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poisonpill posted:Has anyone done a few days through the Grand Canyon? I'm gearing up for early fall but I'd like to buy my new tent/sleeping bags while the REI sale is on. I want to cut weight but not have to fear rain, sudden cold, and all the other horrors of nature out there. Recommendations between the Double Rainbow mentioned above, the REI lightweight Tent, or the MSR Hubba Hubba (or even Mother Hubba? How bad do those extra pounds get going down and up again?)? I bought a 3-person tent a little while ago, and I have to say that if I were to do it all again I'd get a 2-person instead. Sure the weight divvies up well if you fill it up, and it makes sense if you're in a relationship and have a kid or a dog and you know that you're going to use the room. But otherwise I've found that people often prefer pairing up or going solo - and so the extra room gets wasted.
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May 20, 2014 09:17
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poisonpill posted:Has anyone done a few days through the Grand Canyon? I'm gearing up for early fall but I'd like to buy my new tent/sleeping bags while the REI sale is on. I want to cut weight but not have to fear rain, sudden cold, and all the other horrors of nature out there. Recommendations between the Double Rainbow mentioned above, the REI lightweight Tent, or the MSR Hubba Hubba (or even Mother Hubba? How bad do those extra pounds get going down and up again?)? Is a freestanding tent useful to you? If you plan to camp in a lot of loose sand, like in the desert, you'll probably want one, which the Hubba Hubba is, and double rainbow is not. If that's not a concern, I'd go for the double rainbow (single wall = lighter/smaller).
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May 20, 2014 15:30
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Yes, that confirms my fears for the extra couple pounds. I imagine it'll get bad, even split between two, carrying 4 pounds each instead of two. Also, yeah, I'll want a freestanding tent in case of dust, wind, or rocky grounds. The tents I've been looking at that are freestanding under four pounds include the MSR HB, the Sierra Designs Lightning, and the REI quarter-dome. Each of them fit two people (barely but that's fine) and reviews seem positive for all of them. The Sierra Designs is made of higher denier nylon; both the MSR and Sierra pack extremely compactly; and the MSR seems to offer the best protection from the elements. The REI is the cheapest option, although I'm not sure I want to compromise on the tent.
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May 20, 2014 17:16
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poisonpill posted:Has anyone done a few days through the Grand Canyon? I'm gearing up for early fall but I'd like to buy my new tent/sleeping bags while the REI sale is on. I want to cut weight but not have to fear rain, sudden cold, and all the other horrors of nature out there. Recommendations between the Double Rainbow mentioned above, the REI lightweight Tent, or the MSR Hubba Hubba (or even Mother Hubba? How bad do those extra pounds get going down and up again?)? Not sure what the weather is like in the early fall out there but you can also easily do the Grand Canyon without a tent. Granted I've done it in May but it's mild enough and doesn't rain enough that you can get by with just a tarp for the ground or to rig up for a shelter if it does rain. Have to keep an eye on the forecast before you go though obviously e: what are you looking for in terms of protection from the elements? Like a large vestibule to stow gear or what? Again, weather should be pretty mild in general in the fall with the daytime heat being the biggest concern and it's pretty unlikely you're going to get hit with a huge storm or something. If you want extra space to stow stuff that's one thing but even my dad's little single wall Tarp Tent Moment stood up fine to a huge 6 hour rain and hail storm in the Sierra's. Levitate fucked around with this message at 17:24 on May 20, 2014 |
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May 20, 2014 17:20
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poisonpill posted:Yes, that confirms my fears for the extra couple pounds. I imagine it'll get bad, even split between two, carrying 4 pounds each instead of two. Also, yeah, I'll want a freestanding tent in case of dust, wind, or rocky grounds. The tents I've been looking at that are freestanding under four pounds include the MSR HB, the Sierra Designs Lightning, and the REI quarter-dome. Each of them fit two people (barely but that's fine) and reviews seem positive for all of them. The Sierra Designs is made of higher denier nylon; both the MSR and Sierra pack extremely compactly; and the MSR seems to offer the best protection from the elements. The REI is the cheapest option, although I'm not sure I want to compromise on the tent. Don't know if its in your budget, but take a look at the Big Agnes Copper Spur UL3. As a three person tent it would be mighty cozy. But as a two person you would each have plenty of room. I have the two person version of this tent and love the ease of setup and construction quality.
