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I've been editing an upcoming book by a guy who hiked the Appalachian Trail, rode a bike from the west coast to the east coast, and has been living off-grid in Saskatchewan for a long time with his wife. It's really interesting; he obviously is pretty fit and rugged and a handyman to boot, as far as knowing how to build stuff, how to cook stuff, how to get by in the wilderness. He's interviewed in Knowledge Base's Life Off Grid, which airs tonight. Haven't done any hikes lately due to a cold, but I'm getting over that and back into running. We haven't done anything but day hikes so far and may not venture into more until slightly warmer weather. Our last trek was in Lynn Canyon in North Vancouver. I had never been there and was pretty amazed at this pocket of rainforest in the city. Looks like parts of it further up have some nice running trails too.
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Dec 10, 2015 19:55
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Desmond posted:I've been editing an upcoming book by a guy who hiked the Appalachian Trail, rode a bike from the west coast to the east coast, and has been living off-grid in Saskatchewan for a long time with his wife. It's really interesting; he obviously is pretty fit and rugged and a handyman to boot, as far as knowing how to build stuff, how to cook stuff, how to get by in the wilderness. He's interviewed in Knowledge Base's Life Off Grid, which airs tonight. I would like to read this book. Tell us more.
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Dec 11, 2015 03:06
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gohuskies posted:I don't know about Shasta but you need crampons if you're going to climb Mt Hood, not just microspikes. I've climbed Mt. Hood in microspikes. I'm behind the camera on this one, but check out that loving vampire.  What you really should bring to a Mt. Hood summit are skis or a snowboard! Keldoclock fucked around with this message at 15:35 on Dec 11, 2015 |
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Dec 11, 2015 13:47
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Yooper posted:I would like to read this book. The book is called Off Grid and Free: My Path to the Wilderness, by Ron Melchiore.
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Dec 11, 2015 18:09
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Desmond posted:The book is called Off Grid and Free: My Path to the Wilderness, by Ron Melchiore. February 2016!  Be looking forward to it.
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Dec 11, 2015 18:13
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I noticed my local Costco had these 700 fill down 60" x 70" throws for $20. At 15oz, it isn't exactly ultralight, but for a blanket of its size, that's still pretty light and it packs down super small. I found it interesting, but I'm not really sure what I'd do with it on a backpacking trip.
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Dec 15, 2015 18:35
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Seems like it could be handy for car camping
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Dec 15, 2015 19:30
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Levitate posted:Seems like it could be handy for car camping haha that was a very diplomatic way of putting that 
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Dec 15, 2015 20:38
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What are pros/cons of Camelbak Rim Runner vs. M.U.L.E. for day hikes? Have borrowed the MULE before and liked it but don't know much about the Rim Runner at all. Getting one for Christmas and being asked which one I want.
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Dec 15, 2015 21:28
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Joose Caboose posted:What are pros/cons of Camelbak Rim Runner vs. M.U.L.E. for day hikes? Have borrowed the MULE before and liked it but don't know much about the Rim Runner at all. Getting one for Christmas and being asked which one I want. I have the MULE for day hikes. With a full reservoir, don't expect to get much else in there. Might be nice to be able to pack something other than a headlamp and emergency blanket, especially since day hikes are much more dangerous than overnights.
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Dec 16, 2015 02:32
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Having spent a decent amount of money and time loving around with alcohol stoves, and burning the crap out of my finger last night, I am almost loving done with them. What has kept me from going to a bottled gas stove is the waste. It seems annoying to have to keep track of the fill level of multiple canisters and constantly juggle which one is "full enough" for any given trip. My current pot is a 600 mL Titan kettle, which seems just big enough for a cat food can stove to work well on, but it is still narrow enough to handle heats up pretty loving badly. I really like the idea of alcohol stove but I can never achieve the results that people online seem to get. Is anyone here into alcohol stoves and able to guide me in the right direction?
