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anyone else have a bucket list of hikes? lost coast is on mine
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May 24, 2021 04:36
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I really, really wanna see the Arrigetch peaks someday. And then a few years exploring the bob marshall wilderness.
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May 24, 2021 04:49
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PCT thru-hike and Three Passes Nepal for me!
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May 24, 2021 09:30
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Chard posted:anyone else have a bucket list of hikes? lost coast is on mine All aren’t necessarily backpacking trips: Arizona's Antelope Canyon Colorado trail New Zealand Moab* Zion* Vermillion cliffs Arizona Joshua Tree* Hike the PCT Four Pass Loop* Wonderland trail Washington Thailand* Italy* Thunder basin national grasslands Camino de Santiago Timberline Trail around Mt Hood Merritt Crown bike ride in British Columbia Bob Marshal* * previously done going back
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May 24, 2021 12:18
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A few off the top of my head: Everest Basecamp AT thru-hike (this would mean the most to me since the Southern Appalachians are such part of my life) White Mountains in NH (of course part of the AT too) Zion Top-down Narrows hike Sawtooth Mountains Picos de Europa Hornstrandir Iceland To be honest anything I haven't hiked yet. Internet Wizard posted:When I worked at REI part of the training I got was to expect any European brand to have a much narrower foot model than American brands, and La Sportiva was singled out as the worst of them I wear size 14 in running shoes, and I have yet to find pair of Salomons that fit me. It is like I would need them in 13.5 (which they don't make), because 13 is too small and my heel slips in their size 14. nate fisher fucked around with this message at 13:01 on May 24, 2021 |
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May 24, 2021 12:57
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New thru-hike bucket list item: https://www.alaskapublic.org/2021/05/21/senate-agrees-to-fund-alaska-long-trail-project/
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May 24, 2021 17:09
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The Fool posted:New thru-hike bucket list item: https://www.alaskapublic.org/2021/05/21/senate-agrees-to-fund-alaska-long-trail-project/ That's a pretty great route, except maybe the part between Denali and Fairbanks. Not a lot to work with there. https://www.alaska-trails.org/the-alaska-long-trail Going over Hatcher Pass is inspired though, that's gotta be my favorite place in the world (that I've been to).
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May 24, 2021 17:16
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I'd like to do the John Muir Trail if only because watching "Mile, Mile and a Half" is what ultimately got me to finally do an AT thru. Really need to do the PCT as well but as I get older I know I won't be able to thru anything ever again until I retire.
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May 24, 2021 17:18
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edit: Double
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May 24, 2021 17:18
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xzzy posted:I really, really wanna see the Arrigetch peaks someday. Anaktuvuk Pass-Arrigetch-Ambler is my dream Alaskan hiking/packrafting trip. And seems like it would be a lot of fun training for that in the Bob!
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May 24, 2021 17:26
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I'd love to do a long thru-hike, PCT/AT equivalent. Not married to any specific one, just love the idea of being out there for literal months at a time.
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May 24, 2021 17:46
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PCT is my bucket list hike for sure. Will probably do it in sections because life.
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May 24, 2021 17:49
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Planning on doing the JMT in a few years, gotta work up from something longer than an overnight though
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May 24, 2021 19:08
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Even though I lived in rural Alaska for 5+ years and got the chance to explore a lot of the state, I'd love to go back and hike some of the further flung places like Gates of the Arctic. I miss Alaska... Speaking of, just through casual Wikipedia browsing it appears as if Canada has opened some awesome National Parks in their arctic that look like amazing places to hike. Specifically - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auyuittuq_National_Park
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May 24, 2021 20:24
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BaseballPCHiker posted:Speaking of, just through casual Wikipedia browsing it appears as if Canada has opened some awesome National Parks in their arctic that look like amazing places to hike. Specifically - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auyuittuq_National_Park Yeah, look up photos of Thor Peak up that way for some  scenery.Tombstone park is slightly more accessible and has some great stuff too.
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May 24, 2021 21:04
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A few more: Shikoku 88 pilgrimage Lebanon Mountain Trail (lol) Mont Blanc or similar luxury hike in the Alps Annapurna Circuit Colorado Trail with a lot of detours
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May 24, 2021 21:27
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I got my first backpack in the rei sale. Is breaking in backpacks, like hiking boots, a thing? Not planning a particularly strenuous first overnight adventure but should I be doing anything before that?
