PCT Day 52: Heading into The Sierras!

[@richardinjapan4578]

To paraphrase the philosophy of a Japanese mountain dweller I once met: The mountain can take life, or the mountain can give life. Be good to the mountain, and she will be good to you. ***** ***** Be safe; keep at it!

[@travelinbeat]

That sounds pretty much exactly like my philosophy!! I don't think it's quite as transactional as this suggests, but I'm content to chalk that up to translation. I try very very hard to keep my energy, mind, and approach clean and humble.

[@richardinjapan4578]

@@travelinbeat You are right. It's not transactional. It's hierarchical. The mountain possesses animistic being. The mountain is dominant. We must submit. The mountain provides in part things we need to survive. Our place is to recognize this with thanks. This is one simplified aspect of the Shinto world order. It's actually a lot more complicated. After all, every mountain, every rock, every meadow, every stream, every tree, every pond, and indeed the ocean all work in harmony to provide what is necessary. If we fail to recognize this and be thankful, the harmony is disrupted. I understand why you felt the statement was transactional. I would hazard to guess that has more to do with the way you've been conditioned to interpret the language. When I read the same sentence, I see a statement of parallel facts. By the way, I saw a facebook picture with you and Rabbit up in the mountains. You both had the biggest smiles I've seen on either of you. It would seem the mountain is being good to you. Be safe; keep at it!

[@travelinbeat]

@Richard in Japan the mountains have been AMAZING to us so far and I'm thankful and appreciative beyond measure! I have a couple of audio books on Shinto already queued up on my phone and just need to get to safer / more regular conditions before I cracked into them. I've been fascinated by the number of overlaps I've observed between a life philosophy I've formulated on my own and those philosophies I understand to be intrinsic to Shinto. I'm very curious and motivated to explore this more and looks forward to doing so. Thank you so much for fueling my curiosity and letting me know that I'm on the right path!

[@richardinjapan4578]

​@@travelinbeat When you start reading those books on Shinto, I'd love to read along and discuss about it. Right path? Indeed, the universe is always right on time; so are you. Still in Bishop? I have friends there who run a supermarket there on the north end of town. Hope all continues to go well!

[@craigcarlson627]

You are prepared now is mental and the Journey. This is what I want to do when I retire. Good luck through the beautiful Sierra.

[@travelinbeat]

Thanks very much!

[@robinfinehout1160]

Yay! We’ve missed you. Will watch in a bit.

[@pauliedavis49]

You and your preparations are ASTOUNDING. I know you'll be out of touch but rest assured we will be praying for you and your team.

[@travelinbeat]

Thank you, Paulie! I'll happily accept whatever help I can get!!

[@RusselynConnor]

Yowzah! What a load... You're going to rock this!

[@travelinbeat]

Man that's a heavy pack for SURE!! Great to hear crom you Rusty, hope all is well moving into Summer Number Two!!

[@jorgemiguel1040]

Dam, the pack is hefty, but necessary. Bust wishes. You are wise in the ways of the hike. May the Force be with you and your buddies.

[@travelinbeat]

Thank you, Jorge!!

[@Fireweed108]

If anyone can do it. You can. Excellent gear choices. And the NWS is the best weather. Will be following your journey.

[@travelinbeat]

Thanks, FW!

[@Nico-fj2ou]

Ahhhh!! Good luck!!!! God speed!! Please be super careful and take care, my best wishes go to you!

[@travelinbeat]

Thank you, Nico!! I'll take whatever wellwishings I can collect!!

[@robinfinehout1160]

Impressive planning Beat. Love the details in this video, food and gear. Really looking forward to following this jump. Best of luck!

[@travelinbeat]

Thank you!! Hopefully it might be of some help to someone out there someday!!

[@flywiseman]

Looking forward to this phase, Be safe

[@travelinbeat]

Thanks, Kirby, me too!!

[@withoutdestination7840]

I started following your travelin beat about a week into the CDT. I'm currently following several hikers on all three trails, and you're the first one to make it to the Sierras that I'm watching. Great prep video, looking forward to seeing the continuing adventures.

[@Fireweed108]

Some hikers went in about a week earlier. Not sure if they are posting regularly. Really too early for this even in a lower snow year.

[@withoutdestination7840]

@@Fireweed108 I did a brief search and watched a few vids from folks that are ahead of Beat, and everyone so far that I've watched that have tried, are either waiting it out, flip-flopping, bailed out a few days north of Kennedy, or are doing a shorter trail hoping that the snow melts.

