Crossing Icy Slopes: Go Around or Carry Micro Spikes
The good thing about near-freezing mid-day temperatures is that thumbs with skin ripped off don’t hurt very much.
I was crossing a 15° snow/ice north-side slope, being quite careful, but one misplaced footstep and my thumb got it, and my pinkie will be black and blue and then there’s that gluteus bruise—I got off easy. Seeing the sharp rocks below I got my butt in my usual woolen pants (good grip!) planted onto the snow-ice, and used the Really Right Stuff tripod downhill ahead of me as a sort of brake. It worked (I’m writing this, ain’t I?), and I was able to cross without further incident. Better than fracturing my finger some years ago on slippery glacial-polished wet granite. On the way down, I did not cross any snowfields!
Small lessons like this are unusual for me, but they are very good reminders to assume nothing when hiking in potentially troublesome situations.
Getting back to my Sprinter adventure van after dark (a long day), I applied some antibiotic ointment and a bandaid. Seems fine and doesn’t hurt.
I have micro spikes but did not take them; there was no real need, it was just poor judgment in trying to cross that one slope. So far I am blessed with small mistakes only.
iPhone 7 Plus + iPhone 7 Plus back dual camera 3.99mm f/1.8 @ 28mm equiv (4mm)
[low-res image for bot]
What I do to get a photo.
iPhone 7 Plus + iPhone 7 Plus back dual camera 3.99mm f/1.8 @ 28mm equiv (4mm)
[low-res image for bot]
But it’s worth it.
Other than that there throbbing thumb thing, it was a fine day that only Dog could invent as supremely beautiful. What I failed to realize however, is that on Oct 31, the low-in-the-sky sun cuts behind the peaks by 3 PM which cut my intended shooting short for this type of lighting at least.
iPhone 7 Plus + iPhone 7 Plus back camera 3.99mm f/1.8 @ 28mm equiv (4mm)
[low-res image for bot]
