Mt Whitney Zone Forums General Discussion Snowshoeing to the Portal . . .

And now - for your viewing pleasure(or just a big tease)

snowshoe trip

Cool album Tom - I don't think I've ever seen a photo of Laura having fallen on her kiester! So for a long time I've wondered: what does the "_rc" stand for? Rock climber? Radical communist? What?

The snowshoe idea was a wild hair and I think I may need to shelve this idea for the time being. Snowshoing sounded simple and fun, having never done it before, but after researching the concept it appears to be pretty damn expensive gear-wise for a one-time jaunt. To the tune of probably $500-$700 for decent snowshoes, waterproof boots, the right poles/baskets, and the necessary winter/snow shell and pants. That, along with the fact there's nowhere to train in the damn things in my neck of the woods. Guess I'm stuck with what I am - a four-season hiker in the South and a one-season hiker out West (outside of DV).

Ha - a lot simpler that that.
rc = Ridgecrest

Got it! So Bob R just forgot the "C", right?

*groan*

BTW, many sporting goods stores rent snowshoes for incredibly cheap daily prices. I used hiking poles with winter baskets (+-$4)and leather hiking boots waterproofed with silicone spray + regular hiking pants sprayed with silicone, too(you do not fall that often, really, in fact I never fell) I went for the first time this last year (on a warm & sunny day after a storm) and found snowshoing to be very enjoyable, abeit strenuous if one is carrying any amount of weight up any sort of incline.

Come on out to the holy city of Coarsegold, and we can snowshoe near Badger Pass in Yosemite in March.

I feel there is no need to train for snowshoeing...just get out there and...


HAVE FUN!

I agree with Bee. While one can take a "high-tech" approach, one can also do a very low tech, inexpensive approach that works just fine.

Hold on Gary, you can get into this for a lot less than $500. Also, a bit more close to home. Most years thay shut down parts of the Blue Ridge Parkway near the Smokies when there is a good snow dump. Some years ago in March I think it was, there was a single storm dump of 50". They closed off about 14 miles of parkway near Grandfather Mtn. including the Linn Cove Viaduct. I tried a bit of XC sking and snowshoeing. It was a blast. There are some good pics of the Linn Cove Viaduct on the web.

Hey John, 7:00 am Saturday at Kennesaw Mt - my only hiking window this weekend (taking the family to the Falcons game Sunday). Lemme know if you can make it. Just like last weekend, I'll carry 10 pounds, you carry 35. Works fer me dude.

Everyone else, catpappy will be out there to do a multi-nighter on Whitney in less than two weeks - his 3rd or 4th time. Ya'll treat my homeboy good and somebody buy him a Moose Drool or two at the Portal for me.

I'll keep my options open on the whole snowshoeing thing. The way I saw it, though, is:

Snowshoes - $130 to $170
Waterproof boots - $125 to $150
Snow/rain pants - $75 to $100
Snow/winter shell - $100 to $150
Snow trekking poles - $120 to $150

I own none of these, being a 3-season hiker (4 in Georgia). Would all these not be absolutely necessary hiking up the Portal Road in February?

Snow Shoes: Rent 'em: $10-20/day

Boots:$10 Silicone Spray. are your hikers not Gore-tex'd? Mine have a Gore-Tex "inner" and I siliconed the outer...no prob for a first time "test".I honestly doubt that you would go farther than 5mi the first time out (its all about technique)

Snow Pants: You will be working your a$$ off sweating! Hiking pants sprayed will do fine -- it is not like X-c skiing; you do not fall much...(famous last words)

Winter Shell: Huh? a VEST at the most! Or whatever shell you carry for backpacking if you are resting too much...I do not have a "winter" designated shell. I have ONE shell -- marmot Precip -- and it covers all bases.

Snow Trekking Poles: You already have these(if not, you should get some) -- they are called hiking poles. Put winter baskets on them and they become "Snow Trekking Poles"...take the baskets off and they become "Ice Axe" (don't axe)

I do not mean to sound like a nag, but "technical" gear for a first time outing is overkill...I always back into any new sport very low on the gear investment (most of my backpacking gear is STILL the same used stuff I started out with...and I still love it)