Joined: 15 Nov 2006 Posts: 19864 Location: Prarie & Manchester, high above the western sideline
Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2015 3:26 pm Post subject: Backpacking
Any outdoorsmen here? I'm gearing up for a 2-night 17 mile thing at Joshua Tree. Our group, all rookies, were instructed by someone in the know to attend the garage sale at REI this last saturday to try and scavenge for some deals on used equipment. By the time we figured out what we should've been looking for, they were bingo on good stuff, so we started shopping in the store, and discovered the true expenses of camping. For example, a decent lightweight tent is $150+. A good pack is $250. (bleep) racks up. Halp plz. Thank you in advance. I'd also appreciate any general tips. _________________ http://chickhearn.ytmnd.com/
make sure you have enough food and water ratio for your self. wear long underwear its freezing at Joshua tree at night. don't go cheap on the sleeping bag and pillow believe me a good night sleep is worth it after long treks in the wilderness. bring bug repellant, chapstick, flashlight with extra batteries and maybe a small coleman latern if you like to stay up in the night time wear sturdy gloves make sure your shoes are sturdy but not too heavy. bring lighters and lighter fluid. and external batteries for wireless devices and a Portable GPS.
Last but not least bring a roll of toilet paper with you.
if you plan on catching your food make sure you know someone who knows how to scale and cook fish. Last thing you need is food poisoning in the middle of no-where
Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2015 5:33 pm Post subject: Re: Backpacking
C M B wrote:
Any outdoorsmen here? I'm gearing up for a 2-night 17 mile thing at Joshua Tree. Our group, all rookies, were instructed by someone in the know to attend the garage sale at REI this last saturday to try and scavenge for some deals on used equipment. By the time we figured out what we should've been looking for, they were bingo on good stuff, so we started shopping in the store, and discovered the true expenses of camping. For example, a decent lightweight tent is $150+. A good pack is $250. (bleep) racks up. Halp plz. Thank you in advance. I'd also appreciate any general tips.
Happy to help if you've got any specific questions. Backpackers like talking about their gear because they usually research the crap out of it and spend a lot of $$$ on crap.
Gearing up is expensive, for sure...and there's sooo many options for stuff. Check out SteepAndCheap (I've gotten some awesome deals there). I've got the app on my phone and when I'm adding new gear, I always keep an eye on it. Speaking of apps, get Topo Maps. I love this app, it worked great on the John Muir Trail for me (I have Verizon) and any of the peaks around here and Catalina.
Get fitted at REI for your pack. They do a good job. You don't need to buy your pack there, but knowing your size helps. I've got a couple different packs. For a 2-day, you could use a smaller one.
For Joshua Tree, you might want some gloves if you are doing any bouldering with consistency on your hike. Also, if you use a water bladder with your pack, but bring a separate bottle of some type in case you puncture your water bladder (Osprey water bladders work great).
Make sure you put some miles in with your footware before you go. If you are prone to blisters or have boots with some hot spots, I recommend using some Leukotape and cover-roll with wool socks. I haven't had a blister in hundreds of miles since doing that. Also if you get chafing, 2Toms is awesome.
Make sure you get ish that's for cold weather. Keep an eye on the weather when you plan to be up there. Weather that drops to the 40s/30s overnight is cold as a mofo in a tent. I underestimated it and thought a cheapie sleeping bag and a few layers of clothes would be fine. My face felt like it was going to crack.
Yeah there is no good reason to spend that much money on gear if you are looking at a budget. That stuff gets pricey. There are plenty of quality packs you can get for under or at $50. I once bought a pack at BIG 5 for my nephew (first and only time going) for roughly $30 that outlived my expensive "proud to have" pack. It looked good on the rack and when I bought it I felt like I was shoplifting.
Gloves can be had at cheap also. Look at those temporary cloth gloves at hardware stores or even gas stations (auto section) with the dipped rubber palm/finger lining. Usually come in 2 or 3 pairs and are great for short bursts.
Small first aid packs are inexpensive even at large camping stores. You and your buds are almost certain to need a little something during your trek. As someone pointed out above, chafing will be an issue. Travel sized Gold Bond is super cheap. Hit up a dollar store or even Target for their front door deals for anything that might come in use for your hike.
