[pct-l] Re: Winter Backpacking

[Lonetrail at aol.com (Lonetrail@aol.com)]

Winter Backpacking 
First draw a straight line on paper and in the center make an  indentation. 
This indentation will be the trail representing approximate 2 ?  feet +/-. To 
your left and right will be both sides of trail say 800 ft +/-on  either side. 
You hope to hike that indentation for 2680 miles. Now the paper is  lying 
flat, gradually turn the paper on one edge until it is almost vertical. So  the 
terrain changes from flat to different degrees until almost straight up and  
down. You will still be walking on that indentation. The trail is now a vertical  
drop of perhaps 800 feet+/-. If you slip you can pick up speed of over 60 
miles  an hour; most likely death... 
Now add snow, wind, rain, freezing, melting sometime; layer after layer  of 
snow and ice. Now were in the hell is the trail that?s covered with snow.  Then 
the high side of trail becomes wind swept but steep and the indentation now  
has a bulge like a half of a basketball all ice and snow. Sometimes there will 
 be just a narrow strip on the low side about several inches wide of ground  
showing... This may be all you have to walk on. But remember you only get one  
slip and its over. This is when you keep your cool and size up whether you 
can  do it. Its getting late and the winds start to kick up at high elevation 
and the  degrees are dropping. You can hear the trees cracking from the wind and 
one  snaps and falls in the distance.  
Now what gear do you have? Nothing! Should you at lease have walking  sticks? 
OK if you have them you now have four legs. That is a big plus. Without  them 
I would have turned back. Remember you may have miles of this condition.  
It would be a good thing to have had crampons but have you tried them on  and 
did some snow/ ice practicing before you started. It would give you greater  
confidence on slippery slope or knee deep snow... Or maybe you attached screws 
 to your boots. Have they all stayed in?  WOW! I tried to cut corners and 
bought Yaktrax. They came out in post  holing on Mt Baden Powell. a guy passed me 
up with crampons and he made me feel  like hell. I had to turn around, abort 
my trip and return with crampons. It cost  me time and money for making a 
wrong decision... I would take crampons and do a  lot of practicing. Ice axes are 
also a big plus, but again did you practice self  arrest. Snow shoes could 
also be a plus but in ice/snow I didn't take  them 
I would not take my traptent on winter backpacking. I have a cozy 3  season 3 
? lb Eureka tent. I can make it a 4 season by  changing fly which goes all 
the way to the ground but it adds several more lbs  and a lot of bag 
space...Maybe in WA. 
Now when do I start? Its very hard to pick a date in September for a  winter 
backpacking in January.  You  have to track the storms. I try to go between 
storms. We are having terrible  storms now in CA you don't want to have four 
feet of snow dumped on you...  You can get a weather profile of  previous years 
in the area you want to hike, but remember track the  storms... 
Now I am not one of the fast nor do I try to be. I did from Route 10 in  the 
winter months, in sections, to Acton. Some sections twice. We lost eight men  
one winter just in this area from falls. Remember keep your cool; don't rush. 
I  did the High Sierras in the summer months. I do cross country skiing and 
snow  shoeing in the HS in winter with groups. I don't feel I have enough of  
experience to do winter in the HS. Know your capabilities and also your hiking  
partner... 
Lonetrail