[pct-l] Winter PCT Attempt

[Ned Tibbits]

Years ago, back in the early '80s, I took a Kifaru sled down the length of 
the JMT, but that was during the consolidated snow months of March/April at 
the end of a heavy winter. It is not impossible, but a whole lot safer and 
quicker when done on consolidated, less avalanche-prone snow. I've also 
snow-shoed the PCT once and boot-packed it many times during the months of 
April thru July (heavy winters).

Winter, powder snow involves a huge endeavor, takes lots more time since on 
days when you can "go" you do about 1mph at best, burns a ton more energy, 
and will include many days waiting out storms in your tent. Avalanches are a 
daily occurrence during the winter in the high sierra and in comparison, are 
rare to infrequent in the spring (aspect, wind, sun, and snowpack 
dependent).

Skiing the route with a winter pack? It's not the up-hill that is difficult; 
skinning is pretty simple. It is the downhill control with a heavy pack that 
is hazardous. This requires someone who has had lots of time to perfect 
backcountry powder skiing with that pack to begin to be safe negotiating the 
anticipated slopes. Don't forget, surface conditions will not be ideal "pow" 
nor "corn" most of the time, but will have ice and wind crusts on deep, 
soft, breakable pack, so the going will not be easy even in that respect.

Mr. Dittli, as a DWR snow surveyor, has skied much of the area and could add 
a valuable perspective to this plausibility. I don't know how heavy his pack 
is when he goes in for a week or so, but I have certainly followed his 
tracks in the spring (May) and seen photos of his downhill turns and 
speculate that he has a fairly light pack since he stays in backcountry 
ranger stations rather than tenting on the snow. JD?

As Mary said, where backpacking was more of a leisurely recreation in the 
past, it is trending toward an extreme sport where faster and farther is 
rewarded. Doing the PCT in the winter, during powder snow months, is one 
thing I think I would rather leave alone. There are more things I want to do 
in life that are safer!


Ned Tibbits, Director
Mountain Education, Inc.
www.mountaineducation.org
ned at mountaineducation.org


Mission:
"To minimize wilderness accidents, injury, and illness in order to maximize 
wilderness enjoyment, safety, and personal growth, all through experiential 
education and risk awareness training."
-----Original Message----- 
From: Mary Kwart
Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2014 11:20 AM
To: pct-l at backcountry.net
Subject: [pct-l] Winter PCT Attempt


I posted several years ago about what seems to be the inevitable
evolution of backpacking on the PCT, analogous to what happens to
mountain climbing routes. When the route becomes crowded and popular,
a new challenge is sought--a winter ascent. Ned's words are true, but
someone is going to do it eventually in our hero myth/extreme sport
fueled society and some may die trying. I am not condoning a winter
trip. You would have to be a helluva backcountry skier with world
class endurance to accomplish it. When I worked in Yosemite in the
90's, I heard that two guys  successfully skied  the John Muir Trail
in winter. One was the Ostrander Hut winter caretaker Howard Weimer.
They did a lot of caching and were expert backcountry skiers with
years of experience. The PCT would require a lot more time exposed to
the elements if your were thru hiking/skiing it, though, and
everything that Ned mentioned needs to be heeded. It is interesting to
see the evolution of backcountry endeavors as extreme sport.

--Fireweed


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