HST Good Loops for Backpacking Mid March?

AlmostThere · Post by **AlmostThere** » Sun Feb 23, 2014 12:02 pm

i know you have not bothered to look for meetups. there are thousands of hiking meetups. hundreds in california, including mine.

here is my advice. When you join a meetup group. go on day hikes and talk to people about backpacking. go on overnight trips. when you develop relationships with experienced winter backpackers, you go overnight with them and look at their gear, start to accumulate your own.

do not lie to meetup organizers to go on challenging trips. in my groups that will mean not getting to go backpacking with us again. social groups are not classes or guided trips. i have a low tolerance for people who risk group safety by going beyond your limits and slowing the group down - and don't try the trick of pushing it and expecting them to go on without you. safety starts before you go - understanding your limits and respecting them is key.

you should not go solo in winter AT ALL until you no longer resort to needing to ask strangers for advice.

winter IS NEvER the time to push your luck. it is when you NEED the wisdom imparted by experience. classes help but are not all you need.

Post by **rlown** » Sun Feb 23, 2014 12:31 pm

AlmostThere wrote:i know you have not bothered to look for meetups. there are thousands of hiking meetups. hundreds in california, including mine.

here is my advice. When you join a meetup group. go on day hikes and talk to people about backpacking. go on overnight trips. when you develop relationships with experienced winter backpackers, you go overnight with them and look at their gear, start to accumulate your own.

It might be helpful at this point in the discussion to tell everyone how/where to look for meetups? I admit i don't know, but i was backpacking before the internet, even in Winter. My boy scout troop leader tried to kill us all one year doing that. Now there's a learning experience.

AlmostThere · Post by **AlmostThere** » Sun Feb 23, 2014 12:37 pm

meetup.com - put in a zipcode, wham.

i belong to seven, and know a lot of hikers who are also in many groups. i have four single night, one two night, and two 5-6 night outings i am organizing - and plenty more to come.

Post by **maverick** » Sun Feb 23, 2014 12:46 pm

http://hiking.meetup.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Jes · Post by **Jes** » Sun Feb 23, 2014 2:25 pm

@Almost There, DavePolessel, Maverick, Thank you for mentioning the meet up site

I will check it out and put it to use to gain more experience as you mentioned. Also Manzana Schoolhouse looks like a beautiful trail, will definitely look into it.

The hermit · Post by **The hermit** » Sun Feb 23, 2014 9:05 pm

Rely on yourself and yourself alone. Solo is great as long as you're careful and know your limits.think of driving a sports car vs. a truck. slow and steady.

AlmostThere · Post by **AlmostThere** » Mon Feb 24, 2014 8:02 am

The hermit wrote:Rely on yourself and yourself alone. Solo is great as long as you're careful and know your limits.think of driving a sports car vs. a truck. slow and steady.

You think someone who had an idea to do the entire HST in WINTER as a beginner with no clue about the risks he was taking and the gear he needed needs this advice?

What has he ever done to you?

sparky · Post by **sparky** » Mon Feb 24, 2014 10:02 am

lol AT be trippin'!

Jes: go buy the book freedom of the hills. You can do whatever you want in time. If you die it is your fault though, and with the knowledge and common sense displayed thus far it is going to be an uphill battle for you!

Seriously....you might die from about a million things you have no clue about, but with luck you will live long enough to gain the experience you will need to keep yourself alive.

You are obviously hungry for some time in the mountains though, I will give you that!

I always say, if you aren't learning anything new, you aren't paying attention.

AlmostThere · Post by **AlmostThere** » Mon Feb 24, 2014 11:37 am

actually not trippin - SAR goes looking for people over their heads and without a clue all the time.

Saving your taxpayer dollars trying to divert newbies elsewhere should be a common goal - the park helicopter is not cheap to operate!

a lot of folks are assuming the low snow means summer gear works out there - boy, does that turn out to be a short trip!

Post by **rlown** » Mon Feb 24, 2014 12:40 pm

So Jes just wants to learn. I think he knows now that March isn't a good time to solo w/o experience. He just wants good input on proper equipment for a reasonable time of year. I've already PM'd him on various threads or searches to look at.

Let's try and support a new guy now that we considerably thrashed him on what is not ok.

High Sierra Topix