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Dec 16, 2015 03:12
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Joose Caboose posted:What are pros/cons of Camelbak Rim Runner vs. M.U.L.E. for day hikes? Have borrowed the MULE before and liked it but don't know much about the Rim Runner at all. Getting one for Christmas and being asked which one I want. I looked at a bunch of camelbak packs and never found anything quite as good as the the deuter speedlite I ended up with and a hydrapak reservoir since you can flip it to clean and dry it. The deuter has decent water bottle pockets that can fit the taller smart water bottles easily along with a pretty stuffed pack. if needed. The compression straps double as a place to stow jackets or wet stuff on the outside in colder weather. I have beaten mine up for a while now and it is still chugging along with only one small rip in the mesh that was my fault. It can pack a little or you can absolutely stuff it and get a ton in there. It is pretty comfy and their back panel does keep your back pretty cool. The front mesh quick access pocket is a really handy and stuff has never slipped out of it for me, even with smaller items. The back of the pack is cut in such a way that it is narrower towards the lower part which means that it will keep falling over if you try to stand it up compared to regular bags but walking around it is nice to not have the bag be bulky on the bottom. The shoulder straps are pretty comfy as well. I can take a picture of it loaded up with a full bladder etc if you want to see how much it holds visually. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015QK0VHU/ref=s9_hps_bw_g200_i1 http://www.amazon.com/Deuter-Speed-...ASIN=B003ZVKD2Q Both their warranties are pretty good as well on their stuff. king of the bongo fucked around with this message at 05:21 on Dec 16, 2015 |
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Dec 16, 2015 05:19
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New to the thread, but I had a productive summer season. These are all from dayhikes near Seward, AK. Early season, late season, mid season, all mixed in with no regard to order. Early season view of the harbor from Mount Marathon. This is a really commonly climbed local hill, and the stage for a locally famous mountain race (which Killian Jornet won this year.)  Bear glacier, seen from Bear Peak. This is... very hard to get to.  Looking back at about half the Bear Peak ridge. These were taken in July, and I was wearing shorts (actually, I wore shorts while taking all these photos, but nevermind that.) Little Marathon, where the race is done, is to the left.  Godwin Glacier, from the south ridge of Mount Alice. I hypothesize my distance to the glacier was as great vertically as it was horizontally, or even greater vertically.  From that same ridge, a bit further in, looking out to the bay. To be entirely honest, we really shouldn't have been up here. As we went along the ridge, the rock got less and less stable, and the slopes more precipitous. We completed the ridge, but I certainly wouldn't do it again (especially on a very windy day like that.)  A view of the Harding Icefield from exit glacier. This is another really common, well-maintained local hike. A bit touristy, but great in late season.* *It has a trail, therefore, it is touristy.  Some backcountry.  More backcountry, same hike.  And another. Not a different camera angle - different valley. Open country out there like I can't even imagine. Snowmobilers apparently go out here in the winter, but nobody hikes this stuff. There is literally no one out there.  I should really consider getting a real camera. Seward (and the Kenai in general) is an amazing place to hike. Summer season hiking can go from about as early as you want to about 11:00 PM without need for headlamps. Dayhikes range from really beautiful valley walks to treacherous alpine treks. What makes them particularly interesting is nearly everything is hiked from sea level, so there's a whole lot of vertical gain wherever you go. Those pics on Alice had roughly 5000ft of gain over like 4 or 5 miles. Steep stuff. I've definitely gotten in incredible shape doing this stuff, and improved my bouldering skills. A good time! *PUNCH* fucked around with this message at 05:49 on Dec 16, 2015 |
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Dec 16, 2015 05:42
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Alaska is a place I want to go so bad, I'm totally jealous even though my home turf is incredibly similar. I guess it's the whole "grass is greener" thing.