I always invested in quality footwear on my hikes, so I might not be of much help in that category.
Other than that stuff; pocket knife, rope (Even string. You'd be surprised) protein bars, TP, sun block, socks, necessary batteries, glow sticks, compass and a small maglite are all viable inexpensive options, depending on your particular needs.
Personally I always like to bring some bichn food for night time and a small bottle of tequila.
Lastly, don't think because they're similar that camping gear is synonymous with hiking/backpacking gear. Camping gear is almost always pricey. Backpacking can be tinkered with to accommodate almost any budget.
Let us know how it goes. I've been wanting to get into some more outdoors-y stuff. Some great advice on here already. One I'll add is to let someone OUTSIDE of your party know where you are going to be. An itinerary of sorts just in case something goes awry, they'll know where to look.
A great quote about wilderness adventure: "The more you know, the less you need." Food, water, shelter, fire. Not sure what the terrain is like out there, but a good knife or multi-tool is always nice to have as well. _________________ "Dread it, run from it... destiny arrives all the same."
Joined: 09 Dec 2009 Posts: 4330 Location: Meeting the man who met Andy Griffith.
Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2015 9:08 am Post subject:
If you're going with a decent sized group of people don't worry about taking a lot of food. Jack some of theirs. It's not like they're going to let you starve. Store the small (bleep) like Chapstick in your pockets and use a Velcro sleeve wrap around your shin/calf to store the five dollar swap meet Rambo knife that has the unscrewy end ball compass. Actually just store the Chapstick in that. Get a huge ass backpack though, large enough for water and a somewhat believable Sasquatch costume (A Chewbaca will work just fine if you can't find a Big Foot one since it'll be dark as (bleep) anyway). You know what to do after that. I've always believed in you. Good luck and make it happen.
Also make sure to call everyone else in your group by either Dillion, Mac, Blain, Billy or Poncho. _________________ "The best there is. The best there was. The best there ever will be.", said Bret Hart regarding the Los Angeles Lakers.
This what i do.make sure my footwear is good.hiked 6 miles with blistered feet,not fun.secure my water.either a bladder and a metal container or a container if you're going to use water there and boil it.a good durable knife that you can pound on if you have to.a good sleeping bag.zero degree is best for around here.small 1 man tent.some food and a fire starter.thats really all you need.been on MT. Whitney with just these supplies
Joined: 15 Nov 2006 Posts: 19864 Location: Prarie & Manchester, high above the western sideline
Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 11:52 pm Post subject:
To all who responded, thank you for these helpful bits. After researching over the last couple of days I was able to obtain some brand new waterproof goretex boots for $40 off of some guy on craigslist. Still searching for a nice tent and I'll try to make my way back to REI to get fitted for the pack. _________________ http://chickhearn.ytmnd.com/
Joined: 15 Nov 2006 Posts: 19864 Location: Prarie & Manchester, high above the western sideline
Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2015 10:02 pm Post subject:
We lost out on the Joshua Tree trip due to multiple scheduling conflicts, and oh man did we ever make up for it with Mount Whitney! We'd originally set out for Cottonwood Lakes. After a 4 hour drive, we reached a sign saying the road up to the trail head was "Closed due to winter storms", enforced by a similarly conspicuous, unofficial-looking "closed for falling rocks" sign, along with this ramshackle gate which may not even have been locked. Either way, it was a no-go, and a total bummer...there was nothing on the usda site indicating any such closure. After 10 minutes of angry sighing and looking for any alternative to making absolute bollocks of our drive, someone found out that the Mt. Whitney trail was only a few miles away. Done.
