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Vivian Darkbloom posted:Hamilton Mountain, WA on Sunday. Unseasonably nice day! Those poles look identical to the Costco carbon fiber poles, which come to think of it might be the same brand but a new color. Either way, hell yeah, I've had those poles for 3-4 years now and they've held up swimmingly through dozens of backpacking trips. A+, would buy again. My only complaint is that the cork is pretty stiff and has started crumbling as of last year, but it's basically stopped and isn't very noticeable now. The handles are the weak point, but you can easily wrap your own grip tape like a tennis racket, for that price. E: Lol, yup, they're the same poles. Amazon says I bought them August 30, 2014. That's a pretty great gear investment in my book, and I've still got zero urge or reason to upgrade. Catatron Prime fucked around with this message at 04:45 on Feb 13, 2018 |
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Feb 13, 2018 04:41
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Admittedly I hadn't used them in a couple months but I couldn't even get the drat things to open -- the lower section of both of them was stuck in there really solidly. They're aluminum with flick locks; anything I can do to rehabilitate them? Alternatively, are those 
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Vivian Darkbloom posted:Hamilton Mountain, WA on Sunday. Unseasonably nice day! Probably something like PB blaster sprayed into whatever appears to be stuck would unstick them.
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Feb 13, 2018 04:43
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Vivian Darkbloom posted:My trekking poles decided not to work though. If your current poles are flick lock style, they should have some sort of tightening wheel/knob that allows you to make minor tension adjustments before you flick the lock closed. It might be that your poles are just tightened too tight? Try loosening the tensioner and see if that helps. Spray some silicone/lubricant into the shaft and see if you can get them unstuck? The cascade poles you linked are also sold at costco for about $30 and are highly regarded as one of the best outdoor deals on the market. They are great poles and not just for the low price. I've had a set running solid for the last few years.
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Feb 13, 2018 18:22
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Vivian Darkbloom posted:Hamilton Mountain, WA on Sunday. Unseasonably nice day! Ah! I love Hamilton mountain. I have done the hike a few times and it is nice whether foggy or sunny.    This seems like a fine time to ask but, anyone here have recommendations for hikes west of Portland? I have been hiking the gorge a lot but haven’t ventured towards the beach at all. I’ll try Saddle mountain in the spring, but I was hoping for another mountain range or maybe beach/cliff hike type terrain. I like 6-7 miles and semi-steep so it’s a work out.
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Feb 13, 2018 18:47
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OSU_Matthew posted:That's incredible, I'm so jealous... Everything around me is the shade of sludge gray. Half the time I can't tell where the horizon ends and the sky begins. Thanks! The gf is from Vermont, and that's how she feels about winter too.
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Feb 13, 2018 19:32
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I benefited from Cascade trekking pole recommendations in this thread a few years ago. I'm thinking about getting a new pair (my local Costco got them in on 2-12) just because I've taken my current ones through Hell and back; finally the plastic rim thingies you put at the bottom are coming apart. The universal acclaim is earned.
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Feb 15, 2018 03:15
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Sup! I’ve done a lot of day hikes (all sorts of terrain) over my life, but never anything involving overnighting or multi day stuff that involves tents etc. Is there a good guide on beginner gear for a simple one night hike? Basically not sure I need a crazy frame hiking backpack for the short stuff.
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Feb 15, 2018 16:35
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I think to correctly answer that question someone would need both regional and seasonal information of overnight.
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Feb 15, 2018 18:20
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M42 posted:Sup! I’ve done a lot of day hikes (all sorts of terrain) over my life, but never anything involving overnighting or multi day stuff that involves tents etc. Is there a good guide on beginner gear for a simple one night hike? Basically not sure I need a crazy frame hiking backpack for the short stuff. There are tons of great resources out there, but I know REI website and YouTube channel has really basic beginners info if you dig around a little. If you have a local REI, they also have classes (many of which are free).
