[pct-l] Re: Early season Streams Techniques - rope up

[goforth at cio.net (Joanne Lennox)]

It is my understanding that a number of people have drown using a rope to
cross streams.  there are a lot of problems that can occur but the main
dynamic appears to be that the rope itself has a lot of drag and is pulled
under by the current.  When somebody is  tied to the rope, they are pulled
under as well - no amount of strength can pull or push the body weight up
against the current and the drag of the rope, and the body is being pushed
so hard by the current that untying is not a possiblility either.

One of best techniques of stream crossing is to cross in pairs - two people
anchoring each other in the current.  I did this one time where the current
was so strong and deep that I could not keep myself anchored in the stream
bottom (I had to lean into the current to stay upright, but the lean caused
my feet to start slipping downstream).  I crossed with my husband and on
the down stream side - we both had sticks to stabilize us and these were
held in the outside hands, I held onto his pack waistband, we moved one
foot at a time.

Make sure there are no log jams or drop offs down stream.  Choose the
widest area which is usually shallow (but look at the opposite bank to make
sure it is not a deep outside curve that you can't cross).  

I crossed upstream from the usual bad ones in the Sierras(Kings, Bear,
Evolution , and Kerrick).  somebody recently mentioned the spots.  It was
worth it to me to look around for a better place than the normal crossing -
which looked really bad to me.

Joanne 

Joanne