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Dec 16, 2015 08:41
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*PUNCH* posted:New to the thread, but I had a productive summer season. These are all from dayhikes near Seward, AK. Early season, late season, mid season, all mixed in with no regard to order.  Wait, another Sewardite? (Sewardonian? Sewar' Dwel- hmm, no.)I absolutely love the day hikes around here. Mount Alice is a favorite:  Sunset Pool by Alexander Havens, on Flickr And of course, the berry-picking is good as well!  Salmonberries by the Handful by Alexander Havens, on Flickr I only just went up to the Harding Icefield for the first time back in October as I wanted - "great in late season" is right! It was me, my two co-workers I climbed up with, and one other person at the top.  Frozen Ripples by Alexander Havens, on Flickr  Beneath the Sun, Above the White by Alexander Havens, on Flickr I'd love to know where those back country shots are! Assuming you're here year 'round, you know we just got a ton of snow dumped on us (at least relative to last winter). I snagged a splitboard at the ski swap (never done "boarding" of any kind before - skate, surf, or snow. Adventures in learning!), but I'm thinking of picking up some snowshoes for winter hikes. Alehkhs fucked around with this message at 09:31 on Dec 16, 2015 |
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Dec 16, 2015 09:02
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What are those ultralight camping quilts I see people sometimes talk about on here? I think bunnielab might have one, but maybe it was someone else. VVV That's the one. Thanks Hungryjack fucked around with this message at 16:09 on Dec 16, 2015 |
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Dec 16, 2015 16:06
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Hungryjack posted:What are those ultralight camping quilts I see people sometimes talk about on here? I think bunnielab might have one, but maybe it was someone else. Could be Enlightened Equipment: http://www.enlightenedequipment.com/enigma/
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Dec 16, 2015 16:08
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Alehkhs posted:
That's insane. PM'd! Also, if you want to use the splitboard, you should really get up to Alyeska and take some lessons first. It's important to know what you're doing in the backcountry. That said, I headed out for the winter, so I'm jealous! Nice shots!
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Dec 16, 2015 16:25
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There are a bunch of other brands, Jacks R Better, Kabitic, I think Mountain Laurel make/made some. I am still paralyzed with choices. I bought a 4lb synthetic mummy bag to do some coldness tests with but I am still not sure what I want/need and don't want to spend $600 on a quilt set without being pretty sure. A mummy bag and pad defiantly doesn't work but I am hoping that I can start with a mummy and bottom quilt.
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Dec 16, 2015 16:44
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My big thing is that I like to bring multi-use items. Since I can never be sure if a given site will be hammock-compatible, I will be bringing the tent and a sleeping pad just in case. Therefore, I'm trying to make as much use of that even when I can sleep in my hammock in terms of using the tent's rainfly and working the sleeping pad into my insulation system and things like that. I'm not completely sure about the tent's rainfly as a hammock rainfly though. I'll test it it and see what I can work. I'm backpacking in the Ozarks in a couple of weeks. Not sure how cold it will get, but I'm going to try hammock camping with just my Z-lite pad, my 20 degree bag, and some warm clothes. I can't be bothered with an underquilt for the kind of weather we get down south. Sucks that my friend is bringing his dog with the group and I'm leaving mine at home. He's a great heater.
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Dec 16, 2015 18:19
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The part of the east coast where I am is full enough of trees that while a specific camp site may not work, it is almost a sure thing that I can find a suitable spot within a few hundred yards. My problem is that I am a side sleeper who sleeps with a blanket all twisted around myself so trying to make that work in the cold is proving kinda hard. I do think the hammock w/ top and bottom quilt will work, but I am leery of spending so much money before I see what sleeping is like in various temp conditions.
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Dec 16, 2015 18:57
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Hungryjack posted:My big thing is that I like to bring multi-use items. Since I can never be sure if a given site will be hammock-compatible, I will be bringing the tent and a sleeping pad just in case. Therefore, I'm trying to make as much use of that even when I can sleep in my hammock in terms of using the tent's rainfly and working the sleeping pad into my insulation system and things like that. I'm not completely sure about the tent's rainfly as a hammock rainfly though. I'll test it it and see what I can work. Could you not just use a tarp and either have that as the fly for the hammock or shelter if you're on the ground? Seems like doubling up on shelter is a huge waste of effort. Carry a tent only if you're going to need it anyway.