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Feb 15, 2018 18:59
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M42 posted:Sup! I’ve done a lot of day hikes (all sorts of terrain) over my life, but never anything involving overnighting or multi day stuff that involves tents etc. Is there a good guide on beginner gear for a simple one night hike? Basically not sure I need a crazy frame hiking backpack for the short stuff. Here is a very good resource on budget ultralight backpacking gear. Give it a read: https://lighterpack.com/r/776crf Here is a list of some alternatives from the same person: https://lighterpack.com/r/ea9q48 Basically you're going to need: Big 4 - Tent (stakes, guylines), pack, sleeping bag, sleeping pad Appropriate clothes Food and some way to cook or prepare it and eat it (stove, fuel, pot, utensil - or go cold-soak/no cook) Water and some way to carry it and filter from a source (or carry it all from the start) First aid kit (leukotape, bandages, ibuprofen, etc.) Navigation stuff (maps, compass) Utility stuff (headlamp, small knife) Poop kit (trowel, tp, soap, sanitizer) Misc stuff (bug spray, sunscreen, chapstik, toothbruse/paste/floss) This is my gear list for example: https://www.lighterpack.com/r/egbf8v e- There's also the backpacking/camping gear thread khysanth fucked around with this message at 20:29 on Feb 15, 2018 |
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Feb 15, 2018 20:25
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Blind Rasputin posted:This seems like a fine time to ask but, anyone here have recommendations for hikes west of Portland? I have been hiking the gorge a lot but haven’t ventured towards the beach at all. I’ll try Saddle mountain in the spring, but I was hoping for another mountain range or maybe beach/cliff hike type terrain. I like 6-7 miles and semi-steep so it’s a work out. I'm partial to several hikes in Tillamook State Forest, down highway 6 toward the coast. No real views but some pretty forested hills and a lot of underbrush.   
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Feb 16, 2018 07:06
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M42 posted:Sup! I’ve done a lot of day hikes (all sorts of terrain) over my life, but never anything involving overnighting or multi day stuff that involves tents etc. Is there a good guide on beginner gear for a simple one night hike? Basically not sure I need a crazy frame hiking backpack for the short stuff. Absolutely, we have our very own backpacking and camping gear thread here: https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3817829&pagenumber=2&perpage=40 Great place to ask questions and get advice, and lots of stuff in the OP.
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Feb 16, 2018 13:00
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Anyone have experience with Karrimor boots? Sports Direct near me is closing down and there's a good 60% off boots.. Some of them look OK?
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Feb 23, 2018 14:24
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El Grillo posted:Anyone have experience with Karrimor boots? Sports Direct near me is closing down and there's a good 60% off boots.. Some of them look OK? I've never heard of them, and it's not a brand I ever hear anyone talking about with regards to their favorite hiking footwear, like Solomon or Lowa, Keen, Merrells, and the like. If it's decently priced and feels comfortable, I'm sure it's ok, I just wouldn't have any great expectations of durability or longevity.
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Feb 23, 2018 16:30
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OSU_Matthew posted:I've never heard of them, and it's not a brand I ever hear anyone talking about with regards to their favorite hiking footwear, like Solomon or Lowa, Keen, Merrells, and the like. If it's decently priced and feels comfortable, I'm sure it's ok, I just wouldn't have any great expectations of durability or longevity.
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Feb 23, 2018 16:40
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We are moving back to Colorado, whoop... Has anyone tried any of the new snow shoes or is the MSR Ascent still the go to?
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Feb 24, 2018 23:24
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I really like the revo ascent but I would also consider the lightning ascent. Anywhere with real elevation/mountains you should consider models with heel lifts.
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Feb 25, 2018 00:35
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There are no beginner hikers anymore.  In other news, I think those mountaineers got lost. They said they were going to the summit on that trail. I was tired they should have passed me. Naup. I didn't pass them on the way down but the cars were still in the lot.
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Feb 25, 2018 01:41
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Verman posted:I really like the revo ascent but I would also consider the lightning ascent. Anywhere with real elevation/mountains you should consider models with heel lifts. Definitely have some elevation in Colorado, so excited to get back to the mountains.
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Feb 25, 2018 03:53
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Braincloud posted:Counterpoint: newer Anker solar panels are awesome and weigh less than a battery pack. Just used mine on the 3 week trek up Aconcagua and it kept my Kindle, my watch, and my phone happily full. This is most important in base camp where you have lovely WiFi that eats batteries but no power. Unrelated, how was Aconcagua? Did you have previous mountaineering experience? Did you hire a guide?
