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khysanth posted:What are all of your favorite non-valley car campgrounds in Yosemite? Thinking of going in late May/early June and have only stayed in the valley! Tuolumne Meadows campground reservations become available on the 15th, so better jump on it. Does anybody else find Reserve America frustrating? Not that I'd prefer a lottery system, but by opening a couple months worth of reservations on a single day, it derails any hope for a weekend spot unless book it that morning. king of the bongo posted:I am heading out to san diego by la jolla area in april/may. Any must do day hikes up by there that I should not miss? How bad are the crowds by there, as trip reports say some places get pretty packed. I'm there for a week or so and then may head towards mexico (south of tijuana) if there are any spots there that people can recommend. Thanks. If you want a short hike to an awesome beach, try Black's Beach just north of La Jolla. It is a steep descent with stunning ocean views to a much less crowded (and much more nude) beach. You need to be wary of riptides and mantas, but the seclusion is worth it. If you want something more inland, you can try the Devil's Punchbowl to a waterfall/swimming hole. Fair warning, people have died jumping from the waterfall, so maybe don't do that. I'm sure there are others, but I just can't imagine going to SD and not swimming. A Horse Named Mandy fucked around with this message at 23:32 on Feb 10, 2016 |
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Feb 10, 2016 23:20
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A Horse Named Mandy posted:Tuolumne Meadows campground reservations become available on the 15th, so better jump on it. Does anybody else find Reserve America frustrating? Not that I'd prefer a lottery system, but by opening a couple months worth of reservations on a single day, it derails any hope for a weekend spot unless book it that morning. I think that's set by Yosemite, but yeah it forces you to have things planned out far in advance since a big block goes on the "market" all at once. I know my dad stayed at Crane Flats before he hiked the JMT, it's kind of halfway between the valley and Tuolumne, might be a bit easier to get reservations there. Don't know much about the campsite itself though
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Feb 10, 2016 23:25
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king of the bongo posted:I am heading out to san diego by la jolla area in april/may. Any must do day hikes up by there that I should not miss? How bad are the crowds by there, as trip reports say some places get pretty packed. I'm there for a week or so and then may head towards mexico (south of tijuana) if there are any spots there that people can recommend. Thanks. There is a lot of cool stuff to see along the beach, and Blacks beach is pretty cool as mentioned above. You'll see people nearby hang-gliding over the ocean. You'll be in the area already so Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve is worth checking out. About an hour to the east, and away from the crowds, there's a bunch of awesome hiking. You can take interstate 8 to sunrise highway (79) and hike in the Cuyamacas. Stonewall Peak is pretty awesome. Continue through from the 79 and you'll get to Julian which is beautiful. Keep going past Julian and you'll get to where the California magic REALLY happens; Anza Borrego Desert state park. Borrego Palm Canyon trail is really neat but sometimes crowded. You may see some big-horned sheep depending on time of year. Or continue east on the 8 and you'll come to Buckman Springs rd., which is the exit for Corral Canyon OHV area. There are a bunch of hikes in this area that are legit amazing, like Corte Madera and Horsethief Canyon, where you may find a nice pool. If you want a closer hike that will kick your rear end and give you great views you should try the ~12 mile round-trip El Cajon mountain. Other locally well-known hikes include Iron Mountain, Cowles Mountain, and Mt. Woodson (where you'll find potato-chip rock). Whatever hiking you do, go snorkeling in La Jolla while you're here. Astonishing Wang fucked around with this message at 00:13 on Feb 11, 2016 |
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Feb 11, 2016 00:08
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king of the bongo posted:I am heading out to san diego by la jolla area in april/may. Any must do day hikes up by there that I should not miss? How bad are the crowds by there, as trip reports say some places get pretty packed. I'm there for a week or so and then may head towards mexico (south of tijuana) if there are any spots there that people can recommend. Thanks. Lots of good recomendations already so I will just add two of my favorite day hikes. I live in La Jolla and both of these good day hikes from there. First is the Laguna Mountain area of Clevland National forest. From the north part of park you can do a short hike to the top of Garnet Peak, which gives you an awesome view into Anza-Borrego desert, and then do the Laguna meadow and Sunset trail loop. This whole area actually has lots of trees and hasn't been crowded the few times I have been there. Another on is Morena butte. Really fun hike on some pink granite with some great views. I did this one a few weeks ago with some friends and they were all impressed. Easy to find the trailhead from Hwy 8 and free parking make it even better. We only saw two people on the trail on a Saturday morning. Found a rad geocache near the top.  Also, if you do any hiking past Alpine on Hwy 8, I would recommend stopping by the Alpine Brewing brewpub for great food and beer.
