Snow Camp Details

Date: Friday, Saturday and Sunday, March 8-10, 2024

Time:

6:15 a.m.  Begin loading buses

7:00 a.m.  Buses depart for Bishop

Meeting Location:
Santa Monica College Bundy Campus

3171 S Bundy Drive

Los Angeles, CA 90066

Destination: South Lake area.

Learning Objectives:

• Be able to set up a tent in the snow
• Be able to build a snow cave
• Attain a sense of accomplishment by using all skills on a High Sierra backpack

What to Bring:

Again, you will be loading everything into the cargo hold of a bus. Please pack to make it easy to load/unload.  DO NOT attach your poles to your pack. Mark all your gear with "Your Name" and "Group 4."

  On the bus:

• The clothes you'll be hiking in on Friday afternoon. Once we're dropped off, we'll be loading up our packs and hiking.
• Note that this time, you may leave items on the bus over the weekend (though don't leave extremely valuable items).
• You may want to have clean clothes to change into on Sunday afternoon when you get back to the bus.
• Lunch/snacks/beverages for the bus trip.

  For snow camp:

• Backpack loaded with everything you'll need for the two nights
• You can bring a separate daypack for Saturday, though most just use there larger backpack
• Ten essentials
• Area map (provided in class)
• Food for Friday night through Sunday mid-day
• Water (enough for the hike in and Friday evening), after that, you'll purify or melt snow, as needed
• Clothes for any weather scenario (wind, rain, etc.).  As always, check the weather, but be prepared for anything.
• TWO sleeping pads, at least one should be closed cell foam
• Ski or trekking poles (with snow baskets)
• Delicious food or drink item to share at Saturday's happy hour
• Extra batteries (remember, they'll drain quickly in the cold)

Schedule

  Friday

• One rest stop along the drive
• Drop off
• Hike to Table Mountain Campground
• Setup camp, eat dinner
• Dig fire pit

  Saturday

• Wake up and breakfast
• Dayhike (once we leave camp, we won't be returning until the end of the day)
• Avalanche education
• Snow shelters
• Happy hour
• Dinner and campfire

  Sunday

• Wakeup and breakfast
• Morning activities TBD
• Snowshoe race (if time permits)
• Break camp, pack and hike out to bus
• Food in Bishop
• Return to Los Angeles

Notes

• Each person will be provided with snowshoes and a shovel at the trailhead
• Bring straps or bungees to attach extra items to your backpack
• Each person will be given a piece of firewood to pack in for the Saturday fire