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Feb 27, 2018 15:58
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Anyone here ever done the Tahoe Rim Trail? I'm thinking of throwing together a crazy plan to hike it this summer with my wife, a friend of ours, and our 1.5 year old kid It's partly insane but on the other hand we already hike with him a lot and can easily cover plenty of ground. He likes being in the carrier and also falls asleep and naps a long time in it, we'd just have to make sure we take a long lunch break so he can run around, but it's doable to think we could do 10 miles per day. We already camp with him and he has his own little sleeping quilt that's plenty warm. Biggest issue will be things like diapers but I figure planning to resupply more often rather than going long stretches can make that work. But realllly I guess my point in asking is what kind of resupply plan have people done? How many days in between, any really long stretches, etc.
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Feb 27, 2018 19:46
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Levitate posted:Anyone here ever done the Tahoe Rim Trail? https://tahoerimtrail.org has a ton of useful info for you, including resupply points. 10 miles a day will take you about 17 days. Bear cans are NOT required on any part of the TRT.
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Feb 27, 2018 21:17
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Ropes4u posted:We are moving back to Colorado, whoop... I use MSR Evos even for high elevation gains in the sierras and I think they are great. I bring this up because they're 30% off on Amazon now. Haven't tried snowshoes with heel lifts so maybe it's one of those things you don't know what you're missing until you try. https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/reviews/snow-sports/snowshoes/msr-evo - even full priced at $140.00 they win Best Buy award on OGL
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Feb 27, 2018 21:28
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Mokelumne Trekka posted:I use MSR Evos even for high elevation gains in the sierras and I think they are great. I bring this up because they're 30% off on Amazon now. Haven't tried snowshoes with heel lifts so maybe it's one of those things you don't know what you're missing until you try. Heel lifts are magical but my wife is
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Feb 27, 2018 22:30
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Levitate posted:Anyone here ever done the Tahoe Rim Trail? I shelved plans to do the TRT because circumstances changed but it looks like a really fun one. From my planning it seemed like the main supply issue is making sure you have adequate water, as certain stretches are pretty dry. You might cache a few gallons ahead of time at places where the trail crosses a road, and be prepared to carry a day+ of water on some sections. I was planning to bring a bear can because it's not always practical to hang your food on trees in some areas. Sounds like a good time!
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Feb 28, 2018 00:40
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svenkatesh posted:Unrelated, how was Aconcagua? Did you have previous mountaineering experience? Did you hire a guide? Aconcagua was pretty epic. It’s definitely an expedition type climb. The biggest issue is altitude since it’s almost 23,000’ (~7000m). Technical experience isn’t required but being in top conditioning is. No ropes but my crampons def got a workout. I went with a guided group for a couple reasons: my buddy signed up with Alpine Ascents before I decided to join and going with a guide service removed a LOT of the hassle. Yeah, it’s more expensive, but when you show up and don’t have to worry about logistics and permits and meals and just can focus on carrying your own gear and enjoying the climb I felt it was totally worth it. I’ve done mountaineering here in Washington but this was my first guided trip and also the first time I’ve had to deal with that kind of elevation. You can get away without acclimatization on Rainier if you’re lucky/quick enough. We did the Vacas Valley route in to Aconcagua and then came out the normal Horcones Valley route which was great since we pretty much circumnavigated the mountain on our climb. It’s pretty funny that it took us like 2 weeks to go from 1500’ to the summit and then 2 days to hike out. Dropping ~6000’ from high camp Colera (19,500’) to the base camp at Plaza de Mulas (14,000’) on a foot of fresh snow was awesome. Also, summit day was bluebird until about an hour after we began our descent; a storm rolled in, complete with thunder and lightning and a shitload of snow. Nothing like hustling down a lovely 45 degree slope in a whiteout with lightning crackling all around when you’re girded in metal crampons and carrying ice axes! I have about 1000 pictures to go thru still, but I’ll post some when I get a chance.
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Feb 28, 2018 04:44
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Levitate posted:Anyone here ever done the Tahoe Rim Trail? Have you done any overnight hikes with your kid? Like, I would not count on him walking anything, I'd be prepared to carry him the whole way. One and a half is pretty young to do something like that... I'd definitely try a much smaller trip somewhere else first to make sure that you're fine both carrying out the kid's used diapers, the kid, and your own pack and supplies. I think the stroller sounds extremely optimistic as well.. unless these trails are very well groomed or paved, wheels and the backcountry just don't mix very well. Maybe I'm just pessimistic, but this just sounds like a really bad idea...
