Re: Fun attempting Tikaboo (long)


Message posted by JB737 on December 28, 2007 at 13:01:59 PST:

Due to my inexperience with them, I don't think snowshoes would have helped me much, maybe just a little, on the 4 inches of snow on the road. Maybe if it was much deeper higher up, it would have, but once it gets very steep they are useless for a rookie like me also.

I think it's more likely I'm just more out of shape than I thought, was carrying too much stuff despite trying not to, and had way too many buffets in Vegas that week before going. :-)

I took too much stuff, at too much cost in weight:
1. I carried too much camera equipment.
A. D70 body...fine, but with 105mm f/2.5 lens on, pretty much just to cap it. Should have taken a cap instead, or put a tele-extender on to cap it.
B. 750mm f/6 mirror lens...fine...don't want to summit without it
C. Two 2x tele-extenders
Could have just taken one, or maybe none.
Probably wasn't going to take best-ever base photos on this trip, and the 750mm was enough to show the base OK.
D. Two extra D70 batteries, didn't need them.
One fully charged one is plenty, maybe one spare due to cold is justifiable.
2. I carried a scanner and extra batteries, with no intention to use it. Same mistake every trip.
3. I carried heavier cooking pots than necessary.
4. I carried a 0 degree sleeping bag and 2 pound ThermaRest pad with no intention of using them. Debatable..good for survival but heavy and no time to use them unless I get in trouble.
5. I carried a GoreTex ski suit, which would not fit over what I was wearing, and there was little chance I was going to strip down to put it on underneath.
6. I carried oversized Kevlar pants to slip on if I bushwacked to the north peak, after I had decided to attempt Tikaboo rather than the north peak.
7. I carried 160 oz of drinks, despite also carrying 20oz of stove fuel able to melt snow to make drinking water.
8. I carried an extra LED headlamp (fine) and probably way too many extra GPS and headlamp batteries. Debatable.
9. Forgot to take cellphone out of pocket. No coverage.

Add 2 pounds here, 2 pounds there, pretty soon you're huffing and puffing with 20 pounds of extra stuff that hinders rather than helps.

The bigger problem was that I boxed myself in schedule-wise, having to make it up and down about 7 miles total in 12 hours on foot, while still feeling compelled to carry survival supplies for a few days in case of trouble.

JB737



In Reply to: Re: Fun attempting Tikaboo (long) posted by J356 on December 28, 2007 at 9:03:59 PST:

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