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965 Posts |
Posted - 04/29/2012 : 10:37 AM
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Wasn't a great day for photography. Road is plowed to the headpond. Skied from there. Tooks skis off a few times. Continuous snow above 550 meters. Lost visibility at the lake. Waited a bit. Didn't improve. I know the area well so just continued up in the white shroud hitting all the features right on. Took a compass bearing across the flat glacier and just missed the main summit by 300 metres. Saw it briefly from our high point. Were concerned our tracks would blow over so we called it a day. Skiing was not great until we got down below the lake where we could actually see something again. GPS-free trip. Just map and compass was all that was necessary.
  
  
  
  
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Edited by - Stoked on 04/29/2012 10:39 AM
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over the hills and far away
Canada
709 Posts |
Posted - 04/29/2012 : 11:02 AM
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| If you used a gps track, you wouldn't need to be as concerned that your tracks would be blown over. |
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Port Moody, BC
Canada
545 Posts |
Posted - 04/29/2012 : 5:36 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Candy Sack
If you used a gps track, you wouldn't need to be as concerned that your tracks would be blown over.
But then he wouldn't be able to brag about conquering a whiteout in GPS-free mode. |
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Vancouver, BC
Canada
1422 Posts |
Posted - 04/29/2012 : 9:50 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Candy Sack
If you used a gps track, you wouldn't need to be as concerned that your tracks would be blown over.
I've done this once, skiing down roped on a crevassed glacier in a whiteout. It's not an experience I really want to repeat. |
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965 Posts |
Posted - 04/30/2012 : 07:02 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Candy Sack
If you used a gps track, you wouldn't need to be as concerned that your tracks would be blown over.
But it would be cheating. |
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671 Posts |
Posted - 04/30/2012 : 12:19 PM
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| looks like someone vandalized that blue truck... lol , nice route finding |
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 Kootenay Bud
2695 Posts |
Posted - 04/30/2012 : 3:54 PM
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Nice TR Paul and good effort.
I'm glad to meet a fellow Luddite when it comes to GPS units. Never have I seen so many people waste so much time with such a small device. I have frequently felt like gagging people with their GPS units just to hurry them up. |
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965 Posts |
Posted - 04/30/2012 : 4:57 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by sandy
Nice TR Paul and good effort.
I'm glad to meet a fellow Luddite when it comes to GPS units. Never have I seen so many people waste so much time with such a small device. I have frequently felt like gagging people with their GPS units just to hurry them up.
Thanks Sandy. Not to mention, GPS cause dementia. |
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 | LeeL
Advanced Member
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Extreme ski tourin, mountain bikin addict who hikes at least once a year
2507 Posts |
Posted - 04/30/2012 : 5:32 PM
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ha- I wondered when Sandy was going to chime in.
Ignore Candy Sack who's a glacier travel retard.
Using old tracks as handrails to navigate backwards is a time honoured travellers trick that usually works. I'll admit to laying in the odd GPS track now and then but given the +/- errors its not something I'd rely on other than for rough navigation. |
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Kootenay Bud
2695 Posts |
Posted - 04/30/2012 : 7:19 PM
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| Sorry to be so predictable. But, ya gotta wonder when some dumbass is standing right beside some honking big terrain feature - even on the summit in some cases - saying, "wait, wait, I gotta check my GPS." |
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over the hills and far away
Canada
709 Posts |
Posted - 04/30/2012 : 8:22 PM
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Wow it was just a comment fellas. And way to twist my words, scholars. I said "not as concerned"-- not "not concerned at all and gps is the absolute way to go". There is no mention in the "report" of crevasse or other objective dangers, and I see no harnesses or ropes, so would assume they weren't that concerned.
My experience with gps in open terrain is that it will get you close enough to easily see your tracks, which you can then follow. If they've been blown over, then you should be able to see around you well enough to retrace a route. If you can't even see that far, maybe you should stay put. Besides, if the whiteout is bad enough, both gps and compass get reduced to their most basic function- simply giving direction. And the map becomes virtually useless.