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May 20, 2014 17:45
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I've heard it can get pretty unpredictable in there. Strong winds leading to a monsoon shower one day, with a hazy heat the next day. We'll be moving camp a few times as well, which makes me appreciate the Sierra Design and REI tents' quick set up and takedown. Conditions inside the Canyon can be completely different than on the rims, and generally more severe. My biggest concern is heat, followed by rain.
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May 20, 2014 17:50
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In the west August is particularly bad for monsoon weather. It will rain pretty much every day in the higher country between 3-5pm. The upside is that it's gorgeous 'til about 2:30 and clears up immediately afterwards. If you're going later than that it's more stable since the days aren't as hot.
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May 20, 2014 18:09
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HarryPurvis posted:Don't know if its in your budget, but take a look at the Big Agnes Copper Spur UL3. As a three person tent it would be mighty cozy. But as a two person you would each have plenty of room. I have the two person version of this tent and love the ease of setup and construction quality. I was about to suggest the same thing.
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May 21, 2014 03:35
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I like the look of that big agnes a lot. Gonna go test out the Sierra Designs Flash 2 UL and the Big Agnes UL2. I don't mind getting cozy in a 2-person tent since it'll be going up and down 5,000 ft and I have a larger tent already for base camps. I just need to make sure they'll fit me in the first place! I'll let you know how it works out.
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May 22, 2014 00:15
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poisonpill posted:I like the look of that big agnes a lot. Gonna go test out the Sierra Designs Flash 2 UL and the Big Agnes UL2. I don't mind getting cozy in a 2-person tent since it'll be going up and down 5,000 ft and I have a larger tent already for base camps. I just need to make sure they'll fit me in the first place! I'll let you know how it works out. Just taking a quick look at the specs the Big Agnes Copper Spur is over a pound lighter than the Sierra Designs Flash 2. Unless it's much more comfortable or better priced the Big Agnes comes out ahead.
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May 22, 2014 00:28
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I have a Copper Spur UL1 and it goes together so fast and simply. The only gripe is all the stakes needed to stake it out well in bad weather, but that's pretty common with such small tents.
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May 22, 2014 00:36
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My wife and I have a Big Agnes Jack Rabbit SL3 and we love it. It sounds like the tents you guys are talking about are a little more expensive and a little lighter, but we got ours for like $280 from REI a year or so ago and it has been great. I like pretty much any of the Big Agnes stuff we have.
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May 22, 2014 03:40
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We didn't get the Grand Canyon permit this year, but we're cleared to do Half Dome in July. Is it recommended to do that climb in a few days, while we backpack around the valley?
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May 22, 2014 04:31
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My girlfriend and I did a two-night rim to rim (south to north) hike in late August last year, right when there was a major tropical storm system moving over the canyon. We were pummeled by rain and lightning, we saw portions of the trail washed away, and we encountered numerous fallen boulders in the middle of the trail with recent splash patterns visible in the mud. It was no goddamn joke, though you can probably check the weather report before you leave and have some idea of what you'll be in for. The back-country ranger station will have good canyon-specific weather information as well. You don't have to worry about rocky ground in the NP camp sites, they're well-maintained and have flat tent pads that are clay or gravel. Our tent is a Quarter Dome T2 Plus, which is not the lightest tent by any stretch, but is roomy enough for us to sleep comfortably and stands up well to rain and wind, with big vestibules to keep our packs dry as well.  oh poo poo what are we getting ourselves into
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May 22, 2014 19:21
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Goddamn shipping Harmony House to Canada costs an arm and a leg. If only in-home freeze drying was as cheap and easy as dehydrating.  Pulled the trigger on a MomentDW though, my backpacking outfit is finally 100% complete. Aside Gear Protip: heat shrink wrap for windows makes a bombproof transparent tarp for hammocks, a fantastic ground sheet for tents, costs $10 and weighs nothing. This is what those Gossamer Gear polycro ground sheets are made from, but they wanted $40 to ship one to Canada. Rime fucked around with this message at 20:28 on May 22, 2014 |
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May 22, 2014 19:54
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What is the name of those waterproof pack covers? Definitely need to grab two for our packs.
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May 22, 2014 20:34
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khysanth posted:What is the name of those waterproof pack covers? Definitely need to grab two for our packs. Sea to Summit pack covers. They're awesome and easy to quickly wrangle around your bag in adverse conditions, though I bought them under duress and there are probably cheaper options out there that are just as effective.
