First Snowshoe Hike Gets Nowhere
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- čas přidán 29. 07. 2024
- I'm learning about winter camping and on this trip I learned that sometimes it takes a really long time to hike through snow. I never made it to my campsite due to not wanting to hike this trail in the dark. It took much longer than I expected. I will regroup and maybe try to visit this place again when we have more daylight hours. On the drive home I stop for some night sky photography.
Chapters:
00:00 Unknown Pond Trail near Mount Cabot in NH
03:38 Turning back on my mind
05:00 Final thoughts
06:20 Night Sky Photography
#winterhiking #whitemountains #unknownpondtrail
Don't feel' bad, Rachel. Turning around is never the wrong decision. Ed Viesturs said, " Getting to the top is optional, getting back down is mandatory". Anyway, you salvaged the trip with more great night photography. Even a shooting star!!
Oh yeah! I recently finished Ed Viesturs book about K2. So good! I love mountaineering books and hope to start including quotes in my videos. So that is pretty cool you brought that up. Thanks.
Update!!! After watching this video over again a couple days later, I checked my map and it appears I did go OFF THE TRAIL and that would explain why it got so difficult and slanted at the place where I fell and decided to turn around. Ugh.... I will definitely go back and do this on another day. I wish I had checked the map before making the final decision.
Over 36 lb. With snowshoes is no joke. When in doubt bail out. Absolutely the right move. Amazing area love the views. ❤
Thanks. Yeah... that was a heavy pack. I've now started wearing the pack with gallons of water jugs inside for practice during the week. I don't plan to pick hikes much farther than that one (3 miles) but it would be nice to get strong enough for that level of challenge.
Rachel, you most certainly did the right thing in this case. As hard as that may be. What’s so awesome about this is that you shared this decision process with all of us who have been there too and can empathize with you. Do NOT feel bad about this at all! I know how you felt though. You felt like you let yourself down and didn’t complete your goal. I’ve felt the same way but the fact that you made that decision shows that you are using excellent judgment when it comes to winter solo hiking. It comes down to one thing: self care, and it has to be at the forefront of your mind constantly when hiking. Am I hydrated? Am I eating enough? Am i sweating? Am I cold? Am I tired? All questions to be constantly asking yourself. Winter or summer. Great job Rachel!
Thanks. All these questions to ask oneself are excellent. Since that hike I have been doing some training walks with jugs of water in the pack and thinking about every possible way to make things better. And actually I have not been drinking at all on these winter hikes but now I plan to change that and sip the electrolyte drink that helped me so much in the summer. Ultimately this crazy 1.5 miles to nowhere will help me do so many things better for the rest of the winter.
Outstanding winter scenery my friend! This looks amazing!
Thanks. Yes, the views from the road were so beautiful that I was wishing I could just camp there! Why hike all this way for the middle of the woods?
Turning back is never a mistake when forging on could very well be. You are an inspiration.
Thanks. I have been giving thought to what to consider on a day when I do want to keep going, such as checking the map and having a snack. Lots of lessons from that day.
100% correct decision. When I hike solo in winter conditions I am always prepared to call-it if things aren’t going as planned. In those conditions, if these go wrong you could be seriously injured or die. In winter conditions the distances I travel are cut in half and take twice as long. I eat and drink twice as much to keep my core warm. Consider using a pulk (sled) instead of a backpack. Gets the weight off your back. It will allow your snowshoes to get more float and not sink in as much.
Thanks. So interesting about the extra time needed in winter. And yes, I have a new pulk in the living room right now! I'll be using it here and there but the uphill trails seem they might be too much for the sled concept. I'll be practicing with it soon I hope.
Don't have regrets...... Your doing it and being smart about it. Nothing wrong with turning around. These mountains are no joke
Yes. I think about that one. Not ready to go try it again yet.
Bravo to you for challenging nature’s formidable snowy terrain. The only thing that is constant is change. Cheers to acknowledging the need to change. Accolades for going the distance until it didn’t make sense anymore. Nature would have shown no mercy. Creation’s final law is to survive. Thanks for sharing your hike and teaching what you learned. Wishing you peace and good fortune. Happy Trails!
Thanks for the kind words.
Those shots at the end... so amazing! I'm glad you made the right decision and turned around. A good workout is never a bad thing. I'm enjoying a your videos😊
Thanks, I am so glad you like my little creativity projects here. It is fun to share my story. Taking those night shots at the end was a calming wind down to the day. It's so beautiful up there without light pollution.