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Feb 11, 2016 04:48
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Lt_Tofu posted:Lots of good recomendations already so I will just add two of my favorite day hikes. I live in La Jolla and both of these good day hikes from there. I'm going to take all of this advice!
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Feb 11, 2016 06:12
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Stanley Goodspeed posted:What trailhead and route did you guys take to the top? Kind of interested in doing it this weekend and would love to see some of the same stuff you showed in your photographs, those looked really cool. This is a double edged sword. The Diablo area is divided into roughly two sections divided by North Gate road. The west portion is mostly level paths wandering through peaceful foothills and meadows, very lush and green. Most visitors start here from Borges Ranch. The east portion starts rising up Mount Diablo, which is where the elevation gain starts to get brutal, but you'll be rewarded with increasingly spectacular views. Hikers tackling the peak usually approach from the Summit Trail to the south, or park near the top and hike around. We knew we would be staying overnight in Juniper Campground, so we parked just outside the Borges area and took the time to hike through both sections, first along Borges Ranch Trail, then Stage Road, and finally Burma Road. Theoretically you could do it all in one strenuous day hike, but be warned, they close the gates at sundown. Alternately, you could explore one section of the park the first day, camp, then drive to the other section to explore. Lacks the backpacking feel, but far less taxing. If you plan to camp, the campsite has water, bathrooms, a shower, and firepits/grills, but are $30 a night! Up to you if it's worth it.
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Feb 11, 2016 09:10
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khysanth posted:What are all of your favorite non-valley car campgrounds in Yosemite? Thinking of going in late May/early June and have only stayed in the valley! As others have said Tuolumne Meadows is quite nice. You can go explore Lyell Canyon easily, and there are a number of lakes within easy to moderate hiking distance. There is also a general store with a decent grill (their pancakes are pretty good). And you have shuttle service along the Tioga Road if you want to get out and explore but not fight for parking. If you're up for a challenge I highly recommend making the trek out to Clouds Rest from Tenaya Lake. Make it an alpine start and you can watch the Half Dome light up in front of you. While I haven't stayed there the Bridalviel Creek Campground give good access to the South Western part of the park. Closest amenities would be at Glacier Point. Nice hiking opportunities and chances to explore trails that don't see as many people. Anecdotally there seems to be more wildlife there. Every time I've been in that area have come across Bears, Coyotes, and the omni-present deer. As for reservations, just because you don't have one don't fret. Keep checking recreation.gov looking for cancellations. You would be surprised how often those come up. I've scored a Tuolumne Campground reservation for Labor Day weekend only two weeks before hand. Ultimately if you don't land a reservation try to get there very early on Friday (or better yet mid-week) and lock down a walk-in campsite. Good luck and enjoy! Yosemite in late May is stunning 
HarryPurvis fucked around with this message at 23:00 on Feb 11, 2016 |
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Feb 11, 2016 19:44
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I was thinking about picking up my first pair of trail runners. Any particular shoes to look at? Also, I need a new water filter. I had an MSR SweetWater filter that got lost in a move. It worked well and I don't have any complaints. I was looking at gravity filters but those seem to have some downsides. I was looking at the MSR HyperFlow Microfilter, just because it is smaller and has less weight, but I noticed it does not filter viruses. Is that something to be concerned about?
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Feb 13, 2016 00:15
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Internet Explorer posted:I was thinking about picking up my first pair of trail runners. Any particular shoes to look at? Just asked the same question in the Trail Running thread, and someone said "Salomon Speedcross 3's for a combo of lightweight, sturdy, ziptie shoelace and excellent grip on the bottom". I'm actually going out in an hour to try to find some for running tomorrow.
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Feb 13, 2016 00:51
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Awesome, thank you!
