Kevin,
You can't just dangle that out there and walk away....

Clearly I've wanted to do it for a long time, since I remembered that Backpacker Magazine had an article on skiing the length. Thanks to Google Books it's available online:

Backpacker Mag Oct/Nov 1989 David Morris Skis the JMT

Edited by jimqpublic on 01/20/2010 20:27:03 MST.

Thanks for sharing that link, Jim.

I didn't mean to talk about this before the trip as there are so many things can go wrong before and during a two week winter trip in the Sierra. (Well it's technically the trip starts in early spring but the Sierra is as likely to feel like winter then as spring). The JMT gets skied only every 10-30 years and I've been planning to ski it for the past several years. It has taken several years to dial in the equipment, hone the travel style and develop a couple of very fit friends with the ski skills to do the trip.

Initially I planned to do it without resupply to show what can be done with ultralight gear but currently I plan one resupply. It could be done without resupply but after skiing up Mt. Whitney a couple of years ago with 11 days of food=a 55# pack I decided to cache 6 days of food for this attempt. That attempt (2008) was aborted after I dislocated my shoulder and had to start a month late. Light snow and heavy winds cleared masses of snow (we walked to the top of Whitney and down to Guitar lake on dry trail). Telemark boots made for very miserable and slow walking. We just weren't going to finish in the alloted time. My skis did have a relaxing vacation riding in my pack. When we could ski the wind affected crusts and fins were pretty awful. It sucked! We skied out and my sister dropped us at Lee Vining and we skied across Yosemite home.




This year better conditions seem to be developing and it seems mother nature is cooperating. I'm allowing two weeks though hope to be done sooner. I'll be traveling for a week each with two running friends. At this point I'd do it alone if I didn't have partners and conditions were safe enough. I've been running and skiing XC at resorts for fitness, pounding a few lift days for the leg strength 30,000' of descent provides and spending days in the backcountry skiing the dreamiest powder and worst crap I can find. You don't get to pick your snow on long tours. Skiing all snow types is one of the necessary skills you need to develop. A 15 degree slope is unskiable if it's covered with breakable crust. Powder, corn, hardpack and ice are all fun to ski though when they're jumbled together on a given slope and it's hard to tell them apart the slope skis with a bit more challange. You can't wait for perfect conditions--you've just got to keep skiing.



We'll use a BD Megalight or similar tarp to sleep under (its extra weight is made up for by not having to dig a snow trench each night), a custom double size Bush Buddy for cooking and melting snow (it doubles as a nice firepit in a snow kitchen). I've taken to skiing on Karhu 10th mountain skis. Their fishscale base on an otherwise fairly traditional metal edged telemark ski makes for more efficient travel. The glide is more efficient and it reduces the transition time for skinning and de-skinning. I use full width kicker skins when it's icy and Kahtoolas on boots when it's steep and icy. I'm planning on the Rossignol BC X11 boot which is about as minimal as you can get to drive those skis. They're a dream touring, OK for descending except on ice where the chatter is quite disconcerting. My friends may use Garmont Excursions.

We hope to cover 15-20 miles per day but everything depends on the snow. I've covered 35+ miles in the backcountry on corn and as little as 12 breaking trail in powder--both days working just as hard.

I plan on 4000 calories per day and will probably lose 1/2# per day. As the fat craving is high on long winter trips nuts and butter will certainly make up some of the calories.

I don't necessarily plan to follow each turn and switchback of the JMT. Conditions on the ground will dictate what is safe, fun and skiable. It should be a challenging trip and I'm excited to be getting out to my backyard for a private couple of weeks. Perhaps I'll write up a report when I get back.

This is a great thread, but it should be in Trip Announcements, since it hasn't happened yet. I don't really care, but it's probably yet another argument for a little re-organization of the forum topics.

Sam, can't we at least put Pre-Trip (planning/hike partners requested, etc) BEFORE Post-Trip (reports/photos)? (see my re-posting from last year in the Forum Support area).

Either way, that's going to be an amazing trip!

This is *darn* cool. I really look forward to the trip report!

