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My wife and her brother just started the AT yesterday (going for about a month at this point); it's weird knowing I won't get any updates on how they're doing until they head into town to pick up food. In the meantime I have to work and couldn't go  She hasn't done a ton of backpacking so I'm hoping the cold and everything isn't making her miserable, but I guess she can always bail at one of the towns. If I'm lucky though this will make her want to come backpacking with me in the west later this year
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Mar 22, 2013 12:57
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BleakLewis posted:Looks like REI has calculated dividends! Haven't seen the usual %20 off coupon yet. 20% member coupons just dropped; MEM2013 good through April 7. $175 dividend this year (thanks to new skis, bindings and poles this winter.) So I just ordered a new Marmot fleece jacket and some snazzy Arcteryx hiking pants for my upcoming spring excursions. $5 left over!
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Mar 22, 2013 14:17
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Levitate posted:My wife and her brother just started the AT yesterday (going for about a month at this point); it's weird knowing I won't get any updates on how they're doing until they head into town to pick up food. In the meantime I have to work and couldn't go She just started the AT without much backpacking experience?? That's crazy sauce! I hope it goes well for her and she falls in love with it.
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Mar 22, 2013 16:16
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Marshmallow Mayhem posted:She just started the AT without much backpacking experience?? That's crazy sauce! I hope it goes well for her and she falls in love with it. We've been hiking and camping but not really backpacking together. Her brother is experienced though and she has good gear, and she's not doing the entire trail. Also, she can hopefully jump off after a week or so if she finds it miserable, but yeah I'm getting anxious on her behalf 
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Mar 22, 2013 16:20
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Marshmallow Mayhem posted:She just started the AT without much backpacking experience?? That's crazy sauce! I hope it goes well for her and she falls in love with it. Lots of people start without much experience. They learn as they go. Some quit, but a surprising amount of them make it the whole way.
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Mar 23, 2013 02:56
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I just got back from backpacking in Glacier a bit. Man, this winter stuff (even though it's technically spring) is serious. I snowshoed about 7 miles up the Going to the Sun road past where it is closed. I waited three days for a winter storm to clear, 5F at night, 40mph winds, about a foot of snow fell at my camp, much more at elevation. And man, it was loving worth it. I owned the place, there was literally NO ONE there, and on the morning after the storm cleared the sky was crystal blue, stark white mountains all around me, and a frozen Saint Mary lake. Also farted around RMNP. More people, but still gorgeous. The wind was so stiff there one day it was blowing my tripod across a frozen lake. I yelled at some people near Dream Lake when it was -20F wind chill "WOW THIS IS SO loving COOL" and they looked at me like I was a weirdo. Go outside during winter. It owns. JAY ZERO SUM GAME fucked around with this message at 21:09 on Mar 23, 2013 |
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Mar 23, 2013 21:07
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Agreeing 100%! When I went out by myself for the first time ever in the blizzard last October I had the time of my life, even though I was afraid of bears and missed out on getting photos of the aurora, which was supposed to be intense that night. I couldn't sleep and had a hell of a time starting a fire, but it was so worth it. The next morning was loving gorgeous.
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Mar 24, 2013 00:32
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Just wanted to add my thoughts on soft shells. While they are wonderfully comfortable garments under many conditions, I don't find them that useful for backpacking. While they offer some warmth, they are typically not warm enough to be carried as your only insulating garment. Similarly, while they will resist some precipitation, they'll wet out and leak in any serious rain, so you typically have to carry waterproofs anyway. Also, on backpacking trips there will be times where you want water resistance but not insulation, or where you want insulation with maximum breathability/no water resistance, neither of which the soft shell does very well. Soft shells occupy this weird nebulous zone where they're great for mild conditions but not actually versatile enough to replace separate garments that serve the same functions, usually for less weight. I have several soft shell garments and I love them for dayhikes and casual adventures where the consequences of being a little wet or cold aren't a big deal, but they've never found their way into my backpacking load.
