Please log your 5 hours of skiing this week. This time, try wearing your backpack while skiing. Place about 20-30 lbs of gear in your pack. After skiing, comment on the following:
- Where you skied
- Compare skiing with a pack vs without a pack
- Any tips on thermoregulating with a pack
Part II
As our Katahdin experience grows nearer, I would like you to think about your goals and expectations; specifically, think and comment on the following:
- What are your personal goals for yourself?
- What do you think will be particularly challenging?
- How have you or are you preparing to deal with that (those) challenge(s).
- What are your expectations of the group?
- What are your expectations of the instructor(s)?
Part III
On Friday, you were each given a gear list for the Katahdin trip. Review this list and
- Identify what gear is listed that you do not already own
- Explain how you intend to get each piece of gear you need
Please post your response to this blog by the beginning of class. Remember, class this week is on Thursday from 2:00 to 4:00.
This week I went the same places I did last week I went and skied at home on the lake for a couple hours and I ended up meeting up with a couple people from unity college that were out on a little trip themselves I ended up skiing around with them for about an hour and a half than I came home and just hung out for the rest of the day than on Sunday before I came back up here I went out for about another 1.5 hours giving me about 3.5 hours on skis. Than me and trav went to the moose horn on I believe Monday? And we skied for about another half hour maybe 45 minutes.. I didn’t hit 5 hours exactly but I got about 4.25-4.5 hours in this week. I also tried with the pack on and it was torture. I know that I had probably half the weight in my pack that I will have on katahdin. I could ski with it falling down every now and then. This was a lot harder than I thought it would be. I than tried using an old sled I had kicking around and this seems to work a lot better than having it on my back. I think that when we go on katahdin I am going to try to have a sled not that I will over pack it but that way I wont be off balance when im trying to ski that 12 miles in. this will also give me something to come back down on when we don’t have the skis. I didn’t really worry about thermo regulating that much this time I went out and what I had on seemed to be fine I was a little bit cold to begin with but after about 5 minutes out side each time I warmed right up. Its amazing what having just a windproof jacket will do to keep you warm.
ReplyDeleteMy personal goals for katahdin are that I want to summit if weather cooperates. I would also love to do some ice climbing and learn as much as I can about avalanche safety. I am really interested in learning about winter skills. I like this time because it isn’t forgiving like it would be during the summer when if you forget a main piece of gear you usually aren’t going to die where as in the winter you have to know what your doing and how way ahead of actually doing it. It tests your skills and there is no margin for error. I will have to say that what I think is going to be one of the most challenging parts of the trip is when we have to cross country ski in this 12 ish miles and than it will probably not be a broken trail so someone will have to break it and after all this recent snow we have gotten its going to be even harder because we will just sink right down in it with no chance for a glide. I haven’t really been preparing for breaking trails in New snow but I have been practicing cross country skiing in general. I think this will help me out because I am willing to be that breaking trail in deep powder is almost like snowshoeing where you have to lift your feet high enough so you don’t get caught but low enough so you don’t wear yourself out. My expectations of the group is for everyone to do there part to get there and to help each other out when need be. I hate it when someone is struggling and others see this and just walk right by. In my eyes its not the right thing to do and I want everyone to push each other seeming’s though we all have common goals and we can work together to achieve them. I expect the instructors to teach about the snow pack and about avalanche safety so we will all have the necessary information to be safe on the big hill and I hope to learn more than just that.
The only thing that I don’t have up here of the list is the goggles they totally blew my mind last weekend when I went home to get my equipment. I will either run home with in the next week or so and pick up a pair or I will borrow a pair from the school or I will go out and buy another pair. I also purchased a pair of outdoor research over mitts last weekend just to be sure I was going to be able to stay warm enough and dry enough. Hopefully this won’t be a problem but there is only one way to find out.
PART 1. I got to ski a half hour at the Moosehorn it was incredibly easy compared to the snowmobile trails. The grooves were such that I didn’t have to worry so much about my skis getting pulled into the numerous carbide tracks from snowmobiles. So it seemed easer to glide and stay in control. I also skied all around and through Calais on the existing snowmobile tracks. I got to ski on some very variable topography compared to what I have been used to skiing and I got to break some of my own trail which was not easy or fun at first. As long as there is a backpack on me, my back is going to sweat, that just seems to be the way it is and going downhill with a pack has often thrown me forward more than a few times onto my face and stomach. That was usually on unpacked snow.
ReplyDeletePART 2. I would like to snowboard down the mountain, but I don’t think that’s going to happen. I am just hoping I can be moderately comfortable with those temperatures. I think with inactivity I will be pretty chilly. I am also hoping I not too sore from the fifteen miles of XC Skiing. In order to deal with these issues I’m hoping to find a down jacket maybe at Goodwill or get an extra lofty fleece for warmth. I have also been XC Skiing regularly in order to prevent a lot of soreness while I‘m at Katahdin. Im not sure whats going to happen with the group I believe we will make it to Chimney pond with no problem. But when remembering the AT, I expect there to be a lot of cold people in the group at dinner time. I think Jon Tierney is going to do a great job, I expect we are going to learn a lot from him.
PART 3. I do not have any of the mountaineering equipment such as crampons, helmets, ice axes but was planning on borrowing them from the OAC. I will also be borrowing a whisperlite and fuel container from the OAC. I will need to purchase some waterproof overmits or at least buy some new waterproof gloves and was possibly going to get a hold of a vest or a jacket with down in Bangor next week. I will also be looking for a decent pair of sunglasses to fit over my glasses.
