Post-holes in your skin track?

Lahar; postholers use a skin track for the same reason we do -- it is easier. Are you suggesting that a postholer should make it harder on himself for our benefit? Would we make it harder on ourselves for his benefit?<br><br>Consider it this way: If there were no skin track there, you would not bewail your plight, you would simply put in a skin track. If there were a boot track already established and you didn't want to use it, you would make a seperate skin track. The fact that the boot track was over a skin track is irrelevant -- you donlt want to skin up the boot track, so make a skin track.<br><br>Now, when the second skin track gets postholed, then I start losing site of SKy's serenity!

I curse people who post hole the skin track. But when I get within hearing distance of them, I just smugly grin and ask them how it's going.

My solution is to go earlier or find places where others do not go. When I go to the popular places, I understand that it will be "crowded" (&gt; than me, wife or partner, and avy dog).<br><br>Consideration of others is optional, and those screwing up a nice skin track have an equal right to be there as well. We can only truly control ourselves and our own perceptions. <br><br>Colchuck and Aasgard are some of my local tours, and the 5 mile trail is trashed most of the time, unfortunately, by postholers (note- never met a local that postholes). So, until I find an alternative route, I get to posthole to Colchuck while carrying my randonnee skis. Builds character, I guess.<br><br>Now, my Bavarian buddy, in true Euro form as I understand, sternly lectures those violating the skin track, even if he did not make it. That makes me glad that I do not have to share my local mountains with millions of uppity Alpine folks.<br><br><br><br>

I curse people who post hole the skin track. But when I get within hearing distance of them, I just smugly grin and ask them how it's going.

<br> I doubt you're the only one that does that, Paul

I was just thinking this the other day.<br>I set a skin track at Chinook Pass and it was post holed by my return the next day. No worries-I'll put in a new one.<br><br>I do admit, it teaches me to be patient.<br> <br>When I see someone posting up the track, they get a short assessment interview, so I understand or measure their level of competence. Ussually, if they are new to the BC experience I ask them if they want etiquette instruction and travel tips or they get no other comments and I move on. On the latter comment, some folks are willing to learn the unwritten rules and others just don't get it or are resilient. <br><br>What gets me is when they put in a fresh boot track to the summit then slide down the boot track. Destroying the track for another run and having a crappy run???<br>Joe

Tim, yes, I think it's obvious that I am suggesting a postholer should make it harder on himself out of respect for the effort put into setting track, the gear we invest in, and the subsequent ease of reuse of the track by other skinners. Also, yes I do make it harder on myself by asking myself how my actions effect other people, and change them accordingly when I recognize them. Again, I doubt this problem (of mine) will ever go away, so I need to work on passivity in this regard.