[pct-l] Kelty bags and glissading

[woodsps@gbis.com (RenoWoods)]

Just picked up a Kelty twenty-degree bag for $55 bucks at REI, seems its
their January clearance Jan 12 - 14

Learned to glissade the hard way on Lassen in May, 1970. Started sliding
just below the summit on the south side, managed to keep my feet for a bit,
then sat down. I'd say I covered a quarter mile before I could stop. I was
actually sitting on one boot heel with the other out in front allowing me to
steer a little and plant the leading heel enough to keep my speed under
control. Had a nice plume of ice flying up over me. By the time I got
stopped, my brand new Levi's were polished white on the butt and that spring
ice took the corner off my boot heel. No ice ax. And a sierra cup may still
be up there somewhere in the talus.
Been doing it ever since - I guess skills learned under pressure stay with
you the longest if you live through the education. The sensation is very
similar to a downhill-facing side slide on a snowboard. The balance skills
are the same. You might try the long plunge step on sand dunes too. Don't
know if SC has dunes, but I know a really huge one at Kill Devil Hills NC.
They teach hang gliding there.

Katt, the friends/family opposition is a universal I think. My wife doesn't
want me to do a section alone, and family members (boy scouts included) are
pretty ambivalent to the whole thing. I may do as much of the first section
starting the weekend of April 27 as I can before I have to get back to my
monthly contract.

Introduction:
I'm Rick, Sparks, NV, editor of an arts monthly tab for northern Nevada. Did
a 20-year tour with the Coast Guard, now semi-retired but still trying to
keep up with the big (young) dogs.