[pct-l] After Action Report: One Blizzard of a Snow Course

[ned at mountaineducation.org]

After three feet of snow had already fallen during the first wave of a storm and another three or more feet were yet to fall, four gallant and aspiring thru hikers hit the buried trail at Echo Pass this weekend. One arrived at the trailhead before the second wave of the storm hit. Another narrowly slipped into the Sno-Park Parking lot while the first flakes were falling and then got buried in his car by two feet of snow. The other two, one from Maryland and the other from San Diego, met the Mountain Education crew (and dog) last Friday morning and tried to reach the parking lot starting point--to no avail as the roads in were not plowed yet, nor would be for at least a day or two.

After much arranging, crew and students joined up and started up the four-foot snow-covered road into Echo Lake at about three in the afternoon. It was still snowing. No one had been up the route in days. We had to break trail in three feet of fresh powder. Rotating leads breaking trail in snowshoes, we managed to go one mile in an hour and a half. At four-thirty it was getting cold and a bit dark, telling us that we had better stop right where we were and make camp or else!

Realizing the need to protect ourselves from getting too cold and wet, we stomped out pads for our five tents right next to the trail, quickly set our tent anchors ("deadmen" as Ned called them), threw our gear inside, and began the housekeeping tasks of tent set-up and melting snow for water. That night we received another two feet of snow on top of our tents, none collapsed, and all slept well in their down bags with little condensation. Of course, in the heat of the storm during the night, the avalanche danger rose next to Highway 50, immediately below us, and we heard the explosions and saw the flashes of light of artillery shells on the hillside nearby (Avalanche Control). Snowball the Samoyed didn't like this much and insisted on hiding his quaking 85 pounds in the tent and virtually on top of Juliee.

At six o'clock the next morning we awoke to the need to dig out of our tents. None of us were able to get out of our tent doors without a shovel. Ned and Juliee started the effort, then all got into it and got the rest dug out. Now the trail in, which had been a two to three foot deep trough, was much deeper. It became apparent that, as the second wave of the storm continued to rage, we would need to stay put in our tents for the day in order to remain warm and dry, our immediate priority. Sure, there were scheduled instructional clinics to be taught, but group health and safety came first. Hot breakfasts were followed by hot lunches and we were all glad that we had brought extra food and fuel!

During the afternoon, there was a slight break in the weather and we were able to get out of our tents and paddle around camp in our down booties while Ned taught about snow cave design, emergency shelters, navigation and route-finding over snow above and below timberline, how to "read" a topo map to truly "see" what's ahead and what to look out for to be certain of where you're going, hidden and submerged hazards in the snow that can hurt you, how to ascend and descend the High Sierra Passes safely with good footwork and an ice axe, how to cross swollen creeks solo and in groups, how to know when a storm is approaching by watching the sky and feeling the wind change directions, and a bunch of other highly thru-hiker relevant stuff. After all this, we got the energy together to follow newly-arriving day hikers and skiers (who had gone ahead of us and broke trail in the snow) up to Echo Lakes to see how much snow had fallen there. Let it be known that I have never, since 1982, seen the Echo Chalet so buried in snow (couldn't see the second floor dormer windows!). 

The second night was colder as the sky was trying to clear and the temperature reached the single digits (the first night was 18 degrees). There was no avalanche control activity, so Snowball slept soundly and snored. Surprising since we heard six skiers go by our tents during the night and no barks out of our watchdog (who always protects his food!). Day Three was all about Self-Arrest Training, done on the hillside above Echo Lake. After considerable compacting of the powdery slope with snow shoes, we started practicing ascent and descent techniques, self-belay with ice axes, and simple and advanced self-arrest skills with Whippets and axes. Although the powder made it a bit difficult to arrest to a stop, everyone developed the reflexes to roll over and "Go to the Pick," as Ned instructed and came away with much laughter and self-confidence.

Although we didn't get to learn some things because of the weather and deep powder, everyone gained a heightened appreciation of self-protection when the weather turns nasty, when to stay and ride out a storm, and exactly how difficult and energy-draining it is to "break trail" in 2 to 3 feet of new, dry snow (much different than the snow most thru hikers will find in the Spring Sierra but exactly what they will get if they let their thru hikes run past mid-September up at the Canadian Border).



"Just remember, Be Careful out there!"

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