Hiking. Day, Thru, Section, Ultralight to Traditional

Day hikes to months long treks. Cuben fiber to cotton mesh.

Diehards to weekend warriors....

Would like to see the places you've been and hear about the gear you use.
 
That's about as close an invitation as I'll ever get. I'm not good at the long distance, lightweight hiking you're alluding to. But I still get around.

Panamint City, a long, annoying weekend backpacking trip in the Panamint range. You used to be able to "drive" up there. Alas wilderness. Osprey 65L.
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East fork of the San Gabriel, through trip from Vincent Gap down to Heaton Flat. 17 miles of river bed. GoLite Jam. Hennessy Hammock.
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North fork of the Kings river in Sequoia. A long day if you dawdle. Imlay Canyon "Mystery" bag. Henderson 7mm wetsuit Photo: Sierenphotography.com
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Heaps Canyon, Zion National Park. Last rappel was like fun, but different. Big... big... day. 600ft rope by BlueWater.
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Cave in Nevada. Long hike up a really steep hill. Then rat-poop dust. Lots of it. Photo: Kevin Westervoorde
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Boulder cave in southern California. Stylish nylon cave suit by Lost Creek. Photo: Jansen Cardy
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Mt. Roberts (The long way), Juneau Alaska Cave bag by Petzl. Northface(You must go on sooo many adventures...) jacket Photo: Brian Weed
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Orderville Canyon, Zion National Park. Almost got flashed, so that was fun. Poles: Black Diamond "Expensive carbon edition" Photo: Dominik Nadolski
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30 stories down a borehole, the only way out is going back up. Mine in Nevada. Tripod by Velbon, Canon 5dII in bag. "poop catcher" canyon harness by Petzl Photo:UndergroundExplorers.com
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Pine Creek Canyon. Zion National Park. Childs play in the summer. Those potholes kicked my ass in the spring. Mammut helmet, Sten light. Photo: Danny Ross
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Ruby Canyon. First descent. Los Padres NF. Photo: Steve Sieren
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Last long hike was to the wind rivers here in Wyoming. Made it to the titcomb basin. 35 miles round trip. Hoping to do a short trip this year. My weight was 30 lbs with food and water. I have a frameless mountain hardwear pack, tarptent and the big katadyne hiker pro water filter. I just picked up a small sawyer one. I use a ribz pack also, really like it.
 

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Sweet! Have you done any packrafting? How are the mosquitos in WY?

I don't know how to swim, so my ass doesn't get in the water. The mosquitoes can get pretty bad, I guess it depends on time of the year and how close you are to the water.
 
I bought a jeep so I don't have to use my feet.
Lol! Driving is quicker. I'll have to post some pics of our hike in the Badlands while on our honeymoon. Thought we were going to die and took pics of storm coming at us. Respect the weather I do now.
 
Last long hike was to the wind rivers here in Wyoming. Made it to the titcomb basin. 35 miles round trip. Hoping to do a short trip this year. My weight was 30 lbs with food and water. I have a frameless mountain hardwear pack, tarptent and the big katadyne hiker pro water filter. I just picked up a small sawyer one. I use a ribz pack also, really like it.

Nice! Island Lake is a great spot to make a mini base camp. Here is last September with my brother in the Wind Rivers. We went in to Titcomb first, then in again at New Fork Canyon. Highly recommend New Fork. Almost no one there and really nice terrain. We went in two different locations for two three-day trips because I hate carrying 6 days of food along with all the camera gear I haul.

Here is Island Lake one morning

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Getting into Titcomb Basin

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Starting in New Fork Canyon

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Now we are getting somewhere

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Went off-trail the second day. Found a room with a view, but it wasn't very wind protected.

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Sunset that evening

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Dave
 
Oh, and about gear. I tried a Boreas "lost coast" backpack for the first time (don't ask how many backpacks I have - it's embarrassing). It was fine but I probably overloaded it a bit w/ 45-50 lbs. Wore a hole through the mesh near the bottom of the lumbar area. After one trip, not too impressive. I'm going back to my old but trusty Dana pack.

Tent is a Big Agnes Fly Creek UL3; really like it @ 3-ish lbs. The camera stuff weighs 20 lbs, so I have to be light with everything else.

