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e: nevermind, called the ranger, one permit is fine alnilam fucked around with this message at 21:32 on Aug 15, 2015 |
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Aug 15, 2015 21:07
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Oh no, imagine like a big soft tire lawn utility cart with a pushing handle added to the back so one person pulled and steered and one person pushed. They also had it set up with higher walls and a tarp, like a mini covered wagon. It was amazing. They were doing the Great Allegheny Passage which is like 150 miles then the C&O canal towpath which is 148 miles. They were like 20 miles from DC so that cart had some miles on it. It was a cart like this: 
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Aug 15, 2015 21:11
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alnilam posted:
1 No 2 Hot and sunny during the day, cool at night 3 Yes and they've been free of snow since may this year 4 No 5 Take it extra slow the first day, keep a low heart rate and don't get short of breath, you'll get used to it pretty quick 6 Not sure 7 Not sure which lakes have fish, but fishing with just some line, a floater, and a dry fly would be the way to go
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Aug 15, 2015 21:11
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Trail Runner Fans
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Do you mean "trail runners will be fine" or "trail runners will not be fine"?
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Aug 15, 2015 22:15
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"cool" at night is a bit misleading as it can easily get below freezing. Make sure you're prepared for that. At above 7k feet during the day the air is often cool but the sun can be fierce and if you're up on a lot of rock then you get a lot of reflected light as well. Use lots of sunscreen or clothes that can cover you up well Trail runners are fine as long as you're already used to them, etc. In some ways it's probably even rockier on east coast trails, depending on what ones you're on. Altitude affects everyone differently but yeah take it easy. Your itinerary doesn't seem tough so you'll probably be OK unless you're one of the unlucky people who has altitude sickness isses Call the Ranger station and ask about a rental but they usually do rent them. Probably have to reserve in advance. I think REI rents them as well Levitate fucked around with this message at 22:24 on Aug 15, 2015 |
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Aug 15, 2015 22:19
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alnilam posted:Do you mean "trail runners will be fine" or "trail runners will not be fine"? They'll be good
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Aug 16, 2015 00:00
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So, the berries around here were pretty great this year - the salmon berries at least, I'm always hesitant to pick non-aggregate berries.   Salmon Berries by the Handful by Alexander Havens, on Flickr Anyone else snag berries while they're on the trail? What kind?
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Aug 16, 2015 00:53
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Alehkhs posted:So, the berries around here were pretty great this year - the salmon berries at least, I'm always hesitant to pick non-aggregate berries. Raspberries are always around in Appalachia  Also if you count using sumac berries to make pink lemonade, all I can say is hell yes and where's the gin
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Aug 16, 2015 01:04
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Salmonberries, thimbleberries, huckleberries and blueberries are all pretty common around here and good eatin'.
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Aug 16, 2015 02:58
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Levitate posted:They're also illegal in some areas (national parks) and annoying for everyone else that happens to be in the area People fly GA aircraft in the airspace above the Cascade mountains I frequent. It's cool man. I just need to test my recovery tool. I built this drone for my search and rescue team and I want to see what sorts of problems I didn't account for when I designed it, and maybe find my $500 of mountaineering gear. You shouldn't be more annoyed by drones than by aircraft (which is to say, not at all, because both of them are loving rad). I'd rent a Cessna 150 or something but my $300 dollar drone is cheaper than the $90 for the plane and god knows how much for a camera sophisticated enough to get me the resolution I need, plus a person to sit in the copilot seat and actually do the looking. If you're concerned about noise, consider fixed wing R/C aircraft or drones. Once you turn off the engine, they're completely silent! I probably will be flying the UAS manually when I get out there, my autonomous flight software implementation isn't finished. So if your concern is that there isn't any operator, its cool man, its me. I just need to zip about real quick-like for 30 minutes or so and do some tests. Keldoclock fucked around with this message at 04:16 on Aug 16, 2015 |
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Aug 16, 2015 04:11
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Looking at this map, if you're on the western side of Adams it's illegal to launch or recover a drone, as is the case in any federally-designated wilderness area.
