Jun 7, 2009
Jun 6, 2009
"Those who wonder are not always lost."
It's Brenda and I am making the first entry for Dave, since he is currently too far North to post.
I took Dave up to the trailhead today to begin his thru-hike. We left his car at the southernmost point of the trail near Two Harbors for him to retrieve in 10 days or so. Then we headed towardsCanada, where the trail begins. On the way, he strung up two bear bags filled with food along the trail. This way he doesn't have to carry that weight the entire way. We reached the trailhead outside of Grand Portage around 5:30pm and Dave was all sorts of ready to go by 6pm, when he hit the trail. He only had to hike a few miles in today to reach his campsite.
Dave always talks about how you string up the food bags in the trees in order to keep the food away from 'mini-bears' (racoons) but today I found out that they really do call them bear bags for a reason. On the way in, right near the trailhead, we passed a great big bear, who was on the side of the road!!!
On that note, good luck DW and Godspeed!
Jun 5, 2009
"Those who wander are not always lost."
It's Brenda and I am making the first entry for Dave, since he is currently too far North to post.
I took Dave up to the trailhead today to begin his thru-hike. We left his car at the southernmost point of the trail near Two Harbors for him to retrieve in 10 days or so. Then we headed towards Canada, where the trail begins. On the way, he strung up two bear bags filled with food along the trail. This way he doesn't have to carry that weight the entire way. We reached the trailhead outside of Grand Portage around 5:30pm and Dave was all sorts of ready to go by 6pm, when he hit the trail. He only had to hike a few miles in today to reach his campsite.
Dave always talks about how you string up the food bags in the trees in order to keep the food away from 'mini-bears' (racoons) but today I found out that they really do call them bear bags for a reason. On the way in, right near the trailhead, we passed a great big bear, who was on the side of the road!!!
On that note, good luck DW and Godspeed!
Jun 4, 2009
The Hike
Tomorrow I'm leaving for my Superior Hiking Trail Thru Hike. I'll have ten days to complete the 205 miles from Grand Portage, Minnesota to Two Harbors, Minnesota.
I'll be setting up a couple of food caches along the way, otherwise everything I need for the ten days will be on my back at all timse. My base weight is just over ten pounds and my carry weight will be around 20.
I'm excited, scared and nervous all at once. I've never undertook something like this before, especially not by myself. The weather forecast shows possible rain for the first half of my trip, we will see what happens. Nothing would be more demoralizing than day-after-day of rain. Regardless of the weather, I'll keep my head up and keep plugging along.
I just set up through blogger to have text messages posted directly to the blog. I'm sure when I'm in the far north I won't get much for service, but as I travel south and come closer to civilization, I'll post a couple of blog updates from the trail.
See you out there!
David
Apr 26, 2009
What's Not in My Pack
I still have more work to do...here's where I'm at after the first go round.
Eliminate:
1 Pen
Spare headlamp battery
Shovel Handle
Weight Savings: 4.2 OZ
Changes:
Fast Fly Tent (lighter than my Nemo Bivy)
New Ultralight Thermarest
Replace Check Card and ID with a couple twentys
Replace detailed maps with SHTA pocket maps
New lighter SteriPen
Weight Savings: 27.1 OZ
Cost: $220 (to replace thermarest and SteriPen...is it worth it?)
I've thought about using a ridge rest instead of my Thermarest. The first half of last summer I went ridge rest instead of Thermarest, but developed back pain. Today my back doesn't hurt at all (which is new for me) and I'd like to keep it that way. The new Thermarest is my only option there.
Mosquitoes shouldn't be too bad up there in May, so I'm comfortable with the Fast Fly Tent as far as that goes. My only concern is that if its still pretty wet up there, I might have some muddy nights. This would be bad with a down sleeping bag. Still, I think it's well worth the risk and I can always use leaves and the such for added protection (even with a 25 mile day, I'll still have plenty of downtime to make camp).
Considering the cost of my trip is only food (less than a hundo) and travel (not going far), an extra $220 would put it around the same cost as my 5 day Rocky Mountain trip from last year, so I think I can justify it. Plus getting new gear is sweet!
31.3 OZ savings doesn't get me under my goal, but its pretty damn close. My next options include:
I already have an ultralight 3-season bag, weighing 30.3 ounces. That being said, the only thing I have that is heavier is my tent. I could go with a sleeping bag liner (11.6 oz), but then I would surely need to pack some additional wicking clothes for sleeping. The weight savings drops tremendously once that is taken into account and I'm not interested in freezing each night. No change.
