[pct-l] Mountaineering School

[CWillett at pierce.ctc.edu (Chris Willett)]

For the self arrest and self belay (more important) techniques, check out a copy of Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills.  Also, read up on glissading.  You don't really need to pay an instructor to show you the basic skills for the PCT.  Learning to cut steps is fairly straightforward:  Just know which end of the axe to swing.  Glissading is easy also, but you need to know how to use the axe while doing it.  One picture from the book is worth a thousand words.  The only other thing you might want to do is to get some experience travelling up and along with snow.  That is, how and when to kick steps, on what sort of slope should you worry, etc.  If you can't get it, don't worry:  Many people cross the Sierras with little or no experience (I crossed with one) on snow.  Just make sure that at Kennedy Meadows you link up with someone who does have the skills and is willing to show you (this won't be a problem).

Suge

---------------------------
Christopher Willett
cwillett@pierce.ctc.edu
Pierce College
9401 Farwest Drive SW.
Lakewood, WA. 98498-1999

> ----------
> From: 	pct-l-bounces@mailman.backcountry.net on behalf of David Dieffenbach
> Sent: 	Friday, September 24, 2004 11:12 AM
> To: 	pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
> Subject: 	[pct-l] Mountaineering School
> 
> Once again I call upon the intellignet minds of many here on the list-serv.  I
> apologize if this is not directly related to the PCT, but in light of the
> ongoing discussion of ice axes/self-arrest procedures I was curious to know if
> anyone out there has had experiences or has good advice regarding
> mountaineering schools.  I am an experienced hiker and I am working on becoming
> an experienced backpacker, but I feel there is still so much for me to learn. 
> Funding aside, is it worth it to partake in one of these outdoor instructional
> schools?  All thoughts are very much appreciated.  Suggestions regarding
> particular schools are a plus.  Thank you all again!
> 
> Bear Down,
> Wildcat Dave
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> pct-l mailing list
> pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
> unsubscribe or change options:
> http://mailman.hack.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l
> 
>