My dad and I skied Mt. Amabilis today. It was a really nice day, mild temps but hard platform, and near the top we were above the clouds.
But I'm posting this to make a PSA:
DO NOT WALK DOWN THE MIDDLE OF A GROOMED TRAIL IN SNOWSHOES.
DO NOT WALK ON GROOMED TRAILS AT ALL IN BOOTS.
There are only a few places in the state, and even fewer within a reasonable drive from the Puget Sound area, that have nice long groomed trails for cross-country skiing. The state charges a significant amount of money above the basic sno park pass for a special "grooming" sticker. It's one thing when snowshoers start trampling down the middle of the trail and mess up the grooming. At least the snowshoes keep the impact fairly low. Today, I saw at least 4 different GROUPS of people just walking up and down the trail IN BOOTS.
The one group I talked to about the issue said they didn't know the rules and thought they just needed to avoid the ski tracks. They must not have read the sign at the trailhead, which I am putting in this report. WALKING DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE SKATING LANE IS ALSO BAD. For skate-skiers, obviously, but for any skiers going DOWNHILL. It is not only unpleasant for skiers, but also dangerous. My dad (a 67-year-old life-long XC skier) took a bad fall on the way down and hurt his shoulder badly, likely because his ski got stuck in a divot created by a hiking boot.
Point is: walking on groomed trails not only impacts other people's experience, it also endangers their health. STOP DOING IT. Either snowshoe on snowshoe trails or -- the obviously better alternative -- LEARN TO SKI. Walking up Amabilis is an unfathomably tedious 15-mile trudge in snow, when skiing is a pleasant glide up and an awesomely fun ride down that takes less than half the time. If you don't feel like taking lessons and tacking the learning curve, snowshoe on one of the many many trails that aren't specially groomed for skiing.
Comments
Snowshoe / post holing etiquette
Here, here... This is a huge issue in the I-90 corridor and elsewhere. REI and other retailers need to really hammer this home when they sell snowshoes. The CCWRC (Central Cascades Wilderness Recreation Council) will be discussing this again next week at the February meeting. People don't read signs, don't think it applies to them, have no sense of decency or concern for others, it is a lot of things...but State Parks and other agencies are really struggling with this issues. It is not just a problem in groomed areas. There are still folks on skis heading out of an area and breaking trail up to a ridge, to then head back down and find snowshoers stomping up the broken trail when they had a whole hill side to climb up. So, to strongly second this review, from a long time skier, who also snowshoes..... PLEASE stay off the groomed trails and ski tracks with your boots and showshoes. Please show a little consideration for your fellow outdoor adventurer. You can take a snowshoe just about anywhere, up steep slopes and down (avoiding avalanche terrain of course). There is a ton of real estate around to snow shoe in. Just stay out of the few areas that are set up for groomed cross country track and skate skiing. And don't get me started about what all the snow shoers are doing, plodding up the Cold Creek road from Hyak, amidst all the skiers going up and those of us coming down from doing the Mt Catherine Loop. It boggles the mind. Rant over. I know return you to your regular normal reviews and comments.
Posted by:
Gouldie on Feb 01, 2017 04:35 PM