[pct-l] ice axe length

[abiegen at cox.net]

Ken Murray  <kmurray at pol.net> wrote:

>Remember Gary Embrey, first death on PCT 2006
>http://www.backcountry.net/arch/pct/0602/msg00248.html

>Remember Ali Aminian
>http://www.simpsoncity.com/hiking/news/LAtimes011504.html

I understand and agree with your comments about ice axe length. However, both of the individuals in the articles you cite were climbers not PCT hikers, or at least not hiking the PCT when they fell.

Gary was obviously climbing, not hiking and it was February, not the typical time for a PCT hiker coming through Baden Powell. I've hiked the PCT up Baden Powell in the snow and I didn't see anywhere on the PCT trail where would be a requirement for belaying across an icy chute with helmets, ice axes, crampons, and rope unless you were not on the PCT.

Ali was a hiker and also a climber but his accident happened in January. Not 100% relevant to PCT hikers coming through the same area in May.

I'm not belittling their deaths but trying to relate it to conditions that PCT hikers would encounter since this is a list for PCT thru-hikers not climbers.

TrailHacker

"When my feet hurt, I can't think straight"
Abraham Lincoln