Alehkhs fucked around with this message at 04:43 on Aug 16, 2015 |
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Aug 16, 2015 04:30
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Well today I learned the dangers of loose rock. They can scratch the poo poo out of you.
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Aug 16, 2015 05:00
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Alehkhs posted:Looking at this map, if you're on the western side of Adams it's illegal to launch or recover a drone, as is the case in any federally-designated wilderness area. My SAR team has been in talks with the Parks service and other organizations about getting exemption for a few months now(or at least, so I have been led to believe. The inertia when it comes to doing just about anything here is torture). Reviewing that map though, I think I might not need it. Thanks for letting me know exactly where that boundary is. You've brought my attention to a real headache; the FPV system I've got now isn't good enough to get me the kind of resolution I'll need for 600AGL. Recovering this stuff(if it exists) successfully is going to be a real tough job, like looking for a needle in a haystack through a drinking straw. Keldoclock fucked around with this message at 05:06 on Aug 16, 2015 |
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Aug 16, 2015 05:03
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Managed to knock off a bucket list item with a 9 day trek through the Outback along the Larapinta Trail. Completed about half of the full 223 km length with a couple hops between sections to hit the highlights, although in hindsight I would have done the entire length if I'd had the time. Views from Reveal Saddle   The Heavitree Range from Brinkley Ridge  Nightfall at Standley Chasm  Passing through Ormiston Gorge   +450m year old fossilized waves on top of the mountain range  Near Counts Point with three of the Northern Territory's highest mountains (Sonder, Zeil, and Giles) in the distance  Sunset along the Finke River watershed  Inarlanga Pass  Sunrise on Mount Sonder    For a trail that was only completed in 2002 I thought the track conditions and facilities were top notch. There was a surprising amount of diversity along the route between the canyons, ridgelines, dry riverbeds and open plains, and for the middle of the winter dry season there was a good amount of vegetation and wildlife out and about. Definitely recommend it to anyone out in that part of the world looking to see the Australian wilderness up close.
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Aug 17, 2015 00:05
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alnilam posted:Desolation Wilderness Just spent three days in Desolation Wilderness last weekend and it was a blast. Some of the most unique wilderness I've ever been in and constantly changing. Weather was perfect, plenty of water in the lakes (though cold as ice if you try to go swimming), and I saw a few people with poles, so I'm guessing fishing is possible. Trail runners should be fine, but careful if you try to summit Dicks Peak: it's covered in loose rocks and has a bit of class 3 scrambling to get to the top. Also, while we didn't see any bears, we passed some scat on the trail near the Velmas, so make full use of a bear canister.    On another note, does anybody have experience with a gravity filter system? So far I've been using a Sawyer mini which I've watched purify yellow water and supposedly lasts forever, but it takes a long time (2-3 minutes per pint) and I've already broke one. I'm wondering if there's a better, faster filter solution besides tablets.
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Aug 17, 2015 09:31
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^^This is exactly why this is my favorite thread--you guys hike the most incredible placesTerrifying Effigies posted:
 Great, you've scratched one item off your bucket list and shuffled it straight onto mine! How did you deal with water? Did you pack it all in, or were there places to refill or treat as you go?
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Aug 17, 2015 13:11
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A Horse Named Mandy posted:On another note, does anybody have experience with a gravity filter system? So far I've been using a Sawyer mini which I've watched purify yellow water and supposedly lasts forever, but it takes a long time (2-3 minutes per pint) and I've already broke one. I'm wondering if there's a better, faster filter solution besides tablets. Yes, I have the platypus gravity works system and I can't imagine ever using anything else. It's light, filters large quantities of water, does so quickly (maybe 2 minutes) and with minimal effort. The only circumstance I can imagine using another filter would be a pump filter where water sources are a trickle. I like the idea of no moving parts to wear out or break. I use platypus bladders as well so it's nice that everything works and connects together. I'm sure the other brands of gravity filters work similarly.
