Snowshoeing Sucks

[Tom253]

Went snowshoeing yesterday at Snoqualmie ski area. Expected rain at the base and snow up high. Not a chance. We got rained on the entire time. Legs are sore today from moving through heavy, wet snow. Saw a few folks cruising on cross country skis. They appeared to be having more fun due to the ease of movement. I was jealous. Snowshoeing sucks. That's all. Thank you.

[Billygoat]

Snowshoes are used for getting christmas trees.

[robert_Nielsen]

snowshoes are great for packing a trail to the outhouse.

skiing is for life.

[John Frieh]

I'd like to meet the man or woman that can ski into the north side of Stuart faster than a snowshoer (if not at all) in winter.

 

Snowshoeing can suck but sometimes it's a necessary evil.

[mattp]

In deep snow, the skier may well win your race. That is not difficult terrain to navigate on skis unless the trail is all hammered out by snowshoers. Also, I think you should consider the trip back out again -- hopefully, your trip "into" the North Ridge of Stuart is not just a one-way trip.

 

More practical sometimes. "Necessary evil?" Generally not.

[John Frieh]

I will give a keg of beer to the x country skier that can ski into the stuart moraine in less than 5 hours from the gate (not the parking lot) without taking their skis off with the exception of the river crossing in winter.

 

Let me know when you go so I can watch you attempt the boulder field.

[Cobra_Commander]

Snowshoing is basically never a necessary evil if you don't suck at skiing.

 

If it's too rocky/shallow you can pack the skis and hike for a bit, wtf is wrong with that?

[John Frieh]

Nothing unless the whole appoach is rocky/shallow.

[John Frieh]

And if you have to carry over I rather climb with snowshoes on my pack instead of skies on technical terrain.

[Cobra_Commander]

In that case I would leave the snowshoes/skis at home and walk I guess.

[John Frieh]

Just one route I can think of but you would rather post hole into and over ptarmigan ridge in winter instead of carry over snowshoes

[Cobra_Commander]

Well to each his own, but if I bothered to slog up ptarmigan, yes, I would take skis and carry over. Once it is too steep to skin (pretty damn steep) it's too steep to snowshoe.

 

Rainier is for skiing. It's too much work, too much slogging not to have some boards with you. If the route is too steep to have skis on your pack, well, it's probably a chosscapade on the willis or somesuch and I wouldn't be there anyways.

[mattp]

No kidding! Ptarmigan (and Mt. Rainier in general) is exactly the kind of climb where skis would be vastly better than snowshoes. If you were to "carry over," the extra length of the skis extending above your pack would be little or no problem on the route and ski boots would be perfectly adequate for the climb. (I'm not so sure I'd carry over, though.)

[luwayo]

snowshoes let you:

bushwhack uphill while hanging off the vegetation,

climb verglassed 4th-low 5th,

handle easy mixed,

and create a spectacle of your buddy when he attempts to free solo the first 10' of panicdome in msrs

Edited November 14, 2005 by luwayo

[btowle]

Snowshoes are sometimes better when pulling a sled. We usually strap a pair onto the sled for those times when sidehilling isn't appealing or possible (steep roads with large cutbanks with steep drifts).

 

They make a nice path for the sled also.

[luwayo]

in ugly snow, say wet heavy cement, it's hard to derive pleasure from the kinetics of skiing. and in these cdntns i fight less with my equipment when i'm on slowshoes.

[cj001f]

in ugly snow, say wet heavy cement, it's hard to derive pleasure from the kinetics of skiing.

Fatter skis + skill.

[luwayo]

well i'll keep trying then. wet coast cement might be fun for me, one day.

[Cobra_Commander]

It may never be fun, but it can be manageable and efficient.

 

Cement is not as bad as unadulterated breakable crust.

[skykilo]

I will give a keg of beer to the x country skier that can ski into the stuart moraine in less than 5 hours from the gate (not the parking lot) without taking their skis off with the exception of the river crossing in winter.

 

Let me know when you go so I can watch you attempt the boulder field.

 

I'm in New Mexico until December 5th. I'd be happy to get a little exercise and take a keg from you at your convenience after that...

 

Oh yeah, SNOWSHOEING SUCKS, 24-7-365-inf.

[ScottP]

[ashw_justin]

I will give a keg of beer

I'd be happy to take a keg from you

 

Sweet, when's the party!

[skykilo]

Somehow I don't understand that skiers rule the planet.

 

[skykilo]

No kidding! Ptarmigan (and Mt. Rainier in general) is exactly the kind of climb where skis would be vastly better than snowshoes. If you were to "carry over," the extra length of the skis extending above your pack would be little or no problem on the route and ski boots would be perfectly adequate for the climb. (I'm not so sure I'd carry over, though.)

 

I'm with you Matt, why carry your skis up it and then not enjoy the spectacular ski descent???

[layton]

Amen Brother!