But look who I'm talking to- all the CT hardcores.
Leel- gfy real hard. Do you have any basis for your insult? Using that word really shows your social ignorance.
Sandy- maybe you should choose other people for your trips, cause it sounds like you travel with morons if its happening as frequently as you say.
And food for thought-- If one is so profecient at orienteering, they shouldn't need to follow tracks of any kind.
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| LeeL
Advanced Member
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Extreme ski tourin, mountain bikin addict who hikes at least once a year
2507 Posts |
Posted - 04/30/2012 : 8:33 PM
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Way to show your class Candy ass Sack. Spell it out - don't be shy.
Your food for thought proves your glacier travel idiocy. Don't follow the track that you yourself have laid? Impressive.
I never knew I was one of the "hardcores". Gold star with that?
quote:
Originally posted by Candy Sack
Leel- gfy real hard. Do you have any basis for your insult? Using that word really shows your social ignorance.
And food for thought-- If one is so profecient at orienteering, they shouldn't need to follow tracks of any kind.
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Vancouver
109 Posts |
Posted - 04/30/2012 : 9:04 PM
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| Wow! This is getting really intense. Fun to read! Keep it going. |
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Finally stopping that crazy suffering that is ice, climbing to concentrate on great ski tours!
3509 Posts |
Posted - 04/30/2012 : 9:24 PM
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I really like having my uptrack or footprints to follow down. I'd prefer that to trying to use map, compass, gps, or whatever.
But, it's not always possible.
I love my gps, and use it. But, I have on occasion, raised my voice at a group of people staring at a little LCD screen when the surrounding landmarks allowed a split second location determination.
I disagree that even in an "inside a ping pong ball" white-out that the map is useless. By using my altimeter, I can use the map to track contour locations. On prairie-flat glaciers (which are rare, but...) you can use last know locations combined with time and rate of travel to track locations. It's why it's a good idea to track your location before the weather rolls in.
If the contour is shoulder-like (round at all) it's possible to level yourself with your skis perpendicular to the fall line, take a compass bearing down the fall line, and use your altimeter data to get a pretty good location. Just another way to use the map in zero-vis.
But, we've digressed and are starting to ruin a nice TR. Thanks for the pics and report. |
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| LeeL
Advanced Member
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Extreme ski tourin, mountain bikin addict who hikes at least once a year
2507 Posts |
Posted - 04/30/2012 : 9:57 PM
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John - thanks. You saved me some typing and made this thread a teaching moment. That's to be commended and you definitely show some patience in trying to educate bumblers. Entire courses are taught on whiteout navigation using map/compass and indeed even GPS as tools but not as magic juju beans on which to rely
Candy Sack's comment was amusing considering the navigation ability of the person who posted the trip report and considering Candy Sack's obvious lack of knowledge. |
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over the hills and far away
Canada
709 Posts |
Posted - 04/30/2012 : 10:44 PM
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Ya Johngenx you make a good point about using a map. I don't disagree. Yet I'm trying to think of a device that has an altimeter, compass, and map all in one...
Nevertheless Leel
- I never said one shouldn't follow one's tracks. For you to even suggest I said that shows either a lack of comprehension or some malice toward me. Which is it?
- So, again, what is the basis for your insult? If you value educating people, then do it yourself, instead of insulting them and twisting up their words. Did you say classless? John made a good point. Unless you have anyting to add, I believe what I said stands to reason. |
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Kootenay Bud
2695 Posts |
Posted - 05/01/2012 : 07:42 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Candy Sack
Sandy- maybe you should choose other people for your trips, cause it sounds like you travel with morons if its happening as frequently as you say.
You could be right. I go out with lots of different people because I lead lots of club trips and also like to get out a lot. Partners aren't always that easy to come by, so I guess you take what you can get. The phenomena seems to span age and demographic groups, and also seems to be spreading like the bird flu. I'm sure Paul is right and GPS units are either making people demented or stupid or both. It's also quite ludicrous to stare at that tiny map on the GPS screen and attempt to use it to plan your route with. |
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Jimmy Jimmy