Sorry, I didn't start the thread, just responded to a request for information from another thread. Someone started this here to avoid hijacking the thread from Alan and Don's excellent article.

yeah, i know! someone (thankfully) is trying to "encourage" you to put info up, much to all of our benefit.

so please post as you plan for this trip. and a good report after you finish!

One photo is dated 3-17-2007. This appears to be shot in the north end of the Cathedral Range of Yosemite, perhaps just south of Tuolumne Meadows.
--B.G.--

Dave T -
My Bad on the thread location. I didn't read down the list far enough - option 21 versus 23. Just to many choices.

Kevin -
Thanks for posting. It's good to see these planning processes and realize just how much forethought, time out, and trial-runs goes into an epic adventure. It is a wonderful reinforcement of Alan and Don's report.

I think all to often we see the results and think "Well why not give it a go?" not realizing that Years of effort went into getting there.

Bulls eye! I skied from White Wolf to Tuolumne Meadows, camped with my little sister Heather who had skied from Lee vining. We skied the the non-rock climbing portions of Cathedral Peak.

Yes, I thought I recognized the scene. You see that rock behind in the photo. I sat there and ate lunch one day. Great view of Conness. I had skied in over Tioga Pass.

The only problem with Tuolumne Meadows is the critter situation. Bears and such will get your food bag if you aren't careful. And, if you are on a long ski trip and the bear gets your food bag, you are in deep do-do.
--B.G.--

I'm with you vicariously. Two years in a row I tried for epic trips during spring break.

First was Twin Lakes (Bridgeport) to Mammoth. We spent two nights holed up at the base of Matterhorn pass waiting for a storm to let up before bailing. The next year we planned "The Sierra High Route" in a low snow year and gave up heading up Shepherd Pass when there was still no snow at Anvil Camp.

Hopefully you have a big enough time window that you can choose the best time to start.

Gee, long articles of great adventures by normal folks, environmental issues, solid photography, gear reviews, big leather boots...OK, the boots I can now live without. But isn't the mag more interesting in the '70's than it is now? I guess we get that material here at BPL now. Scott

From the book High Sierra, Peaks-Passes-Trails by R.J Secor, third ed., p. 449

Matterhorn Peak (Yosemite, just south of Twin Lakes)

"In the spring....a ski tour from the summit can be one of the finest mountaineering experiences on the continent."

Yeah Baby! Unfortunately wind and fog made the descent less pleasant and photogenic but here is the final tongue of snow we could ski off Matterhorn Peak. There are a variety of loops from 3-7 days you can ski in Northern Yosemite. Wonderful skiing.

Doug Robinson and Peanut McCoy did it in 1970. Peanut is son of Mammoth Mtn. ski area founder Dave McCoy. He used to be the winter watchman for Red's Meadow pack station- preferring the solitude of the western foot of Mammoth Mtn. instead of the teeming masses on the mountain itself.

Doug Robinson... if you don't know Doug from his writings you should look him up. He certainly inspired me when I was the only high school kid in town with an interest in the mountains.

http://www.adventuresportsjournal.com/html/Articles/24/24_xtremeBohemians.htm

I'll be leaving on Saturday the 27th and have up to two weeks. I'll be using a SPOT tracker and my wife will be posting any satellite phone messages I send in during the trip. One of my partners cancelled so I'll be skiing alone the second week. Here are the links:

Here is the link to my Google Buzz site where any messages I send will be posted:
http://www.google.com/profiles/109219747278066793132

Here is the link to the SPOT tracker data where location will be updated:

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0bVt18xc2xcuKCgGQYeAR0R3JanGHskti

Edited by ksawchuk on 03/18/2010 09:38:52 MDT.

Rock on Kevin! May the corn cycle favor you.

Yes, may both the corn AND avalanche conditions be in your favor. I look forward to updates.

Amen and thanks to both Sam and Dave's good wishes. So far the weather and snow look good but there's another week before we leave. We're having a warm week so the snowpack should be stabilizing and forming a lovely corn harvest.

dude... epic trip!!! I've through hiked it twice, once when it was still half covered in snow in late May. We hopped over Forester pass the day after a snow storm and man, that freaked me out... I can't wait to hear how you do some of those passes in complete winter conditions.

seriously going to be waiting on pins and needles for a trip report on this one!