Cottonwood Lakes is supposedly a pleasant trail with mild climbing which appealed to each of us as first-timers. Mt. Whitney is not mild. Mt. Whitney is a beast, especially for anyone with zero outdoorsman experience. I got altitude sickness halfway to the outpost campsite which could've rendered the rest of the trip unenjoyable for me if not for the unbelievable beauty of the trail and the great company. I'm going to have to work on that, and I'm hoping it was related more to not being acclimated to the elevation and the pre-existing exhaustion. The same thing hit me on Mt. Fuji but not nearly this hard. I thought I was gonna die. Mt. Whitney is 10/10 gorgeous, with its alpine crests, great stone ridges, a magnificent valley vista which became more breathtaking (literally, too) with every switchback. Saw/heard loads of wildlife for the first time. Like a grouse. Have you ever heard a grouse? You ever heard of a grouse? Well, upon hearing its mighty calls, I thought it sounded like someone beating a war drum in the distance...it was terrifying, awe-inspiring. There were two of them...two males, competing. I have no way to accurately describe what it felt like. Here's a video, and it goes without saying that there is no justice in it:
In reality, at least on this trail, it's much, much louder, sort of supernatural and you really feel it more than you hear it. Try to imagine this reverberating off of titanic mountain walls, and there was very little sound other than the huffing and puffing of our group, seed pods hitting the ground, and snowfall. I would do this sort of thing every day if I could just to be able hear anything like it again.
Here is the gear I took up which doesn't include things provided by the rest of my group, such as bear canister, water filters, stoves + fuel. REI lets you return anything, even used/damaged items, within a year of purchase...what a damned fine store with probably the only respectable sales staff I've ever encountered.
I could've spent much more. It went above and beyond for its price point. I have found that any tent, especially in winter conditions, is a (bleep) to get in and out of without possibly dislodging its structure.
Pack:
http://www.rei.com/product/880680/deuter-act-lite-40-10-pack-mens
Becoming familiar with a pack is itself an adventure. We all felt like idiots when it came time to put on/take off our packs for any reason, and only after 2 nights with it did I become a novice at which strap does what. They are expensive for a reason, though...I have zero bag fatigue. Not in my legs, my shoulders, not anywhere. I'll probably return this one and buy one twice as big. $180
Boots: I decided that I didn't want to wear someone's used boots so I bought a brand new pair of waterproof Hi-Tec boots at Big 5 at the last minute for $98. Very comfortable, probably the most comfortable footwear I've ever owned. I can't imagine what $160 at REI will get you.
Water:
http://www.rei.com/product/864031/osprey-hydraulics-lt-reservoir-25l#tab-reviews
Water tastes like plastic coming out of this thing, but hey, so (bleep) what, man, it's water. Neat little features like a bite-valve and a tube that comes through a hole in the top of your pack make this one a winner. I'm going to return it and get a bigger one.
Again, I could've spent a ton more than I did. Some of my friends spent $150+ on theirs and had all kinds of issues with zipper catching and difficulty compressing, I had none of that, so I'm satisfied with it. It's rated for 30f. Mummy-style sleeping is a pain in the ass, especially on rocky ground, I tell ya what. It was maybe worse than hell.
I took up 3 pairs of merino wool socks which I got at Big 5 for $8.99, I saw a similar pair at REI--ONE pair--for $20. They kept my feet comfy during the trek and toasty when the temp dropped overnight.
Great-looking jacket and it did its job perfectly. I might actually keep it. This is my first piece of The North Face clothing. Kind of steep for a thin little windbreaker, but it kept me bone dry. There are thicker jackets which are also waterproof but I'll be damned if I'm spending $300 on an outdoor performance jacket when I'm not even trying to get laid at Whole Foods. This one is still pretty steep at $100. I bought a matching pair of waterproof The North Face pants, also excellent, which is the most expensive pair of pants I've ever owned that wasn't part of a suit. I can't find them on REI.com. $150. I insulated with thermal underwear and several layers of nondescript Rocky Balboa sweatgear. It was difficult to fine-tune the layering, as I was either sweating profusely or shivering cold.
I got the honey lemon chicken (10/10) and mesquite chicken (3/10). The mesquite chicken was too mesquity. Just add boiling water, kill 15 minutes,maybe see if you can't get the smoking hot Danish chick in your group to confirm or deny rumors that she has a crush on you, maybe spend the entire 15 minutes fantasizing a scenario in which the big, ridiculous, wastefully heavy rambo knife you brought with you actually comes in handy when you use it to kill a bear. I did both. Also, some powerbars, which, incidentally, are disgusting, but hey, calories, and some special K protein bars.