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Dec 16, 2015 20:22
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Birb Katter posted:Could you not just use a tarp and either have that as the fly for the hammock or shelter if you're on the ground? Seems like doubling up on shelter is a huge waste of effort. Carry a tent only if you're going to need it anyway. It seems that way, but the numbers kind of work. When I had my hammock + straps + bug net + rainfly, the weight and the volume of stuff was much more than I thought it would be. I took back the rainfly right away and now I leave the bug net at home. If it's going to rain or if bugs are a problem, I'll just sleep in the tent. In terms of volume used up in my pack, it's a wash. The tent and poles are 23oz of wasted weight if I use the hammock, but I save 38 oz by leaving out the bug net and hammock rainfly. The hammock and straps make 33oz of wasted weight if I have to use the tent, but I save 13oz if I can use the tent's rainfly to cover the hammock. So it's a pound and a quarter of wasted effort if I have to use the tent instead of my preferred hammock option. It would simplify things to just leave the hammock at home and only use the tent, but I enjoy the hammock so that's why I'm trying to find the best compromise.
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Dec 16, 2015 22:56
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If you're in Canada or the Northern States, NOAA has predicted a G2 (moderate) geomagnetic storm for Friday night, but probability % and time is unknown right now. I'm hoping it's before midnight because I have a final exam to write the next morning.
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Dec 17, 2015 22:01
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Picnic Princess posted:If you're in Canada or the Northern States, NOAA has predicted a G2 (moderate) geomagnetic storm for Friday night, but probability % and time is unknown right now. I'm hoping it's before midnight because I have a final exam to write the next morning. Aww, it's going to be perfectly cloudy and rainy the next several days where I'm at. I should probably get alerts from NOAA. The guy whose book I'm editing (mentioned above in the thread a bit), who lives off grid in Saskatchewan, says one of the perks is that they just noticed the Aurora Borealis out their living room windows and go out and watch them until they get too cold or tired and come in.
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Dec 18, 2015 01:24
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Hungryjack posted:It seems that way, but the numbers kind of work. When I had my hammock + straps + bug net + rainfly, the weight and the volume of stuff was much more than I thought it would be. I took back the rainfly right away and now I leave the bug net at home. If it's going to rain or if bugs are a problem, I'll just sleep in the tent. In terms of volume used up in my pack, it's a wash. The tent and poles are 23oz of wasted weight if I use the hammock, but I save 38 oz by leaving out the bug net and hammock rainfly. The hammock and straps make 33oz of wasted weight if I have to use the tent, but I save 13oz if I can use the tent's rainfly to cover the hammock. So it's a pound and a quarter of wasted effort if I have to use the tent instead of my preferred hammock option. So basically, what you're looking for is a tarp / groundsheet combo with a bug net that could work either on the hammock or as a bug bivvy. Not sure I've ever seen such a thing but it sounds like it solves your problems. Ninja edit: Also not sure what your tree cover is like but sticks make excellent tarp poles so you can save that weight if you use a tarp for shelter.
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Dec 18, 2015 03:48
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School me on winter hiking and possibly snowshoeing. I just moved to Seattle and am really sick of sitting around this depressing city. What do I need to get out for day hikes in the snow- and how do I go about it? I have winter clothes for skiing. I'm not talking any mountaineering or anything, but I would like to go for a long walk on a trail and hopefully see some views. No overnights. Gaiters I know will be on the list, but what about footwear? Do I need a full on winter boot? I do have waterproof hiking boots, but they are mid rise and no insulation and I tend to run cold in general. Then what about traction? Microspikes for 1-4 inches or so? Then snowshoes after that? How do I pick a good trail for winter? I know I'll be slower, but by how much? Thanks!
