[pct-l] Preparedness

Tue Oct 26 15:15:19 CDT 2010

Can we agree on this:

1. Hike your own Hike.
2. Carry what you want.
3. Go as light or as heavy as you meets the intent and desires of your hike.
4. Realistically prepare for the challenges ahead of you as works for you.
5. "Heavy" does not equate to "safe."
6. "Light" does not equate to ill-prepared.
7. Know what you're able to do, can't do, and don't want to do on your hike.
8. Compare to learn, then go decide what "works" for you on test hikes.

Don't be like the guy we searched for and rescued last night at 9:30pm at 
9,000 feet who was lost off the Tahoe Rim Trail, without food, water, and 
lighting, in 32-degree weather in summer clothes, out for a long day-hike 
with a bad knee, and who's friends left him in the back assuming he knew 
where to go in the dark. He was not prepared in many ways and it put him at 
risk:

1. Was injured already, yet assumed, himself, that he could "handle it."
2. Planned a long day-hike with a couple of thousand feet of elevation gain 
starting at 1:00pm.
3. Didn't think he needed any food, extra clothing, water, map, lighting, 
etc..
4. Had no communication plan with his two other hiking partners and his cell 
phone was dead.

All we ask is that you learn how to be safe out there. The wilderness is too 
beautiful a place in which to have a bad experience. If you're certain that 
you can be safe (in the conditions that occur) where you plan to go, based 
on what you know and the experienced skills you can do with what you've 
brought, then have a great trip.

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

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: "CHUCK CHELIN" <steeleye at wildblue.net>
To: "Reinhold Metzger" <reinholdmetzger at cox.net>
Cc: <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Tuesday, October 26, 2010 9:50 AM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] 80 lbs

Good morning, Reinhold,

I disagree.  Ultra-lite hikers are tacitly criticized by some through
inference that a lack of gear is dangerous and irresponsible. Since I’ve
been hiking the mountain west since the Eisenhower administration -- and I
haven’t perished yet -- I don’t much give a rip what they say about me,
however I do object to their advising new PCT hikers that bizarre levels
extra/emergency gear is necessary to stave off disaster.

Without some proportion of skill and experience no amount of gear can assure
a hiker will be successful in a difficult situation.  Similarly, given and
skill and experience, a hiker with minimal gear can easily prevail under the
same circumstances.

Enjoy,

Steel-Eye

Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT – 1965

http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye

http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09

On Tue, Oct 26, 2010 at 9:23 AM, Reinhold Metzger
<reinholdmetzger at cox.net>wrote:

> Yes Diane,
> Light is good, there is no question about it.
> But, did you notice they were not criticizing or ridiculing your lightness
> like you have a tendency to criticize and ridicule, Ned, Yoshi and "Heavy
> Truckers" in general?
>
> JMT Reinhold
> ----------------------------
> Diane wrote:
> This summer I hiked a few days on the JMT. At a creek crossing I knew
> I would have to get my feet wet so I just walked right through to the
> other side and kept going. On the other side, I heard someone holler
> out to me, "That didn't slow you down one bit!" I turned to look at
> the person and there were a couple of guys putting their shoes back
> on after crossing the creek. I went over to say hi. They started
> making comments about my small pack. They were genuinely curious. One
> of the guys wanted to give me his card so I could go see his trip
> report and pictures when he was finished. I never once made a
> suggestion or anything to them about gear, but I did answer a few
> questions.
>
> Later, I was sitting near a small stream treating some water and
> having a snack. I was admiring the views when two women carrying
> enormous loads rest-stepped up the trail. The first lady saw me and
> the first thing she said was, "We're just taking it slow, trying to
> savor the experience." I didn't even say hi yet to her. Anyway, I
> asked her if she was hiking the whole JMT. I was feeling lonely and
> wishing I could meet some friendly hiker trash who would want to talk
> about their adventures. She said they were hiking the JMT and then
> she started making excuses for not going light. I didn't care about
> any of that, I just wanted to hear about her adventure.
>
> On and on it went for 4 days. It was always like that. I never really
> met anyone. I never really got to talk about adventure and the
> wonders of being there with anyone. Every conversation was steered --
> not by me -- toward pack weight and how heavy their packs were and
> how slowly they were going and excuses and apologies. I never said a
> word. It's not my place. I just hiked along and people made these
> comments to me out of nowhere. It was really frustrating.
>
> Diane
>
>
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