some other little things:
hand warmers, emergency waterproof matches, a headlamp, 2 pairs of dollar store sunglasses, tylenol, a glow in the dark frisbee
I cannot wait to do this again! It's a bit daunting, knowing how far you are from any real help in case of an emergency. No cell signal once you reach the trail head. We will try again soon Cottonwood, perhaps look into Yosemite or Big Sur. Thanks for the tips! _________________ http://chickhearn.ytmnd.com/
We lost out on the Joshua Tree trip due to multiple scheduling conflicts, and oh man did we ever make up for it with Mount Whitney! We'd originally set out for Cottonwood Lakes. After a 4 hour drive, we reached a sign saying the road up to the trail head was "Closed due to winter storms", enforced by a similarly conspicuous, unofficial-looking "closed for falling rocks" sign, along with this ramshackle gate which may not even have been locked. Either way, it was a no-go, and a total bummer...there was nothing on the usda site indicating any such closure. After 10 minutes of angry sighing and looking for any alternative to making absolute bollocks of our drive, someone found out that the Mt. Whitney trail was only a few miles away. Done.
Cottonwood Lakes is supposedly a pleasant trail with mild climbing which appealed to each of us as first-timers. Mt. Whitney is not mild. Mt. Whitney is a beast, especially for anyone with zero outdoorsman experience. I got altitude sickness halfway to the outpost campsite which could've rendered the rest of the trip unenjoyable for me if not for the unbelievable beauty of the trail and the great company. I'm going to have to work on that, and I'm hoping it was related more to not being acclimated to the elevation and the pre-existing exhaustion. The same thing hit me on Mt. Fuji but not nearly this hard. I thought I was gonna die. Mt. Whitney is 10/10 gorgeous, with its alpine crests, great stone ridges, a magnificent valley vista which became more breathtaking (literally, too) with every switchback. Saw/heard loads of wildlife for the first time. Like a grouse. Have you ever heard a grouse? You ever heard of a grouse? Well, upon hearing its mighty calls, I thought it sounded like someone beating a war drum in the distance...it was terrifying, awe-inspiring. There were two of them...two males, competing. I have no way to accurately describe what it felt like. Here's a video, and it goes without saying that there is no justice in it:
In reality, at least on this trail, it's much, much louder, sort of supernatural and you really feel it more than you hear it. Try to imagine this reverberating off of titanic mountain walls, and there was very little sound other than the huffing and puffing of our group, seed pods hitting the ground, and snowfall. I would do this sort of thing every day if I could just to be able hear anything like it again.
Here is the gear I took up which doesn't include things provided by the rest of my group, such as bear canister, water filters, stoves + fuel. REI lets you return anything, even used/damaged items, within a year of purchase...what a damned fine store with probably the only respectable sales staff I've ever encountered.
I could've spent much more. It went above and beyond for its price point. I have found that any tent, especially in winter conditions, is a (bleep) to get in and out of without possibly dislodging its structure.
Pack:
http://www.rei.com/product/880680/deuter-act-lite-40-10-pack-mens
Becoming familiar with a pack is itself an adventure. We all felt like idiots when it came time to put on/take off our packs for any reason, and only after 2 nights with it did I become a novice at which strap does what. They are expensive for a reason, though...I have zero bag fatigue. Not in my legs, my shoulders, not anywhere. I'll probably return this one and buy one twice as big. $180
Boots: I decided that I didn't want to wear someone's used boots so I bought a brand new pair of waterproof Hi-Tec boots at Big 5 at the last minute for $98. Very comfortable, probably the most comfortable footwear I've ever owned. I can't imagine what $160 at REI will get you.
Water:
http://www.rei.com/product/864031/osprey-hydraulics-lt-reservoir-25l#tab-reviews
Water tastes like plastic coming out of this thing, but hey, so (bleep) what, man, it's water. Neat little features like a bite-valve and a tube that comes through a hole in the top of your pack make this one a winner. I'm going to return it and get a bigger one.
Again, I could've spent a ton more than I did. Some of my friends spent $150+ on theirs and had all kinds of issues with zipper catching and difficulty compressing, I had none of that, so I'm satisfied with it. It's rated for 30f. Mummy-style sleeping is a pain in the ass, especially on rocky ground, I tell ya what. It was maybe worse than hell.
I took up 3 pairs of merino wool socks which I got at Big 5 for $8.99, I saw a similar pair at REI--ONE pair--for $20. They kept my feet comfy during the trek and toasty when the temp dropped overnight.
