Just beyond Tin Can Gap was the crux of our dayhike effort. This hiker is
traversing across the one spot I felt a fall could be fatal. A tricky moat
was available as an alternative route at the right edge but it took time and
wasn't all that easy but was safer. Beautiful scenery everywhere.
(for best result, double click on the picture)
8-24-07
Comments
[ Post a Comment ]| Dow Williams | sweet... | | 
Voted 10/10 | photo Dean, has everything, sky, clouds, rock, snow, human for perspective...cool | | Posted Aug 25, 2007 8:07 pm |
 | | Dean | Re: sweet... | | 
Hasn't voted | Thanks Dow, often, timing is everything. | | Posted Aug 25, 2007 8:50 pm |
| ericnoel | Subject? | | 
Voted 10/10 | Who is that in the picture? I don't think it looks like me, Bob or Duane but it is too small for my poor eyes to really tell. Is that our late arriving "climber" friend? | | Posted Aug 25, 2007 8:15 pm |
| | Dean | Re: Subject? | |
Hasn't voted | Yes, he was returning back to "entice" his friends in the moat to join him on the faster route. | | Posted Aug 25, 2007 8:50 pm |
| Zzyzx | Sketchy... | | 
Voted 10/10 | Was it really as steep as it looks in this photo? Great shot! | | Posted Aug 26, 2007 12:13 am |
| | rfbolton | Re: Sketchy... | | 
Voted 10/10 | It was pretty steep, and there was no margin for error. There was no way I would have done that traverse without an ice axe, but that kid was fearless on those high quality steps that had been kicked. So much so that he enticed the other two in his party, who were not well equipped at all, to do that traverse without axes. I didn't even want to watch! The worst part was that they were still heading up at 4PM and would likely be crossing this again after the snow started hardening again. The alternate route in the moat was safer, but quite time consuming, and they were in a huge hurry because of the late hour. | | Posted Aug 26, 2007 12:32 am |
| | ericnoel | Re: Sketchy... | |
Voted 10/10 | It was fairly steep but the snow was excellent. I actually thought the little bit in the foreground near the edge of the snow felt a little more tenuous than the lateral portion. I pretty much agree with Bob, I would not have wanted to do it without an axe and would have done the moat instead. I can sorta understand the kid shown feeling that it was easy but what you have to give weight to are the consequences if something does go bad and obviously he wasn't worried about that for better or worse. Going across it himself was questionable; instructing his companions to do so was just flat stupid especially as the person who was given their one axe did not know how to use it. | | Posted Aug 26, 2007 12:57 am |
| | Dean | Re: Sketchy... | |
Hasn't voted | It was sketchy enough for me even with an ice axe to go for the moat, which wasn't a picnic either but safer. I hate to think of those two inexperienced hikers doing that traverse when it turned to ice a bit later. The guy who was leading them was a bit too cavalier imho. | | Posted Aug 26, 2007 1:32 am |
| tazz | SWEET!! | | 
Voted 10/10 | very nice Dean!!! Shit, I so need to get back out there. Been along time for me. thanks for the great image. Now I want to go. Boo Hoo....;) | | Posted Aug 26, 2007 1:08 am |
| | Dean | Re: SWEET!! | |
Hasn't voted | Thanks Tazz. It was great fun to do this one with NWHiker members Eric & Bob (smmslt). Duane has been Bob's companion on countless hikes and climbs so they make a great team. I have no doubts about you getting back out there. Of course, that first five miles to Goat Flats sucks..... | | Posted Aug 26, 2007 1:14 am |
| solonomad | very interesting | | 
Voted 10/10 | perspective you've got here. Nice angle! That looks like an incredible traverse! | | Posted Aug 26, 2007 1:42 pm |
| | Dean | Re: very interesting | |
Hasn't voted | Thank you, I lucked out on the whole pic's composition. | | Posted Aug 26, 2007 4:46 pm |
| | rfbolton | Re: Wonderful! | |
Voted 10/10 | That's correct Josh, this is part of the route. The trail is still buried by snow, and runs from about where the photo was taken over to the shoulder just beyond the hiker in the sunshine. It will probably be free of snow by late September if we have enough warm weather before then. It's a good reason to do this peak late in the season. -Bob | | Posted Aug 26, 2007 4:57 pm |
| Marc Adamus | Great perspective | | 
Voted 10/10 | Really tells the story well. Pretty sketchy indeed. I'm more amazed at the stupidity of making the crossing so late in the afternoon, apparently without consideration for the hardening evening snow conditions. Even in perfect conditions, I'd only do this without an axe if I absolutely had to. Don't they say that the good judgement part of your brain only fully develops later in life? | | Posted Aug 26, 2007 2:06 pm |
| | Dean | Re: Great perspective | |
Hasn't voted | Thanks Marc for the vote and comments. I had an ice axe and chose to go via the somewhat tricky moat. I just wasn't confident in my ice axe arrest skills nor the sure footedness of my new boots. I should get a Darwin award for wearing new boots on a 15 mile hike. | | Posted Aug 26, 2007 5:21 pm |
| Bob Sihler | Congratulations | | 
Voted 10/10 | I'm glad to see a picture like this make POTD for a change. It's both scenic and informative. | | Posted Aug 26, 2007 2:41 pm |
| | Dean | Re: Congratulations | |
Hasn't voted | Thanks Bob, I am glad they (whoever they are) chose mine for POTD, its a rare honor for me.
I appreciate your remarks. | | Posted Aug 26, 2007 7:24 pm |
| dpk | great shot | | 
Voted 10/10 | Me thinks I know why its not you in the pict ( or me for that matter) fall = bad ; sudden stop = even worse | | Posted Aug 26, 2007 5:01 pm |
| | Dean | Re: great shot | |
Hasn't voted | Yes, those sudden stops are the pits. The same is true in sky diving. : ) | | Posted Aug 26, 2007 10:46 pm |
| regehr | scary | | 
Hasn't voted | I've had nightmares just like this -- steep snow slope, no axe, just waiting for a step to give out... | | Posted Aug 27, 2007 1:41 pm |
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