MojoAZ fucked around with this message at 05:13 on Mar 24, 2013 |
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Mar 24, 2013 05:07
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MojoAZ posted:Just wanted to add my thoughts on soft shells. While they are wonderfully comfortable garments under many conditions, I don't find them that useful for backpacking. While they offer some warmth, they are typically not warm enough to be carried as your only insulating garment. Similarly, while they will resist some precipitation, they'll wet out and leak in any serious rain, so you typically have to carry waterproofs anyway. Also, on backpacking trips there will be times where you want water resistance but not insulation, or where you want insulation with maximum breathability/no water resistance, neither of which the soft shell does very well. Soft shells occupy this weird nebulous zone where they're great for mild conditions but not actually versatile enough to replace separate garments that serve the same functions, usually for less weight. I have several soft shell garments and I love them for dayhikes and casual adventures where the consequences of being a little wet or cold aren't a big deal, but they've never found their way into my backpacking load. My advice was geared toward someone who said they were starting to get into outdoors activities and wanted a first jacket. If you have the money to buy dedicated layering pieces then by all means, do it right the first time and get purpose-specific pieces. If you're looking to get something that should be a good versatile starter piece for a variety of activities though then I'm going to stand by a softshell being a great first jacket. I've got plenty of jackets at this point to meet any number of needs, but for general wearing around town in pacific northwest spring and fall weather, for day hikes, for 2-3 day backpacking trips, and for snowboarding, my arc'teryx hooded softshell is my single most-used piece of outerwear. Just my $.02, if you have the money and want to get all of your layers at the same time then sure, you might find that a soft shell isn't the absolute most efficient piece to pack for extended backpacking trips, but I'm willing to bet if you don't already know that and are asking people for advice then a soft shell will probably do the job just fine for you for most situations.
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Mar 24, 2013 07:43
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Just gonna chime in and say thanks again for the softshell recommendation! I ended up going with a non-hooded version (which I may very well regret eventually) but I tried a bunch on and went with the one that fit like a glove when I put it on. For what I'm looking for (3-season jacket, spring/fall cool weather hiking and mild weather every day jacket) this thing is going to be perfect; it was 18 degrees, windy and snowing yesterday and the jacket kept out the snow/wind like a champ while I was shoveling the sidewalk & driveway and regulated my temperature really well. I'm sure eventually I'll have need for a few different types of jackets depending on the activity, but for a starter piece this thing is fantastic already.
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Mar 25, 2013 03:58
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I have a softshell only for winter/snowy conditions. The minimalist rain jacket goes with me any other time. e: I mean, that's where they come from. Alpinists wanting something that fits them closely while dragging themselves across poo poo, breathes, stops the wind, is water repellent. They're not for trucking around in the summer.
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Mar 25, 2013 18:22
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JAY ZERO SUM GAME posted:I have a softshell only for winter/snowy conditions. The minimalist rain jacket goes with me any other time. yeah, depending on what part of the world you're in though spring/fall can be a whole lot colder than other parts of the world, hell even summer nights can be chilly enough here in the PNW to warrant the soft shell going on.
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Mar 25, 2013 19:23
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Has anyone got any really gold recommendations for making your own maps? E. G. Something reasonably clear, 1:20000 or better with 200m contour lines, that you could plot points/tracks on... Preferably vectors/svg for better printing still?
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Mar 27, 2013 00:20
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Heners_UK posted:Has anyone got any really gold recommendations for making your own maps? E. G. Something reasonably clear, 1:20000 or better with 200m contour lines, that you could plot points/tracks on... Preferably vectors/svg for better printing still? Garmin Mapsource + whichever open-source topo's you prefer?
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Mar 27, 2013 00:28
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MMD3 posted:Garmin Mapsource + whichever open-source topo's you prefer? Mapsource has been superseded by Basecamp. I have never used Mapsource so can't give a fair comparison but supposedly Basecamp has a number of additional features not available in Mapsource. Additionally if you have a Garmin handheld Basecamp integrates really well. The only complaint I have about Basecamp is that you can only show one map at a time on the computer. Switching between the trail map and the topo is tiresome. My handheld will happily display everything at once. I got topo and trail maps for the north east US from http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/.