@@RachelWhelton have you been up to flat mountain pond? Such a beautiful hike
I would like to go there. 5 miles so I'll need to be in the mood to walk. @@micjam1986
Smart move Rachel. Never feel bad about turning back. The mountains will always be there, at least in our lifetime. 🙃
Thanks. I appreciate the encouragement. Learn and get back out there!
You made the right decision, poorly marked trails in the Winter, along with water and half frozen ice, a recipe for bad things! Another lesson for the book!!
Yes, that's right. I'm learning so much out there!
You did right! Lovely scenery, too.
Thanks!
It's a workout, eh? You made the right call, and, look, you still achieved your goal, which is to have fun.
Thanks. But now I'll be chomping at the bit to have another crack at that one. It's such a long drive that it's hard to get there early in the morning.
That was gorgeous day you had the snow was so beautiful and don't feel bad about turning, you are smart to do that especially considering you are alone. You saved yourself from getting into a bad situation
Thanks. Yeah, those snowshoes are helpful when they work but when you fall it seems completely ridiculous and dangerous to have a giant piece of plastic twisting your leg around in the snow. Seems funny now though....
Hi Rachel, you made the right decision. All that effort wasn’t for none, as the experience provided experience you can draw on next time. Glad you could cross the water without going in! Like you, I do wish the days weren’t so short right now. Really like those night sky shots. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks! Yes, as I have been thinking about this one, I've put back in some workouts walking with a weighted pack, and realized when I go back I am going to pound that first half so easily with the confidence of having seen it once.
The pictures at the end were amazing (shooting star sequence🤯). Definitely don’t beat yourself up about turning around. I can’t imagine solo hiking in winter!
Thanks. Yeah, the solo thing is one reason I am keeping these little adventures to 3 miles or less. I know there is some risk but I try to keep a higher margin for error than I would if I had a team.
Great night shots, and cool foreground lighting to boot. The number of short shooting stars was surprising. Unknown Pond will still be there tomorrow (I hope!).
Most of them are satellites I think - the really straight lines without tapering at their ends. However I definitely saw a star or meteor in that long tree sequence which was super good and lasted longer than the usual shooting star.
What a lovely winter scenery my friend! Gorgeous and atmospheric upload!
Thanks! Yes the snow up north was so wonderful!
Smart decision! You still got out there and enjoyed the beauty. The pictures at the end were breathtaking. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks! I shall return!
I have turned around many times. You have to trust your gut. The trail will be when you return. Thanks for sharing this “real” experience.
Thanks. It's odd how you sometimes learn so much more from the ones that don't work out.
Your trip didn’t go as planned but I still enjoyed the video. Here in MA it’s bare so it was nice seeing the winter wonderland up north. We’re almost at the solstice so you were smart to have a turnaround time. Looking forward to your next extreme camping adventure in the mountains!
That's right - the solstice. I'll be so happy on that day!!!
I love your adventures!
Thanks!
breaking trail with snowshoes is a lot of effort. and that gate at the fish hatchery has stressed me out too. It was cool to hear you thinking through your decision, I think you made the right one.
I guess the fish guys will answer the phone and come let people out when necessary. Probably I was gathering any potential problems in my head when trying to decide what to do.
I think it is so awesome that you made to tough choice to turn back, and that you shared that decision!!! We have had to do the same thing in the winter and though it was a tough choice, I believe it is never a wrong decision!! You will get back there to try again one day 😊Glad you are safe
Thanks. It is sometimes hard to put out a boring video but I feel like this is part of the "project" with my theme of learning to winter camp this season. I really want to redeem myself now.
I remember hiking up to Garfield in deep powder years ago with another middle-aged hiking buddy. About halfway I was feeling tired, a couple of guys came up with their two older teens, we let them pass and they broke trail the rest of the way. Young legs really help, not that you are old.
That sounds great. I wonder if they realized or if they were so strong they didn't care.
With the distance in which you have to travel to get up there, an then break trial !! There’s NO shame in turning back at all
Amazing seeing the north country’s snow and just a matter of two hours south is completely bare…..
Yes, so true how the south of NH is without snow. I have some skis and a pulk I need to figure out and I guess I'm going to bring them north for the experiments because out behind my house is grass.
Rachel you made the best call there will be other opportunities. Maybe hike back to a place where you were before and familiar with. Outstanding night shots. Thanks
Yes - excellent idea. Next week I will choose an especially easy location to get my confidence back. And next time I go back to Unknown Pond Trail, maybe I'll bring husband along for some teamwork.
Good video 👍. Looks beautiful. Perhaps it might be more fun with a friend. I wonder how it would be hiking without the snowshoes. Thanks for sharing your hike.
Thanks. Yes, this hike is a candidate for when my husband gets to come along too. But I'm sure I can do it myself, too, on a different day.