[@travelinbeat]

There are definitely other folks out here and also plenty of folks flipping, bailing, etc. Hoping my videos can provide some answers to the questions the folks behind are likely asking!!

[@MaxZomboni]

I know you are already through it anyway, but with all your preparation and planning, you got it. 😎👍

[@travelinbeat]

Thanks, Max!!

[@greg.jacobs]

Excellent gear prep, you have it dialed in. Hope you have a great time and looking forward to some great videos of the jump.

[@travelinbeat]

Thanjs, Greg!! Takes a few days for things to kickoff but when they do, oh man it's beautiful!!

[@westpacificmarketanalytics2384]

Awesome preperation, excellent work, LETS GO! God Bless and God Speed to this part of the route ahead, we are with you!

[@travelinbeat]

Thank you!!

[@westpacificmarketanalytics2384]

Hard year to do the trail and so loving to see if you guys can pull it off your prepared and at 62 this was a dream of mine to do and perhaps I may still so go for it and God SPEED....let him lead your journey and thanks for taking us along!

[@SmilesforMiles7]

My back, feet and knees hurt for you! But that looks like damn good gear choices for the Sierra! I really appreciate you showing what food you’ll be bringing for that long stretch too. I don’t use a stove anymore, but next year I may have to for a while if the snow hangs around, so it’s nice to get some ideas of what to kinds of good foods to pack with a stove. Anyway, you look ready, and I hope you’re having a blast in those mountains!

[@travelinbeat]

Thanks, Smiles!! Color me jealous of anyone and everyone who goes cold-soak-- I just don't have the soul for it!!

[@potatothorn]

i mentioned on another video/ i see people making it so looks like the trail is cleared and you will make it no problem! i should have known the winds take most of the snow from the passes so you can out to get supplies if necessary.. i hope you can make all those miles wow but there will be other ways to get out if you need to... // Kearsarge and the lakes is worth it for the views man, go take a day off in independence!! either way/ looking forward to the awesome videos when you get out!!

[@travelinbeat]

Thanks coming SOOON!!

[@jfifield20]

I finally got to watching your channel! Really glad I got to meet you at the hotel breakfast in Ridgecrest where you made this video. (For some reason the channel never got subscribed to there, so I'm glad I found you now!). Will be following your adventure.

[@travelinbeat]

Hey awesome, thanks!! So glad you've found the channel, thanks for watching!

[@markp0752]

Sounds fantastic. You are very well planned. Can’t wait to watch!

[@travelinbeat]

Thanks!! Working through the processing now!!

[@Fireweed108]

Link was to Ned Tibbits Sierra PCT info. Lots of good info on hiking in snow conditions in the Sierras.

[@travelinbeat]

Yes Tibbits and Skirka are both amazing resources for me right now!

[@daniellecordoba]

I’m sorry but a rabbit and a pair of Finn’s had me laughing out loud 😂 so glad you’re still rocking it out there. We all miss you tremendously! You’re organization is very impressive. Stay safe my friend 🎉

[@travelinbeat]

Trailnames, Dan, just the way it works 😀

[@quigleyoutside]

Great planning. Great team. Very excited to tag akong! I wish you all the best... pops

[@travelinbeat]

Thanks, Pops!! Sierras are no joke, for sure!!

[@barbararall5498]

Just catching up now. I’ve had some personal issues that did not allow for daily video watching Your preparedness is quite impressive. Since I’m so far behind, I’m presuming you have made it safely to Bishop.

[@travelinbeat]

Beyond Bishop at this point! So sorry to hear about your issues, hope all is resolved and better now

[@martinfromholland751]

Two things: 1) you look good, rested and you exude mindset to conquer the Sierras 2) what a good preparation, gear is fantastic. The Salomon and gaiters are superb. Good luck.

[@travelinbeat]

Thanks, Martin!

[@bigbranch1]

God Bless and good luck.....looks like you are ready.

[@travelinbeat]

Thanks, Allen!!

[@Xommie]

This is some stunning preparation.

[@travelinbeat]

Just don't like to be caught flat footed!!

[@philipyoho8115]

Excellent! That's about all I can say. Although, I'd like to know where you got the Red Gaiters. :)

[@travelinbeat]

Haha, yeah they're an REI purchase-- Rab Muztag Gaiters 😀

[@brendagissell7252]

Keep on, keepin on!

[@travelinbeat]

Will do!!

[@HikingWithWhiskers]

Glad you enjoyed your time off! Your preparations are outstanding!🥾🥾🌈

[@travelinbeat]

Thanks, Whiskers!! Hope all is great with you!