Pack Modification
This won't get me much, but doesn't hurt to give it a go. I looked into other packs, and there just isn't anything lighter. I'm already using a day pack for a 10 day trip. Modify away!
Lighter Fleece
An Internet search shows that most clothing companies don't list the weight of their shirts. I think I'll be taking my scale to the store to see what I can find. Give it a go.
Lighter Rain Gear
Just over a year ago I purchased the lightest rain jacket/pants combo out there. My options here include taking a light weight poncho or a garbage bag. I'm on a tight schedule and I can't afford to sit out during the rain. Without any spare pants, I wonder if the poncho can give me adequate protection when hiking in the rain. Look into it.
No Cell Phone
I love this idea because I'm afriad that if I have it with me, I'll be tempted to turn it on. Still, on a solo trip where of this length, it would be dumb of me to leave it behind. No go.
No Journal
Just me and my thoughts for ten days. I'm bringing my journal, it's as essential as my pack. No go.
Lighter Cooking Pot
I just bought this awesome pot and there was one that was about an ounce lighter and cost an additional $40. This pot is also supposed to use less fuel than the more expensive and lighter titanium pot. I don't know if it's true, but I know the price was a fact. I already made this decision. No go.
Eliminate Hydro Bladder or Water Bottle
I bought a new platypus hydro bladder which is much lighter than any other brand I have seen. The downfall? The SteriPen doesn't work with it. This necessitates me to bring both the bottle and the bladder or to change my bladder (adding weight) or change my purification plan. No go.
Reduce Contents of 1st Aid Kit
I've looked at my kit about a hundred times. 101 won't hurt. Look into it.
Leave the Shovel
Each SHT campsite has a latreen. Still, if some trail side emergency happens, it will be nice to have. Also, I will want to dig a cathole for dirty water after bathing, etc. The shovel is just a must when it comes to LNT. I more than cut the weight of it in half by leaving the handle behind though! No go.
Lighter Stopwatch
I'm crazy, but I don't think I'm up for spending more than a $1 to save a fraction of an ounce. No go.
Leave the Troop Flag
Not an essential piece of gear, but at 1.1 ounces it's going to make a sweet "prize" that will encourage advancement and backpacking to one of my Scouts. No go.
So, my things to look into include:
Eliminate:
1 Pen
Spare headlamp battery
Shovel Handle
Weight Savings: 4.2 OZ
Changes:
Fast Fly Tent (lighter than my Nemo Bivy)
New Ultralight Thermarest
Replace Check Card and ID with a couple twentys
Replace detailed maps with SHTA pocket maps
New lighter SteriPen
Weight Savings: 27.1 OZ
Cost: $220 (to replace thermarest and SteriPen...is it worth it?)
I've thought about using a ridge rest instead of my Thermarest. The first half of last summer I went ridge rest instead of Thermarest, but developed back pain. Today my back doesn't hurt at all (which is new for me) and I'd like to keep it that way. The new Thermarest is my only option there.
Mosquitoes shouldn't be too bad up there in May, so I'm comfortable with the Fast Fly Tent as far as that goes. My only concern is that if its still pretty wet up there, I might have some muddy nights. This would be bad with a down sleeping bag. Still, I think it's well worth the risk and I can always use leaves and the such for added protection (even with a 25 mile day, I'll still have plenty of downtime to make camp).
Considering the cost of my trip is only food (less than a hundo) and travel (not going far), an extra $220 would put it around the same cost as my 5 day Rocky Mountain trip from last year, so I think I can justify it. Plus getting new gear is sweet!
31.3 OZ savings doesn't get me under my goal, but its pretty damn close. My next options include:
- Ligher Sleeping Options
- Pack Modification (maybe get 3 or 4 ounces?)
- Lighter Fleece
- Lighter rain gear
- No Cell Phone
- No Journal
- Lighter cooking pot
- Eliminate hydro bladder or water bottle
- Reduce contents of 1st Aid Kit
- Leave the shovel
- Lighter stopwatch
- Leave troop flag
I already have an ultralight 3-season bag, weighing 30.3 ounces. That being said, the only thing I have that is heavier is my tent. I could go with a sleeping bag liner (11.6 oz), but then I would surely need to pack some additional wicking clothes for sleeping. The weight savings drops tremendously once that is taken into account and I'm not interested in freezing each night. No change.
