Journey, Not A Destination

Steve said:
Yup, we're planning on doing the entire hike. We did it last year in May. Ended up getting stuck in a blizzard, but we found refuge by breaking into a cabin. Survived to complete it the following day.

This time around will no doubt be more difficult. Possibly to the point that it's impossible. I've talked to a number of guides recently and it's up there as one of the hardest hikes you can do in the world. The very real fact is we may not be able to complete it depending on weather.

I expect to see 100+ mph winds. We did last time. But couple that with white out blizzard conditions... it's near impossible to walk 3 feet let alone miles and miles.
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Adrenaline junkie?? :D :D As I said... good luck to you. I don't take it as a "trail" that has... :this way to safety signs".... hope you are able to do the entire trail, and if not, can turn back at halfway point or before! :D The "Wilderness" my friends and I had to deal with was animals and where to dig your "cat holes"! Looks like you'll be challenged to say the least.
 
JZ,
Dont know if i can post this plug but check out Steve's forum and read the thread about this trip. Absolute classic reading.

Matt
 
Steve said:
Yup, we're planning on doing the entire hike. We did it last year in May. Ended up getting stuck in a blizzard, but we found refuge by breaking into a cabin. Survived to complete it the following day.

This time around will no doubt be more difficult. Possibly to the point that it's impossible. I've talked to a number of guides recently and it's up there as one of the hardest hikes you can do in the world. The very real fact is we may not be able to complete it depending on weather.

I expect to see 100+ mph winds. We did last time. But couple that with white out blizzard conditions... it's near impossible to walk 3 feet let alone miles and miles.
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I really hope that the cooler heads of common sense do prevail during this trip...

while I appreciate a healthy ego and confidence and all that - just because people think they can do something - doesnt always match up to reality...
 
jzthedetermined said:
Adrenaline junkie?? :D :D As I said... good luck to you. I don't take it as a "trail" that has... :this way to safety signs".... hope you are able to do the entire trail, and if not, can turn back at halfway point or before! :D The "Wilderness" my friends and I had to deal with was animals and where to dig your "cat holes"! Looks like you'll be challenged to say the least.
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This is about the only sign you'll see on the trail (from last years trip):



The difficult thing about this trip is the weather is extremely volatile there. A storm can pop up in the middle of nowhere and stop you dead in your tracks. But if you remain dead in your tracks for too long in that kind of wind and that kind of weather, the dead part becomes very real.

Once you're up above the tree line, it's not so simple where you can just 'head down' if need be. There are many cliffs and routes that are not passable in the winter due to avalanche and ice.

is a pretty gnarly site. Unfortunately the current weather conditions are down, which I've yet to see happen.
 
maleficent said:
I really hope that the cooler heads of common sense do prevail during this trip...

while I appreciate a healthy ego and confidence and all that - just because people think they can do something - doesnt always match up to reality...
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No shit. It's a mixed bunch but I'm confident all will make the right decisions.
 
Oh, and rereading that, I didn't mean like no shit stupid mal... i mean like "oh i 110% agree and it's my largest concern."
 
That looks like a spectacular experience! The thread on your forum about the trip is definately "classic" reading as Matt put it!! Side note... a do or die attitude is great... if you're talking about fighting terminal illness!! As Mal has echoed a hundred times, and for good reason... use common sense! But finally, if successful, you will have a memory worth more than any amount of money!
 
Hi Steve!

Man, that video is crazy! I want snow...but not that much :) They are saying we may get some snow "flurry" next week!! lol, that means everything will shut down, the school will close and roads will be closed. SC is crazy. :smilielol5:
What a workout hiking in snow must be.
 
jzthedetermined said:
That looks like a spectacular experience! The thread on your forum about the trip is definately "classic" reading as Matt put it!! Side note... a do or die attitude is great... if you're talking about fighting terminal illness!! As Mal has echoed a hundred times, and for good reason... use common sense! But finally, if successful, you will have a memory worth more than any amount of money!
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It's a very fine balance between extreme positivity in order to weather the weather, lol, and keeping in mind what is realistically possible and logical.