Best of luck with your trip!!!

oh, if you want to see an AWESOME elevation map of the trail, I had a copy in possession for a while and took it upon myself to scan it before returning it to the owner:

http://www.halbergphotographers.com/downloads/johnmuirtrail_elevations.jpg

Edited by Turtlehead on 03/18/2010 23:45:02 MDT.

Good luck and have fun. Can't wait to read a trip report.

as of today (3/29), Kevin is doing well, but proceeding on his journey solo. You can check his progress on the links he posted earlier on this thread.

Looks like he's making good progress. Hopefully that bespeaks of good conditions.

Based on SPOT and NOAA, he went over Mather today in these conditions:

Cloudy and cold, with a steady temperature around 3. Wind chill values as low as -17. West wind around 20 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Total daytime snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible.


- klas

Edited by klaseklof on 04/02/2010 10:58:57 MDT.

"Kevin has decided to abort his attempt. He is on the Bishop Pass Trail heading out."

This is posted on Kevin's Google Buzz site.

Edit: Click "Expand this Post' under March 27 to get the details.

He is fine, just hammered by weather and snow.

Edited by greg23 on 04/01/2010 21:47:45 MDT.

I give him credit for following a dream of his. Sounds like he gave it his all. He certainly did not fail in any way. I have no idea what physical and mental hardships he went through. Good job Kevin.

Even with weather, fresh snow, breaking trail he put in a good pace. It's bad when you can't glide downhill!

I had always thought of the JMT as a monthlong ski expedition. Of course I also can't imagine hiking it in less than 12 days vs Kevin's 4 day record.

Looks like he's walking all the way down South Lake road to Bishop- Somebody drive out there and pick him up!

Jim

Edit: Here's another story on James Lutz' website about skiing the length in '92 with Jeremy Sommer: http://www.jamesalutz.com/index_JMT1.htm

Edited by jimqpublic on 04/02/2010 15:16:58 MDT.

I'm home and a full report will follow. Conditions started out great on Saturday with well consolidated snow and lovely corn/freeze cycles. Despite being a competitive ultrarunner and experienced backcountry skier my partner just wasn't ready for the incessant miles and bailed over Shephard Pass after two days.

I was able to pick up the pace and hammered out 25 miles over Forester and Glen passes on Monday. The descent of Forester was about as much fun as you can have on a ski day.

Monday night a storm moved in with temperatures in the single digits and wind chills much below--winds over the passes had gusts to 50 MPH. I proceeded cautiously over Pinchot Pass in the winds and light snow making it further than I had expected in the morning and having pushed my limits significantly. I learned a new technique for stabilizing myself in the wind gusts by bending over and sticking my knees and ski tips into the snow. (skis were carried in pack as I cramponed up the very steep last 600' of the pass)

Tuesday night 10-12" of powder had fallen on the south side of Mather but the winds had abated. The heavy powder and very cold temperatures slowed my pace to ~1.5 MPH. The north side of Mather had 20+" of heavy powder and I couldn't even ski downhill except on the steepest slopes with skis pointed straight down (and then at the pace of a beginner on a bunny slope). It took 1 hour to cross lower Palisade lake (~.6 miles) another to go the .3 to the top of the Golden Staircase before descending exhausted into Deer Flat at its base. 10 hours of hard skiing had netted me less than 10 miles.

The storm cleared Thursday but the cold and heavy snow remained. It took 6 hard hours to cover 7 miles and I'd lost 1500' and gained only 500'. Doing the pace/miles calculations I would run out of food 2 days before I got to my cache. And another cold winter storm with 3 feet of new snow was predicted to hit on Sunday. I decided the only safe option was to abandon the trip over Bishop Pass.

I'll be back to finish the trail later this year or next year. There's certainly enough snow up there and hopefully my food remains securely cached. With a partner to help break trail and ease the burden of camp chores it might be fun--even in these conditions.A

Skill and experience knows when to call it quits while ego would drive us on. Good object lesson here.......

"Tho' I've belted you an' flayed you,
By the livin' Gawd that made you,
You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din!"

by Rudyard Kipling

Edited by wandering_bob on 04/03/2010 11:32:24 MDT.

