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

[eyakel at earthlink.net (Eric Yakel)]

Sorry Joanne, I replied before I read your comments.  You did a much better
job than me.  Everybody listen to Joanne.    Eric
----- Original Message -----
From: "Joanne Lennox" <goforth@cio.net>
To: <RBALCORN@cs.com>; <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2004 12:03 AM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Re: Early season Streams Techniques - rope up


> 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
>
>
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