besthike.com

September 27, 2007September 22, 2009

my gear 2007 – besthike editor

Rick McCharles

After being drenched several days in series on the John Muir Trail by the remnants of Hurricane Dean, I finally got a chance to dry out my gear in the hot morning sun.

It gave me a chance to take photos of my current gear set. This is about as light as I have ever hiked on a multi-day trip. I used everything I carried on big trips in the Yukon and the JMT.

Sleeping system: MSR Hubba tent, down sleeping bag, silk sleeping bag liner, 3/4 length therm-a-rest, dry bag stuff sack “pillow”, headlamp.

Tent and sleeping bag are stored in a kayak dry bag with purge valve. (Heavy, but worth it, I think.)

Outdoor clothes: unlined nylon pants, wicking t-shirt, ultra lightweight wind jacket, Gortex jacket, long brim baseball cap.

Tent and camp clothes: fleece pants, shirt and “touque” (hat), down vest, tent socks.

indoor-clothes

Shoes and socks. I, as usual, took only 1 pair of shoes and 1 pair of outdoor socks. Ultimately this turned out to be a mistake. Due to the unusual, unexpected amount of rain I eventually got blisters. (Very rare for me.)

Hydration: Nalgene water bottle, extra soft drink water bottle, MSR water filter. (I would use chemicals next time.)

Food: Large bear vault, spoon, JetBoil stove, extra fuel canister. (Started with 7 days grub.)

Navigation / Entertainment: Topo maps, hiking guidebook, novel, iPod Nano (books on MP3), All-in-one Map Tool. I know, this is VERY HEAVY and could be reduced.

Defecation: Toilet paper, lighter, disinfectant gel, Camp Suds, paper soap.

Personal items in hip pack: Cash, Swiss Army Knife, sun screen, note pad, pen, Tylenol, mini-toothpaste, mini-toothbrush, mobile phone, etc. Camera and extra batteries.

fanny-pack

Finally, and importantly, bandanas and a Buff. Multi-purpose.

bandanas

Everything fits into my lightweight Virga backpack by Granite Gear.

Virga

I will make very few changes for my next long hike. This works for me.

Compare this with Caroline’s gear list for the PCT: As The Crow Flies blog.

September 26, 2007

4WheelBob – Kilimanjaro next?

I tried. I tried.

On White Mountain I tried to persuade wheelchair ~~hiker~~ climber 4WheelBob to buy a kayak.

KayakBob … I like the sound of that.

Yet Bob’s persisting in his dream of ascending the highest mountain in Africa. Bob was quoted on Marion’s blog:

“Iâ€™m not a real publicity hound by nature, so my challenge the rest of the year is to assert myself to Corporate America, hoping some businesses find some PR value in sponsoring my planned Kilimanjaro summit next summer.” …

Marion’s Blog: Kilimanjaro after White Mountain

(LL Bean should sponsor Bob. They’ve got PR problems with minorities. : )

So if you know anyone who would like to sponsor 4WheelBob, let him know.

He is strong. No one would bet against Bob on Kili.

4WheelBob – official website

4WheelBob – blog

Marangu route, Kilimanjaro – besthike information page

September 26, 2007

bag your poop on Mt. Whitney, California

UPDATE: Steve Sergeant posted a terrific Wildebeat audiocast on this last year – The Poop on Mount Whitney

Pack out what you pack in.

This is the age-old outdoor rule. And here, taking this decree to the extreme, is a good friend of mine who recently climbed Mt. Whitney in California.

I’ll let you guess what he’s packing out.

Photo of the Day (9/13/07) – Gadling

I hiked Whitney in 2006. Some of the pit toilets were still in place, though they stunk to high Heaven.

In 2007 you must bag it.

Pack-out kits are available at the InterAgency Visitors Center in Lone Pine, and at Crabtree Ranger Station. They are also available at many stores that sell hiking, backpacking and climbing equipment. You should also bring toilet paper and hand sanitizer. A kit will serve a person for 2 to 3 days.

Each kit contains two plastic bags for securely “double-bagging” your waste. The large inner bag contains a powder that absorbs liquids and turns into an odor-fighting gel. The outer zip-closure bag seals everything up for transport.

How to Use Pack-Out Kits

1. Find a secluded location.
2. Spread the large inner bag on the ground. Don’t spill the powder!
3. Crouch over the bag and relieve yourself. Dispose of toilet paper in the bag.
4. Tie a loose knot in the bag, and then seal it inside the zip-close outer bag.

Inyo National Forest

It’s no big deal. These pack-out kits work quite well.

Organize to hike Mt. Whitney, highest peak in the continental USA.

September 25, 2007

shapes hikers see in the clouds

One of the great joys of the outdoors is enjoying the changing skies.

From the pig with six legs to the Starship Enterprise – the amazing shapes people see in the clouds

Have you ever looked at a cloud and been convinced it looked exactly like a human face? Or a skateboarder? Or even the “Cloudship” Enterprise? Well, you’re not alone.

The Cloud Appreciation Society – which now boasts 8,000 members – has collected an extraordinary number of pictures of clouds from all around the world in a wide variety of different shapes.

From the pig with six legs to the Starship Enterprise – the amazing shapes people see in the clouds | the Daily Mail

Cloud Appreciation Society – photo gallery

September 25, 2007

MORE photos hiking Tombstone, Yukon

I already posted a trip report with my photos. And a trip video. A spaceman. And related posts.

Then trip leader Dave Hayley mails me a DVD with ALL the photos from our 7 hikers. (Here Dave was either eating Wasabi peas or shooting himself in the face with bear spray. Not sure.)

YEESH.

What could I do?

