Finally Out Again

Testing some things this weekend. Went to lean-to via Moss Hill Road on Saturday with:

• La Sportiva sneakers & thin knee-length compression socks
• ZPacks gaiters
• SMD Flight 30 UL
• Hummingbird Hammocks Single+, tree straps, & Martin bugnet
• EE Apex Enigma
• Kammok UL Weather Shelter
• Didn't bring towel, trekking poles, handkerchief, or pack hangar

Footwear was fine. Path was pretty gradual and they got a little muddy - definitely NOT waterproof! The gaiters stayed up the whole time which was a nice surprise. The pack was fine, but I've mentally decided to move on from my UL pack and get a Gregory which will only be another 5-8 ounces and will be more comfortable; it also won't sit on my back and soak up all my sweat! 

The hammock setup was great! It rained a little (sprinkles on & off) so I used my Sea-to-Summit poncho over me & the pack. Then when I got to lean-to I pretended it was pouring and tried to setup tarp & hammock while still in poncho with pack on my stomach. Nice test all around. The tarp was big enough for the hammok, though not a lot of extra room. Setup was narrow since I forgot my pole. Used the poncho as a ground cloth for my pack & footwear while I napped for 45 minutes. All-in-all, a solid test and a great day. Few, if any, bugs.

Sunday

• La Sportiva sneakers & padded ankle-length Darn-Tough socks
• ZPacks gaiters
• SMD Minimalist
• Hummingbird Hammocks Single+, tree straps, & Martin bugnet
• This time I remembered trekking poles and pack hangar (see pic below)

Went in from Bailey road this time. Much shorter, and much STEEPER which was a good workout for the legs. Really felt stronger as a result of this hike - less knee pain. Can't believe how much quicker it was going back to car vs the walk in - or at least it seemed that way. No nap today, but did set up the hammock again and added a ridgeline to keep bugnet out of my face. Pack hangar worked, but I think it should be thicker cord, and no so long - best idea is to get cord that can also be used to field-repair Zpack gaiters also, and used as bear-bag hang. The Minimalist bag was fine, but still not as comfortable as the Gregory packs I've had in the past. AND I HATE THE ROLL_TOP closure. Waste of time & space I think, but maybe that's just due to my current approach. I've listed the Flight and my Fusion packs on FB, but I'll keep the minimalist as an alternative in the future.

The point of hiking in again Sunday was to replenish the outhouse supplies - completely empty I noticed on Saturday. Added 1 roll TP, 1 package wipes, 1 hand sanitizer, and some feminine hygiene stuff to the tupperware container. It wouldn't hold the 2nd roll of TP that I brought so I just double-bagged that in hopes it would survive until needed. Maybe I'll check again this weekend.

Gear eval: 

• La Sportiva were fine, though not as comfy as when I first tried them on and my toes were a bit sore on Sunday from the down hill. Should try downhill again with thin socks to see if that changes things. But on Saturday, felt like my feet slipped around way too much with the thin socks.
• ZPacks Gaiters - AWESOME. Even on Sunday, with ankle socks, they stayed above the calf the entire time.
• HH Single+ - continues to be comfortable and I had a decent nap in it with just an UL inflatable pillow.
• EE Apex Enigma blue / gold - perfect for the weather on Saturday which was cloudy & spots of rain.
• Backpacks - I don't like how little structure the UL / frameless packs have. It doesn't stand up when it's on a flat surface. It's harder to pack because it flops around so much. I hate how it's right on my back which soaks up my sweat and makes me hotter, faster. And the roll-top is only useful when you've got a bunch of food that you are working through over several days - it's not like the gear itself gets smaller. 

(7.48) Brian's first ever backpacking trip

 

Brian & I hiked from the trailhead to middle settlement Lake, stayed overnight, and returned. It was a much shorter hike that I remember, just about three and a half miles in each direction. We didn't get started until late in the day because of some holdups at home. I don't think we hit the trail until about 4:00 p.m.

 

The trail was much different from my last visit, and even finding the trailhead took several drive-bys. For future reference, it's 1.9 miles south of the Ha-De-Ron-Dah trail access with a large parking area across the street. The drive to the trailhead is right next to the Forest Fire sign (pictured). 

  

There has been a lot of logging also which rerouted things. He wasn't eating and drinking enough on the hike in and had a start of a breakdown about a mile from the lean to, so we took a longer break and I made him eat a cliff bar and drink a lot of water. That changed everything for him and he had a good time.

  

The lean to was occupied so we had to find a nice camping spot not far away. The outhouse was gone so the toilet paper we brought to refill had to be carried back home. 

Very cool moment number one was when we saw a bear cub and her mom coming down a tree in the distance. I pulled out my bear spray, but they were happy to run in the other direction. Very cool moment number two was the 5:38 a.m. wake up with lightning and thunder and rain. Brian said he was scared in his own tent, but he toughed it out like a trooper. The rain didn't last long and we were quickly on the trail back to the van. 

 

I had thought of going two nights and staying at middle Branch Lake, but it was enough for him and his first time.

He remembered to download some office episodes and he watched that at camp while I cooked dinner. The whole point for me was to verify my load out, and make sure Brian had a decent time. We lost the trail once or twice on the way back to the car, but obviously, we kept calm & made it work.

Brian's pack was about 13 lb total. I carried all the food and cooking gear. Brian carried his extra clothes, sleep stuff, shelter, and we each used one trekking pole for the hike. He needed two for his tent and I just brought a tent pole for mine. His pack weight was about 13 pounds. My base was about 12 but I also carried extra water.

On one hand, I think we would have slept better with hammocks. But on the other, how nice it was to be in the tent and able to pack nearly everything into my backpack in a dry tent. I think with a hammock I would need some sort of gear sling or something, otherwise the backpack & other items might be left on the ground or some other place where it would get wet.

 

(6.1 miles) Solo Hike on Crystal Hills Trail - 6 wet & soggy miles

Wore my Salomon boots and due to recent rain and tall grass, feet were soaked as soon as I started. Didn't get any better, and I had to wade through a river near the turn around point so feet were even more wet on the way back. I used the SMD Flight 30 as a bit of a test run and it was comfortable with about 10 pounds in it. Hated going solo, but glad to get outside.