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May 22, 2014 21:28
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Everything Sea to Summit is great but I feel like it's all twice the cost it should be. Thanks for that picture, by the way! If it's ok with you I'd like to use it to prove to my fellow campers that, "YES, we are going to need to consider rain." The Sierra Designs tent is on sale for $250 and it totally fits me and another person so I'm going to grab it. How was the water situation? I'm thinking every person should be able to carry 4L, which should be enough to get us from water source to source.
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May 22, 2014 23:36
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poisonpill posted:Everything Sea to Summit is great but I feel like it's all twice the cost it should be. Thanks for that picture, by the way! If it's ok with you I'd like to use it to prove to my fellow campers that, "YES, we are going to need to consider rain." Feel free to share the pic. What trails will you be hiking and in what direction? There's drinking water along the Bright Angel and North Kaibab trails, but none on South Kaibab. Depending on the weather, you may want to avoid climbing from the river to rim on that trail, even with 4L of water.
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May 23, 2014 00:04
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Vivian Darkbloom, you can totally summit Half Dome as a day hike from the valley floor. It's something like 16 miles round trip and 4,000 feet of elevation gain. Not terrible. As for pack covers, I've always preferred to just use a trash compactor back as a pack liner, with the top rolled down inside the backpack.
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May 23, 2014 01:48
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Yeah, I guess that's not so bad, since I'll have a daypack instead of a full backpack.
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May 23, 2014 02:38
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Just got back from Mt. Whitney Mountaineers Route. Started up at 3ish PM and basically got dumped on with snow the whole way up. The trail and all foot prints were covered with snow so we lost our way(i think) going the alternate route opposite the Ebersbacher ledges. The ledges looked sketchy as hell with fresh powder, even though we had rope/harness/trad pro and decided to skip. We got to lower boyscout lake at 6 something and just said gently caress it and made camp. At that point snow was pouring down and I was noticing some slight altitude effects. The next morning we head off with day packs to upper boyscout lake, bushwhacking a bit because of the absence of a trail. Upper boyscout lake comes and goes, a dinky lake completely exposed. Must suck to camp here when the weather is bad. On to iceberg lake. We get to iceberg lake or something at 12. The reason I say this is because it must be iced over and topped with snow because there's no lake anywhere to be seen. We turn around and head down the mountain. Oh well. Failed summit of the Mountaineers Route. There was literally nobody else on the mountain except us. If you're part of the group we met coming down while we were going up. I couldn't find your red snowshoes. Sorry!  lower boyscout lake  lower boyscout lake  
Eugenics fucked around with this message at 03:55 on May 23, 2014 |
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May 23, 2014 03:02
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That third photo rules.
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May 23, 2014 03:33
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That looks like it was a blast
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May 23, 2014 03:54
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Submit the full res of that third photo to a Nat Geo contest or something, that is sick.
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May 23, 2014 04:35
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This thread is making me feel like spending $1000 on equipment.jb7 posted:I had to explain the other day why jeans are usually a dumb choice for hiking Tell me more. Should I buy... hiking pants?  I wear old, torn jeans on hikes when the weather is colder (shorts otherwise, obviously). Just stuff I can ruin and not worry about, basically.edit: posted awhile ago about Anza-Borrego and Joshua Tree without a post-trip report. I loved the isolation and vastness of the former - very peaceful, quiet, barely saw anyone. Joshua Tree, however, was a few miles away from an urban area and the air quality was so-so. Lots of people. Also, graffiti was on some of the rocks. Great trip. I loving love the desert. Telesphorus fucked around with this message at 09:10 on May 23, 2014 |
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May 23, 2014 09:04
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Jeans are kinda silly because they're heavy, and horrible if you get them wet.
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May 23, 2014 09:42
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However, people have been hiking in jeans for over a century. If you like hiking in jeans, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Modern gear is really nice, but it's not a necessity.