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Feb 13, 2016 00:53
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Internet Explorer posted:I was thinking about picking up my first pair of trail runners. Any particular shoes to look at? You're probably not going to filter viruses with a mechanical filter, most bugs are just too small. But, if you're hiking in the continental US, there's an argument to be made that you really don't have to worry too much about viruses anyways  For filters, I really like my Sawyer mini squeeze, it seems to do a good job for a cheap price. Plus, the filter bags are pretty handy to carry more water if it's going to be awhile before I can fill up again. If you're looking to kill viruses, I'd recommend chlorine based Aquamira. Chlorine is a lot safer than iodine or bleach, and it's largely what's used to treat our municipal water supply. Speaking of water though, someone here keyed me onto these, but True Lime packets are just fantastic for adding a bit of citrus zest to brackish water (or beer). Catatron Prime fucked around with this message at 04:11 on Feb 13, 2016 |
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Feb 13, 2016 02:43
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OSU_Matthew posted:You're not going to filter viruses with a mechanical filter, most bugs are just too small. But, if you're hiking in the continental US, there's an argument to be made that you really don't have to worry too much about viruses anyways. All awesome points. Thank you very much.
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Feb 13, 2016 02:48
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Internet Explorer posted:Awesome, thank you! I ended up getting Asics Gel FujiTrabuco 4 GPX shoes instead. I've been going to the Runner's Den for a couple years now, and trust their judgment with my feet and running pace/distance/terrain. The lady had me convinced that the speedcross 3's were "racers," and I don't race. I crawl uphill  Anyway, the Asics were the most comfortable after running around the block, so hopefully they will hold up well. I have never been disappointed with that store.
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Feb 13, 2016 04:04
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OSU_Matthew posted:For filters, I really like my Sawyer mini squeeze, it seems to do a good job for a cheap price. Plus, the filter bags are pretty handy to carry more water if it's going to be awhile before I can fill up again. That said, the Sawyer Mini weighs and costs almost nothing, so it's great to have as a backup in any event.
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Feb 13, 2016 07:09
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I have a pair of speedcross 3s and new balance mt10s. The Salomons I only wear in the winter and when it's wet/slippery/muddy. It doesn't look like the soles will last long in dry/rocky terrain. I really like the mt10s, got them as warranty replacement after mt20s had a hole and have pretty much worn the tread off. Use them for running, most hiking, and wearing around shoes in the summer. Have done a 15mi hike in glacier with them and even a 5 day raft trip.
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Feb 13, 2016 07:22
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Internet Explorer posted:Also, I need a new water filter. I had an MSR SweetWater filter that got lost in a move. It worked well and I don't have any complaints. I was looking at gravity filters but those seem to have some downsides. I was looking at the MSR HyperFlow Microfilter, just because it is smaller and has less weight, but I noticed it does not filter viruses. Is that something to be concerned about? I don't understand why more people aren't using gravity filters. They're as simple as water filtration can get. Lifestraw requires you to bend down and drink out of the water source. Great for a survival kit, terrible for practical day to day use. The sawyer squeeze filter is okay if you're just day hiking but its annoying for any long term use like backpacking. It only filters a little bit of water at a time and is prone to leaks since the bag is squeezed over and over again through its lifetime. I really like MSR and Katadyn pump filters, they're generally pretty quick but require you to sit by the water and continuously pump until your bladder is full. They can also be fairly bulky in a pack but regardless, they tend to work well. Gravity filters are insanely simple. You fill a bag with dirty water and connect it to your clean bladder. Hang the dirty bag up high and walk away. By the time you return you will likely have 4 liters of freshly filtered water without particles, flavor or pumping/squeezing required. Pros - simple to use - no moving parts to break - works perfectly with your hydration bladder system - minimal effort/ no pumping - very lightweight system - you can double your water capacity by filling both reservoirs and filtering later - unlike the sawyer squeeze system, you aren't constantly crumpling the bag and causing it to leak. - can filter 4 liters in 2.5 minutes Cons - You need enough water available to submerge the bag ... or scoop the water into the bag. It would have to be a ridiculously small water source to not work. - pumping can go faster but seriously, 3 minutes to filter 4 liters of water. And you don't have to babysit it.
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Feb 13, 2016 10:20
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Pumps are good if all you expect to find are puddles and seeps, but otherwise gravity filters are crazy convenient. Fun fact - disconnecting the hose from a Platypus filter bag seals the bag, so you can use it as an extra water container for unfiltered water. I've never seen viruses as being much of a concern unless you were planning on filtering from major rivers or near large human populations. Hiking in the Rockies or Appalachians you just aren't going to run into a lot of sewer runoff that would carry that sort of contamination. 