Pack Modification
This won't get me much, but doesn't hurt to give it a go. I looked into other packs, and there just isn't anything lighter. I'm already using a day pack for a 10 day trip. Modify away!
Lighter Fleece
An Internet search shows that most clothing companies don't list the weight of their shirts. I think I'll be taking my scale to the store to see what I can find. Give it a go.
Lighter Rain Gear
Just over a year ago I purchased the lightest rain jacket/pants combo out there. My options here include taking a light weight poncho or a garbage bag. I'm on a tight schedule and I can't afford to sit out during the rain. Without any spare pants, I wonder if the poncho can give me adequate protection when hiking in the rain. Look into it.
No Cell Phone
I love this idea because I'm afriad that if I have it with me, I'll be tempted to turn it on. Still, on a solo trip where of this length, it would be dumb of me to leave it behind. No go.
No Journal
Just me and my thoughts for ten days. I'm bringing my journal, it's as essential as my pack. No go.
Lighter Cooking Pot
I just bought this awesome pot and there was one that was about an ounce lighter and cost an additional $40. This pot is also supposed to use less fuel than the more expensive and lighter titanium pot. I don't know if it's true, but I know the price was a fact. I already made this decision. No go.
Eliminate Hydro Bladder or Water Bottle
I bought a new platypus hydro bladder which is much lighter than any other brand I have seen. The downfall? The SteriPen doesn't work with it. This necessitates me to bring both the bottle and the bladder or to change my bladder (adding weight) or change my purification plan. No go.
Reduce Contents of 1st Aid Kit
I've looked at my kit about a hundred times. 101 won't hurt. Look into it.
Leave the Shovel
Each SHT campsite has a latreen. Still, if some trail side emergency happens, it will be nice to have. Also, I will want to dig a cathole for dirty water after bathing, etc. The shovel is just a must when it comes to LNT. I more than cut the weight of it in half by leaving the handle behind though! No go.
Lighter Stopwatch
I'm crazy, but I don't think I'm up for spending more than a $1 to save a fraction of an ounce. No go.
Leave the Troop Flag
Not an essential piece of gear, but at 1.1 ounces it's going to make a sweet "prize" that will encourage advancement and backpacking to one of my Scouts. No go.
So, my things to look into include:
- Modify Pack
- Find a lighter fleece
- Evaluate Rain Gear options
- Investigate 1st Aid Kit
What's In My Pack?
I've come up with my complete pack list for my SHT thruhike in May. I have had three objectives while packing:
I have strayed a little bit from my ultralight "norm" from last year. I am bringing a small stove, which I didn't last year. With ten days worth of food, even with the stove, I'm saving both weight and space by bringing dehydrated meals. Last year, when out for 2-5 days, I was better off without the stove. I am also bringing my phone, which I have never brought on a trip before. There are usually plenty of people on the SHT on the weekends that it is easy enough to find someone if something goes wrong. A Wednesday in May might be a different story, so I'll have my phone just in case. I also got an ultralight solo tent. It doesn't weight much more than my bivy, but there is some additional weight. I'm willing to sacrafice it for the added comfort on a 10 day trip.
All of that means I had to cut even more weight from my usual packing. The stuff I had in my pack (water bottle, hydro pack, rope) that wasn't already ultralight has been replaced. I've done what I can to every piece of gear to make it lighter and I have seriously evaluated the necessity of everything.