[@anneest]

Excellent status video 👍 The people you are planning to enter the Sierra with seem like a good choice, great gear review and for the maps: brilliant! (but ok I am a geo geek 🤓). Armchair hiker comment: snowshoes: 'mneehhhh' 😆 Take it easy and be careful and enjoy the Sierra! 🌞

[@travelinbeat]

Will do, thanks!! Yeah I like maps for particularly "high stakes" sections

[@Milemarker123]

Good detail…thanks for the review!!!

[@travelinbeat]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!!

[@JillG98]

So thoroughly planned, thanks for sharing all the details. Not too long ago you were saying no way to butter and couscous through the Sierras but seems like you’ve changed your tune! 😊 Ghee is a good choice, your food is well planned. You are ready, can’t wait to follow along, stay safe!!

[@travelinbeat]

Thanks, Jill!! Yeah I'm happy to incorporate good ideas where they seems feasible!

[@inyobill]

As I watch this, you should be nearing half-way. Best wishes.

[@travelinbeat]

Thanks IB!!

[@HuangXingQing]

OK, I reviewed your Epic Snow Gear list and had a couple of questions: Have you updated this list with items you 'regretted' using? Assuming yes, then, I noticed you used mountaineering/climbing crampons. That's all I've ever used mountaineering but was planning to use Kahtoola's KTS crampons per the advice of an old Sierra veteran. Which type would you use if going again? I seriously considered those very snowshoes, which I've shoed in and enjoyed but decided they'd be too heavy. Were they worth the carry? This also begs, did you use snowshoes the entire Sierra or only part? Is the Sawyer pre-filter hack possible/helpful on the larger model? I'm sure I missed a few ??? but Coffee incoming! P.S. Your gear list is the most detailed I've seen in awhile so am planning to use it for my Reserve Gear planning for next season. I'll refer to it as TravelinBeat's don'na worry! P.S.S. You have two typos on 'Black Diamond'! I can't believe you'd do that so possibly your "secretary's" error? ;-)

[@travelinbeat]

I have considered how / whether to notate / update the list in service of reflecting gear changes but have wound up settling on leaving it more-or-less a reflection of my load-out gear. There certainly have been gear swaps on every long hike I've done, but there is, regrettably, no super clean way of accounting for these in LighterPack.com , so I am happy instead to address your questions as posited, with yet another recommendation, that you also consider checking out whichever sections of my 5-part post-hike Q&A appeal to you. Each of the 5 parts includes a link to every other section in the description, and Part 1, "Gear and Video Production," can be found at kzbin.info/www/bejne/eJSweZeia6iAn6ssi=PpEKUdAT__gd34hV Regarding my crampons, the Black Diamond Contact crampons were *FANTASTIC* and I would highly recommend them for similar conditions. I should also mention that if / when using "proper" crampons such as these, one should take care to make sure that their footwear is suited to receive them. I wore the Salomon Quest 4's (Gore-tex) and *LOVED* these as well. My buddy, Rabbit, had the same crampons but softer soled boots and wound up breaking 2-3 crampon bars over the ~400mi we hiked together. This leads to a tertiary consideration-- if you are relying on crampons for safety, you may want to consider bringing extra crampon bars, as the crampon will be useless with a broken bar. Regarding the Kahtoolas, I did both San Jacinto and Baden-Powell with the remarkably similar looking Kahtoola K-10's. Those were prone to clumping-up snow beneath my arch (often to baseball-sized behemoths which significantly hampered comfort, traction, and safety). The KTS's and K'10 both feature removable snow-resistant skins that slide over the sole, but those are trash and with prolonged use, those will disappear in a day. I also came across a hiker on Baden-Powell in the K-10's who was struggling significantly as snow / ice had frozen into the female buckle that secures the crampon to the shoe. The only way to resolve this impasse and render the crampon functional again was to pee on the buckle and melt the blockage (I confess, this was my idea). While it was a pretty simple fix all things considered, it did highlight the fragility and additional potential failure points of relying on buckles instead of a strap. That said, my other Sierra hiking partner, Shade, used the K-10's throughout that same ~400mi, so obviously success with them is possible. Looks like the KTS's weigh 24.1oz/pr and cost $169. Contacts cost the same but weigh 11oz more at 35.7oz/pr. I would have to consider the exact conditions to decide for sure, but my knee-jerk reaction, given my experience with both, would be to favor the better tool-- I'd take the Contacts and pay the weight penalty. Again though, all of this is condition-dependent. Many years people have success going through with just microspikes. Regarding the snowshoes, I ditched them at the first possible opportunity. This was not because I sensed any flaw in the product itself, but because I just discovered that snowshoeing wasn't really for me in that environment. I tend to place a tremendous value on agility and nimbleness while hiking, and having such huge platforms strapped to my feet really made me very uncomfortable. I tried hiking with them 3 times for maybe a cumulative 0.75mi, but they never made me feel good. Perhaps in fresh powder I would have felt differently. Perhaps if I had prioritized later starts and hiked later into the mashed-potato-y conditioned snow I would have felt differently. As it was however, I valued my agility and made my peace with waking up at midnight to capitalize on firm snow. If either / any of these situations had been different, I may well have reached a different opinion. I wound up selling them to a German named Yeti, who was also on a thru-hike. He tested them for about 4mi and was *ECSTATIC* at his luck that I should be willing to part with them. He loved them and paid for them exactly what I did. Maybe if you're used to snowshoeing they would make sense. Even still and as it was, I stand by my decision to embark with them... I couldn't possibly have known whether they would be useful and I wanted to give myself every possible advantage in terms of gear. Three main take aways: 1) I am happy that I tried them, 2) though they seem like a great product, they didn't work for me, and 3) I am happy that they found a loving home with Yeti. Regarding the prefilter-- I use a Sawyer Squeeze (not a "mini"), so I am not sure which larger model you're speaking of. I have found the DIY prefilter INSANELY worth it and am SUPER pleased to have created it. I carry it 100% of the time I carry my filter and it work splendidly. Thank you both for the compliment on my detail and for catching the type-o's-- they were completely my own doing and have been corrected! Keep the questions coming as they occur, I'm happy to help!

