What is Postholing?

[gcunning]

Hi there,

Excuse my ignorance, I haven't done much winter hiking....I see people talking about idiots who "posthole", what exactly do they mean? I'm assuming folks aren't using snowshoes, and just walking in their boots...

Gary

 

[giggy]

you got it 100% right. While postholing thru deep snow is not really smart and borders on trail manners and ticks off the snowshoe crowd, etc, etc, etc, - some people get out of control a bit here IMHO and when you say you don't use them that much - they tell you - you shouldn't be winter hiking. - which is a bunch of *****.

 

[spider solo]

for a bit more moderate answer...
Postholing is when you are falling through the snow often to mid calf or more creating a hole much the shape that you dig when setting a post in the ground with a post hole digger.
So a trail that has been heavily 'post holed' results in narrow path heavily broken out. The next people following along have no solid footing that they can count on.
You could think of it in terms of a horse trying to go through a field of gopher holes.
A snowshoe disperses your weight but you are often left with a shoe half supported with snow and half supported by nothing.
With or without the snowshoe the problem is compounded if more snow drifts or covers the hole making it invisible.
Particulary on the downhill when you're gathering some momentum and "wham" you step into one..it hurts...alot.
This time of year you often see more post holes as the snow softens and what might be firm in the mornig gives way in the afternoon.....

 

[TCD]

I'll add to this the term "barebooting." You'll see that term used a lot on this site. gcunning, "barebooting" is what you actually described, meaning just walking the trail in boots without snowshoes or crampons.

When trails are hard packed, you can often bareboot without postholing (such as last weekend on the way to Marcy Dam).

"Postholing," like a lot of things, is a matter of degree. That is where people get caught up and start arguing. On the extremes, you have people who get angry about a tiny boot chip on the trail, and insist that people always wear snowshoes; and people who will posthole up to their knees for miles, ruining the condition of a good winter trail, because they don't want to bother with snowshoes.

Most people are reasonable about it.

 

[Pete_Hickey]

And then there is the spring corn snow conditions, when you will posthole even when wearing snowshoes.

 

[HikerBob]

In my opinion the biggest danger comes after fresh snowfall has filled and hidden the post holes. For the next person to break trail there are hundreds of hidden traps waiting to break an ankle. In cases like that it's often safest to parallel the trail.

Examples:
Bad
Worse
Downright crazy

and sometimes...

you need bigger snowshoes

After breaking a trail with snowshoes it's also heartbreaking to have someone tear it up with post holes.

Yeah, it's a free country but courtesy and common sense are free too.

Bob

 

[truepatriot09]

It's really a judgement call. A couple of weeks ago I barebooted down Old Bridle Path because the trail was so packed that nothing was going to get through it until warmer temps arrive; however if you stepped off of the trail, you're up to your noogies in powder. so while you could create a posthole around the trail, the trail itself was firm so I chose to bareboot rather than risk catching a front point and taking a spill, or loudly drag my snowshoes over the frosty trail.

I guess my point is, let the conditions dictate your footwear choices.

 

[TCD]

Also should add that, at least in the daks, there are regulations regarding the need for snowshoes or skis if there's more than a certain amount of snow.

 

[sardog1]

Full employment for SAR responders (if it's been the real thigh-deep deal for long enough ......)

 

[WalksWithBlackflies]

Great photos HikerBob!

 

[HikerBob]

Kevin - they were actually 25" Tubbs Altitudes. I have 30" Altitudes as well but they are a tad large on the pack so if I think conditions are ok I take the 25"s.

The 25's are good for most conditions but I have got it wrong a couple of times this year and I won't mention Cabot...

Bob

 

[giggy]

Kevin - you are a lucky guy - it seems you get out there multiple times per week. Brutus is lucky as well.

I am jealous.

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

You can always attach extenders that come in two different lengths to the heals of your MSR snowshoes for extra floatation, which will become more appreciated in the next few weeks as the snowpack rots (i.e., goes isothermal).