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May 27, 2021 04:46
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Bloody posted:I got my first backpack in the rei sale. Is breaking in backpacks, like hiking boots, a thing? Not planning a particularly strenuous first overnight adventure but should I be doing anything before that? not in my experience; synthetic materials don't really break in the same way leathers do. however, packing it with your expected gear, food, etc. and going for a short hike will help you adjust the various straps/balance so it fits more comfortably e: wear what you're planning to hike in, too. i have one shirt with a seam that always rubs me wrong if i wear it with the waist belt
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May 27, 2021 04:55
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Bloody posted:I got my first backpack in the rei sale. Is breaking in backpacks, like hiking boots, a thing? Not planning a particularly strenuous first overnight adventure but should I be doing anything before that? You should be good. My only tip is to lay out everything you're planning on packing onto an open surface like a bed. It helps to visualize everything you're taking. Enjoy your hike!
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May 27, 2021 05:44
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Bloody posted:I got my first backpack in the rei sale. Is breaking in backpacks, like hiking boots, a thing? Not planning a particularly strenuous first overnight adventure but should I be doing anything before that? Load it up to your packed weight and go for a walk/hike just to see if there is anything noteworthy and to adjust the fit. Can;t really hurt to be aware of any chafe points and whatnot, however most packs are designed well enough thats not an issue at all.
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May 27, 2021 05:50
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Chard posted:anyone else have a bucket list of hikes? lost coast is on mine Anyone ever hiked in the Mt. Baldy area north of Los Angeles? I planned a li'l bitty three-night trip to summit a few of the peaks and backcountry snooze (check out the route here!) and wanted to call and ask about permits, water conditions, etc., but no rangers or businesses are answering their phone and the USFS website is even less helpful than usual. None of the areas I plan to visit are affected by the wildfire closures, so... uh... should I just go and leave my car by the side of the road? Lol snailshell fucked around with this message at 19:59 on May 27, 2021 |
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May 27, 2021 19:56
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Bloody posted:I got my first backpack in the rei sale. Is breaking in backpacks, like hiking boots, a thing? Not planning a particularly strenuous first overnight adventure but should I be doing anything before that? The only actual "breaking in" for backpacks is if they have a fancy hip belt like the Osprey Atmos that will conform to your hip shape over time. Otherwise yeah, like everyone said, pack your poo poo and walk around your house for a while so you can dial in the fit. Speaking of packs, I found my summer fit 
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May 28, 2021 18:04
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Jansport woke up one day and saw a meme about women's clothing having no pockets and was all "okay we can help here."
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May 28, 2021 18:24
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I also love how Jansport went from being the cheapest backpack you could possibly get for school in the 80s/90s to a trendy hipster fashion icon. Then brands like Herschel basically made the same thing and charges $100 for it. On an unrelated note, probably going to buy new trail runners this weekend.
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May 28, 2021 21:00
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Verman posted:I also love how Jansport went from being the cheapest backpack you could possibly get for school in the 80s/90s to a trendy hipster fashion icon. Then brands like Herschel basically made the same thing and charges $100 for it. Jansport wasn't cheap back in the day, but that lifetime guarantee! My mom bought Jansport bags with busted zippers at garage sales and would get the company to replace it for free. Even L. L. Bean cracked down on the "lifetime guarantee" idea after people were doing that.
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May 29, 2021 03:28
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Just got back from the first hundred miles of the SHT in Minnesota. The goal was to thru hike it as a warmup for the PCT. Instead my knee pain from IT band syndrome was so bad that I had to get off trail. I have 3 weeks to rehab myself into shape. Pretty wishful thinking, maybe 
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May 29, 2021 16:22
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Happiness Commando posted:Just got back from the first hundred miles of the SHT in Minnesota. The goal was to thru hike it as a warmup for the PCT. Instead my knee pain from IT band syndrome was so bad that I had to get off trail. I have 3 weeks to rehab myself into shape. Its all good, keep your head up friend. The Superior trail is one of my bucket list hikes and you've done 100 more miles then me. Was it as beautiful as they say?
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May 29, 2021 19:33
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Happiness Commando posted:Just got back from the first hundred miles of the SHT in Minnesota. The goal was to thru hike it as a warmup for the PCT. Instead my knee pain from IT band syndrome was so bad that I had to get off trail. I have 3 weeks to rehab myself into shape. Oof. I had IT band issues while cycling a few years ago and it's not fun. Felt like a needle was going into my patella and I couldn't put any pressure on my leg. Currently dealing with herniated disc issues in my lower back which has given me some pretty nasty sciatica with numbness in my foot so I'm pretty worried about how is going to affect my hiking season/life. I'm scheduling a doctor's appointment to either get more PT and/or get an MRI. Hang in there, take it easy for a little bit and try to rehab your leg.