Dave
 
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Oh, and about gear. I tried a Boreas "lost coast" backpack for the first time (don't ask how many backpacks I have - it's embarrassing). It was fine but I probably overloaded it a bit w/ 45-50 lbs. Wore a hole through the mesh near the bottom of the lumbar area. After one trip, not too impressive. I'm going back to my old but trusty Dana pack.

Tent is a Big Agnes Fly Creek UL3; really like it @ 3-ish lbs. The camera stuff weighs 20 lbs, so I have to be light with everything else.

Dave

Great pictures Dave! Thanks for sharing.
Been looking pretty hard at the Big Agnes tents. How do you like yours?
 
I like them a lot. I've had several brands of tents from JanSport and Eureka to TNF and Sierra Designs. I got the BA Fly Creek UL1, and it is perfect for me when going alone. I got this Fly Creek UL3 last year.

But I value light tents. I even tried to make it several years with just a bivi sack until it rained all night once in the Sierras. most miserable night I've ever had out.

The material is quite thin but amazingly strong. Two things about them: first, like many tents the three person rating on the UL3 is pretty optimistic. There is not much extra room with two people (I'm 6-5, 210 lbs but my brother is more normal like 5-10 170). Second, since weight is a priority with these, the doors are slanted in which will not protect you from rain when you get in and out. Just make sure the door is away from prevailing winds. Build quality seems excellent although I haven't been using either tent for that long. I don't know how well they stand up over time. They are both good in the wind. That one night at that spot in the photo it howled until about 4 am. The tent took it like it was nothing.

You can pitch these without stakes but I wouldn't call it a free standing tent. It is way too loose without stakes. Stake it out and it is tight as a drum. At 3 something pounds it is pretty light even as a 2-person tent with a fly.

Oh and thanks for the comment about the pics!

Dave
 
I hate carrying 6 days of food along with all the camera gear I haul.
Dang dchew. Fine work there, thanks for sharing those.
Ditto on lugging camera gear around. But dude... my friends think I'm crazy for dragging a 5DII around caves! I don't think I'd leave the house with an IQ180.

Would you mind posting a check list if you have one for your climbing gear.
I only have one with a canyoneering slant... but there's a lot to be learned there about dealing with water all day while hiking: http://ropewiki.com/Gearlist_-_Dav Biggest thing is optimization. You don't take a Ferrari to the Rubicon. I try not to take an ultralight backpack into a technical canyon... or lug beer on a 4 day backpacking trip when clearly vodka is the way to go... unless you're showing off. :beer: Oh and those dry bags are more like "moist bags" in the right conditions. A kayaker friend told me that it takes 4 ziplocks to waterproof something.

Bonus pic to hit dchew where it hurts. Moulin under Mendenhall Glacier via rusted out TJ, kayak, and foot. :brows:
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Dang dchew. Fine work there, thanks for sharing those.
Ditto on lugging camera gear around. But dude... my friends think I'm crazy for dragging a 5DII around caves! I don't think I'd leave the house with an IQ180.
...
Bonus pic to hit dchew where it hurts. Moulin under Mendenhall Glacier via rusted out TJ, kayak, and foot. :brows:

Marvelous photo there! Love the colors, the lit up falls in the back, and great job holding detail in the water.

I don't worry about using the IQ180. If you think about it is a lot like a Jeep: built like a brick and about as expensive. Just don't drop it on its head on a rock. But you don't want to do that with your Jeep either! :)

Seriously it is one of the reasons I shoot with an Alpa. That's basically a brick too. The problem is the lenses. When was a copal shutter designed, during the reign of the Pharaohs?? Not much "weather sealing" in one of those shutters. I certainly wouldn't take those lenses into one of your canyons. I don't know if HighwayTrout was including cameras in his "gear you use" but here's what I took:
RRS-24 tripod
Arca Swiss D4 head
Alpa STC
Schneider 60xl
Rodenstock 90hrsw
Sony a7r
Sony FE 35mm f2.8
Leica 90 f/2

The Sony sits in a chest pouch for quick shots and doubles as a backup. If we were climbing the medium format stuff would stay home to make room for the climbing gear.

The fact you take a 5DII is awesome. The two things people on forums complain about with that camera are its weather sealing and its "limited" dynamic range. You prove they are worried about ghosts. :thumb:

Dave
 
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A little place we found in a AAA travel book in Colorado in small print and decided to go to it.

The Interpretive Paint Mines

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