Trust your instincts! The trails will still be there 😊
Outstanding photos tho!
Yes! Thank you!
Another great Video Rachel. Thanks for sharing and it's better to turn around then it is to get in trouble up there. BTW, I've been up there several times including a couple of overnights. I've never seen the gate closed.
Ahh, interesting. I wasn't too worried about it this time (as when I hiked there in summer). Next time I will be a combination of more determined but also more aware of the trail and the clock.
yup ya did gud. i did sum in black hills 1976-80, cross country with frins terry peak to Spearfish by moonlight. or west of crow peak back home camping. i took dates twice out like that hike in winter wonderland.
Moonlight sounds good. I am going to try and make peace with the darkness to some degree. But it's hard enough to know where you are going in the daylight!
That's a tough trail to break. I did it last winter with two other people and it was exhausting. You need help breaking trail!
It was a learning experience for sure. I kept thinking "how is this possible that I keep walking and I am not there yet?"
Nice.
Thanks
You’re a cute lady and seem like a nice person. Yes the heavy pack, all bundled up, the cold and the snow really beat you up and change the concept of miles. Winter backpacking is new to me too. I lost weight but not as much as I wanted. It’s going to be tough but I’m going for it the best I can this year. Keep going you’ll get the hang of the conditions and your capabilities. 😊
Nice pictures too
Thanks. I agree on the weight. I lost weight last Spring and since then I've been slowly gaining it back. I can feel it when I hike, like carrying a bigger bag. I'm going to try and drop those pounds again to feel better.
Solo in winter is always tricky so good on you for being conservative. There are a lot of logging road and unmarked trails up by Cabot so I wouldn't be surprised that in winter you got off track. Nice chance to get some night photography in. Do you have snow baskets for your poles? Might help with the deeper winter snow travel.
I was only off track by maybe 10 feet. So it must be where it got narrow and slanted/steep, I was on the wrong side of the brook. You can see it is dawning on me but instead of double checking the map, I was already deciding I'd had enough. I have extra respect for people who break trail now. It's not just the snow plowing but also the skill of seeing the trail.
That's a pretty gutsy thing to do Ma'm! Dumb question, do you not have a Garmin Etrex or other iteration, GPS so you can see the lay of the land...?
I have a Garmin for communications. For terrain I have Gaia GPS on my phone. And I usually study the lay of the land before I go so I know the elevation gain and general direction. I check the map as I am hiking but on this one I got into a swirl of confusion unfortunately.
Seems odd that USFS didn't 'balisee' the trail course. I did one winter camp one nighter. But my girlfriend drove me out. It was-20ºC but I was cozy. But no grand hike. I xc skied back on my Asnes skis with a frame pack with my kit. I was forty five years younger though. My sleeping bag was quite adequate. It was in a reserve with a wolf study pen. I must have slept soundly because I never heard any howling. The snow was amazing. We don't get it like that anymore.@@RachelWhelton
when were you on that trail, ( date) ? I plan to hike it tomorrow (12/8) and wondering if there's any chance any more of it might be broken out. I understand you probably don't post these videos the day of or even one day after. Thanks :)
December 6. At least I got you halfway ha ha ha..... I hope somebody else came along to do the rest. Good luck. Honestly it seemed just fine until I realized my time issue. If I were going tomorrow and starting early, I'd absolutely have the gumption to push through! I've never night-hiked and I didn't want to start like this.
It happens, better to turn around then be sorry.
Yes. It was a good learning experience I thought about many other days. At the time I thought it was the short day that was the biggest issue. But now I see it was the unbroken trail. I've now had to turn back on 3 hikes and all of them had unbroken trail. Now I realize that is a lot harder than it looks!
*_Hello Rachel... are the shoes you are using specifically for use in the snow season, but are they capable of climbing uphill tracks? Understandably there is no snow in my country... greetings from Indonesia_* 👣🏔🏕💯👌👍
The boots in this video are Keen boots that cost 100 dollars on Amazon. They are waterproof but not insulated. They are not winter boots. I chose them because they are lightweight and it helped me feel more energy to not have a heavy boot. I also wore gaiters to keep snow out.
@@RachelWhelton Ok thanks you... 👌👍
That was a good video because it shows the reality of being out there in the winter elements. People need to be careful and make wise choices like you did. I am very glad you turned and went back. We still got to enjoy your beautiful photos, video, and music too.👍🏻
Yes, I am also currently focusing on producing videos with outdoor tutorial material, such as tips for climbing mountains during the rainy or dry season, the health benefits of hiking, maybe some of this will be useful for you, Ms. Rachel 🙏
@@CeeJayKay 👌👍