But browse our hundreds of pics, … and post another 86 HIGHLIGHT photos to flickr, including some personal favourites, some panoramas and even a few celebration shots in Dawson after the hike.

Some examples …

chopper into the mountains

tent vista

coffee time

drying the socks

Rick scrambling the ridge

farewell … ’til next time

When are we pioneering the Tombstone Circuit, Dave?

View over 86 photos from this trip on flickr. (Click SLIDESHOW.)

original trip report with my own photos.

Tombstone Park – Yukon government

September 24, 2007

humour – African American Boycott of L.L. Bean Enters 80th Year

Perhaps LL Bean should advertise on this blog after all. They are going to need some good will after this spoof newscast.

The CEO of L.L. Bean pleads with black leaders to forgive his company for whatever it’s done to cause this decades-long boycott.

Click PLAY or watch it on The Onion News Network.
African American Boycott of L.L. Bean Enters 80th Year

September 24, 2007

space alien spotted in the Yukon?

Having visited the Nazca Lines in Peru, George Novak believes he’s spotted another extraterrestrial image.

In the Tombstone mountains, do you see the spaceman waving in alien spacecraft?

hike trip report – Tombstone Range, Yukon

September 24, 2007

Mt Kenya – hike the OTHER Kilimanjaro

The Adventure Junkie of The Adventure Blog keeps close tabs on what’s happening in Africa (and the rest of the world).

His recent post Adventure On Mount Kenya caught my eye. It links to Matthew Power’s project to re-enact the Mt Kenya climb of British prisoners of war in 1943. (That “escape” was documented in the classic No Picnic on Mount Kenya: A Daring Escape, A Perilous Climb by Felice Benuzzi).

This got me thinking …

I’m interested in how to trek Mount Kenya independently. Or with a minimum of local support.

Of the eight standard walking routes, Naro Moru sounds appealing. It’s possible to ascend in only 3 days (unless the altitude gets you) and has bunkhouses at each camp so a tent is not required.

Africa’s “other Kilimanjaro,” 17,058-foot (5,199-meter) Mount Kenya, boasts all the virtues of its slightly loftier cousinâ€”glaciers, surreal landscapes, and cloud-carpeted vistasâ€”but with about half the hikers. Plus, it sits at the heart of the Kenyan Highlands, a patchwork of jungle and savanna where visitors can mingle with local tribes and track Africa’s Big Five on their own two feet.

Climbing:

While scaling the twin peaks of Batian and Nelion requires technical mountaineering skills and equipment, Point Lenana (16,354 feet or 4,985 meters), Mount Kenya’s third highest summit, can be reached with no specialized skills. The most popular trek is the 23-mile (37-kilometer) Naro Moru Route, which begins above Mount Kenya National Park headquarters. Plan to spend at least five days on the mountain. Porters are not required but are customary; they can be hired through Mount Kenya Guides & Porters ($10 a day; 011 254 062 62015).

Adventure Guide: Mount Kenya – National Geographic Adventure Magazine

Mt Kenya lies 150km (95mi) NE of Nairobi.

Bernd Reinkemeier posted a trip report and photos of his 3-day ascent on the Naro Moru route.

Mountain Club of Kenya – Hiking & Trekking

September 23, 2007

walked 2663 miles – now what?

Craig Stanton is done.

He’s finished the Pacific Crest Trail.

I’ve never hiked longer than 11-days. But I empathize with all thru-hikers that must exit the simplicity of trail life. And rejoin the real world.

That shower felt so good. The dirt left me and I shall not stink that much for a very long time. My feet have dried and Iâ€™ve called home. The adventure is over, now itâ€™s re-entry.

Quote of the day: â€œHave you come far?â€ The german tourist

Distance today: 23 miles. Total distance: 2663.5 miles

PCT2007 Â» Blog Archive Â» 2007-09-22 â€¦and Iâ€™m done!

September 23, 2007

problems hiking the John Muir Trail, California

The JMT is our #2 hike in the World, about 220mi of trail without crossing a road.

I’ve been section hiking it over the past 3yrs. This summer I thought I’d try to knock off about 110 miles.

I brashly announced I’d hike 20mi / day from Bishop Pass to Tuolumne in 6 or 7 days.

It was not to be.

My first mistake was underestimating the difficulty of the required elevation loss and gain. This thing is a roller coaster!

larger map – PCT.org

I started from South Lake near Bishop after hearing great things about Bishop Pass and Dusy Basin. Both are gorgeous!

My favourite section of many favourite sections was Evolution Basin.

vista from John Muir Pass to Evolution Basin

But the BIG story of my hike was Hurricane Dean. More exactly, the remnant circulation of Dean which brought serious thunder storms to California and Nevada.

threatening skies

One day I was pinned down in my tent losing 5hrs of daylight. Here’s the hail outside my tent.

Another morning I awoke early to a cloudy day. A storm climbed up from the valley to pound me. (I hid in low brush to avoid death by lightning.)

When the storm finally cleared, I had been walking for days in wet socks and shoes. My feet, for the first time in many years, were blistered.

I love the JMT â€” but had to exit over 30mi earlier than planned, limping out at Red’s Meadow Resort.

My only complaint with the John Muir Trail is that it’s a horse track.

hiking pack animals

Historically it was pioneered for animals. The trail drops down to valley and water on regular intervals. Animals need grazing. I don’t.

I’d much rather stay HIGH on â€” for example â€” the Sierra High Route. This is a mostly off-trail adventure running in parallel with the JMT which tries not to drop down into the valleys.

Check out all my photos from the JMT on flickr.

If you might want to hike it yourself, check our JMT besthike information page.