Re: [at-l] winter camping

[JanLadd@ix.netcom.com]

On 11/14/98 18:40:03 you wrote:
>
>Although snowshoeing is making a slow comeback, cross
>country skiing is still predominant in this area.
>
>However, if you're speaking in terms of backpacking, then
>snowshoeing is a bit more practical.  Even more interesting
>is putting on one going north, and one going south, in case
>you haven't made a decision which way to go.
>
>Sweeter-Rain
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Jan Ladd <JanLadd@ix.netcom.com>
>To: <jrowen@ibm.net>
>Cc: <CHoover241@aol.com>; <at-l@backcountry.net>
>Date: Saturday, November 14, 1998 3:30 PM
>Subject: Re: [at-l] winter camping
>
>
>>Has anyone done snowshoeing as a recreational sport?
>>just wondering
>>Sunnie
>>
>>Owen wrote:
>>
>>> CHoovers:
>>> We do a lot of hiking in the winter, though not a lot of
>camping. I love
>>> being out on snowshoes in a couple feet of snow. You see
>all the tracks
>>> of the wildlife that you never seen in summer: the sweep
>of a grouses
>>> wings, enormous turkey tracks, the path of a fox pouncing
>on mouse
>>> holes, the deer bedding areas, etc.  I love the crunch of
>the snow
>>> underfoot and the creak of the trees overhead - the
>tinkle of falling
>>> icicles all around.  I love going out in the middle of
>the night when
>>> the air is crisp and cold and so very clear overhead it
>almost hurts.
>>> (Of course, I hate thinking about going out in the middle
>of the night -
>>> but then  there is the joy of jumping back into a still
>warm sleeping
>>> bag afterwards!)  I like camping in the winter - but it
>does entail more
>>> work, more weight, and the nights can be very long.
>>>
>>> The only time we have wished we had crampons was New
>Years Weekend in
>>> the Catskills about 4 years ago. There had been a week of
>snowmelt
>>> followed by a week of temperatures in the low teens - the
>mountain was
>>> solid ice.  We had brought snowshoes, since we expected
>snow - but
>>> didn't even think about ice conditions. It took 3 hours
>to climb 3
>>> miles. We looked down the backside of the mountain and it
>was a solid
>>> ice slide, the only question was which rocks we would
>bounce off. It was
>>> 4 or 5 miles to the only water on that section, so we had
>4 or 5 hours
>>> of hiking before we could camp, if we didn't get hurt,
>and it was
>>> already 2 or 3 o'clock. We decided to do the smart thing,
>and turn
>>> around. I slid most of the way down on my backside.  We
>stayed in the
>>> back of the truck that night at the trailhead. About 2
>hours after dark
>>> the last people came down off the mountain. We could hear
>them cursing
>>> from half a mile away - especially after they tried to
>cross the stream
>>> in the dark!  The next day we went to Harriman State Park
>and had an
>>> easy day hike - no ice! Since then, we pay attention to
>things like snow
>>> melt followed by deep freeze, and try to avoid that.  I
>also like to
>>> avoid really rocky trails in the winter. If there is
>snow, you can't see
>>> what is underfoot and really risk injury by stepping on
>or between
>>> rocks.  Around here - we have hiked the AT in Southern
>PA, the Big Blue,
>>> and the Catoctin Trails in snowy conditions and had a
>blast.  Of course,
>>> the last two winters have been so mild we just hiked
>normally.
>>>
>>> Ginny
>>> * From the Appalachian Trail Mailing List |
>http://www.backcountry.net  *
>>
>>
>>
>>* From the Appalachian Trail Mailing List |
>http://www.backcountry.net  *
>>
>
>
>
>
I would like to try the snowshoeing 
maybe I would have to go somewhere snowier than Ohio

Sunnie

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