[pct-l] trip report words

[ned at mountaineducation.org]

(Seriously, take this with a grin...)  One of the things I find interesting is how people "read" trail reports. I think many read these reports for entertainment, expansion of knowledge about the trail experience, for tips about the trail from those who have just returned, and as a source for trip planning and preparation. Now, with that in mind, how do they interpret these commonly used words:

"passable"
"it's (not) a walk in the park"
"survival"
"partially or completely covered"
"the snow is good to work with"
"there is some snow"
"dangerous"
"wild"
"exhausting"
"doable"
"it's tough going"
"It's physically and mentally draining hiking though that much snow"
"easy" and "piece of cake"
"treacherous"
 

What is "passable" to me may be "impossible" to you. What does "good to work with" mean in practical, descriptive, physical-action, what-do-you-see,-really terms? How much snow is "some" and what does that mean for my trip planning? Does "doable" mean that I'll survive the experience? What's "easy" to me may mean a trip in a helicopter to you....

No wonder hikers still don't know what it's like up there, how to prepare for it, and what to do when they see it. 

Of course, the answer is to describe what you saw rather than qualify it based on your own skills, abilities, and prior experiences, so that the readers can imagine it for themselves, remember if they have been in such a situation, and evaluate if they might be ready for it (skills and knowledge) and if not, get prepared. 

For example, "Mather Pass had an easy approach on its south side, but the north side was tough, so we glissaded down on the left." Did that paint any kind of picture for you? I want to know what made it "easy" and "tough" and why they chose to glissade on the left rather than anywhere else?

How about this, "Mather Pass was in the center of the saddle and we could see it from afar above timberline over the two-mile snow approach after Twin Lakes. The trail was dry most of the way except for the last mile which was all suncupped, slippery, and prone to post-holing in the afternoon sun and heat. We had no problem cruising up to the bottom of the pass, but found that the tracks we had been following went both left, right, and straight up the center over the snow from there. Since we had been there in May the year before, we chose the center route, made our own switchbacks up the center by kicking aggressively each step with our boots for our foot-platforms, crested the melting cornice with the help of our ice axes, and relaxed on the big, flat rock at the top while eating lunch. Once rested, we tried to follow the trail direction to the right on the northern descent, but it was too soft and suncupped and we postholed many times through onto rocks and boulders beneath, so we went back up to the pass and took the left and steeper descent where we knew we could glissade on our rears with enough speed in the soft snow to make a fun ride to the bottom."

I know it is wordy, but did that help you to "see" what we had to deal with so you can evaluate for yourself if it is something you are ready for? 

Trail journals are used by people to plan for their own hikes. If you are writing one, be a bit more descriptive so your reader can understand what you had to deal with and why you did what you did. If you are looking for one that will help you  plan a future trip, find one that paints a picture with many words rather than qualifies with a few. 
 


"Just remember, Be Careful out there!"

Ned Tibbits, Director
Mountain Education
South Lake Tahoe, Ca. 96150
    P: 888-996-8333
    F: 530-541-1456
    C: 530-721-1551
    http://www.mountaineducation.org