Robin Brady
ReplyDeleteSo I am unable to do any skiing. Expecially with a 20 or 30 pound pack on my back. I saw my doctor Friday and he told me that I should absolutly take it easy and that I should not do anything that active. He told me where I am still having the first symptoms of mono such as fever, headache, and being very tired and weak that I should take it easy the most I can because I am still in the first stages. He told me to gradually pick back up to where I was with my activity but as for now with these symptoms that if I try to do something active it could make me even worse which I don’t want to do. I want to get better. Honestly I don’t have the energy to do much just getting in the shower yesterday was a chore. My personal goals for Katahdin would be to prove to myself that I can do it even if it is freezing outside and I have to ski with a huge pack on. I don’t think anything would be really challenging but if I did have to say something I would say staying dry and warm would be my big challenge. To remember when I start to get sweaty to take off layers that way I stay dry and not get cold later that night. I think I have been prepared very well to deal with that challenge. The AT trip helped give me a real good idea about staying dry (expecially where it rained most the time) and how to stay warm. Also I found keeping my boots in my sleeping bag at night really helped me out because some other people had frozen boots in the morning and my slipped right on. My expectations of the group would be for all of us to work together but we usually do really well with that and to help each other out if we do need it. My expectations of the instructor would be to give us tips of staying out in the cold on how to stay warm and to not forget to let us have a good time as well as learn.
I went over my gear list and I have everything I need for katahdin maybe I could pick up a better pair of gloves though, but other than that I feel real confident in the gear I have and I feel very prepared.
Casey Ryder
ReplyDeleteBlog
I did about two hours on Saturday and felt it went ok. Ive been skiing many years but never onece have I stepped on XC skiis before. It was much different I must say. I fell a couple times mainly due to the lack of support the skiis give behind you. Unlike downhill skiis. Sam and I also went for 2-3 hours on wensday but didn’t use our packs. I think im gunna wanna sled in as anyway.
When I herd about the alpine skiing thing I got extremely pumped cause this has been a goal of mine or I should say dream ever since I discovered powder riding oh, so many years ago. This would have to be my big goal for the trip and I cant wait. Summiting the mountain I believe will be the biggest challenge for me. Ive never been even near the mouintain and it looks to be pretty steep. To prepare myself Ive started doing a lot more walking especially since my truck died. But I still don’t feel this may be enough. I expect the group to all give it our best and for the instructor to keep us safe.
I got everything I need except one thing that’s not on the list and that’s hot hands. Many Many hot hands. Oh, and I need to get a new head lamp and extra water bottle wich I will get in bangor withing the next couple of days.
Sam Sutton
ReplyDeleteI went skiing at the moose horn on Saturday for a little bit. Then on Wednesday Casey and I went back skiing for about three hours, however we didn’t have our packs with us yet because I don’t have internet so I wasn’t aware that I needed to try it. But after class Friday I plan on going back skiing there or at the school.
My personal goal for myself on Kahtadin is to make this trip as warm as I can; I’m really concerned about the cold. And I think that this is going to be the most challenging part of the trip. I don’t deal well with cold, and I’m not very good at judging what to wear I’m either way to hot or way too cold there’s no happy medium. I think it is because I really don’t have gear, and I just don’t really know what to buy for good layers, that won’t be too much and make me hot and hard to move in a bunch of layers. I think the group will be fine. The second years have already done it so they know what to expect, and everyone is in good shape for the trip I think. But you said the group is only as fast as the slowest person, and I have a feeling that it’s going to be me. Everyone that is going on the trip is going to be fast and fine on the trip but I feel like I’m really going to hold people up. I feel like everyone is going to be upset with me because I just don’t think I’m cut out for winter camping. And I think the group would be much happier without me going on the trip, but that’s not my choice, so I’m sorry everyone. I think the instructors will be helpful considering I have no idea what I’m doing with anything. I’m more of a summer camper; I have never done anything in the winter so I just don’t know how to do anything. So an instructor would be helpful to me.
Well I have some gear but not good enough gear for Kahtadin. I need to rent a sleeping bag from the OAC and the liner. I also need to get some fleece layers, because I don’t have any besides pajamas, which is what I have been wearing but it hasn’t been working very well. I basically need warmer clothes but I just don’t know what I should get. And I need to buy a sleeping bag compression bag.
Dana.Marble
ReplyDeleteI’ve skied the Moosehorn twice in the last week. Time and weather worked against me. My pack weighed 25 pounds but it didn’t seem to make a difference. Forty or fifty pounds would have been a different story, the terrain is flat on the Moosehorn ,if it was a steady climb that also would make a difference. I did get too warm every time I skied,even on the cold days. The only thing I could do was to remove layers, the last time I skied I even removed my hat. My personal goal is to make the trip.. There are two things that I find challenging, the first is the cold and the second is my physical condition. I have the proper clothing, a warm sleeping bag and with the right food I should be all right. I have skied and walked every day, I hope that will be enough to get me ready physically. As for the instructors, this isn’t their first time, I think they are ready for the challenge. The only gear that I lack is a good pair of waterproof, breathable mittens. I plan to have them before the trip. As far as the trip goes, I am hoping for the best and planning for the worst.