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May 29, 2021 19:43
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Dead Nerve posted:Its all good, keep your head up friend. The Superior trail is one of my bucket list hikes and you've done 100 more miles then me. Was it as beautiful as they say? ... Sort of. The Martin Rd. To Two Harbors section was uninspiring at best. The terrain was flat (great!) and there were a ton of clear cut patches of forest that were logged by paper companies and a few patchy sections where there was selective thinning that still devastated the canopy. I like hiking under canopy, and it felt like it was half clear cut fields Two Harbors to Silver Bay was much nicer. There was some real elevation, beautiful views of the lake and valleys and beaver ponds. After silver Bay (I made it a day and a half, near Finland) was even more beautiful. The understory brush was much more varied than, for instance, an endless sea of baby maple trees, more elevation, more lake views including non-Lake Superior lakes Some words to the wise: There's no stealth camping, only at established campsites. This, coupled with the types of trees that grow there and the logging makes finding a good hammock spot hard. I had, I think, two good hangs out of the week I slept on trail. The rest were marginal. The established campsites also makes a pretty rough step functions for how many miles per day you can do - some days were either 12 or 17, when I would have wanted a nice 14.5. The bugs were unbelievably tenacious. Taking a snack break means you will be instantly swarmed by mosquitos. Bring a bug net and long sleeves and pants, if you can. We had a few warm days before it settled into the 40s during the day, and they were really unpleasant The guidebooks published by the SHTA are pretty worthless - they seem to be designed for day hikers and section hikers who want to do a bunch of supplementary research before the hike. For instance, neither of the books lists which road crossings lead to town. The databook is kind of OK, in that it lists campsites and has elevation profiles, but it's difficult to overstate just how lovely and unhelpful they were. Buy the databook, plan your entries into town ahead of time with Google maps, and transcribe all the data into a spreadsheet that you save to your phone ahead of time. Also get on the SHT Facebook group and find the shuttle people - there are two. Doing a full 12+ mile day and then road walking 5 miles into Two Harbors would have sucked. We got a hitch after 1.5 miles, I think. The drainage on the trail was poo poo, and I kind of wanted an entire long trails worth of bog boards. There were 1.5 hiking days when our socks and shoes weren't completely soaked. About a hundred feet out of the Martin Rd. trailhead it got marshy and we stepped right into bog and soaked our feet. My partner said 'well, that didn't last long' and it set the tone for the entire time I was out there. But I was also in a lot of pain and that colored my perceptions. It's beautiful. The ascents are short and steep, mostly rock steps. There are beautiful water views. The temperature is kind of ideal. Definitely get out there if it's on your list. I'm not the most careful of trail photographers, but:          
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May 29, 2021 21:39
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MrNemo posted:I don't get to go hiking nearly as much as I'd like (due to living in London and the Rona) but I'm wondering how useful something like the Garmin Fenix 6 is as a navigation aid. I've done walks before using guide books (UK walks near London tend not to be proper wilderness walks) but I'd like something more convenient and wrist mounted is tempting. A fenix 6 Pro is a great watch, I wouldn't use the mapping for navigation beyond following gpx routes but it does work OK. You would want to install better mapping than the base stuff. However what you want is really the OS app for your phone (and also a physical map and compass)
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May 29, 2021 21:53
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Happiness Commando posted:... Sort of. Thank you for the trip report. Sounds like a fantastic hike in the midwest even with the downsides you laid out. I'll put this info in my notes when I decide to do some sections of it. I'm not quite a long distance type of hiker these days, much more a section hiker. Your pictures turned out great and give a good sense of the trail. I hope you have a speedy recovery and are able to get out on the PCT on time for those massive mountain vistas. Happy hiking.
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May 30, 2021 20:59
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EDITED.
BaseballPCHiker fucked around with this message at 21:24 on Feb 2, 2022 |
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May 31, 2021 13:04
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Oh hey a north shore expert. I got a weird request maybe you can help with. I want to photograph the Perseid meteor shower this august and am scouring dark sky areas that are somewhat close to Chicago. The north shore and boundary waters is one of those regions. However, finding a spot is proving hard due to the millions of acres of uninterrupted forest. Ideally my spot would have some kind of interesting foreground like a rock formation or a characterful tree. Either up high or in a big clearing (or a lake shore) with a view to the north. The closest I've come up with is the spirit tree near Grand Portage. But it's a closed site unless you're with a tribe member so it's off the list of potentials, but it is an example of what I'm looking for. Magnetic rock got investigated too but seems pretty overgrown. Got any hot tips?
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May 31, 2021 16:01
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EDITED.