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Mar 27, 2013 02:34
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Heners_UK posted:Has anyone got any really gold recommendations for making your own maps? E. G. Something reasonably clear, 1:20000 or better with 200m contour lines, that you could plot points/tracks on... Preferably vectors/svg for better printing still? To whit, I have always gone directly to the source: http://seamless.usgs.gov There is, sadly, a problem. It seems to have been replaced with http://nationalmap.gov/ and I have no idea if one can still download the National Elevation Datasets (NED), but http://nationalmap.gov/viewer.html says "NED 1- and 1/3-arc-second elevation products are available only as 'staged' data in pre-packaged 1x1 degree cell extents in either ArcGrid or GridFloat formats, while NED 1/9-arc-second elevation products are currently available through" blah blah "formats". So, the answer is, "yeah": "NED data are available nationally at resolutions of 1 arc-second (approx. 30 meters) and 1/3 arc-second (approx. 10 meters), and in limited areas at 1/9 arc-second (approx. 3meters)." But please... this is a public server, and boy is it slow (and I haven't tested this new nationalmap thing). Please please don't try to download the entire United States in one go. Start with a 1x1 degree cell and see if you are  enough to speak ArcGrid.I was three years ago  
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Mar 27, 2013 04:49
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Posting from Franklin, NC to say that my AT thru hike is going well. Cleared 100 miles today and taking a zero in Franklin, NC tonight. Just joined six other thru-hikers in attacking an AYCE pizza place and settling in for the night. Tomorrow is AYCE country buffet for lunch and an AYCE steak and seafood joint for dinner. Did I mention how awesome it is to burn 6k calories a day? Happy with all my gear so far. Loving the trail.
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Mar 30, 2013 02:02
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Cool, my wife and her brother are somewhere in NC now, but from what I can tell they're not stopping in Franklin. Sounds like it's been fairly cold and wet/snowy
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Mar 30, 2013 13:49
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Yeah. Weather has been pretty cold and lots of rain/snow. I had a forced zero at Neels Gap due to -8* temps and 40+ winds. A lot of folks got stuck in Hiawassee for a few days due to weather and the Smokies are a bit of a bear right now. I ended up hiking through most of the "bad stuff", and it was doable, if a bit unpleasant. Word on the vine is the dropout rate is already 60%. I feel good so far and very confident that I will make it, but I came into this expecting the weather to do this. I think the last two weeks were a reality-check for a lot of folks that aren't use to hiking in averse weather.
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Mar 30, 2013 15:59
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I'm planning a trip to Isle Royale National Park this summer, and I'd like to have a trip partner if only to make sure I'm not eaten by a moose or something. Is anyone on this thread interested? And if not, could you recommend a good place to find a partner? (I live in Chicago, but I'd be cool with meeting someone at the ferry to the park.)
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Mar 31, 2013 00:35
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I would be very interested! I'm already in northern MN, so shoot me a PM if you can or else email me at erosvall@gmail.com For that matter, actually, could you add me to the Hike with a Goon list, i_heart_ponies? Northern Minnesota, and I've got a bit of extra gear that I can lend out if need be.
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Mar 31, 2013 07:26
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SirPhoebos posted:I'm planning a trip to Isle Royale National Park this summer, and I'd like to have a trip partner if only to make sure I'm not eaten by a moose or something. Is anyone on this thread interested? And if not, could you recommend a good place to find a partner? I may be interested if you're kayaking it, I did that two years ago and might be going again this year.
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Mar 31, 2013 15:36
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Excited to get out of town finally. Doing a week on the AT SoBo, somewhere in SW Virginia. Hope spring makes an appearance though.
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Mar 31, 2013 16:49
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Glad to see folks are interested. Also you can add me to the Hiking list too.
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Mar 31, 2013 18:09
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Might have to take me off the hiking list for a while  I'm getting arthoscopic hip surgery in a few weeks to correct femoral acetabular impingement and clean up damage I did to myself over years of hiking. No hiking for me for six months to a year.
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Mar 31, 2013 18:58
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BeefofAges posted:Might have to take me off the hiking list for a while Ouch. Sorry to hear. I am getting out so early due to scheduled surgery for a hernia, so I understand. Can you bike at least?
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Mar 31, 2013 20:13
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Went on a hike yesterday (my second hike ever, actually) that left me panting by the top and absolutely killed my asscheeks. Found out that apparently the elementary school nearby uses the same mountain for their yearly hike. Great... 8 year olds hike better than me...
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Mar 31, 2013 21:00
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Mercury Ballistic posted:Ouch. Sorry to hear. I am getting out so early due to scheduled surgery for a hernia, so I understand. Can you bike at least? The physical therapy plan involves a significant amount of stationary biking every day. I might eventually be able to get out and ride my real bike around.