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Aug 17, 2015 17:39
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Verman posted:The only circumstance I can imagine using another filter would be a pump filter where water sources are a trickle. That's exactly why I use a pump - being able to pump a trickle or a puddle has saved my rear end a few times. But if you know your water sources and you know that won't be an issue, gravity filters work great  Speaking of water, one more Desolation Wilderness question (and thanks for the help so far!). Are the streams there still flowing, or is all the water locked up in the lakes at this point? Should a pump filter be enough, or should I use chem treatment too?
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Aug 17, 2015 17:58
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alnilam posted:That's exactly why I use a pump - being able to pump a trickle or a puddle has saved my rear end a few times. But if you know your water sources and you know that won't be an issue, gravity filters work great When I was there in early July the streams were flowing. I could hear the stream in Rocky Canyon during my hike, and Pyramid Creek was flowing behind my wife's family's cabin. This was after a week of rain, but from what others in her family have said Pyramid Creek has been flowing all summer.
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Aug 17, 2015 18:15
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A Horse Named Mandy posted:On another note, does anybody have experience with a gravity filter system? So far I've been using a Sawyer mini which I've watched purify yellow water and supposedly lasts forever, but it takes a long time (2-3 minutes per pint) and I've already broke one. I'm wondering if there's a better, faster filter solution besides tablets. I still advocate for using aqua mira in places like the Sierra or really any remote mountain area where most of your water comes from lakes and streams that are almost always clear. If you don't need to filter out physical crap because the water's clear enough then chemical treatment is lighter and safe to use. Just MO I need to start getting my poo poo together for my SEKI trip in about a month...biggest obstacle is figuring out what to do with the dog for a week
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Aug 17, 2015 19:03
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OSU_Matthew posted:^^This is exactly why this is my favorite thread--you guys hike the most incredible places The trail's broken up into 12 Sections with huts/water tanks between each Section:  The longest section between water sources is 30 km or ~18 miles, which makes for a long day's hike. We were carrying about 3.5 to 4.5 L each day between stops with a 4x4 troopie to skip between some of the sections and haul gear. In addition, a couple sections have year-round water holes that you can use to top up.  Edit - some you can even go swimming in oh God it was cold! 
Terrifying Effigies fucked around with this message at 22:33 on Aug 17, 2015 |
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Aug 17, 2015 22:30
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Not as exciting as some of the others but here are a few pics from hiking in the Adirondacks the past two weekends   
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Aug 18, 2015 19:07
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Hi again hiking thread. Has anyone tried the Marmot Force line of tents? How does all of the mesh hold up? Any thoughts on the value? I'm looking for a good 2 person UL tent, that ones on sale at REI for $280.
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Aug 20, 2015 14:50
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Yooper posted:Hi again hiking thread. I'm more of a Big Agnes guy myself, but browsing around, I found the Marmot Ajax 2-Person for $137 after online coupons and it has a 4.5 star rating with almost 100 reviews. It's worth considering. Full disclosure, I have no personal experience with this tent. EDIT: At 5.5lbs it's on the heavy side, but you never stated what your goals were. For drive-up camping or light hiking, that would do you just fine, especially as a starter. EDIT2: Big Agnes Fishhook UL2 is closer to 3.5lbs, but I can't get it down under $279 even with codes. Is a 2-pound savings worth $140 extra? That's completely up to you. Hungryjack fucked around with this message at 15:04 on Aug 20, 2015 |
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Aug 20, 2015 14:57
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apatite posted:Not as exciting as some of the others but here are a few pics from hiking in the Adirondacks the past two weekends  Adirondack hiking buddy.We did Algonquin and Iroquois last weekend. My SO and her friend also did Wright, but I was bushed so I sat that one out. We reached the summit relatively early in the morning, and the cloud ceiling was still very low. As the morning progressed the ceiling lifted and we got to watch all the humidity clouds rise vertically when they encountered adjacent mountains, then "split" around the Algonquin peak. Was a lot of fun to watch.      