What will be on me while hiking:
T-Shirt 6.9 OZ
Bandana 1.0 OZ
Zipoffs 14.0 OZ
Socks 1.1 OZ
Hiking Shoes 35.0 OZ
Poles 19.7 OZ
Pocket Knife 2.2 OZ
Camera (w/case and extra battery) 8.4
TOTAL Weight on me: 89.3 OZ (5.58 LBS)
Base Weight:
Camelbak Backpack 19.2 OZ
Thermarest 21.5
Stopwatch 1.2 OZ
Compass 0.2 OZ
Flint .6 OZ
Whistle .3 OZ
1,000 ML Platypus Hydro Blatter 4.4 OZ
Toilet Paper/Hand Sanitizer 3.6 OZ
500 ML Platypus Water Bottle 0.8 OZ
SteriPen 9.0 OZ
Extra Batteries for SteriPen 4.0 OZ
Shovel 3.7 OZ
Sunscreen 1.6 OZ
2 Pens 0.8 OZ
Big Agnes Solo Tent 43.7 OZ
2 Waterproof Stuff Sacks 3.5 OZ ea 7 OZ total
Fleece 10.8 OZ
Sleeping Bag 30.3 OZ
1 Pair Socks 1.1 OZ
1 Pair Underwear 2.8 OZ
Fuel Canister (full, most of the weight is the can, so we'll put it here) 8.2 OZ
Journal 4.4 OZ
Tea Pot 5.9 OZ
Matches in Case 0.9 OZ
Ion Headlamp 1.0 OZ
MSR Pocket Rocket Stove 4.3 OZ
Titanium Spork 0.6 OZ
First Aid/Survival Kit (with Soap, toothbrush, etc) 4.1 OZ
Rope 1.5 OZ
Cell Phone 4.5 OZ
Extra Cell Phone Battery 0.7 OZ
Complete Trail Maps 4.7 OZ
OR Ultralight Rain coat and pants 15.9 OZ
Car Key 0.6 OZ
Check Card & Drivers License 0.3 OZ
Troop "Flag" 1.1 OZ
TOTAL Base weight: 220.2 (13.76 lbs!).
Oh No! Not Good! Looks like I have some work to do. I'll reevaluate and repost what I come up with. This will fall below ten pounds!
- Minimize weight
- Minimize space
- Have everything I need and NOTHING that I don't
I have strayed a little bit from my ultralight "norm" from last year. I am bringing a small stove, which I didn't last year. With ten days worth of food, even with the stove, I'm saving both weight and space by bringing dehydrated meals. Last year, when out for 2-5 days, I was better off without the stove. I am also bringing my phone, which I have never brought on a trip before. There are usually plenty of people on the SHT on the weekends that it is easy enough to find someone if something goes wrong. A Wednesday in May might be a different story, so I'll have my phone just in case. I also got an ultralight solo tent. It doesn't weight much more than my bivy, but there is some additional weight. I'm willing to sacrafice it for the added comfort on a 10 day trip.
All of that means I had to cut even more weight from my usual packing. The stuff I had in my pack (water bottle, hydro pack, rope) that wasn't already ultralight has been replaced. I've done what I can to every piece of gear to make it lighter and I have seriously evaluated the necessity of everything.
What will be on me while hiking:
T-Shirt 6.9 OZ
Bandana 1.0 OZ
Zipoffs 14.0 OZ
Socks 1.1 OZ
Hiking Shoes 35.0 OZ
Poles 19.7 OZ
Pocket Knife 2.2 OZ
Camera (w/case and extra battery) 8.4
TOTAL Weight on me: 89.3 OZ (5.58 LBS)
Base Weight:
Camelbak Backpack 19.2 OZ
Thermarest 21.5
Stopwatch 1.2 OZ
Compass 0.2 OZ
Flint .6 OZ
Whistle .3 OZ
1,000 ML Platypus Hydro Blatter 4.4 OZ
Toilet Paper/Hand Sanitizer 3.6 OZ
500 ML Platypus Water Bottle 0.8 OZ
SteriPen 9.0 OZ
Extra Batteries for SteriPen 4.0 OZ
Shovel 3.7 OZ
Sunscreen 1.6 OZ
2 Pens 0.8 OZ
Big Agnes Solo Tent 43.7 OZ
2 Waterproof Stuff Sacks 3.5 OZ ea 7 OZ total
Fleece 10.8 OZ
Sleeping Bag 30.3 OZ
1 Pair Socks 1.1 OZ
1 Pair Underwear 2.8 OZ
Fuel Canister (full, most of the weight is the can, so we'll put it here) 8.2 OZ
Journal 4.4 OZ
Tea Pot 5.9 OZ
Matches in Case 0.9 OZ
Ion Headlamp 1.0 OZ
MSR Pocket Rocket Stove 4.3 OZ
Titanium Spork 0.6 OZ
First Aid/Survival Kit (with Soap, toothbrush, etc) 4.1 OZ
Rope 1.5 OZ
Cell Phone 4.5 OZ
Extra Cell Phone Battery 0.7 OZ
Complete Trail Maps 4.7 OZ
OR Ultralight Rain coat and pants 15.9 OZ
Car Key 0.6 OZ
Check Card & Drivers License 0.3 OZ
Troop "Flag" 1.1 OZ
TOTAL Base weight: 220.2 (13.76 lbs!).
Oh No! Not Good! Looks like I have some work to do. I'll reevaluate and repost what I come up with. This will fall below ten pounds!
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