[pct-l] thanks anyway

[ksorbello at hotmail.com (Kimberly Sorbello)]

Thanks Ned, yeah, we've done a bit of accidental snow camping/hiking, 
usually late spring/early summer, but always had the uneasy feeling that we 
were figuratively in over our heads.  A funny story is that the first time 
it happened (30 years ago!! now that's a shocking thought!) we saw streaks 
of red in the snow.  (Now you have to understand that my husband is fairly 
bear-phobic; he used to toss in his S&W.357 after we'd cut ounces to the 
point of taking tags off teabags.) He just knew that the long red streak in 
the snow bank was a fresh kill that had been dragged off.  When we found out 
later that it was algae and indicated a running snow melt under the drift, 
we had a huge laugh, but also a wake-up call as to how ill-prepared we were! 
  So, as we read "Walk With Me" and then "A Walk in the Woods" and first got 
the idea of doing a long or thru-hike, and I read about "self-arresting" and 
using ice axes and crampons on the PCT, I feel pretty uneasy, thus our 
desire to take the course.  My husband just bought a plb - having survived 
VietNam as a helicopter pilot, he's all into safety...  now me?  I'm naive 
and spontaneous, so we balance each other.  So maybe this year we'll hit no 
significant snow (though we hit too much in Desolation this last year!) and 
we'll be ready to take the course next winter!  Til then, thanks again and 
God bless you.
Kim


From: Mtnned@aol.com
To: ksorbello@hotmail.com

Subject: Re: 2-day snow camp refresher interest
Date: Tue, 14 Mar 2006 10:23:27 EST

Kim,

It has been a pleasure to have helped you in any way prepare for your long
trip this summer. Sometimes just being more aware, because other people have
been talking, is enough to keep you safer, make the trip go easier, and  
cause
you to be more thankful along the way, appreciating that the  voyage is 
going
well or that it was a fun trip because you were better  prepared.

Maybe our paths will cross someday, yet!

Ned Tibbits
Mtnned
Mountain Education