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Dec 18, 2015 11:13
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chef posted:School me on winter hiking and possibly snowshoeing. I just moved to Seattle and am really sick of sitting around this depressing city. What do I need to get out for day hikes in the snow- and how do I go about it? I have winter clothes for skiing. I'm not talking any mountaineering or anything, but I would like to go for a long walk on a trail and hopefully see some views. No overnights. Snowshoes provide float and some traction, while microspikes and crampons provide traction only. Basically, for lightly packed snow, you'd need snowshoes. You can get by with snow boots for packed snow. When you need light traction, you can use snowshoes or microspikes. Since microspikes are only held on by silicone straps, crampons work better if you're going up steep terrain. And since you're starting out, honestly, microspikes will work for 90% of everything you hike.
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Dec 18, 2015 20:56
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chef posted:School me on winter hiking and possibly snowshoeing. I just moved to Seattle and am really sick of sitting around this depressing city. What do I need to get out for day hikes in the snow- and how do I go about it? I have winter clothes for skiing. I'm not talking any mountaineering or anything, but I would like to go for a long walk on a trail and hopefully see some views. No overnights. Welcome. I just moved here in Augustfrom Chicago and love exploring this place. I've been to nearly every corner of the state and just about every major highway. I personally haven't done a ton of winter hiking yet but micro spikes are a good investment. Things get icy here before they get snowy so traction is more of an issue than loft unless you're getting way up into the mountains with deep snow. Most technical clothes are fine as long as you're warm enough. Good boots in the winter make a huge difference. There are a lot of shallow water crossings around here so preventing your feet from getting wet is key. And yes even though it's freezing there is still water around. Probably hold off on snow shoes. Maybe try renting or borrowing them first. Where do you live on the city? I'm always looking for someone to hike with.
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Dec 18, 2015 21:13
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Verman posted:Welcome. I just moved here in Augustfrom Chicago and love exploring this place. I've been to nearly every corner of the state and just about every major highway. What's your favorite part so far, and why is it the Olympics? 
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Dec 18, 2015 21:37
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chef posted:School me on winter hiking and possibly snowshoeing. I just moved to Seattle and am really sick of sitting around this depressing city. What do I need to get out for day hikes in the snow- and how do I go about it? I have winter clothes for skiing. I'm not talking any mountaineering or anything, but I would like to go for a long walk on a trail and hopefully see some views. No overnights. Besides gear for snow hiking, you have to be aware of avalanche risk and snow conditions. Obviously the best thing is to take an avvy class like AIARE, but there are trails that are safer than others. For mountain summit trails, the Everett Mountaineers have a handy PDF about their evaluation of avvy risk on some common peaks: http://www.everettmountaineers.org/scrambling/scramble_pdf/Winter_Summits_List.pdf Be aware that this is their evaluation - your comfortable risk level may be different than theirs, and always evaluate what the conditions are when you're there on the mountain, not what a guidebook says they should be. Sometimes places that should be safe can be dangerous, and vice versa. Check out the Washington Trails Association and NWHikers.net's forum for trip reports to see if there's up to date information on a trail or nearby trail's condition, with the understanding that conditions can change in just a few days depending on the weather. NW Avalanche Center also has predictions on avvy risk, and of course check out weather recent history and forecasts to get an idea of what conditions have been like and what they'll be when you're there. Winter takes a little bit more prep work and information than summer hiking, but it's great to be out in the snow! I love it.
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Dec 18, 2015 22:04
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Also for the love of christ take a bivouac kit with you.
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Dec 18, 2015 22:07
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I looked for a general camping thread but I didn't see one so I figured this is as good of place as any to ask. How many of you sleep/camp in your cars? What do you have and how do you like it. I had an '08 Ford Escape that was recently in an accident and is a total loss. My only complaint with the Escape was that the back wasn't quite long enough when the seats were folded down/removed to semi-comfortably have two people lay down without a lot of hassle. Other than that it was great. I've been looking around and the Subaru Outback has really caught my eye.