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Apr 1, 2013 01:42
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sourtruffle posted:Went on a hike yesterday (my second hike ever, actually) that left me panting by the top and absolutely killed my asscheeks. Found out that apparently the elementary school nearby uses the same mountain for their yearly hike. Great... 8 year olds hike better than me... I went hiking on Saturday and have been complaining about butt soreness all weekend. I used to hike with my roommate years ago, but this was my first hike since being married. I went to Paris Mountain State Park in Greenville, SC. I did the "hardest" trail they have which is the Sulphur Springs Loop. It's about a 3.6 mile hike. I did it in an hour and twenty minutes, which seemed pretty good for a first timer wearing running shoes. I had a really good time and I want to be outdoors more often, so I'm going to invest in a light daypack and some hiking shoes. There are a few decent parks in the upstate of SC and others within an hour's drive. I'm thinking about heading to Caesar's Head in the next couple of weekends to try something closer to 5+ miles. I do have one question for you guys. We have an REI here, but when I went the prices seemed pretty expensive. Is there some reason I should buy from them instead of buying online where everything is way cheaper?
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Apr 1, 2013 14:53
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Ehud posted:I went hiking on Saturday and have been complaining about butt soreness all weekend. I used to hike with my roommate years ago, but this was my first hike since being married. I went to Paris Mountain State Park in Greenville, SC. I did the "hardest" trail they have which is the Sulphur Springs Loop. It's about a 3.6 mile hike. I did it in an hour and twenty minutes, which seemed pretty good for a first timer wearing running shoes. REI will properly fit both your pack and boots so that you won't end up like I did with my first pair of boots. It took about a year for that toenail to grow back.
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Apr 1, 2013 14:55
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Action Jackson! posted:REI will properly fit both your pack and boots so that you won't end up like I did with my first pair of boots. It took about a year for that toenail to grow back. Got it. I like my toenails, so I'll go ahead and sign up with REI's reward thing and head down there this week. Thanks!
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Apr 1, 2013 15:19
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Ehud posted:Got it. I like my toenails, so I'll go ahead and sign up with REI's reward thing and head down there this week. Thanks! Fit and buy the boots at REI. Since most daypacks aren't sized, feel free to inspect and try on the various packs they have there, then see if you can't find a better deal for what you want online. For larger packs with frames, an in-store fitting is a good idea.
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Apr 1, 2013 15:39
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Packs are one of those things that it'd be nice to have the REI return guarantee on in my opinion, though.
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Apr 1, 2013 15:59
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Huh? You can return packs. Anything you get at REI is returnable, unless bought at the used gear sale.
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Apr 1, 2013 16:02
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You can get things a little cheaper online, but the ability to return anything and everything for any reason, forever and ever, is why I go to REI. I've used their return program a lot. They also generally know a thing or two.
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Apr 1, 2013 17:03
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I'm assuming you all recommend signing up as a member, right? It looks like I can get 20% off my shoes which basically pays for the lifetime membership. Has anyone ever gone to the courses they provide? I am contemplating signing up for some general backpacking/hiking courses, map and compass stuff, etc. I don't really have anyone experienced to learn from, so this sounds like the next best thing.
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Apr 1, 2013 17:12
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Yeah, no reason at all not to sign up as a member, especially if you're outfitting yourself with a bunch of new gear now. One time joining fee and then dividends and 20% off coupons every year
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Apr 1, 2013 17:16
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No REI where I'm at. But I've got a closet or two of my old army gear (including an ALICE frame ruck) and a half dozen pairs of barely/never worn desert boots that all fit well, so I'll be trucking around with that crap for years to come. Anybody around the Memphis area have suggestions for hiking spots? We have a big city park or two but I want a bit more solitude than running into someone every 500 feet. Compared to the rest of Tennessee, Memphis seems pretty pathetic when it comes to hiking.
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Apr 1, 2013 17:58
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When I bought a huge amount of equipment early last summer, the guy helping me was very helpful and paid attention to my budget. It happened to be a friends and family weekend and he gave me one of the flyers to get 25% off my $800 or so purchase. I buy most everything in ABQ or Denver just because of REI. When I was in Boulder recently and they didn't have the snowshoes I wanted, so they helped me call around to the outdoor stores in the area to find them. I don't mean to sound like some shill, but REI is super cool.
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Apr 1, 2013 18:18
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Reformed Tomboy posted:Huh? You can return packs. Anything you get at REI is returnable, unless bought at the used gear sale. But that's my point? I'd rather buy a pack at REI because if it randomly rips at a seam 3 years from now through no fault of your own you can return it or replace it no questions asked.
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Apr 1, 2013 18:19
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