Trip Report
Basic Snowshoeing Field Trip - Commonwealth Basin
As field trip following lecture, this location best for small size student groups due to limited open spaces to practice skills.
Roseanne Lorenzana
- Sat, Jan 25, 2025
- Basic Snowshoeing Field Trip - Commonwealth Basin
- Commonwealth Basin
- Snowshoeing
- Successful
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- Road suitable for all vehicles
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Refrozen, rain-soaked snow provided hard, compacted surfaces for skill practice. Many streams & streamlets were open with running water but hard-crusted snow very firm for crossing over the small ones. After many many days of sunshine & snow, tall refrozen tree bombs but almost snow-less trees above. Demonstration test pit easily found the thick, upper rain-frozen layer and, below, the Jan 10th frozen layer. In between, was powdery, dry snow.
We waited until 8am to park on the road and made sure our vehicle was not in the "No Parking, Vehicles Will Be Towed" area. However upon return to the TH at 1:30pm, the entire shoulder including under the I-90 overpass was filled with parked vehicles and none had tickets.
Despite the challenging conditions, all items of the learning plan were covered, plus many Instructor-added learning points that tied it all together. All students did a great job accomplishing each exercise. Small size of the group allowed the Instructors to focus on individual needs and assure that everyone could hear what was being said over the I-90 traffic noise. One student is working toward being a Snowshoe trip leader and another is completing activities toward joining the Scrambling course. Others are taking the navigation class; so, seems like they're working toward Mountaineers goals, as well. Hurry for the group!