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apogee
climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
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That's awesome.
I did the PCT in the late 80's, and remember thinking about what it would take to do it in the winter. These guys are making it a reality. Kudos!!
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perswig
climber
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Wild. Crazy.
Badass!
Dale
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EdwardT
Trad climber
Retired
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List off the 5 most major skills required for such an attempt.
Justin:
snow safety and avalanche knowledge
winter camping skills
winter travel experience
general thru-hiking or long distance hiking background
short term memory failure :-)
That last one cracked me up.
Those guys are badass.
Hope they get some stretches of sunny weather.
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Charlie D.
Trad climber
Western Slope, Tahoe Sierra
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If there was ever a winter to do it here in the Sierra this is the one otherwise they'd be wishing for skis. Amazing undertaking.
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mtnyoung
Trad climber
Twain Harte, California
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Admirable, these are two tough men. But ohhh man, that's too cold for my taste.
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Hoots
climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
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Yah, super capable, inspiring, and humble guys. I have had the opportunity to work with Shawn and the guy is just an under the radar crusher when it comes to these kinds of long hauls!
Sounds like the foot issues they are having to deal with were way worse than anything they expected- trudging through icy slushy ponds all the way through OR sounded BURLY!
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this just in
climber
Justin Ross from North Fork
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Hard core! Hardcore!
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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I can think of a lot slopes up there I would be verrry leeery of.
I hope they make it.
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apogee
climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
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The entire PCT community of nowadays could take lots of lessons on self-sufficiency & perseverance from these guys. Today's thru-hikers are a far cry from what they used to be BITD.
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SC seagoat
Trad climber
Santa Cruz, or In What Time Zone Am I?
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^^^^ aint that the truth!
Nice trip these guys are taking! Sure wish I could be there.
Susan
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rincon
Trad climber
Coarsegold
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They'd be way better off with skis than snowshoes. Can't believe nobody's done a winter thru hike before...who's to say it hasn't happened for sure? Not everyone likes to broadcast everything they do on a blog. Pre internet days people used to do all sorts of things without hyping it up with trip reports and blogs.
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CCT
Trad climber
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What these guys are doing is amazing. No way that I would even try. Just to put it out there though - this is an incredibly low snow year in California, and except for a few notable cold snaps, remarkably warm. Are conditions similar up to the Canadian border?
Not that these guys chose the weather, and they obviously they prepped long and hard for this. But, I'm starting to wonder if we need a new category. Like, "climate-change assisted" winter ascent.
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skcreidc
Social climber
SD, CA
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Pretty damn cool. Stoked for them and best wishes for success!! My wife would divorce me if I were gone for that long lol!
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EdwardT
Trad climber
Retired
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who's to say it hasn't happened for sure? Not everyone likes to broadcast everything they do on a blog. Pre internet days people used to do all sorts of things without hyping it up with trip reports and blogs.
Considering the logistics involved, it'd be nearly impossible to do it under the radar.
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apogee
climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
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Yep, it's everything you describe, plus lots more, Sewelly...
The recreation officer of the local USFS has described many run-ins with thru-hikers in recent years who are ill-prepared, camp illegally, leave trash at campsites, noisy & disruptive, and have attitude about it, too. Our town is a major stop along the way, and local vendors comment on the entitled attitude that many of them have regarding the amenities & assistance that is provided for them.
The AT descended to this level many years ago...it's really a drag to see the same degradation happen to the PCT.
Then again, a very similar kind of process has happened with climbing over the decades, hasn't it?
Sigh.
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Hardman Knott
Gym climber
Muir Woods National Monument, Mill Valley, Ca
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Did a tiny bit of the PCT this week.. ;-)
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