The begnning of a 500,000 step journey

[SlowLX]

Make sure you get the queen size, I'm not sleeping on dirt.

You think I'm spooning with you after I spray you with bear bait?

[GrayStangGT]

Got to fit Ouachita mountains in there for a good tune up some time.

This, I went mountain biking up there a few years back and it is absolutely beautiful country side. The heat and humidity did almost kill me though.

[talisman]

Can you guys give me the details on the backpacks you're using? I ridiculously overpacked for Alaska and want to trim it down significantly for next time.

[Strychnine]

What did you take? Any idea what the volume was?

[talisman]

9 days worth of shit, so I thought. I probably used a quarter of it, and have this monster roller Swiss Army suitcase. I think I could live out of it for a month after that.

[S_K]

My favorite High-altitude stove:


http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/...30?cm_vc=PDPZ1

[Strychnine]

My favorite High-altitude stove:


http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/...30?cm_vc=PDPZ1

Nice. I was eyeing MSRs yesterday but didn't pull the trigger on a stove yet. What kind of life do you get out of a fuel bottle?

[Strychnine]

9 days worth of shit, so I thought. I probably used a quarter of it, and have this monster roller Swiss Army suitcase. I think I could live out of it for a month after that.

Yeah F that. In a 4000ci pack you can cram a ton of shit... Like 30-40 lbs easily. That's a whole checked bag on your back.

For long traveling I use an REI roller (7200ci). For short trips I take a small duffel bag. I can pack for a week in one small bag.


Here are my two travel bags last time we went to Cabo. Rach filled my big bag with all of her whatnot. I packed for 8 days in that black bag.

[Leah]

Saw this tonight in case anyone is interested.

http://www.rei.com/product/849143/byer-traveller-lite-hammock-2011-closeout?preferredSku=8491430003&cm_mmc=cse_bizrate-_-datafeed-_-product-_-na&mr:referralID=6e10a173-085d-11e2-97b3-001b2166becc

[SlowLX]

Well... My blisters have blisters and whiskey was the most important gear on the last 12 miles of our tune up hike. In short thank god I didn't reenlist.

[46Tbird]

Updates??

[SlowLX]

Updates??

Ouachita tune up is in works soon to work off a little pre-wedding/ my dog passing stress...

[talisman]

Just went back and re-read this. Wish I was in the kind of shape to join you guys, but it ain't going to happen. Have a hopeful date yet?

[Sean88gt]

We talked about September but I'm going to need late July/August or I'll have to alter my ingress/egress.

[Strychnine]

Updates??

As much as I hate it I've gotten back into some running and I put in some miles on foot today with a weighted pack in the 95*+ heat. Does that count?

After our last hike (thread) I have started to rethink footwear also... not sure which way I'll go yet, but I might be leaning toward trailrunners instead of hiking boots/shoes.



re: date
Ideal time is September. It's the driest on average which means the river and stream fording will be easier and that's the low for mosquito pain-in-the-assery, but logisitcally it will probably be more like mid to late July. Melt water shouldn't be too bad and it's supposed to be the best weather, but there will probably be snow up above 10,000ft on the second half of the trail (nearly the entire trail from mile 100 to 220 is above 10k), but ain't no thang.


I recently watched a film made by a guy who went south to north last year (his goal was to do 7-10 days). Doing it that way starts with a summit of Mt Whitney (the highest peak in the lower 48) so you get no real altitude acclimatization. It messed him up... he was an experience and well trained triathete (Ironman, etc) and it took him a couple days to get over Whitney LOL

It's about time to put together the permitting plan and getting handle on the resupply drops, with permits being top priority. I have a 286 pg guide book that I plan to read on vacation in a few weeks.


And just to keep me motivated:


Banner Peak above Garnet Lake