[pct-l] Getting Into Trouble on the Trail

[goforth at cnw.com (Joanne Lennox)]

This email frightens me!!!  It does not have anything to do with whether 
this person is going lightweight or what he is carrying on his back.

There are a lot of steep, north facing slopes between the border and rainey 
pass, which if they were snow covered, and it was cold, I would not dream of 
going across or around without an ice ax.  The steep areas up high are more 
likely to have snow accumulated below where the slope ameliorates  ( i.e. 
can't necessarily circumvent the snow, and the snow in the trees is more 
likely to be icey than the snow in the open).  Hiting a tree or a cliff when 
you slip on icey snow in the forest has a very real effect.

.
> I like anticipating the worst and having a plan.  For me that means adding
> two days to this section, anticipating dropping down to avoid said icy
> slopes.  I also anticipate walking in forest on soft snow that is one two
> foot deep step after another.  I'm not going to carry an ice axe as I've
> never used one, or use crampons, as I don't want to put myself in a
> situation where they are necessary.
THIS IS NOT A GOOD PLAN!!!

The Sierras  and the NOrth Cascades are two entirely different ranges. The 
type of things that you talk about to avoid icey snow are often possible in 
the Sierrras and on the Continental Divide, they may not be realistic in the 
North Cascades.

Just because you do not carry an ice ax or crampons, does not mean that you 
will avoid  situations where you will need them.  It takes experience to use 
an ice ax and crampons; IT TAKES MORE EXPERIENCE TO KNOW WHEN THEY ARE 
NEEDED AND TO AVOID THOSE SITUATIONS WHEN YOU DO NOT HAVE THEM. People 
regularly get hurt because they think they do not need an ice ax.

Some bad accients have happened where the trail is interspersed with small 
patches of snow, this means there is no run out , and when you slip on the 
snow you can not get control before you hit something. Did Seabreeze find 
this out??

This plan was made by someone that has no real experience with snow in the 
NOrth Cascades. Experience on the snow in California, does not equate with 
what kind of experience you need in the NOrth Cascades on snow (the snow, 
the conditions, the slope, rock, weather are all different)

If there is still snow, do not go on it.  Find an alternate route.  Go out 
Frosty pass, near Castle Pass, down to the Chudhuwanteen, to the airport 
,over Robinson Pass and into Mazama(L8, plus a USFS Okanogan map)- Lots of 
solitude!!!.  Once south of Hopkins Lake, you would need a lot more 
Mountaineering skills( and an ice ax) to" drop down to avoid said icy
slopes", than you would if you stayed on the PCT.  But if there is icey 
snow, you have to have an ice ax and know how to use it.

 Goforth