[pct-l] Start thru in March. -- Fuller Ridge

[ned at mountaineducation.org]

The first problem thru hikers have is they don't know how to recognize such 
a high risk, icy slope, especially if it is covered with a recent, fresh 
snowfall. They won't have their ice axes out because of this and most don't 
know how to use them for self-arrest, anyway.

As we (Mountain Education) teach all our students, it doesn't take but a 
small patch of snow across a trail on a slope to cause a fall. Yes, hikers 
will learn over time how to walk over it without slipping and falling, but 
often only after something scary happens to wake them up and make them 
realize that they can't walk on snow the same way they walk on dry trail!

We teach our students to pay attention to all past weather events that may 
cause any thaw/refreeze of the snowpack for these very reasons. It doesn't 
require a steep slope to be a danger either with these conditions.

For our students who just want to visit the high country for a weekend 
snowshoe trip, the same applies for the awareness and assessment of 
avalanche risks (a new snowfall in the vicinity of a foot of snow on top of 
a frozen layer on a slope between 25 and 40 degrees is not safe to walk on).

It is usually the hasty, uninformed, unaware, untrained hikers who fall 
victim to over-snow injuries. It doesn't take much to learn the "tricks" of 
snow travel, only the realization of the hazard and the time to take a 
course before you get out there on your own and wish you had!

[These comments and observations are from the point of view of both the 
wilderness educator and a 4-year Search and Rescue Member].



Ned Tibbits, Director
Mountain Education
www.mountaineducation.org
-----Original Message----- 
From: Brick Robbins
Sent: Sunday, December 22, 2013 7:19 PM
To: PCT
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Start thru in March. -- Fuller Ridge

On Sun, Dec 22, 2013 at 4:01 PM, Rob Langsdorf <sdscpcts at yahoo.com> wrote:
>     The picture you have on Fuller Ridge gives some indication of the
> steepness of the slope. Some years there can be some early melting 
> followed
> by another snow. The early melting can result in an ice layer that is then
> hidden under the snow.

March is in the spring. They most likely wont have those sorts of
conditions. That kind of refreeze is mostly a problem for avalanches.
That late in the season, postholing is a bigger problem

>     One year 4 people I knew, in four separate incidents hit such 
> conditions
> on Mt. Baldy. 2 were killed by hitting trees and bushes.

That is why you carry an ice axe, and know how to self arrest. That
way you don't slide to your death. You will notice Joe has his ice axe
in his hand in that photo.

>  But it could
> still have problems of getting turned into ice and then covered with snow. 
> I
> think that is why people think it is a problem.

I think they have a problem because it is the first snow slope they
have seen and it is all new. If thrus came across the same conditions
at Red's meadow, they wouldn't even notice it.

All IMHO, YMMV, HYOH
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