to and when you're ready for it, 
otherwise you're in for a potentially wild, quick tumble down the slope (ask 
Calorie!). So figure out before your big thru hike what kind of footwear 
works for you to maintain your balance and comfort while on snow and 
crossing creeks. Boots work for us and we're out in the snow all winter 
teaching Snow Skills Courses (they don't get wet, keep our feet warm, and 
only freeze slightly if the temps drop to single digits).

Traction devices, Yes, like Katoolas, just know how to identify the danger 
ahead, stop and put them on (and grab the axe), before assuming that you 
"will be ok" and just push on without them in place. You may not need them 
at all, but safe is better than sorry (again, Calorie, are you out there? 
Would you mind telling your story?).

The ice axe is a must, but you've got to have practiced with it to know how 
it works and what you have to do with your body to get its full benefit for 
self-arrest deployment. Glissades are much safer with an axe as a rudder!



"Just remember, Be Careful out there!"

Ned Tibbits, Director
Mountain Education
1106A Ski Run Blvd
South Lake Tahoe, Ca. 96150
    P: 888-996-8333
    F: 530-541-1456
    C: 530-721-1551
    http://www.mountaineducation.org
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jim & Jane Moody" <moodyjj at comcast.net>
To: "Jeff Davis" <jeffd1242 at fairpoint.net>
Cc: <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Sunday, November 07, 2010 6:04 PM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Gear for late spring snow?


>
>
> Here we go again. The answers to all your questions are "yes".
>
>
>
> I'm an old guy whose only mountaineering experience was at Mtn Ned's Snow 
> School in December. I have hiked the AT, however, so I wasn't a complete 
> neophyte.
>
>
>
> Here's what I did. I switched from sneakers, aka trail runners, to fairly 
> sturdy boots (Garmont Synchros) at Kennedy Meadows. I didn't have crampons 
> till after Forester Pass, w hen th e rest of my group told me they thought 
> I was endangering myself and them without them. I bought a pair of 
> Kahtoolas in Lone Pine , and I'm glad I did. I wore them infrequently, but 
> when I wore them, they really helped with traction. By the way, 4 of our 
> group of 6 wore sneakers. The other wore boots, which were lighter than 
> mine. If and when I do it again, I will wear boots from Lone Pine 
> (Horseshoe Meadows, south of Forester Pass) to at least Sonora Pass. They 
> gave me stability on snow (especially on traverses) and on stream 
> crossings. Yes, th ey got wet. Yes, they were slow to dry. So what! And y 
> es, they froze at night, but when I remembered to loosen up the laces a 
> lot, I could still get them on fairly easily.
>
>
>
> As to ice axes, we all carried one north of KM. A very valuable piece of 
> gear for conditions we faced this year - self-belaying, rudder when 
> glissading, digging catholes, holding up tent lines, self-arrest, etc. If 
> 2011 is anything like 2010, I definitely recommend carrying your ice axe 
> from south of Forester. You might also need it in the San Jacintos above 
> Idlewild (Apache Peak, South Peak, Fuller Ridge).
>
>
>
> Good luck and have a great hike.
>
> Mango
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Jeff Davis" <jeffd1242 at fairpoint.net>
> To: pct-l at backcountry.net
> Sent: Sunday, November 7, 2010 2:34:05 PM
> Subject: [pct-l] Gear for late spring snow?
>
> ?I managed Oregon and Washington this year so it's time to do the whole
> thing. Right now I'm worrying about gear for snow in California and would
> like to know what the list thinks after dealing with the late snow of 
> 2010.
> More specifically:
>
> Is an ice axe necessary? I've got a mountaineering background and am very
> familiar with self-arrest. I could use a trekking pole to stop on fairly
> steep slopes if they're not really icy.
>
> Are running crampons like Kahtoola Microspikes effective or should I go 
> with
> lightweight regular crampons (or maybe with none)?
>
> Running shoes versus light boots for snowy sections?
>
> Grendel
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