[@HuangXingQing]

@@travelinbeat Wow. Your response is the best I've seen online. I'm indebted sir! Been busy all day re/packing my Mariposa so didn't get to the coffee perk I owe you, yet. Didn't now about the Q&A vlogs so will look ASAP. Your account of snowshoes gives me pause to reconsider now. I love them but I have never even been to Sierra backcountry in Winter and know snow differs by region. If they perform well and allowed me to travel by day AND the difference in travel mileage was ROI on them I'd try them in a heartbeat. I'll look for Yeti online to determine if they think the ROI was a plus overall. I never considered micro spikes because 'Ned' never really gave them much cred, talked a lot about their risks, I've never used them and I wanted to take crampons for possible stream crossings on downed trees. I've NO experience with water crossing and would rather deal with snow/storms than learn a new skill on the fly. I'm going listen to all Ned's talks again and I MAY find his comments on snowshoes. Just took another quick look at KTS/K10/Contact and given what you stated and my hour assembling the KTS, Ned's input, Reddit comments, atm I'd side with you (Contact). I'll review Skurka's page and shelve this topic until January. Thanks! I thought you listed a Sawyer Mini. My bad. I plan to take two complete BeFree since I loved the one I've been using a few years. May take a Sawyer as a backup since I know the two types are not useful in all sityeeashuns. The PCTA Closure App now has 6 listings instead of the 4 yesterday thanks to an arsonist and hot weather so it looks like I should shoot a documentary, interviewing residents on my way across the mountain ranges above L.A. sigh

[@feralhikes8898]

How has the thin foam pad worked out? "Enquiring minds want to know..." before they head off to the PCT! 😃

[@travelinbeat]

Hey you coming out?? The 1/8" mat is nice-- keeps my thermarest inflated better when camped on snow, and makes a nice bigger sitting area in snow

[@feralhikes8898]

@@travelinbeat I'm flying out in 3 weeks. Thanks for the info on the mat. I'm turning into a gram wienie.

[@tomd1914]

I just walked up the road to South Lake a couple days ago (June 2nd). Lots of people parking at the road closure and walking the two miles to South Lake for exercise. I’m thinking you should be able to get a ride into Bishop from there if you choose to go that route.

[@travelinbeat]

Thanks, Tom, we didn't have too much trouble catching a ride 😀

[@feralhikes8898]

My knees were buckling just watching this video! Did you weigh the pack with this loadout?

[@travelinbeat]

Man, Feral of COURSE I did!! She's heavy for SURE!!

[@builtontherockdriftwood5327]

Excellent, informative video! Thank you for the details. Would you be willing to share more about the dietary supplements you carry? Maybe during a health update sometime.

[@travelinbeat]

Sure I could explain a bit more, thanks for asking!