Great-looking jacket and it did its job perfectly. I might actually keep it. This is my first piece of The North Face clothing. Kind of steep for a thin little windbreaker, but it kept me bone dry. There are thicker jackets which are also waterproof but I'll be damned if I'm spending $300 on an outdoor performance jacket when I'm not even trying to get laid at Whole Foods. This one is still pretty steep at $100. I bought a matching pair of waterproof The North Face pants, also excellent, which is the most expensive pair of pants I've ever owned that wasn't part of a suit. I can't find them on REI.com. $150. I insulated with thermal underwear and several layers of nondescript Rocky Balboa sweatgear. It was difficult to fine-tune the layering, as I was either sweating profusely or shivering cold.
I got the honey lemon chicken (10/10) and mesquite chicken (3/10). The mesquite chicken was too mesquity. Just add boiling water, kill 15 minutes,maybe see if you can't get the smoking hot Danish chick in your group to confirm or deny rumors that she has a crush on you, maybe spend the entire 15 minutes fantasizing a scenario in which the big, ridiculous, wastefully heavy rambo knife you brought with you actually comes in handy when you use it to kill a bear. I did both. Also, some powerbars, which, incidentally, are disgusting, but hey, calories, and some special K protein bars.
some other little things:
hand warmers, emergency waterproof matches, a headlamp, 2 pairs of dollar store sunglasses, tylenol, a glow in the dark frisbee
I cannot wait to do this again! It's a bit daunting, knowing how far you are from any real help in case of an emergency. No cell signal once you reach the trail head. We will try again soon Cottonwood, perhaps look into Yosemite or Big Sur. Thanks for the tips!
Joined: 15 Nov 2006 Posts: 19864 Location: Prarie & Manchester, high above the western sideline
Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2015 10:56 pm Post subject:
DancingBarry wrote:
Nice! How much snow was up there?
I'm doing the Whitney Mountaineers route to the top in 6 weeks or so from now. Anyone done this before?
We didn't see snow until 9,000 feet or so, and then it snowed overnight and dropped a few inches on the areas between outpost camp and the lake, so much so that this part of the trail was unrecognizable...we almost got lost several times before strangers introduced us to the tree markings. Beautiful, though...enough for scenery, not enough to obstruct.
The backpacking community is beautiful, might I add. Each and every person we crossed on the trail was friendly...so helpful and informative and genuinely passionate about trekking. The ranger who issued our walk-in permit was an absolute nature geek...a real life wizard. _________________ http://chickhearn.ytmnd.com/
Sister Golden Hair wrote:
LAMAR ODOM is an anagram for ... DOOM ALARM
Last edited by C M B on Sat Apr 25, 2015 1:38 am; edited 1 time in total
Joined: 15 Nov 2006 Posts: 19864 Location: Prarie & Manchester, high above the western sideline
Posted: Sat Apr 25, 2015 12:09 am Post subject:
jonnybravo wrote:
What was the weather like when you went?
At 9am at 8000 feet it was probably 45ish in the shade. In the sun, and lugging around our 35lb loads, we were sweating and it may as well have been 80. We slept at 10,000 feet and the temp dropped to 23. Same story the next day. From 10,000 to 9,000 snow was coming down pretty solid and it looked like this:
Below the lake we were warm and sweaty with as little as a t shirt and shorts, even with intermittent snow, not enough to cover the ground. Looked like this:
At 9am at 8000 feet it was probably 45ish in the shade. In the sun, and lugging around our 35lb loads, we were sweating and it may as well have been 80. We slept at 10,000 feet and the temp dropped to 23. Same story the next day. From 10,000 to 9,000 snow was coming down pretty solid and it looked like this:
Below the lake we were warm and sweaty with as little as a t shirt and shorts, even with intermittent snow, not enough to cover the ground. Looked like this:
Nice to see a good amount of snow up there. I'm amazed at the growth in popularity of hiking (particularly the JMT) in recent years that so much requires permits that didn't use to. Glad you guys weren't denied and had a great time!
very cool CMB. I did Whitney in October a few years back.Had a two day pass so I camped at 10,000 ft night one got up at 2am to make to 12,000 to watch the sun come up.Cold as hell but no snow when I went.Next trip try San Gorgornio or San Jacinto in palm springs.also great hikes.
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