Whole backpack left in the last col: please don’t.

[BlackSpruce]

Occasionally a few climbers report leaving all their gear the last col before the summit. It’s not a good idea at all. You carried all that gear the many miles from the parking lot and leave it behind to travel the section of your climb where most emergency arises! If you really must lighten your pack bring along a large plastic bag to store in it the “extras” from your gear and never leave any food as the critters could be in it within minutes. Let say your partner gets hurt near the summit it’s a VERY long way down and back up, no matter how strong a climber you are. Furthermore bringing back to the wounded emergency stuff will take time and energy (which equal time) and will increase the duration your partner wait for a rescue if it’s bad enough that you must run to the trailhead to get help.

As well conditions above tree line, particularly in the winter, can be drastically different from the protection of the forest in the col. The conditions on a open summit can change in minutes, you may need your compass to find you way down, your hat may be blown away, you may have a cramp and need to drink, etc.

Please, please don’t leave all of your gear behind when you are going to need it the most.

Christine

PS: The above alarm comes from years of reading trip reports from climbers as I am one of the team of summer and winter correspondents for the 46-Rs.

 

[Skyclimber]

Christine not to contradict you in any way but I personally disagree with part of this, as I always believed leaving NO Gear behind is an option. I feel this way because, if you take the time to pack and carry this gear from the start of the trip, "Why leave part of it behind, when you get to the Col?" As like you state it's this last section of trail where most emergencies arise. Also say, "What if, something does happen above treeline and you left part of the your gear/clothing behind and an emergency bivuoack arises, an accident happens, you get disoriented, etc., a climber is going to want Everything that they had with them and will regret the decision to leaving any of those essential items in the Col."

 

[Peakbagr]

Christine's views have merit.
If you carried it 'this' far, then carry it to the summit. If the extra weight of the pack is an issue, than perhaps the destination is a little beyond comfort and safety level of the peak(s) selected for the weather and conditions.
I'm moving this to the General Backcountry section as is a topic not limited to just NY.

 

[Rik]

Christine's views have merit.
If you carried it 'this' far, then carry it to the summit. If the extra weight of the pack is an issue, than perhaps the destination is a little beyond comfort and safety level of the peak(s) selected for the weather and conditions.
I'm moving this to the General Backcountry section as is a topic not limited to just NY.

I'll respectfully disagree and say that it is an individual decision based on the variables present at the time.

I don't really get the "If you carried it this far..." arguement. If someone backpacks in to Uphill lean-to and sets up a base camp should they bring all their stuff up Redfield just because they already carried it that far? I think you bring what you think you will need based on weather, distance, experience, conditions, comfort level,....rather than based on some always/never rule.

Signed,
Rik who SOMETIMES drops his pack.

 

[Skyclimber]

I'll respectfully disagree and say that it is an individual decision based on the variables present at the time.

I don't really get the "If you carried it this far..." arguement. If someone backpacks in to Uphill lean-to and sets up a base camp should they bring all their stuff up Redfield just because they already carried it that far? I think you bring what you think you will need based on weather, distance, experience, conditions, comfort level,....rather than based on some always/never rule.

Signed,
Rik who SOMETIMES drops his pack.

Grace's always taught us, "Never leave your pack OR any of the contents in your pack." Therefore I don't buy the argument that it is on an individual basis, whether or not to leave the "extras" in the Col. The argument is "Safety" in the Mountains in Winter. The point in this is, We are all human and the weather changes in a blink of an eye and we need to be prepared for whatever Mother Nature decides to throw at us. Say for example something does go wrong at treeline and you left that "extra" fleece below at the col, aren't you going to be resentful for leaving it behind, when it's that "extra" gear left behind, that could of saved your life OR saved you from frostbite and hyperthermia?

 

[Rik]

Say for example something does go wrong at treeline and you left that "extra" fleece below at the col, aren't you going to be resentful for leaving it behind, when it's that "extra" gear left behind, that could of saved your life OR saved you from frostbite and hyperthermia?

What if I'm not going above treeline? That is one of the variables I would factor in. I think for myself I am more likely to carry all my stuff if going above treeline but if not then I might leave something and return for it.

I may resent a choice but it is ultimately my choice. We all choose to carry different gear right from the beginning of a hike based on our experience, comfort, conditions of the day, destination,... I don't see how this is any different.

Goggles, camera, extra layers, extra water, bivy sack, crampons, stabilicers, poles, ice axe, are just a few of the things I bring sometimes and don't bring other times. I think the most resentful I have gotten has been leaving the camera behind.

Mountaineering has a long history of bringing gear "part way" to the summit.

If the arguement is "safety in the mountains" then it would be safest to just stay home. It would be safer to bring a tent and sleeping bag. It would be safer to bring a down suit. I'm sure someone would argue that it is safer to bring a firearm. Cord of wood and lighter fluid?

I'm not saying anyone SHOULD drop their pack but it IS an individual choice.

 

[cushetunk]

The argument is "Safety" in the Mountains in Winter.

Now, if only someone could objectively define what "safety in the mountains" is.

When that happens, the VFTTs of the world will go quiet...

 

[Tim Seaver]

The Best Part about the White Mountains...

...is that it isn't Baxter State Park.

Let's keep it that way.

Up next ... "Why everyone should carry a -35 bag on Tecumseh"

 

[RoySwkr]

I don't believe I've ever left all my gear behind but occasionally I leave some of it. For instance on my first winter hike to Owls Head NH I brought a complete change of clothes in case I fell in one of the brooks, as well as a 5-cell flashlight for the walk out. I felt it was reasonable to leave these both at the foot of the slide to lighten my load above where climbing was more difficult and I wouldn't need them. Was doing this more dangerous than my subsequent hikes where I didn't bring them at all?

