[pct-l] Snowshoes

[CHUCK CHELIN]

Good morning, Sam,

I have several pairs of snowshoes but I haven’t found they are necessary for
typical early-summer snowpack.  If I want to use snowshoes my preferred pair
are Northern Lites Quicksilver-30, a photo of which can be seen at
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=165516.  They weigh 45 ounces –
half again heavier than any other single item I carry.  For a “traditional”
– read heavy – hiker with 65 lbs. of gear that’s only a 5% increase.  For me
as an ultra-lite those 45 ounces are a 25% increase.

There is additional discussion of show vs. snowpack at:

http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=264464

http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=264576

http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=264768

Step back for a moment and think about the thousands of bright, experienced,
and successful  PCT hikers who do without snowshoes even though there are
usually brief moments when they would be helpful.


Steel-Eye

Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT – 1965

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

http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09


On Mon, Feb 14, 2011 at 3:59 AM, Samuel Ward <samward36 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hello Everyone,
> I'm curious as to why snowshoes aren't more popular on the snowed in
> sections of the PCT.  From all the accounts of those who do an early Sierra
> entry and experience extensive snowed in trail it seems like snowshoes
> would
> remedy a lot of the issues with post holing and slow moving across miles of
> snow field.  Besides having to carry the extra weight, is there a reason
> people dont typically carry these?  Seems like it would make the hiking
> much
> more enjoyable.
>
> Sam
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