“You can do it with a good amount of common sense…” If I had common sense I wouldn’t be dying to hike the PCT. 🤣🤣🤣

People should not only know how to start the fire but how to put it out too so that there is no doubt that it is out. Specially with PCT since there is a lot of areas where the ground and trees are really dry. Just one sparkle can create full forrest fire even being buried. It just will take days or weeks before it happens. If you have to have a fire really know how it is put out safely.

Great suggestions, Dan. Thanks for putting together this 'lessons learned'

Absolutely awesome and extremely helpful video. Thank you. Happy Hiking 🥾- Julia from the UK 🇬🇧

Very sensible information. Thank you.

did many many miles of snow between KM and Tahoe in May 2018. My chainsen spikes were essential, especially on north face descents, or walking on high grade slopes.

Interesting what you say about it being better to walk in soft snow. Most of the hikers I watched this year camped out near a summit so they could traverse a peak early while snow was still hard. They wanted to avoid post-holing.

You could also pack drier lint as your tinder.

Only 5 minutes in but I completely agree with micro spikes. They are super useful but not ideal in all conditions and terrain. You shouldn’t trust them with your life but if you don’t have anything else than be careful and kick steps. In January of this year I went on a trip and thought that I would be able to follow the trail down the three descents on this loop. I had done this loop 2 times before in summer and thought I knew the route decently enough. I was planning on it being hard snow and thought trekking poles and micro spikes would be enough. They weren’t. Should have had crampons and an ice axe. I also was too stubborn to turn back so it was scary, although I at the time I didn’t realize how much danger I was in until it was too late. There was a real chance of me getting seriously hurt. I couldn’t find the trail for the most part and it was really steep and if I fell I would have slide until I either fit a tree or stopped myself. I kicked steps the whole way and almost fell on two occasions but thankful my trekking poles kept me from falling. Defiantly should have turned back but like I said I was stubborn. Part of hiking in snow and in the Sierras is knowing your personal limits and your gear limits and making smart choices and turning back when it gets too dangerous. In the future I will always try to judge the risk if I ever do something like that again. I hiked the JMT in 2017 and that trip was way more scary then any of the passes that I did onto JMT hike.

great job! would love to see your entire gear list some time!

Speaking of fire closures I trail run the pct and was a forrest service fire fighter for a long long time. About four years ago at Ebbets pass the trail was closed because of a fire. There was no need to close the trail. A total joke to close the pct there. And yes there were some comments I read on the bulletin board at the TH if the displeasure of other hikers

Thank You...Informative and helpful.

When it comes to firestarters: some people might not realize, but if you're carrying duct tape/gorilla tape you've already got a great emergency firestarter with you that can tolerate wet conditions and burns for an extended period. You can start by taking a length about 6-8 inches, stripping it up into thin strips, and mashing/rolling all the strips together into a bird's nest. This will light even with sparks from your typical strike igniter, in the rain, but definitely with a match or lighter. Another alternative, if you have a lighter or matches, is to take c. 12-18 in lengths, and roll them up into loose "cigars" with a c. 1/2 inch diameter. These burn for several minutes. Plenty of time to get your fire up and running. I always carry a small MSR strike igniter, just so I'm not fully dependent on lighters. 39g of peace of mind.

"I didn't have a way to start a fire" All people hiking in the out of doors should be familiar with the Mountaineers list of the 10 Essentials. You will not need these essentials every day but when you need them they could save your life. As for how to start a fire, read John Muir's Travels in Alaska, Chap 2. His fire starter kit: a knife, matches and a candle. "Destroy the Illusion" Yes, it is only an illusion.

I dont agree. Micro spikes were _immensely_ helpful on icy surfaces in 2017. Many areas would have been way too dangerous without.

Question: How long are fire closures typically in place for?.... i.e. do they re-open the trail after the fire is out?

About the fire kit - what kind of stove do you use ? - you can just use your lit stove (gas or alcohol) as a firestarter

Hey I have that guy muffins in Ashland Oregon

Good luck self-arresting with trekking pokes, haw haw. Won't happeb! You'll slide until you hit rocks and stop with probably injury.

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