[pct-l] Ian...."I'm Fine" GPS phone

[Ned Tibbits]

I want to 'second' the wisdom voiced in Andrea's words, spoken like the 
experienced native to the area she is!

Granted, every season and year is different, but all of you in the Planning 
Stages need to acknowledge the possibility of big powder snow by 
mid-September in the North Cascades terminating your epic hike short of your 
Canada goal. So, plan to be at Manning before that date.

Yes, many have successfully run on into October and only had to deal with 
freezing nights and wet days of rain and fog. Some, like those who just 
finished on Nov. 18 of this hiking season, ran even longer, but I'm sure 
they had to struggle with the elements and ground conditions to accomplish 
it (I haven't yet read about their last week on-trail).

If you're a little mountain-savvy and can deal with the warmer, springtime 
bad weather of SoCal and the few feet of consolidated snow you will find 
there (as opposed to the wet and cold powder snow you'll have to slog 
through up north in late season), it might be wiser to leave "early" rather 
than run late. This is an individual decision based on your experience and 
training.



Ned Tibbits, Director
Mountain Education
www.mountaineducation.org
-----Original Message----- 
From: Andrea Dinsmore
Sent: Monday, November 19, 2012 11:27 AM
To: Greg Hummel
Cc: adzpctko at yahoogroups.com ; pct-l at backcountry.net ; 
danny.wikstrom at co.snohomish.wa.us
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Ian...."I'm Fine" GPS phone

Greg.......in the last 10 years of dealing with PCT hikers and watching
them think they know everything, I've watched many late hikers walk into
dangerous winter situations. They think they are invincible and they will
make it through just fine. We've had 2 winters where Stevens Pass and north
were closed by September 25th because there was so much snow you couldn't
find the trail. Back then the hikers were bunched up and went out in groups
of 4-5 each. They'd start in on one route, come back and hitch down to
Coles Corner and try to go in at Trinity. No go there either. Most of them
after several attempts to find a way ended their hikes and went home. When
Ian left here on Oct 17th we warned him a storm was coming. He had
experienced super good weather the previous part of his whole hike and
figured I was wrong. He got into the blizzard 3 days in and got lost. It
took him 19 days to complete a 5 day hike to Stehekin. I was really
surprised he didn't die out there. Same with SAR. I would like to educate
the inexperienced hikers that when winter hits up here..... that it's not a
walk in a park. Get your butts up here before the snow starts. Lighten up
on your zeros and multi day partying in California. Educate yourself. I am
trying to educate hikers so they don't put friends, family and SAR in a
situation to worry themselves sick.

PCT MOM
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