[pct-l] trip report words

[giniajim]

See my interpretations below... :)

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <ned at mountaineducation.org>
To: "PCT MailingList" <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Cc: <johnmuirtrail at yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, August 03, 2011 8:10 PM
Subject: [pct-l] trip report words


> (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"   A 20-something trained athlete has a 75% chance of making it 
> through with no life-threatening injuries
> "it's (not) a walk in the park"  See above, 50%
> "survival"  See above, 25%
> "partially or completely covered"  Postholing for most (but not all!!) of 
> the day
> "the snow is good to work with"  Igloo time!
> "there is some snow"  Bring snowshoes
> "dangerous"  Send your annoying neighbor
> "wild"  Party time for snowbunnies!!
> "exhausting"  Near death, 3-day recuperation
> "doable"  If you've got a few months and an army of sherpas, go get 'em!
> "it's tough going"  Whew, I made it!  And I beat the elementary school 
> cheering leading team to boot!  Woohoo!
> "It's physically and mentally draining hiking though that much snow"  So 
> I'm off for a beer or three.
> "easy" and "piece of cake"  The cheering team beat me!
> "treacherous"  Don't go; you'll embarrass me if you remember the stories I 
> told at the bar last night.
>
>
> 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 beneat
> h, 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
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