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Feb 13, 2016 16:08
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I've actually been looking at ways to turn my Sawyer mini into an in-line gravity filter, but maybe it might just be easiest to purchase the whole setup with a proper hanging bag... Which one do you guys think would be the best to go with? The platypus kit?
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Feb 14, 2016 01:20
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The sawyer mini should work in line as a gravity filter, just get a bladder for storing dirty water and some hose
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Feb 14, 2016 03:29
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I got the Platypus plus this Osprey adapter: http://www.rei.com/product/864033/osprey-quick-connect-hydration-hose-kit Let me plug the gravity hose directly into the Osprey reservoir...of course, you can do the same with pretty much any filter/reservoir combo but it's super convenient to refill on the trail.
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Feb 14, 2016 05:17
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I've posted it before but I"m a big advocate of treating water rather than filtering, as long as you're not having to filter murky water or if you're in a place that it's hard to gather water to treat it first (though I've treated with aqua mira in the grand canyon where some of the streams are pretty much trickles...you just need something to collect the water and be able to poor it into your treatment container). Especially in mountain areas I don't see any reason to filter over treating, BUT that's just me. I guess some people like you can filter on the go faster.
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Feb 14, 2016 06:36
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OSU_Matthew posted:I've actually been looking at ways to turn my Sawyer mini into an in-line gravity filter, but maybe it might just be easiest to purchase the whole setup with a proper hanging bag... Which one do you guys think would be the best to go with? The platypus kit? Last time I was in the CO Rockies there were signs posted up about viruses in the water
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Feb 14, 2016 07:44
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Tashan Dorrsett posted:Last time I was in the CO Rockies there were signs posted up about viruses in the water Yeah, I always chemically treat water in Mohican because parts of the tail intersect a bridle trail, which means horse people letting their animals poo poo in the water, because that's just what horse people do. It was actually pretty fascinating visiting there at night one time and watching dung beetles happily diving into piles of poo poo like Scrooge McDuck. Conversely, a few of the other parks I most often visit don't even want you drinking the water at all because of heavy metal contamination from mining runoff. All throughout Appalachia I always look for a yellowish tinge to check for yellowboy. At Zaleski and Shawnee State Park, rangers just fill cisterns at the established sites, which honestly is pretty convenient anyways.
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Feb 14, 2016 14:25
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quote:Stuff about viruses in water
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Feb 14, 2016 18:22
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CopperHound posted:Have any of you had a chance to get your hands on an MSR guardian purifier yet? It costs even more than a katadyn pocket and I can't seem to find any actual hands on reviews that aren't ads. I really like the self-flushing aspect... that's a pretty clever notion. The problem with trying to catch viruses with physical filters is that viruses are just incomprehensibly tiny. A quick googling shows that Hepatitis A, rotovirus and Norwalk virus can be as small as .004 microns, while the Guardian only claims to filter down to .02 microns. Granted, that could be an extra decimal typo from the source I'm looking at, but even then, the CDC suggests that Ultrafiltration (.01 micron) is only moderately effective at removing viruses. TL;DR, the most common stuff you'll find are bacteria and protozoa, which are fairly large. Protozoa are generally 1 to 20 microns, and the smallest bacteria are roughly .1 micron. For reference, the sawyer squeeze claims .1 micron filtration, so it's probably good enough for most bacteria/protozoa. Another thought is your source... viruses and whatnot survive longer in colder water, and are susceptible to UV exposure, so theoretically it's probably better to drink warm, standing water, though I almost always do the opposite . Then again, I'm not usually out backpacking long enough for intestinal distress to kick in, and even so, I usually carry some immodium in my first aid kit anyways, so I'm not too overly concerned beyond basic filtration where I hike.e: Just watched a video review of the Guardian, and it looks like it was only just released last month, so I'd be curious to see if the price drops/competition adopts the same filtration media/self cleaning design. Both of those seem like awfully compelling features to me, along with the embedded pre-filter. Catatron Prime fucked around with this message at 21:00 on Feb 14, 2016 |
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Feb 14, 2016 20:41
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Yeah to be completely 100% sure you would want to filter and then treat. I think things like aquamira take a pretty long time to kill off giardia for example. I have a steripen which is pretty cool, plus an msr pump filter I have never actually used.
