RE: [pct-l] One for Jardinintes...

[Svein Eriksen <svein.eriksen@Braathens.no>]

My (or rather the Jardinites) point is that going lighter makes it easier to
get out of bad situations. I don't think an experienced Jardinite sacrifice
much in the way of handling bad conditions. It's important with experience
though. I even said "I agree that you need experience to go Ultralight" in
my original mail.

On your comments:

- Why would a tarp not work as good as a tent in winter conditions?
- I didn't see or talk to anyone who had used snowshoes on my thruhike last
summer.
- 98 was supposedly a year with a lot of snow. Most people hiked in
sneakers. Didn't hear about any frostbite.

My reasons for not being a Jardinite is mainly comfort in camp. I like a
real tent so I'll get out of the bugs, and a thermarest. I also like a pack
with a real hipbelt as I find it more comfortable when carrying food for a
lot of days. 

Svein

	-----Original Message-----
	From:	Greg Hummel [SMTP:ghummel@hydrogenburner.com]
	Sent:	6. mars 1999 00:31
	To:	pct-l@backcountry.net
	Subject:	RE: [pct-l] One for Jardinintes...

	Svein wrote:
	>-	One of the points with Ultralight is reducing the chance of
needing
	>a rescue.

	Baloney!  How does going ultra light reduce the chance of needing
rescue
	when a May or even June storm dumps four feet of snow on you at
11,000' in
	the Sierra. (Don't say this can't happen, because it did to me in
'77 in
	one of THE driest years on record)
	Let's examine this.  I can just hear the Jardinites . . .

	"Um, I'm not prepared for this f#*king snow! My tarp wont support it
and
	caved in, nearly suffocating me!  What do I do now?"  

	"How in hell do I walk out without snow shoes now?"  

	"My alcohol stove wont work in this below zero temperatures!"  

	"Oh, sh*t my toes are frost bitten in these damn tennis shoes!"

	Yea, right, ultra light will really reduce the need for rescue.  Of
all the
	stupid ideas!  THE place where you are most likely to encounter
conditions
	where you could need a rescue are the Sierras in Spring and the
North
	Cascades in Fall.  I wouldn't challenge Mother Nature, she has a
habit of
	conspiring against you when you're not prepared.  Go ultra light if
you
	want in south and north of the Sierras and Oregon maybe but don't
chance it
	else where.

	BE PREPARED!  DONT TRADE WEIGHT FOR SAFETY!

	No standard disclaimers necessary, due to the sane opinions
presented.

	Greg "Strider" Hummel
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