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[BULK] - [pct-l] Alpine Style Thru-Hiking?



alpine style actually means you'll be eating tree bark by the time you get
to the end of the trail it sounds like.....

s.c.


----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike Saenz" <msaenz@mve-architects.com>
To: "Alan Julliard" <atjulliard@yahoo.com>; <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2005 3:22 PM
Subject: RE: [BULK] - [pct-l] Alpine Style Thru-Hiking?


> "Alpine" usually refers to the ecology zone above 10,000' or timberline.
Hence the origins of Oilcan's favorite saying: "We'll be having a fine time
Alpine!"
> Or,
> "Alpine" refers to all things associated to the Alps range in Europe.
>
> Which brings up a curious observation: In Europe, tent camping is frowned
upon. An elaborate system of hiker huts has been developed over the ages to
allow hikers to hike a day, then sleep overnight in these "hut"
accommodations (some are rather lux in their offering of lodging and
dining).
> So, if "Alpine Style" means long distance hiking with no support sources,
then that is diametrically opposed to the hiking philosophy of Europe, which
the Alps are a premier range to hike in.
>
> -Oilcan
> M i c h a e l   S a e n z
> McLarand Vasquez Emsiek & Partners, Inc.
> A r c h i t e c t u r e    P l a n n i n g    I n t e r i o r s
> w  w  w  .  m  v  e  -  a  r  c  h  i  t  e  c  t  s  .  c  o  m
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pct-l-bounces@mailman.backcountry.net
[mailto:pct-l-bounces@mailman.backcountry.net] On Behalf Of Alan Julliard
> Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2005 2:59 PM
> To: pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
> Subject: [BULK] - [pct-l] Alpine Style Thru-Hiking?
>
> (This is in reference to someone's questions about Coup's hikes at
> http://www.golite.com/team/athletes/coup/index.asp)
>
>   I saw this site a couple of months ago when I was looking at modifying
my GoLite Gust pack.  I had to chuckle to myself.  From the website:
>
> "Alpine Style Thru-Hiking entails doing a hike on a major trail from one
end to the other continuously without any re-supply or support of any kind.
Other than water, readily available from sources on the routes, everything
will be carried from the very beginning including every bit of clothing,
equipment, and food."
>
> "Enjoying an alpine style thru-hike of a trail as long as the Colorado
Trail wasn't even thinkable a decade ago" said Coup. "Now with 1 ? pound
packs, 1 pound shelters, 1 ? pound sleeping bags, ? pound
waterproof-breathable parkas and the like, it's totally achievable."
>
>   As I am a climber who has climbed some "alpine style" in the mountains,
I know what it means.  Since he did not define it, I will.  Basically,
"alpine style" originated in the Himalayas in opposition to "expedition
style" which involved large parties of climbers with porters carrying all of
their gear, moving slowly and establishing multiple camps for climbers to
move between; this was the original method of climbing big mountains.
Alpine style meant small teams (usually 2) carrying everything themselves,
minimal gear, moving quickly to minimize the exposure to risk, as if the
climb were in the Alps, hence alpine.  Retreat is almost impossible in true
alpine style so you better know what you are doing.  Most climbs are done
alpine style now.  GoLite's twist of semantics when referring to thru-hiking
is quite a stretch even if they do bear a resemblance.
>   But what gets me is acting like this is new.  Gee, where were you guys
decades ago?  On the AT in 1974, because of the bizarre way I did food drops
every 20 days (!), I went from south of Mt. Greylock all the way to Gorham
without resupply; isn't that about the same distance as the entire Long
Trail?  Certainly going 17 days from Highway 178 to Mammoth Lakes without
resupply in 1975 was a lot further than the John Muir Trail, covered much of
the same ground plus I was in the snow most of the way; I was supposed to
get the next drop at Tuolumne but the PO wasn't open yet, hence Mammoth,
though I had enough food to go on the 2 - 3 more days.  Take into account
that I was carrying a lot of heavy gear, substitute today's light gear and
you could easily add 10 more days of food and still have a lighter pack than
I had.  So, although doing the entire Colorado Trail in one go is
impressive, I would not doubt that someone did it a long time ago.
Considering all the people out there doing unpublished megahikes for years
and years, I would be very reluctant to claim the first on anything.  Just
look at Eric Ryback!
>   Of course, its all just more hype, something we have come to expect from
gear companies.  I wonder if Coup and GoLite have figured out yet that they
have done the only trails they are likely to ever do in this fashion since
most long trails go through towns and such.  Me, I am starting a new style
myself, which I have exercised on a thru-hike of the Cotswold Way with my
family and friends, that is, carry no supplies but stop at every pub along
the way and partake of goods found within; I call it "Alpine style
thru-pubbing".
>
> ;-)
>
> Alan
>
>
>
>
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