You're 100% right.

I remember back last year when we got stuck up there, a few members of our team started thinking irrationally and it's not a fun place to be when you start making poor decisions.

Some of my best memories, though, are from that trip. And I imagine this one is going to top that.

Thanks for the well wishes!
 
LynnZ said:
Hi Steve!

Man, that video is crazy! I want snow...but not that much :) They are saying we may get some snow "flurry" next week!! lol, that means everything will shut down, the school will close and roads will be closed. SC is crazy. :smilielol5:
What a workout hiking in snow must be.
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We got about 4 inches here yesterday.

Up there in NH, I think they had 21 feet last I checked.

And ya, walking in snow while having all that gear on your back, straight up hill and with 100 mph winds is a challange, for lack of a better term.
 
Steve said:
Oh, and rereading that, I didn't mean like no shit stupid mal... i mean like "oh i 110% agree and it's my largest concern."
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hey wow i could have read into a post where I could have thought you called me stupid... and i missed it... I really must be feeling icky...

One of the many concerns I'd have is how to possibly get out of a bad situation... Will you have any kind of GPS or technology that will keep you abreast of weather that might or might not be coming - to help aid in the decision making process?
 
Steve said:
Snowbunny?

Somehow I don't think I wear that title well.

:p
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I guess not. My boyfriend wants to take me snowboarding for my first time, sometime in February--how cool is that? I suppose THEN I can don the title for a weekend. May as well learn in a bikini top if I can handle it, ya know, go all-out? NAH, funk dat :p

maleficent said:
i have it on good authority that the gurus dont wear wittle panties, they actually wear great big honkin' granny panties... in beige :)
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That is fucking hilarious!

Steve said:
I followed this up with 45 minutes of interval cardio: 15 min on treadmill at steep incline, 15 min on elliptical at steep incline, and 15 min or arc trainer.

I followed this up with a handful of sets of high rep single leg presses.
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This is all weird to me for some reason. Well, I guess SOMETIMES Steve does cardio machines. Heh! Who knew???

Steve said:
No shit. It's a mixed bunch but I'm confident all will make the right decisions.
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You should post what Gordy emailed to you......haha!

Have a good day, Steven! :waving:
 
maleficent said:
One of the many concerns I'd have is how to possibly get out of a bad situation... Will you have any kind of GPS or technology that will keep you abreast of weather that might or might not be coming - to help aid in the decision making process?
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We'll have gps systems but to my knowledge, they are not weather ready. We're going to plot out the weather systems as best we can and talk to the rangers there to get their opinions and that's that.
 
Curvie Girlie said:
I guess not. My boyfriend wants to take me snowboarding for my first time, sometime in February--how cool is that? I suppose THEN I can don the title for a weekend. May as well learn in a bikini top if I can handle it, ya know, go all-out? NAH, funk dat :p
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That will be a lot of fun! I've never snowboarded. Well not seriously. I owned a snowboard and would use it on local hills, but I'd hardly call that snowboarding.

That is fucking hilarious!
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Ya, haha, I missed that!

This is all weird to me for some reason. Well, I guess SOMETIMES Steve does cardio machines. Heh! Who knew???
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Why weird?

Have a good day, Steven! :waving:
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It's actually Stephen :p
 
Well shit! :svengo: STEPHEN indeed. Pronounced like Steven or Steffen? EH??

Oh I read elsewhere that you were strapped with gear on the cardio machines so that's OK.

I guess PZ and I will be going to Heavenly in So Lake Tahoe.
 
Steve said:
other times I'm just your typical cardio bunny! :p
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:dupe: *warm hearted moment* There is NOTHING typical about you, Stephen--YOU are spectacular and awesome :beating:
 
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