1 Mountain Travel Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. - John Muir
2 Get Off the Couch The first step is the hardest
3 Get Ready Get into condition Get the clothes & equipment Get maps and forecasts Get the permits (as needed) Leave notice of your plans Get enough sleep clip toe nails Go! Out the front door and into the car
4 Mountain Driving Carpool/caravan whenever possible Safety equipment- blanket, shovel, water, etc. Don t rush 35 mph average Hazards * Stop * Swerve * Go straight
6 Trailhead Clean car of strongly scented items Turn off cell-phone. Secure car keys and wallet Set altimeter & GPS, check watch Don the pack carefully Look back: you may return exhausted or in the dark
Mount Russell 14,086
8 Solo Travel Never hike or climb alone Con Inherent dangers of being alone Total, continuous responsibility Carry all the gear Pro Solitude, quiet, wildlife Flexibility acting with one mind Ultimate in self-sufficiency
10 Group Travel Safety and shared responsibilities Group responsibilities: Don t wander off Don t abdicate responsibility Watch for the folks behind you Don t bring more than you can carry or less than you need Do accept different speeds Don t whine Pull aside for momentary stops
11 Trekking Poles Rubber tips Elbow height Longer downhill, shorter uphill Change length or grip shaft Keep hands below heart Using straps Dangle for short stretches of 3 rd class
12 Trekking Poles Keep poles in front of you on descent Use to lower weight on steps Put hands on top of handles for extra height Extend for descents & stream crossings
14 Breaks Key issue in time and energy management Find a good, safe spot Use breaks efficiently Eat drink fix boot laces maintenance Navigate & look around Rest: sit, lean, squat, lie down Avoid over-long breaks: ~5 minutes per hour Try to leave together Look back for lost gear
15 How hard? Ratings Sierra Club/Yosemite System Based on the Crux Usually free Class 1 = trail or open country Class 2 = scrambling Class 3 = easy climbing (stairs) Usually roped Class 4 = exposed climbing (ladder) Class 5 = difficult & exposed
16 Angeles Chapter Ratings O I Class 1, on trail Class 2, off trail M Class 3, moderate rock/snow E Class 4+, steep snow
17 Trail hiking
18 Class 1: Open Country Road Walk on opposite side from traffic Watch for potholes and culverts Trail Follow the trail Stay in the muddy rut Don t cut switchbacks Give right of way to pack animals & uphill hikers Notice trail junctions Be efficient. Relax your body and mind
19 Obstacles Obstacles include: Vegetation Stream crossings Snow Rocks Over, under, around, or through 1 up = 10 around
20 Stream Crossings Early crux
21 Stream Crossings Potentially very dangerous Scout the safest location Check guidebooks, etc. Stream height factors: Snow melt varies by hours Rain varies by days Season varies by months Don t go if there s no safe way
22 Fast rising flood water Arroyo Seco
23 Dry crossings: rocks
24 Dry Crossings: Logs Low High
25 Dry Stream Crossings Dry crossing always desirable Boulder hopping and log balancing Don t talk : concentrate Watch for slippery rocks or logs Crawl for safety A wet crossing (sloshing through) may be safer, but takes more time
26 Wet Stream Crossings Wide, calm, & slow Cross on straightaway Straight sections have symmetrical profile Outside curves are much deeper than inside Banks
27 Wet Stream Crossings Wear sandals or boots: remove socks and insoles. Waterproof gear Unbuckle packs, loosen straps Extend trekking poles Face upstream, shuffle feet Help less capable hikers by crossing in twos or threes linking arms together Don t use ropes no standard belays
Desert
29 Desert Travel Special hazards: Heat & dryness Sharp plants Toxic animals Flash floods Mine shafts Delicate biome Don t bust the crust Walk in washes
30 Class 2: Scrambling Tighten packs Pay attention Plan your moves ahead Minimize big moves Boulders of any size can shift Solid rock may crumble
31 Helmets Hats protect from sun Helmets & gloves protect from rock
32 Rock Fall Rock! Rock! Rock! Rock! Rock! Any falling object is a rock React right away Groups can avoid rock fall in chutes by: Going one at a time, or Staying close together, or Moving in echelon
33 Rocks underfoot Scree Gravel between sand and softballs Talus Rocks larger than a grapefruit Boulders Bigger than a chair
34 Scree Climb it smoothly, find the firmest areas Going down scree skiing nose over toes, plunge step, scree skiing, watch for cliffs/rock bands Hiking sticks & gaiters Watch out for ball bearings: lean forward
35 Ball bearings
36 Talus Wobbliest of rocks Fresh slides are less consolidated Watch for delicately balanced rocks Hiking sticks Step on uphill side
37 Boulder Hopping Boulders range in size from chair to house Plan moves ahead Stay level: Move smoothly and continuously Don t go up and down Hiking sticks may get in the way
39 Class 3: Easy Climbing Stow hiking sticks Look ahead, climb with your eyes. Legs for lifting : arms for balance Avoid pulling on holds, push down instead Keep weight over feet Three points of contact Down-climbing 2x to 5x as hard
40 Adventure The test of an adventure is that when you're in the middle of it, you say to yourself, Oh, now I ve got myself into an awful mess; I wish I were sitting quietly at home. And the sign that something's wrong with you is when you sit quietly at home wishing you were out having lots of adventure. Thornton Wilder
41 Mountaineering There are only three sports bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games. -attributed to Ernest Hemingway
42 Plans: keep or abandon? Keep saying yes until it s time to say no Try to stick to a good plan or its alternatives Use intermediate goals Be flexible: react to changing conditions Turn-back time Reaching the summit is optional, getting back safely is mandatory
43 Summit block East Vidette 12,356
44
45
46
47 Summit Victory! Enjoy the view, but don't dawdle Summit register: Date, name & town Get the hero shot
48 Descent Most accidents occur on descent Tighten boot laces, lengthen poles Three positions = in, 3/4, out Down-climbing = Beta Rock fall = 2X Damp rocks up = icy rocks down Stay alert. Take breaks. Don t get lost
49 Down-climbing
50 Night hiking Common and safe if careful Try to get to trail before dark wear sunglasses Night vision alone may be adequate on good trail or open terrain, and better for navigation Full moon, clouds Don t blind each other Red, green, screened, or dim lights Night vision 10% in 10 minutes, 80% in 30 minutes Scan with moving eyes, don t stare Hiking sticks Don t get lost
51 Bivouacs Plan B: no choice but to stop and wait for daylight Stay where you are when really lost or stricken. Not an emergency. Find a safe place and stop there Break out the 10 Essentials, sit pad & pack, and all other resources Don t expect to sleep, just to survive For warmth: huddle and dance Fire should be used only with care Don t burn down a forest to stay warm Contact whoever misses you ASAP Cancel rescue (Sierra Club 8 a.m. search)
52 Return Get home safely, dry your equipment, tell your stories, and prepare for the next adventure!
In the mountains, there are many paths and no paths, where everyone goes his own way, and is right. G. M. Trevelyan