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Dec 22, 2015 23:32
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I did a few road trips in a '97 Volvo Wagon. With the rear seats folded down you could fit a twin size blow up mattress in the back. It was a pretty nice set up and only took about 30 minutes to move all my gear to the front seat and blow the mattress up.
eSporks fucked around with this message at 01:13 on Dec 23, 2015 |
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Dec 23, 2015 00:32
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Start a thread in the Take a Hike! RSF if no one answers you here it gets some people outside the usual group that posts here, just make it ironic enough to fit in 
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Dec 23, 2015 00:33
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We have an '08 Saturn Vue and the rear seats fold down flat. We got a 2" memory foam mattress topper from Costco and that gives us a nice soft surface to sleep on. I'm 6'3" and it can get a little cramped, but the front passenger seat folds forward flat so I can stretch my legs. It's smallish, but roomy enough for me and my wife. Wth the two dogs, it gets a bit tight. Summer Texas camping is a humid horror show, but in the cooler winter, it's quite nice. We're trading in the Saturn next April for a Subaru Outback and I have high hopes for car camping in it as well.
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Dec 23, 2015 02:59
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I regularly sleep in the bed of my Nissan Frontier with a camper on it. Sleeping in the bed of a truck has downsides versus being inside of a vehicle, but it's a lot more spacious and easier to deal with the crazy messes dogs will create. I put a piece of plywood down on the bed to make a nice flat surface, and called it good.
Comatoast fucked around with this message at 04:16 on Dec 23, 2015 |
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Dec 23, 2015 04:13
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nocratos posted:How many of you sleep/camp in your cars? What do you have and how do you like it. I had an '08 Ford Escape that was recently in an accident and is a total loss. My only complaint with the Escape was that the back wasn't quite long enough when the seats were folded down/removed to semi-comfortably have two people lay down without a lot of hassle. Other than that it was great. I've been looking around and the Subaru Outback has really caught my eye. I have a 2008 Toyota 4 runner that makes a pretty good place to sleep, a little cramped for extended periods but good enough for a weekend. I wanted a body on frame suv with real 4 wheel drive, decent ground clearance and the ability to tow. The 4 runner checked all those boxes as well as being super reliable. I also wanted a v6 which is getting harder to find. I know that I like to get in deep and get to those hard to get to places where most people are limited by their vehicles. A lot of the forest roads here have big bumps at the Trailhead to prevent low clearance cars from going up and getting stuck. I know most standard/stock compact suvs and crossovers would have a hard time up a lot of those. Most would bottom out. Right after I bought it I went on a hunting trip in upper Michigan around November and arrived to the camp site rather late, around 2am. It was raining/snowing when I arrived so rather than put my tent up in freezing rain I just slept in my car and liked the convenience so much that I did so the rest of the long weekend. Since I moved to real mountains in the Pacific North West I couldn't be happier with the decision I made. I've been in certain situations where the other vehicles we looked at would have never been able to go. Water crossings, steep inclines, ground The ideal setup for space is probably a truck with a good topper or a van if you don't need much offroading capabilities. You can always pull a tiny teardrop or pop up trailor as well. The thing is that the car doesnt hold heat very well. It's great at blocking wind and keeping you dry but it doesn't keep you warm. You still need warm clothes or a sleeping bag.
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Dec 23, 2015 07:29
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Hungryjack posted:We're trading in the Saturn next April for a Subaru Outback and I have high hopes for car camping in it as well. I just went down the rabbit hole of looking at tents/campers you could use with the Subaru Outback. I am seriously thinking about trading in our 2013 Honda Accord for one next year.
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Dec 23, 2015 14:28
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nate fisher posted:I just went down the rabbit hole of looking at tents/campers you could use with the Subaru Outback. I am seriously thinking about trading in our 2013 Honda Accord for one next year. Share what you found We're getting the 3.6L, by the way, so we'll have a little more towing than the 2.5L
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Dec 23, 2015 14:32
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