Snow hiking/navigatin

[backpackpack]

Hello my friends,

Last time I went up deer springs trail there was no snow, but there were a few parts of the trail where I thought "if this entire area was blanketed in snow, I am not sure I would be able to tell where the trail went". Is this a concern? I know GPS is a fairly recent invention and I don't want to rely on something that can break. Am I worrying about nothing or is it easy to lose the trail?

Thank you

[zippetydude]

As always, the answer is "It depends..." but here goes!

If there is minimal snow, say an inch or two, you'll be fine and it's just very pretty. If there turns out to be a ton of snow, say several inches to a foot, the answer increasingly becomes, "Good luck to you!" and your risk gets greater and greater. I once did San J after a snowstorm, thinking that the snow was over. As I'm used to "line of sight" reckoning on the way up, I had no worries and made it easily to the peak. Once there, I found that the clouds rolled back in, the wind began to blow, and even my recent tracks disappeared! I always have a bit harder time finding my way back down (couldn't say why) and I have a much harder time in semi-whiteout conditions.

I found my way out regardless, but I did have to use a compass a few times to figure out where East was. Simple summation - if the snow has stopped "for sure" and you can follow your tracks back out, you are never really "for sure".

SO, I'd say bring the basic way-finding tools (especially a compass) and enjoy regardless of what happens. That said, I find it much more fun after the last wave of a storm, or just going up during the heart of the storm and roaming only a short distance and enjoying the wild craziness of a winter storm in the wilderness.

z

[backpackpack]

Oh, now that is a good point. I don't need to go in the middle of a snowstorm

And if I did get lost on the way up somehow, I could just walk back down. Ok, I think I will just check the weather, bring a compass, and be prepared for disaster.

Thank you!

[halhiker]

I agree with Zip on the compass. I was out in a whiteout coming back from the peak and heading through Tamarack Valley back to the Tram. I amazingly ran into a guy that I knew who was heading in the opposite direction and asked where he was heading. He told me the Tram. I said he'd better come with me because he was going the wrong way. Sure that he wasn't, I had to whip out my compass and show him he had gotten turned around and was heading back up. He was grateful we ran into each other because who knows how far he'd have gotten before figuring it out. GPS is certainly nice to have but I understand that sometimes they don't work that well in bad weather or in thick trees.

In fair weather it's not really a big deal. The mountain isn't really that big and with a rudimentary idea of the geography it's pretty easy to find your way around.

[climbant]

Learn map and compass as stated above, it is very easy to get disoriented in snow conditions, a compass will keep you on the right track.

[backpackpack]

That guy going the wrong way to the tram sounds like something I would do. I think I have a poor sense of direction. I have been planning to do that map and compass navigation class at REI, or I could just read and watch some youtube videos.

Thanks for the advice everyone!