[pct-l] New Mountain Education videos on YouTube!

[Ned Tibbits]

Mountain Education has recently posted a few videos on its YouTube channel about the reality of going up Forester Pass during thru-hiker season (May, June). 

This is the first of 5 showing our progress up to the notorious ice chute near the top of Forester in 2010.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMe8Kx3Do3I&list=UUu6Wlwedtpzun72alAPV3GA

There will be posted, soon, a series of 5 videos showing the creation of a path across the ice chute, something we try to provide for the NoBo thrus every year as part of our Snow Advanced Course out of Kennedy Meadows the first week of May. Some years this is not a big deal as there is less ice. May of 2010 followed a “heavy-ish” winter’s snowpack and a cool spring, so we had lots of snow covering the trail from 9,500 feet in elevation and up and lots of ice in the chute and filling the trailbed. 

If your thru hike follows such a winter as what you see here, don’t continue up Forester without knowing your snow skills! If others have preceded you and made a “trough,” a Whippet and Microspikes should be enough for self-arrest and hold you to the hillside, but know how to use them reflexively. Once you fall and slide/tumble down a steep slope, there is precious little time to stop before you’re going too fast and the rocks or trees below you will come up real fast!

We hope the videos we post to the Mountain Education YouTube Channel will help aspiring thrus better realize the realities of what they are thinking of doing and to include lots of on-trail practice into their preparations before they start their hikes.

We are now a public benefit, non-profit, educational institution/business and can only continue to help and train hikers with your financial help. We appreciate all feedback, so at least let us know what you think of what we are trying to promote!


Ned Tibbits, Director
Mountain Education
www.mountaineducation.org

Mission: 
“To minimize wilderness accidents, injury, and illness through experiential education and risk awareness training.”