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Feb 28, 2018 17:47
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OSU_Matthew posted:Have you done any overnight hikes with your kid? Like, I would not count on him walking anything, I'd be prepared to carry him the whole way. One and a half is pretty young to do something like that... I'd definitely try a much smaller trip somewhere else first to make sure that you're fine both carrying out the kid's used diapers, the kid, and your own pack and supplies. I think the stroller sounds extremely optimistic as well.. unless these trails are very well groomed or paved, wheels and the backcountry just don't mix very well. Yeah I've done overnights with him and yes I know he's not walking, we do dayhikes with him all the time that are 8+ miles. The whole carrying diapers thing and making sure the weight is distributed well enough is the real stumbling block. I also said nothing about a stroller so I don't know where you got that from. By carrier I mean a backpack carrier which is how he's carried on all of our hikes. That said, I think ultimately the entire rim trail would be too long for the time we have. Maybe a partial trip or just doing a weeklong is more realistic...I don't think we could take off 3 weeks to make sure we have enough time to do it proper.
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Feb 28, 2018 18:16
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Levitate posted:Yeah I've done overnights with him and yes I know he's not walking, we do dayhikes with him all the time that are 8+ miles. The whole carrying diapers thing and making sure the weight is distributed well enough is the real stumbling block. Sorry, I just made the assumption that there would be a stroller. That's my bad. Also, for the record, I think it's cool as hell that you're doing that kinda stuff with your kid! I always wish my parents had done any hiking or camping with me, I didn't discover how great the outdoors really is until I got to college. I also don't know why I'm so pessimistic on you carrying him, is not like people haven't been doing that with their kids for tens of thousands of years. I also have minimal experience here with young kids and hiking, so I probably shouldn't be giving unsolicited advice anyways. It's just the packing out diapers thing that I think sounds like it sucks the most. I would be curious to know what you wind up doing and how everything works out though...
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Mar 1, 2018 13:18
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The TRT might be a particularly good choice for backpacking with a small kid, since you would hit a road every 2-3 days. Of the 8 sections of trail (split up by road crossings) the section from Echo Lakes to Barker Pass is the only one over 25 miles long. This also makes it practical to just spend a week on the trail without worrying too much about covering a lot of ground, because Tahoe will be there for years to come.
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Mar 1, 2018 15:22
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OSU_Matthew posted:Sorry, I just made the assumption that there would be a stroller. That's my bad. No problem, just don't want people to think I'm like that guy who said he was going to hike across the US and then didn't even make it to San Francisco  I've been backpacking my whole life and we're really trying to integrate our kid into it as well. It's certainly not as easy but we've at least been hiking with him and camping with him since he was pretty young and have been starting with the backpacking recently. Carrying them at this age isn't super easy in that he weighs probably 25 lbs now and will be at least a few pounds heavier by the time august rolls around, then you have the backpack and whatever gear you can stick in it, so just the kid and some of his stuff is probably 45 lbs. My biggest accomplishment may be if I can manage to fit all our other gear in my wife's backpack and have the weight not be too bad, it'd be easier for her to carry stuff with her more comfortable pack and lower weight while I carry him. But yeah as I said diapers are also a concern/pain in the rear end. Vivian Darkbloom posted:The TRT might be a particularly good choice for backpacking with a small kid, since you would hit a road every 2-3 days. Of the 8 sections of trail (split up by road crossings) the section from Echo Lakes to Barker Pass is the only one over 25 miles long. This also makes it practical to just spend a week on the trail without worrying too much about covering a lot of ground, because Tahoe will be there for years to come. This is why the TRT may be appealing though, we could have an opportunity every couple of days to dump trash etc. Also not having to use a bear can ultimately could make the packing stuff easier. So far our kid likes camping and the outdoors so I think he'd find it all pretty fun. I think I'll look into at least a week stretch on it...which maybe leads me back to my original question of whether anyone has recommendations about it, the best stretch to do, what's the most awesome part, etc
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Mar 1, 2018 16:45
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Levitate posted:No problem, just don't want people to think I'm like that guy who said he was going to hike across the US and then didn't even make it to San Francisco
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Mar 1, 2018 18:36
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aparmenideanmonad posted:I have little experience hiking out west (upstate NY and some AT mostly) but as someone who has done the hiking/camping with a toddler thing - I strongly support you getting this in while you can. They may be able to poo poo on their own when they're a little older, but they can also complain about it and are too heavy to carry very far. Needless to say the pace gets dramatically slower and you have to get a little less ambitious or you'll hate yourself. Dealing with diapers sucks, but it's honestly easier than dealing with a whiny, short-legged 60lb'er with minimal stamina and patience who is bored. Yuuuuuuuuuup I imagine future trips will be like super short hike and camps. I'll have to ask my parents, I know they did some moderate length trips when we were younger but that might have been more like 8 years old or something
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Mar 1, 2018 18:50
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Any recommendations on a good lightweight PFD for still water packrafting? I'm going to order a Klymit LWD to take advantage of the buttload of lakes and rivers near me.