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Aug 20, 2015 15:06
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Hungryjack posted:I'm more of a Big Agnes guy myself, but browsing around, I found the Marmot Ajax 2-Person for $137 after online coupons and it has a 4.5 star rating with almost 100 reviews. It's worth considering. Full disclosure, I have no personal experience with this tent. Thanks! I should have added some more info. Looking for ultralight, ~ 3 lb-ish. Price below $400. This'll be my Alaska / Trail running / Isle Royale kind of tent. If all else I'll go with the REI Half-Dome 2. I don't have any experience with Big Agnes stuff, though it definitely looks nice. This'll be my "return to hiking" tent now that I have a five year old. The bivy would be a touch tight with him inside. Ideally it's light enough that I can use it solo too.
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Aug 20, 2015 17:07
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polyfractal posted:
NICE! We are planning to do Algonquin/Iroquois/Wright on Sunday if the weather doesn't turn to crap. My pics above were from Cascade, Porter, and St Regis which are all pretty quick and easy but still drat good fun.
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Aug 20, 2015 17:23
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Yooper posted:Thanks! I should have added some more info. Have you looked at Tarptent? The Double Rainbow seems pretty close to what you're looking for.
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Aug 20, 2015 18:04
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facey fred posted:Have you looked at Tarptent? The Double Rainbow seems pretty close to what you're looking for. How are the single wall for condensation? It looks like an awesome tent, but I'm in the Midwest and humidity is always a summer issue.
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Aug 20, 2015 18:34
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Yooper posted:Thanks! I should have added some more info. I dont know why everyone seems to forget about the REI Quarter-Dome. It's slightly smaller and weighs much less than the Half-Dome and is still reasonably priced. I've had mine and used it all through NW and SE Alaska for years without any issues, it's held up really well. I got the two person for myself and it's perfect size and can accommodate two and a dog when my GF and dog come with me. If you want to get any lighter than 3-4 pounds you'll have to start looking towards tarp tents and bivy setups instead of freestanding tents. For the money though I think the Quarter-Dome is one of the best ultralight tents out there. That said this is going to be my next tent: http://www.yamamountaingear.com/cirriform-dw-2P/ Just because of all the pitching options and it still gives you a bathtub floor and bug net.
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Aug 20, 2015 18:52
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I have a single wall tent but it's cuben fiber. Personally I wouldn't go for a single wall sil nylon tent in humid areas. This is just based on what I've read about sil nylon sagging when wet. If it were for out West, I'd definitely consider it, but even on the JMT I had significant condensation at night with 2 people. The nights I've camped in humid areas with the cuben tent, it has been relatively warm so there weren't condensation issues. It's when it's humid and the temperature drops at night that you get condensation.
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Aug 20, 2015 18:53
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Saint Fu posted:I have a single wall tent but it's cuben fiber. Personally I wouldn't go for a single wall sil nylon tent in humid areas. This is just based on what I've read about sil nylon sagging when wet. If it were for out West, I'd definitely consider it, but even on the JMT I had significant condensation at night with 2 people. The nights I've camped in humid areas with the cuben tent, it has been relatively warm so there weren't condensation issues. It's when it's humid and the temperature drops at night that you get condensation. It seems to work ok for me but my tent is all mesh on top with a rain fly that pitches over it. The fly does get condensation on it but if pitched right none ends up in the tent itself
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Aug 20, 2015 19:15
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BaseballPCHiker posted:I dont know why everyone seems to forget about the REI Quarter-Dome. It's slightly smaller and weighs much less than the Half-Dome and is still reasonably priced. I've had mine and used it all through NW and SE Alaska for years without any issues, it's held up really well. I got the two person for myself and it's perfect size and can accommodate two and a dog when my GF and dog come with me. Huh , to be honest I never even noticed it in the search results. I like the looks of that one, the price and weight are right. Eventually it'll have to survive near Seward for a week or so, glad to hear of some SE Alaska cred. Thanks! I'll nab some trail report pics, we're headed up to Grand Island on Lake Superior for my wifes first hiking trip. 