If you leave anything, you must be prepared to do without it for the rest of the hike in case somehow you don't retrieve it. However the danger is not in leaving it at the col instead of at home but rather not having it if you need it.

 

[BlackSpruce]

"If someone backpacks in to Uphill lean-to and sets up a base camp should they bring all their stuff up Redfield just because they already carried it that far? I think you bring what you think you will need based on weather, distance, experience, conditions, comfort level"

"If the arguement is "safety in the mountains" then it would be safest to just stay home."


Rik, I take it you were joking!

---------------------------------------------------
Skyclimber, when I said "" I mean for example crampons, water filter and a few other items that a climber is 100% sure he will not need the last stretch to the summit. Often a couple of pounds less makes a big difference on one's back, ideally and obviously we should carry everything to the summit but in reality very few of us do. I personnaly travel with a heavier pack in the winter and can understand that one would like to lighten the load at some point.

 

[dug]

Very vague post.

Define "pack". My backpack, which has three days worth of supplies and gear? My daypack, which has just my survival gear...or maybe my ski gear which I don't need since I've switched to crampons. Or, my snowshoes which I've dropped off since I'm on a barren summit and will need only my crampons or my skis? How far is the last col? What's the weather like? What's the forecast? How tired am I? Who's with me? How tired are they? What are they bringing?

 

[Kevin Rooney]

Very vague post.

Define "pack". My backpack, which has three days worth of supplies and gear? My daypack, which has just my survival gear...or maybe my ski gear which I don't need since I've switched to crampons. Or, my snowshoes which I've dropped off since I'm on a barren summit and will need only my crampons or my skis? How far is the last col? What's the weather like? What's the forecast? How tired am I? Who's with me? How tired are they? What are they bringing?

I agree - it's vague. The topic in general has the potential for a rather interesting debate on the pros and cons of leaving one's daypack in a nearby col. But, the initial post seems a bit heavy-handed for that. Perhaps if the topic was framed in a more neutral way, asking members to suggest conditions under which they would consider dropping their pack. Some would favor never doing it, regardless of season/circumstances/conditions. However, it's been my experience that a fair number of highly experienced people do, so I'd be interested in what criteria they use in their decision-making process.

 

[Double Bow]

I agree. When hiking the LT, I would drop my pack to head .1 or .2mi up a spur to a summit. In summer, I'll sometimes leave my pack at Madison Springs Hut when going to tag the peak. Othertimes, I'll bring it just because I feel like wuss leaving it. FWIW, I'm far less likely to drop it in winter.

I think the rule for whether or not it's OK to drop your pack on the trail is "depends". Just don't drop your Depends on the trail!!

 

[Peakbagr]

In the interest of keeping an interesting debate going, don't think anyone suggested BSP or making anything mandatory.

I'm CERTAIN Christine will set me straight if I'm wrong, but what I think she was positing is that it isn't a great idea to leave your gear.

 

[Neil]

Making suggestions, saying what one does etc. is one thing. Telling hikers what to do or not to do is akin to herding cats.

Just to toss out another bit of forum fodder I have done many a lengthy dayhike as part of winter camping trips from a base camp or a hike-in cabin. We never dropped our packs for the simple reason that we never wore packs on these hikes. 6-8 hours of bushwhacking from a fixed base that was already a day's travel from a road or rail line with no pack. We wore a fleece tied around our waists and our pockets had food, map, matches and TP. We were usually quite thirsty by the time we got back to our base.


In the Adirondacks I love getting that monkey off my back and I drop it whenever I deem acceptable.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

I dropped my back at the West Bond spur once in August. I took it with me in November to Galehead in the snow.

I think most would say both decisions were reasonable based on conditions and experience.

Tim

 

[Rik]

Rik, I take it you were joking!

Well, kind of. I was just trying to illustrate the points that one doesn't need to carry everything they brought into the woods to the summit and that regardless of our choices there is a level of risk to being out there.

 

[Rik]

I agree - it's vague. The topic in general has the potential for a rather interesting debate on the pros and cons of leaving one's daypack in a nearby col. But, the initial post seems a bit heavy-handed for that. Perhaps if the topic was framed in a more neutral way, asking members to suggest conditions under which they would consider dropping their pack. Some would favor never doing it, regardless of season/circumstances/conditions. However, it's been my experience that a fair number of highly experienced people do, so I'd be interested in what criteria they use in their decision-making process.

I agree. It might also be interesting if people could post some examples of hikers getting into trouble by making this decision.

 

[Frodo]

What if one doesn't even have a pack to drop? A week ago, I hiked 2/3'ds of the way up Tecumseh (in the dark) with just my tele skis and some Gatorade to get a "first run" at Waterville Valley before hiking the Tripyramids with some friends. Was that reckless??? Maybe for some, but certainly not for me...

Who is to say what is right for others to do? Unless someone is breaking the law, people are free to do whatever they want, and that includes dropping packs.

If I am hiking the Bonds in winter on a nice day with 4 friends, and I decide to drop my pack at the spur trail that would be wrong??? I see no problem at all with that at all...

I also don't recall any rescue (or recovery) in the Northeast caused by someone who dropped a pack before summiting.

In general practice, yes people should always take their pack with them, but the bottom line is: People need to make their own descisions regarding weather, experience, amount of people in the group, distance to summit, time of day, and fatigue...

 

[NH_Mtn_Hiker]

I agree. It might also be interesting if people could post some examples of hikers getting into trouble by making this decision.

I also don't recall any rescue (or recovery) in the Northeast caused by someone who dropped a pack before summiting.

Mark Amico (middle of page) spent two cold rainy nights on Mt. Monadnock after he left his pack with his hiking partners to run up and bag the summit. Fortunately he was already wearing his trench coat when he headed for the summit.