Winter Backpacking

[Eaglebait Ranch]

Susan is having a busy week, ending Sunday. We have decided to go out on an overnight winter trek to "test" our gear and try some new foods we have for winter camping.

We will be starting out heading south on the PCT trail, at Pederson Snow Park (elev 5382'), in Klamath County, following the trail markers with our gear for only about 2.5 miles (elev 5500'). We will set up camp at a meadow where we typically stop during warm weather day hikes for lunch. There is a large group of trees on the left of the trail which hides the meadow, which is at the bottom of about a 200 yard slope good enough for some downhill telemark skiing. So, we will set up camp in an opening between the trees for protection, ski Tuesday morning, and they break camp and head home in the afternoon. I will take pictures.

See ya on the trail.....

[renodesertfox]

Sounds exciting and quiet! Thanks for sharing! It'll be great! How much snow do you anticipate?

You could also copy this post and place it up in General Chat to the thread on "December 2009 Camping Plans" or you don't have to. People who don't backpack rarely bother with looking at "trail pounding as a pastime leisure activity...shame on them. There's nothing better than reling on oneself and simply placing one foot in front of another!

[Eaglebait Ranch]

Winter Backpacking/skiing

I don't think there was 12" up there today, but got to talk to the snow plow driver and he said there is another storm due in this Friday night. If we get another couple of inches from that storm, sking should be ok.

While Susan and I were putting our skies in the car at the end of our day, up drives Bill, the county snow plow driver, in his brand new snow plow. Bill is so proud of his toy, was practicing using it because it is driven by two joy sticks, one in each hand - not with a steering wheel. He said driving without a steering wheel is a totally new concept for him.

We met Bill three years ago, he was pulled over in his plow eating lunch. We stopped to thank him for the great job he does keeping the roads cleaned. We bend over backwards to make sure he knows how much we appreciate the job he does. Last year, while sharing some of our goodies with him during a break he was on, we found out he knows a friend of ours, who Susan skies with on Wednesdays.