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Aug 20, 2015 19:17
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apatite posted:It seems to work ok for me but my tent is all mesh on top with a rain fly that pitches over it. The fly does get condensation on it but if pitched right none ends up in the tent itself
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Aug 20, 2015 19:20
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Saint Fu posted:Yeah, that seems to be the difference between single-walled and double-walled tents. I am a big dummy 
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Aug 20, 2015 19:23
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My Black Diamond single-wall gets condensation. If I leave the vents open on the side near my head, it isn't bad. But, I've woken up in a pretty damp tent before I learned that. It is an issue with single-wall.
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Aug 20, 2015 19:26
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apatite posted:NICE! We are planning to do Algonquin/Iroquois/Wright on Sunday if the weather doesn't turn to crap. My pics above were from Cascade, Porter, and St Regis which are all pretty quick and easy but still drat good fun. We did Cascade/Porter over the winter and had a great time. Looking forward to doing them again in a non-snowy condition Have fun next weekend! It's a good hike, especially towards the end when you are scrambling up rock faces. The final ascent when coming back from Iroquois -> Algonquin is just stupidly steep...we had to take a break halfway up just because our legs were on fire. Distance-wise it is rather short, but man, that incline was crushing for those of us mildly out of shape The ridge from Algonquin to Iroquois is great though since it is bare for most of the path. Really great views.Yooper posted:How are the single wall for condensation? It looks like an awesome tent, but I'm in the Midwest and humidity is always a summer issue. We have the Double Rainbow. We used it earlier this summer in moderately high humidity and there was definitely condensation, but not enough to drip. Tarptent sells a thin liner that you can clip to the inside, which acts as a poor-man's double-wall. I'm going to try it next time and see how much it helps, supposedly it does a pretty good job in high humidity.
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Aug 20, 2015 19:27
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polyfractal posted:We did Cascade/Porter over the winter and had a great time. Looking forward to doing them again in a non-snowy condition I take it you did an out and back? We were considering this loop: http://www.everytrail.com/guide/macintyre-range-wright-algonquin-iroquois but sounds like it is quite a bit longer
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Aug 20, 2015 20:17
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apatite posted:I take it you did an out and back? We were considering this loop: http://www.everytrail.com/guide/macintyre-range-wright-algonquin-iroquois but sounds like it is quite a bit longer Yep. We were talking with some folks on the summit who told us the descent to Avalanche Lake was very steep. They said it was best to ascend that portion, rather than descend, since you'd be fresher. My fiancee and I were already pretty tired from the hike up Algonquin + Iroquois at that point, so we opted to just turn around and head back. We did the Loj -> Marcy's Dam portion while hiking Phelps. It's basically a flat walk through wide forest trails. I wouldn't worry about the extra miles too much since it's pretty flat, just buffer some more time. Multiple people commented how beautiful Avalanche Pass was, so we're heading back at some point to check it out.
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Aug 20, 2015 22:14
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The fires here in Washington are getting out of control again. They evacuated a bunch of towns, including one I did some backpacking out of a couple weeks ago (Winthrop). I just heard some places I thought were out of harm's way are being evacuated because of new fires and they're sending rangers in to try to locate hikers. Stay safe out there! e: I guess there are new fires in Glacier too, areas I hiked in last month are closed too. Officer Sandvich fucked around with this message at 00:53 on Aug 21, 2015 |
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Aug 21, 2015 00:51
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