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Mar 5, 2018 04:40
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Last time I went backpacking I woke up to the sound of something munching on the granola bars I had left out by the fire ring. Could have been an opossum, but in my mind at the time it was definitely an 800 lbs black bear.
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Mar 6, 2018 23:18
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Everything that makes noise between dusk and dawn is a bear. If it whinnies, or brays, chirps or otherwise makes non-bear noises, it’s a sly bear.
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Mar 7, 2018 00:06
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I woke up once to scratching, crunching, grunting and deep breathing, definitely thought it was a bear and that I was going to look up and see my friend in his bivvy getting eaten in his sleep. I unzip my tent with my headlamp on to see that we're surrounded by about 15 deer who are ripping up the grass eating roots/nutrients in the soil. I could barely see my friends bivvy because he was surrounded by so many deer. He's hard of hearing as is and didn't have any idea of what happened. I went back to sleep. Once in Pasayten, we were followed by deer. They were pretty aggressive about the pee pee. I about died laughing when we were sitting around making dinner one night. There was one doe who was sitting outside of camp in some tall grass watching us like a pedophile at a playground. As my friend got up to go take a piss, it came closer and then followed him down the trail. He tried shooing it away but it would just stop and give him room, then continue to follow him into the woods. We would hear this guy the entire time "hey deer, go away" "go on, shoo" "goddammit go away" "Guys, this thing is getting close to the stream!". I kept waiting for him to yell that it bit his dick off but it never happened. Any time one of us left camp, it would follow us into the woods. Gotta get those salts I guess.
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Mar 7, 2018 00:19
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User Error posted:Last time I went backpacking I woke up to the sound of something munching on the granola bars I had left out by the fire ring. Could have been an opossum, but in my mind at the time it was definitely an 800 lbs black bear. That actually happened to my buddy last time we went to Dolly Sods. Unbeknownst to him someone in the group cooked and spilled some pasta right next to his tent. So, in the wee hours of the morning a bear came snuffling up right beside his tent, waking the poor guy up. Although he was scared shitless, he at least had the presence of mind to crank up his phone volume and play a klaxon alarm which scared the bear off. When he finally emerged from his tent, all the ground around him was torn up from the bear digging and rooting around next to it. The crazy thing is that I was sleeping just on the other side of the trail, maybe a hundred feet away and I didn't hear a thing.
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Mar 7, 2018 03:03
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I am going on a road trip from Kalispell, MT to Denver, CO during the last week of August and the first week of September, and I am trying to get my itinerary settled now because my parents want to meet up with me for part of it. I plan to visit Glacier, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and Rocky Mountain National Parks for 2 days each, and I'd like to know what the best hikes in each park are. Any suggestions on this front would be very helpful. Also, I would welcome suggestions for any other great hiking outside of the parks along this route. Thanks!
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Mar 7, 2018 16:23
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RMNP: Longs Peak keyhole route. If you don’t want to go that crazy (you probably don’t) then Nymph/Dream/Emerald is solid. I'd also highly recommend driving Peak-to-Peak down through Nederland. If you want a hike outside the park, just about anything in Indian Peaks will be equally amazing. Mt. Evans would also be worth the drive, or — come to think of it — Trail Ridge Road inside the park. waffle enthusiast fucked around with this message at 17:55 on Mar 7, 2018 |
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Mar 7, 2018 17:49
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