Surviving the Snow for Beginners

[olyclimber]

[video:youtube]F7b96bQfnjE

[olyclimber]

I was really enjoying the debate whether Hoodsport is a mountain town or not. At sea level, it is hard to make that argument, but then compare it to some town in the Mid-west. The Brothers (and many other mountains) are just up the road. Also, given the location it is pretty much in the shade of the mountains all the time, so its almost always dark and wet.

[olyclimber]

Also compelling from this thread is the rift apparently between location "X" vs. Leavenworth. There appears to be animosity, I would love a backgrounder on this. Is it "East Side Envy"? Or "Leavenworth Crag Thugs"?

[ScottP]

Let's not forget that the OP is a self described "freak of nature' that thinks homelessness is a fashion choice.

http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/1119185/How_do_you_pack_your_crampons

 

That about sums it up...

[mountainsandsound]

Also compelling from this thread is the rift apparently between location "X" vs. Leavenworth. There appears to be animosity, I would love a backgrounder on this. Is it "East Side Envy"? Or "Leavenworth Crag Thugs"?

 

I'm not sure, but I get the impression that a lot of people from Leavenworth are in reality from the Seattle area.

 

I had the same feeling in Mazama when I was skiing. Last time I saw that many City of Seattle parking sticker permits I was in Seattle.

 

Nothing against Seattle... good city.

Edited May 18, 2014 by mountainsandsound

[Critter Hampton]

Why am I in the spray section? I post in the spray section because that's how most of my posts end up. In the past I have been told to "pack up and move on" in a hiking forum for "not fitting in". Some of them said I was going to need rescued but since then one of the guys saying that(who I had a lot of respect for) has been rescued himself and so has my rival, who I call 'Barefoot Joke'. So, I don't fit in most forum sections.

 

Critter style = Homeless? I'm not a fancy hiker and I'm not a fancy climber but I extensively explore snow, remote areas, and sometimes both at the same time. In the winter I bag areas that others brag about in the summer. In the Summer I bag remote lakes and areas that people are not even familiar with.

 

Hoodsport is not a mountain town? There are houses in Hoodsport at 800ft above sea level. They are 3 miles from the base of Mt Elinor(5,944ft).

 

Skin track cry babies? These are not really mountain etiquette tips for the refined. There are mountains for skiing and there are mountains for hiking. If you ski on a mountain which is mostly for hikers you should expect to deal with hikers, the same way a hikers can expect to deal with skiers on a ski slope. My advice is that if you are having trouble in skis, try walking.

 

I added these at the bottom of the tips for beginners.

Advanced tips:

 

Written by Cascade Climber, genepires and Critter

 

 

1. Keep your body fueled with the proper food. This is no place for a diet so eat something hourly.

 

2. Stay hydrated. Even in the winter, dry air and hard exertion can dehydrate one quickly, so sip water often. (or munch on clean snow if temps are moderate) If you wait till you're thirsty it's too late.

 

3. Maintain a moderate body temperature. Alter clothing to keep the core temp in that narrow range, below sweating and above shivers.

 

4. Along with core temp, you need to be able to pace yourself for the entire journey. Don't burn out too early. Keep some juice in the tank so that you can hustle during times like when you need to minimize your exposure to hazards or fight off a angry skier.

 

 

5. UV rays are greatly intensified as they reflect off the ground so any exposed skin should have sun screen on it. This is an advanced tip because it is mostly necessary on multiple day trips, when getting a bad burn the first day could keep you from completing your goal.

 

6. Be aware of what is going on around you. Keep aware of changing weather conditions, changing snow conditions, changing avalanche conditions, ect. Things change quick and if you blindly go along, you can easily step into a dangerous situation. Take the time to look around. be critical of things you see. This is a good time to think of the glass as "half empty" rather than "half full". Don't let a group mentality keep you from being critical of what you see or think.

 

(Some other tips were also edited into the tips for beginners.)

 

Edited May 18, 2014 by Critter Hampton

[Drederek]

The list is fine but its not really going to help much because the people who need to read it are probably not going to and the people who do read it are probably smart enough to know most of those things already.