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May 23, 2014 14:21
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Hey people who are familiar with the Sierra's and JMT, I'm looking to add 2 days into my current JMT itinerary and am looking for suggestions for side trips or anything like that. Ideally I'd add them into the end of the trip where I'm only going 3 days between my resupply and out, so that would be the stretch between the Kearsarge Pass junction and Whitney Portal. I'm also resupplying at the Muir Trail Ranch on day 6, so that ends up with me carrying 5.5 days of food before and after that resupply with the current itinerary, so adding a day on either side of that would work as well, just more food to ship. I'm starting in Tuolumne Meadows so anything before that is out. Also maybe thinking of areas where it'd be good to just base camp for the day and do day hikes, like maybe around Sapphire Lake and summit Mt Spencer and Mt Solomons, I hear the Evolution basin is amazing. So, anything like that could be useful as well. Thanks
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May 23, 2014 14:26
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BeefofAges posted:However, people have been hiking in jeans for over a century. If you like hiking in jeans, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Modern gear is really nice, but it's not a necessity. I can't stand hiking in jeans because they just get so sticky and heavy. I prefer light shorts, or gay biker lycra.
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May 24, 2014 04:58
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Jeans can legitimately be deadly in inclement weather. I once did a couple hour long hike through a forest in pouring rain, where the trail was a stream in places, and by the time I got home I was so exhausted and chilled that I passed out and slept for nearly twelve hours. My jeans had acted like wicks, soaking up water kicked up by my feet, and added pounds upon pounds of weight to my legs while also chilling me dangerously. I would never do anything longer than a day hike in Denim. I've long since discovered Prana Zion, and basically live in a pair from March to October. 
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May 24, 2014 05:06
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Someone I've talked to swears by Dickies poly-cotton work pants as an improvement over jeans but still reasonably priced. They have the downside of making you look like a massive dweeb, though.
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May 24, 2014 05:14
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Synthetic hiking pants are so accessible and so affordable, I don't know why anyone would hike in jeans if they knew better options were available.
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May 24, 2014 09:58
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I've used those Duluth fire hose jeans and I love them for hiking. I did a 8 day trip in SE Alaska with them and they were awesome. The high density canvas didnt soak up a ton of water and dried it quickly, super tough too.
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May 24, 2014 15:43
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BeefofAges posted:However, people have been hiking in jeans for over a century. If you like hiking in jeans, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Modern gear is really nice, but it's not a necessity. I agree with this sentiment. I'd also say though that the preferred garments for hiking and mountaineering in the days before synthetic were wool, not denim. Wool trousers, wool socks, wool hats, wool coats. Wool is a superior hiking fabric compared to cotton, but obviously you hike in what you have. I've certainly camped in jeans before, and honestly i prefer it because i'm warmer than synthetic. Unless i'm in the rain or snow, then gently caress jeans forever. I've probably hiked a few miles in jeans as well. It's not the greatest experience since i sweat a lot and denim can be pretty heavy, but I'd never tell anybody to stop if they're fine with it. Eugenics fucked around with this message at 22:19 on May 24, 2014 |
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May 24, 2014 22:14
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Picture time! I wanted to find new places with different landforms to explore, so I settled on Neversink Gorge (Sullivan County, New York). It's unnerving hiking down from the trailhead. And trail designers here in the eastern US seem to follow the philosophy "Put the trail a couple hundred feet above the river, well above what anyone comes here to see." So lots of tick-infested laurel thickets, not much river action. It was a good hike though, 9 miles plus a lot of up and down. What flowers are these?  Me being a sweaty goon in front of Mullet Falls.  This was a lot greener and fernier in person. Also, "fernier" is a word according to Firefox.  High Falls on the Neversink. 
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May 25, 2014 00:10
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   We didn't finish, but we got pretty far! We'll be back to Mt. St. Helens in a month!
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May 26, 2014 05:00
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Anyone got protips for first time backpacker doing the Black Balsam Knob > Cold Mountain trail in NC?
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May 26, 2014 07:13
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I promised you all pics of my time down in Moab. I'm still sorting out but I got a few good ones on my lazy first few days there. I'll have more from Canyonlands in a bit. Bar M by Geographic Ecotourist, on Flickr  Bar M and the Colorado River by Geographic Ecotourist, on Flickr  Balanced Rock by Geographic Ecotourist, on Flickr  Under the arch by Geographic Ecotourist, on Flickr  Double Arch by Geographic Ecotourist, on Flickr  Expedition crew by Geographic Ecotourist, on Flickr  270° by Geographic Ecotourist, on Flickr  Dead Horse Point by Geographic Ecotourist, on Flickr
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May 27, 2014 00:09
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Stunning, many thanks for sharing!
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May 27, 2014 09:10
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