[pct-l] ice axe, and shoes...

[kimber at boalthall.berkeley.edu (Kimber Rodgers)]

><snip>
>   Like I said, it's no big deal if you are going to be on snow for just a few
>hours. But if you are going to be on snow for several days, you are going to
be miserable in running shoes. <snip>

I thru-hiked the PCT in running shoes and I wasn't miserable in the 
High Sierra.

<snip>
>
>  So are you going to carry them along with your running shoes just in case? 
>Not that it's likely, but wouldn't you fell a bit sheepish if upon arriving at
>Forester Pass you had to ask some guy in boots to kick steps in hard snow for
>you or would you figure it's his trail angel duty?  David C

I agree it's difficult to kick steps in running shoes.  However, if 
you're not planning on being in the very first group of hikers to go 
through the High Sierra, there will be plenty of steps already made 
for you -- as long as you are average height/step length.  We left 
Kennedy Meadows on June 11, 2003, and we did not have to kick our own 
steps anywhere, except occasionally b/c I needed shorter steps cause 
I'm really short. Thanks to the first group through -- the ones who 
made the steps and confirmed the possible!

Kimber (AKA French Fry)