The Olympics (in my experience) are actually one of the places that seems to have a comparatively low number of people out there who shouldn't be. But keep fighting the good fight CH, you may be the reason that is so.

[Pete_H]

I'm not a fancy hiker and I'm not a fancy climber but I extensively explore snow, remote areas, and sometimes both at the same time. In the winter I bag areas that others brag about in the summer. In the Summer I bag remote lakes and areas that people are not even familiar with.

 

That's cool. I like to bag cougar and beavers. Sometimes both at the same time.

[ivan]

half the beavers in the bush have tuberculosis, the other half are al queda operatives - only fuck the ones that cough

[G-spotter]

Scientists have proven a direct correlation between frequency of bestiality and incidence of penile cancer.

 

Something to think about...

[Pete_H]

Aha. That's another good snow safety tip!

[G-spotter]

Yeah but it probably only applies to guys that like to slip in to their Tauntaun at the bivi.

[Critter Hampton]

"Tauntaun at the bivi"?

 

You guys spray much differently than that which I am accustomed!

 

 

 

Edited May 18, 2014 by Critter Hampton

[ivan]

nodder

[Pete_H]

Yeah but it probably only applies to guys that like to slip in to their Tauntaun at the bivi.

 

Well ... how do you think the op got his name?

[olyclimber]

Also compelling from this thread is the rift apparently between location "X" vs. Leavenworth. There appears to be animosity, I would love a backgrounder on this. Is it "East Side Envy"? Or "Leavenworth Crag Thugs"?

 

I'm not sure, but I get the impression that a lot of people from Leavenworth are in reality from the Seattle area.

 

I had the same feeling in Mazama when I was skiing. Last time I saw that many City of Seattle parking sticker permits I was in Seattle.

 

Nothing against Seattle... good city.

 

Well if they're from Seattle, they're still Native Americans. Or are they from Asia?

[G-spotter]

much differently than that which I am accustomed!

 

 

 

HELLO CAPITALIST

[BootsandPants]

slip in to their Tauntaun at the bivi.

 

Is that what we're calling it these days?

 

 

Quality thread; making Monday better

[olyclimber]

I'm not a fancy hiker and I'm not a fancy climber but I extensively explore snow, remote areas, and sometimes both at the same time. In the winter I bag areas that others brag about in the summer. In the Summer I bag remote lakes and areas that people are not even familiar with.

 

 

I did this before it was considered cool. Seems pretty mainstream now. So I've moved back to exploring areas that people consider "too crowded", because they're empty. I'm talking stuff that was mentioned in Outdoor magazine back in the early 80's. Well plucked gems that have a polished and refined sense of wear to them.

[G-spotter]

HOW DO YOU BAG AN AREA?

Is there anywhere in Oregon even worth bragging about?

[olyclimber]

Drool...its like bagging a chick. Know what I mean? Or maybe you don't. It's "just manly things".

[G-spotter]

IS THAT LIKE HIPSTER SLANG FOR CONQUERING?

I LIKE TO CONQUER MOUNTAINS.

[olyclimber]

Do you think mountains are female or male?

[mountainsandsound]

I did this before it was considered cool. Seems pretty mainstream now. So I've moved back to exploring areas that people consider "too crowded", because they're empty. I'm talking stuff that was mentioned in Outdoor magazine back in the early 80's. Well plucked gems that have a polished and refined sense of wear to them.

 

I dig your style dude. Sounds like the facial hair situation in college. Ironic mustaches were wildly popular, but full on beards, not so much. You could still have an unkept beard and have people think you were a real mountain man, guru, deviant, or some sort of drop out- even though you weren't. Now it's totally ruined. All it means now is that you probably have an expensive bike and you listen to really cool music. Hipsters make it so hard to stay counter culture.

 

I don't know if the time is right to go back to the mustache, but we might be getting close. In the meantime, I've been thinking about going clean shaven with a short bull cut, faded in high. That'll stump 'em.

[mountainsandsound]

Oly, would you consider a summer weekend backpack trip to one of those Enchantment Lakes to be the ultimate act of cool?