Winter 101A - How to Travel Safely in Winter

Up the trail time: 7:30 AM

I take people out every winter to help be safer during the winter. This trip starts at the South Fork Trailhead in the San Gorgonio Wilderness and turns around at the top of Christmas Tree Hill.

This year I am dividing it into two parts…A and B, the B will happen when there is enough snow to utilize snowshoes. The A portion will focus on cross country travel and land navigation. I will put you into position to make the decision and you will make them as we travel to Alto Diablo from Poop Out Hill up a ridge my friend and I call Duct Tape Ridge.

Like most trips in the winter, it isn’t the up that will be an issue…except at the 10,230’ block, where there will be some decisions the group will have to make. It will be the down. The first time up with a friend, we started off well to the north of where we should have been because we chose to take a more direct route back to the block. Oh, the participants will make all the decisions on route of travel up and down using their tools and brains.

In winter, when the wind is blowing, bright sunshine is turning into white out or snow starts falling. You need to know how to navigate with all the tools in your possession…map, compass, altimeter and GPS.

We will travel like my friends and I do in winter…lead is in contact with next, second is in contact with 3rd, etc. If this does not comport with your idea of hiking, do everyone a favor and do not sign up for this trip.

This is not a snow trip. This will not be done if there is white on the ground. This terrain is more suited for climbing rather than snowshoeing…and I ain’t taking people up there I do not know in those conditions.

Come prepared. I have snowshoed, climbed and hiked the past 16 winters. Any questions you have I can probably answer.

The goal is not to have any of the participants end up on the 11 PM this winter...it's no fun being called a blithering idiot on 5 forms of social media.

Must Haves…

Clothing…Enough clothing to spend the night at 10,600’ uncomfortably or better and boots...it's too seep coming down for your favorite trail runners.

Gear…The 10 essentials, altimeter and GPS, if you got’em, and a map…Moonridge USGS 7.5 quad or the Tom Harrison San Gorgonio Wilderness…the former is best, the latter is better than a piece of paper with squiggly lines, which is unacceptable.

WHOM DO I SUE: This is not an official organization chartered to make certain any level of safety greater when you venture into the Wilderness by your lonesome, if you want something like that seek out the Sierra Club with their rules, regulations and signed waivers of liability. Do not expect organizer(s) to check the qualifications of anyone you are hiking or climbing with. Any questions asked of you when you sign up is to ensure the organizer(s) safety, nothing more. If you have doubts about going on this particular meetup, you should find someone you trust, go alone or choose not to participate.