There was no ego involved. Each decision was based on moving forward safely into challenging conditions. These were the most challenging conditions I've ever faced but only by a notch or two. My repertoire was expanded but I was never out of control--except a bit descending a steep gully on the Golden Staircase.....:-0

Kevin - I'm curious as to your reasons for starting so early. It seems like the prime spring skiing in the Sierra usually starts about mid-April, when the corn is getting ripe and the big storms are mostly done. DId you have particular reasons for starting in March?

No really good reason. I initially wanted to do it in "winter" but was really hoping for spring conditions despite it being "winter." We started a week after spring this year.

The low snow of two years ago made me aim for an earlier start. However every year is different and with our well above average snowpack this year late April or even May would have been a better choice.

For me to potentially have partners I had to plan months in advance--well before I knew the snow conditions. Once plans are made they're hard to change. One of my partners was a teacher and could only do the trip on his spring break week.

Boy, I know what you mean about the scheduling. Every year I plan a week-long backcountry ski trip in the Sierra and I have to pick the dates in December or January. Sometimes I've had to revise where I go to suit the snow conditions - it's tougher when you're trying to do one particular route - and even tougher when it's that long. The corn window is sometimes no more than two weeks, and it moves around.
If you try to do something in winter conditions, timing is almost impossible - two weeks of good weather and decent snow conditions prior to mid-april essentially doesn't happen - the best you can do is to assume some stormy weather and deep snow slogging in your window and plan accordingly.
This year for me, it looks like plenty of snow, but I'm a little worried that there will be too much fresh stuff and consequently too much avalanche danger to be able to do what I have planned. We'll see - gotta take what the mountains are giving.

If you miss the corn window, you end up in the soft ice cream.

--B.G.--

Kevin,

Great attempt, and great job getting out. A party of three on the High Route last week ended up being rescued with a copter.

If you are able to share a gearlist, I'd love to know what you carried.

Thanks,

- Klas

No kidding Kevin, that was amazing to even get that far.

You wouldn't happen to have any good pictures?

Hey Aaron,
Kevin's pics are here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/ksawchuk/20100403JMTSkiTrip#


Also, if anyone cares, the report from the other party which were picked up by the NPS chopper is here:
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=1138632

After reading the trip report of the three who were taken out by chopper I'm REALLY glad I abandoned the route on Friday.

I'll get a gear list posted sometime--on call this week.

Kevin - very interested to hear how the boots worked out for you.

Is this Paul of Marmot, heroic boot fitter? The Rossignol BC X11s were dreamy on the touring parts of the trip. Their lack of insulation combined with the extreme cold (-1F at worst without the 30MPH winds) did leave me with frostbite and numb toes that are only now--a month later--almost back to normal.

They were adequate on downhill skiing--especially for me who learned telemark on similar boots and can revert to "old school" tele style skiing. They sucked on any icy traverses--I probably should take the 20mm risers off of the skis as it would probably allow better traversing with such a light boot.

Nope, not that Paul. Just curious, as I'm always thinking about lighter boots and how they'd do on a multi-day tour, particularly as regards warmth and dryness. Sounds like they are not too warm - though the temps you encountered are colder than I usually experience on my sierra spring tours, where I rarely see anything much below 20 degrees. Did they stay dry?

The boots stayed reasonably dry. I did use vapor barrier socks which helped.

Kevin,

I just looked at your album. Great photos- especially those nice squiggles coming down Bishop Pass. Makes me want to get out there.

How did the wood stove work out for you? I've had a Sierra Zip stove for years but it seemed in winter the available fuel is limited.

Did you pull dead branches and pine cones off trees? Did you use any tools to break the wood up?

Thanks,
Jim

I pulled dead wood off of trees when I couldn't find downed wood. There is some blowdown but not a lot. I tried to pick trees with multiple branches and pick a couple off of each tree. Although I can't be sure (everything's covered), I don't think I camped in any high use areas so the visual impact was minimal. The Bush Buddy uses about three branches per night even melting snow and I broke them up by hand. You really don't need more than thumb sized wood for the BB.

Kevin, would really really love to see what you carried.
Thanks.

Ryan/BPL will be publishing the article I wrote and it will include a gear list. I'm not sure I should publish it here with publication in BPL eminent.