BaseballPCHiker fucked around with this message at 21:24 on Feb 2, 2022 |
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May 31, 2021 16:36
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I saw “pee is stored in the balls” written on the wall at chestnut knob shelter in southern VA on the AT. Fess up, I know you’re in here!
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May 31, 2021 17:13
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BaseballPCHiker posted:Past Two Harbors the trail is awesome and I'd be hard pressed to come up with a better hiking trail in the MidWest. Yes it can be boggy and buggy but thats just normal for MN, so I guess it doesnt bother me that much as I am used to it. But yeah its completely different than the dry mountain hiking out west that must long thru-hikers are use too.  I agree it's beautiful, and that the cold wet or warm wet + bugs are part of the MN experience. That doesn't mean I was jazzed about it. And it was my first midwest hike, I'll cop to that.I was looking for guide documents that I could use on my phone, so when I emailed the SHTA and they told me about two books, I picked one and my partner picked the other. I didnt know the paper trail maps were a thing, and even if I did, I probably still would have picked google maps, I maybe would have just whined a little less. What I really wanted was something like AWOL's guide for the AT, which is a much bigger and more travelled trail with more resources going in to guide documents. And as far as hammocks go, IDK. Maybe if I had +25 feet of ridgeline at either end of my tarp, I could have made it work better. But I found a shortage of 6-14+" diameter tree pairs 12-16 feet apart unencumbered by saplings or other brush in between them that would have torn up my UQ. I still hung, and I stayed dry even through the 2" of rain that happened a week(?) ago, it's just that they were less than ideal, unlike the AT, where I could have picked two or three ideal tree pairs at most places I camped You can chalk that up to my lack of unrealistic expectations or bad tree finding skills, that's cool. I'm not looking to start a slapfight. I reported my experience, colored as it was.
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May 31, 2021 17:57
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xzzy posted:Oh hey a north shore expert. I got a weird request maybe you can help with. As a Chicagoland photoperson I am very interested in this question and eventual answer.
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May 31, 2021 19:14
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Happiness Commando posted:
Sorry if I came off as defensive and a bit pissy about it. I volunteer time and donate money to the trail so I am a bit of a protective baby about it. You're right about the lack of guides, there just isnt really anything like the Guthook or AWOL guides for it. Its funny reading your experience about the trail and comparing it to my friend from Colorados experience on it for a few days. He had largely the same complaints, bugs, temps/humidity, etc. He and I met in rural western Alaska though so he had some experience with those type of conditions. He now just tries to get me to come out to CO every summer instead of coming up here to the Boundary Waters or SHT.
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May 31, 2021 19:42
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 I remember climbing up some 30+ degree rock slope in... New Hampshire? where trail maintainers were drilling in rebar and building stairs for AT hikers, and I told them they were doing god's work. I was turning it over in my head while hiking, and actually, they are doing the opposite of god's work, since they were modifying natural processes. But I think the sentiment still applies. People who support/maintain trails and the people who hike on them often spend incredible amounts of time, labor, and/or money to mostly get guff when the trail is bushwhacky. I get it. Keep on keepin' on. In other news, I've increased my PT regimen over the last 3 days from 4x10 clamshells, 2x10 glute medius leg lifts, and 2x10 (both leg) bridges per leg to 8x10 clamshells, 6x10 leg lifts, and 4x10 (one leg) bridges per leg. I get some therabands in the mail on wednesday. Fingers crossed that continuing this is enough to get me going on the PCT with a minimal or even medium amount of pain, so long as I can hike through it and get my trail legs and trail hip abductors for real. I'm really not excited about the prospect of deciding my hiking days are (temporarily?) over or dicking around for a whole year and then hiking it solo instead of with my partner who's going this year.
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May 31, 2021 20:28
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charliebravo77 posted:As a Chicagoland photoperson I am very interested in this question and eventual answer. Well so far Rose Lake Cliffs is the top contender for the BWCA so thanks BaseballPCHiker for turning me on to that. It's a 12 mile round trip and needs an overnight permit. And a 10 hour drive. However all my other options are in western Nebraska or Kansas which are a 14 hour drives. Those are rock formations spots, badlands style. The UP probably has some places to shoot too, but it has the same dense forests as Minnesota so it's gonna need local knowledge to know where to go. Much closer but less dark (class 3 on the bortle scale) is hogback prairie preserve and ship rock, both in Wisconsin. Rock Island SP is pretty dark too and is a fun camping trip regardless. Looking south, weinborg-king state park is the darkest park in Illinois. Really poor foreground options though. tl;dr: light pollution loving sucks
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May 31, 2021 21:01
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