Re: [pct-l] stream crossing footwear

[radney@ix.netcom.com]

Hi Margo -- I hated stream crossings in the Sierrias because it took so much 
time and the skeeters were after more than blood (they succeeded in driving 
us crazy)!  We started out crossing the streams (even Evolution Creek) in 
our sandals. I had a pair of water ski slippers (mesh top, rubber bottoms) 
that were ok, but the turbulance of the water would get in the mesh and pull 
me where I didn't want to go so I changed to the sandals.  Walt altered his 
sandals trying to save weight and he took off a couple of important straps!  
During a couple of turbulent crossing he lost one a time or two and had to 
retrieve it.

You will have to content with more than slippery rocks in the water; glass, 
twigs, logs, algae, and the silt that moves with the water and gets in 
between your toes!  On the JMT we put on our nylon sock liners, neoprenes 
and our boots.  After a day of constantly fording ice cold streams and 
hiking through passes of snow, at the night my feet were small, wrinkled and 
my toes were "toesickles"!  A pair of dry acorn socks and Walt's warm back 
brought them back to life.  I would not suggest contemplating using sandals 
in the Sierras to hike in, although Dave did in '97.   

Just my 2  cents

Pat

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