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Feb 14, 2016 21:05
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2 minute rolling boil is safest, no?
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Feb 14, 2016 21:46
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Yeah but takes a ton of fuel if you can't have a fire
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Feb 15, 2016 00:38
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Canadian Rockies water is clean as hell because it's all glacial, often only hours melted so we only treat it just in case because giardia can be in the water. I don't even own a filter.
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Feb 15, 2016 03:51
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jamal posted:Yeah to be completely 100% sure you would want to filter and then treat. I think things like aquamira take a pretty long time to kill off giardia for example. I have a steripen which is pretty cool, plus an msr pump filter I have never actually used. Does treating before you filter do any damage to your filter?
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Feb 15, 2016 04:16
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Picnic Princess posted:Canadian Rockies water is clean as hell because it's all glacial, often only hours melted so we only treat it just in case because giardia can be in the water. I don't even own a filter. I mean, same poo poo for most high mountain areas. Water is mostly snow melt or established lakes that are generally clean enough.
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Feb 15, 2016 04:19
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Look Sir Droids posted:Does treating before you filter do any damage to your filter? I doubt it, but you want to do it the other way. Treatment works better in clearer water.
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Feb 15, 2016 04:24
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Most backcountry water won't kill you ... rivers, lakes, steams etc. And if you get giardia you could possibly be home before it even affects you. But when you're deep in the backcountry, miles away from help, relying on a healthy body to get you in and out of the woods, safe backpacking is all about risk management. Many people have died from making stupidly simple mistakes. You can probably drink everything you see and not get sick ... but what if you do get sick? Is the gamble worth risking your health and safety? For me, no. The inconvenience of filtering/treating water for 5 minutes far outweighs the remote possibility of getting sick on a trip where my healthy body is the single most important aspect of my safety.
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Feb 15, 2016 06:26
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What do any desert/high desert hikers among you do for water? There are no streams, arroyos are only in monsoon season and they're dangerous, and the mountains only have snow in the winter through mid spring. I'm still doing really short ones where I can just carry a Gatorade bottle or two full in my bag, but I'm trying to figure out the mechanics of longer treks.
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Feb 15, 2016 06:38
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LivesInGrey posted:What do any desert/high desert hikers among you do for water? There are no streams, arroyos are only in monsoon season and they're dangerous, and the mountains only have snow in the winter through mid spring. I'm still doing really short ones where I can just carry a Gatorade bottle or two full in my bag, but I'm trying to figure out the mechanics of longer treks. Carry it or if possible stash water along the hike. Some hikers down in Big Bend will stash water in bear boxes or campsites near roads before the hike. If you do this write your name and the hike start date and expected pickup date on it. That helps keep people from messing with it and allows park staff to determine whose it is and dispose of it if it is old.
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Feb 15, 2016 06:47
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Even if it's a day hike I don't know why you would take that risk if you don't have to. Tablets and lifestraws and steripens are super easy to carry and use. As far as the desert goes, unless you have a known water source along the way I would expect to have to bring it all with.
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Feb 15, 2016 06:49
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jamal posted:As far as the desert goes, unless you have a known water source along the way I would expect to have to bring it all with. Also be sure it is actually a know source. Ask a ranger or someone who has been there recently.
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Feb 15, 2016 07:06
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Lifestraw is where it's at. simple, longlasting, cheap ($20, lasts a year or so)
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Feb 15, 2016 08:53
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I am very distrustful of steripens conceptually. Can someone who has one let me know how well they work. I understand the science behind them, but for some reason that ain't convincing me. Filter and then use the pen? Don't bother with filter? How do I do this?
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Feb 15, 2016 15:39
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The last trip I was on one of our friends was using a steripen. It looked pretty awesome when used the first time, but the next time she tried to use it it wouldn't work. We tried fresh batteries and no luck. We had our katadyn filter so we were all ok, but it was a bummer of a failure on a trip where we may have needed it. We did think it was silly for all of us to bring filters, as three was unnecessary for the trip, but better safe than sorry I guess. I prefer our katadyn hiker pro over the steripen and Sawyer mini, but just based on this one trip.
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Feb 15, 2016 15:55
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