McNeil Pt-Yocum Ridge traverse with Snow Dragon Oct-13-2014

[retired jerry]

No matter how often I re-calibrated my GPS compass, I could never get it to work, so I turned it off to conserve battery

Just look at track to see where you're going

60CSx

[CraigG]

Magnetic compasses don't require recalibrating. Or noticing that they may be tillted or losing callibration or their batteries are dying ...

Agreed - good point - I had a magnetic compass and compared it to the GPS at the time. They differed (compass turned out to be correct, after all). The magnetic compass confirmed the map I had and its orientation. However, I wonder whether a magnetic compass will give invalid readings if I am near a thunder or lightning storm. In the end, I had to follow the map and keep checking whether the map made sense with the terrain I thought I saw in front of me.
...and I kept asking gene mc his gut feeling since he had been in this offtrail before.

A magnetic compass (adjusted for declination) is always in my essentials, even if I am at Multnomah Falls.

[raven]

In a lightning storm, don't trust the GPS. There are a lot of high energy broad spectrum radio signals being generated nearby. Not much magnetism, though.

[johnspeth]

Summary: Great adventure with huge risks. You dodged three bullets: Snow cave collapse, lightning, and flash floods. I'd say you were lucky to be home. Thanks for sharing the story.

[CraigG]

Summary: Great adventure with huge risks. You dodged three bullets: Snow cave collapse, lightning, and flash floods. I'd say you were lucky to be home. Thanks for sharing the story.

Absolutely in agreement. We were more lucky than good this day.

[gene mc]

The risk involved in doing the things we love out in the great outdoors is a valuable area of discussion. Perhaps this is not the place for it, but I did not feel the trip was outside my comfort level as far as the risk went.

We were on the lookout for instability and rockfall around the ice caves (we had helmets, ice axes and lights, as well as people outside the cave), and I do not believe any one spent more than about a half hour in them. The traverse went well and the route finding difficulties were minor. We cleared the ridge quickly when the lightning hit. And we were on the Timberline Trail in a moderate to heavy rain and did the two fords of the Muddy Fork safely and well.

I think the objective dangers were moderate and we were aware, prepared and reacted appropriately to them. I thought it was a great trip and I feel (and I know I speak for the group), that Craig did an extremely competent job of leading the hike both from a safety and logistical aspect.

A ship is safe in port, but that is not what ships are built for.
Just my two cents, for what it is worth.

[mcds]

related thread:

Ice Caves on Barrett Spur?

[rick6003]

I would agree with Gene.

As all outdoor activities have a risk level to them, and Craig's hikes have a elevated risk level due to lots of factors. He is one of the most prepared leaders I have ever seen.