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Levitate posted:I need to make plans to go to Yosemite in the winter. Rent a cabin or something. It's a beautiful place but so crowded in the summer...the valley when there's few other people around would be amazing. My wife and I went to Yosemite last December and it was wonderful. I had a work trip within driving distance, so we made it a quick last minute vacation (just stayed at the lodge there since we flew in without camping equipment). Two of the three days were clear, sunny, and perfect cool weather for hiking. One day it did rain all day, though--but we spent it inside checking out the historic lodges and Ansel Adams gallery. The trails were empty enough that we'd go long stretches without seeing anyone, and no parking lots were even half full. It was beautiful, although it would have been pretty miserable if it had rained all three days. As to the chains requirement, we bought cheap chains at a Walmart in Fresno and never broke the seal. They didn't care at all when we returned them on our way back through.
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Aug 5, 2017 07:21
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I read an article a while back that got me thinking about getting a double sleeping bag for me and my wife (clickbait-y titled article here: https://www.outsideonline.com/2174046/its-now-technically-superior-have-sex-while-backpacking). We've been considering taking up backpacking, but we'd need new sleeping bags, as ours are more suited for the car camping we have done until now (I backpacked a lot growing up, but none as an adult). That article does a pretty good job selling the upsides of a double sleeping bag, and the integrated sleeping pad sounds so much nicer than sliding off a thermarest ten times a night. Does anyone have any experience with double bags? I'll probably go with the Big Agnes suggested in that article unless someone suggests something else to consider. Or are they more gimmick than they're worth? Also, I'm not sure what temperature rating to get (30 or 15 from Big Agnes). How much does it being a 2 person bag matter? We're in Oregon and will probably use it mostly in the summer or near-summer, which makes me think 30. But I don't want to end up going late fall and regret not having the 15. Is it better to err one way or another, or are there any other rules of thumb?
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Aug 15, 2017 21:56
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Haha wow I really wasn't expecting such a strong negative response to the double sleeping bag question. We just thought it sounded more comfortable and pleasant, and the article I linked made a good case for it being lighter and cheaper. It had nothing to do with banging in a sleeping bag. CopperHound posted:As for keeping the right temperature while sleeping... there are the usual issues with sharing a bed that you should be familiar with now with two more variables thrown in: (usually) much colder ambient air, and less comfort leading to more tossing and turning. One person can shift around in a mummy bag and the bag will mostly just shift with them. When there are two people, shifting around causes the outside air to get pumped into the bag. This is the best explanation I've seen. Thank you! We'll go back to looking at traditional single bags.
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Aug 16, 2017 00:22
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Levitate posted:How old are you talking? I don't really have experience but it's something I've been thinking about...I think you always have to plan for shorter and easier days than you'd expect, be ready to stop more often, etc. My parents backpacked with me a lot when I was a kid and probably succeeded by having those shorter days and stuff to do with me in camp (fishing, etc) My parents made my sister and me pump water through our stupid hand-pumped filter. We did not enjoy it, but I see now it was probably a way to get us out of their hair while they got camp set up. Plus we got to mess around near the lake or river or whatever we ended up at.
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Aug 28, 2017 17:57
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22 Eargesplitten posted:Is there a website that has weather forecasts for trails? All of the usual websites just have towns. Since I'm in CO and looking to go up to the mountains in September, temperatures can vary quite a bit over a short distance. I saw a facebook photo of an old friend hiking this weekend and realized that yet another summer has passed without doing any of the outdoorsy stuff I always plan on doing Darksky.net allow you to put in long+lat coordinates. I find the trailhead on Google Maps, right click and choose "what's here" to get the long+lat of that point, then drop it in darksky. You can do a second check for a point farther down the trail, too, if it'd be substantially different. It's a bit clunky, but it's always worked for me. I've found it to be pretty drat accurate so far. Used it frequently in the past year for Oregon and Washington hikes.
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Sep 10, 2017 21:58
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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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I had been hoping to do a lot more backpacking and camping this summer, but it looks like my work has other plans. I'm looking for suggestions on National Parks/Forests (United States) to take a trip to this winter. Probably late December or January. I'm not looking for snowy trips, and ideally little chance of precipitation. We're not hardcore backpackers or anything, and even car/dispersed camping is fine with me. The main things I want are seclusion (not crowded tourist areas) and some cool sights like waterfalls/canyons/vistas to hike to (either as day hikes from a base camp, or on an easy-ish backpacking route). We're comfortable with moderate elevation and 10-15 mile day hikes (and could probably do more), but our backpacking trips so far have been pretty easy things--mainly just to get away from crowded campgrounds and people. Any suggestions where I should start looking? Arches and Big Bend seem like possibilities, but I haven't done much research beyond that (and I've never been to either). Some that I had expected to be dry in winter are not (e.g. Zion, which apparently gets lots of precipitation in the winter).
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Aug 2, 2018 03:26
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Hawaii isn't a bad idea, although it wasn't what I had been imagining (not necessarily a bad thing). We actually went to Kauai 7ish years ago, but we didn't do much hiking. We were less experienced with hiking back then, and more focused on a typical lazy beach vacation. I never really looked into backpacking or camping there.
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Aug 2, 2018 21:12
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Time Cowboy posted:Cold doesn't kill ticks (or bacteria, for that matter). Google suggests I can just starve the ticks out by waiting a couple weeks. According to this page, the dryer on high heat will kill ticks. Not sure I'd toss shoes in there, though. I guess good to know for clothes, maybe. https://www.outdoors.org/articles/amc-outdoors/like-to-kill-ticks-put-them-in-dryer I'm pretty sure permethrin kills them on contact, although people have different feelings about using that in general.
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Aug 27, 2018 16:44
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We're considering a little trip through the Utah national parks and sights (plus Grand Canyon). Our plan is to do it in January, partly because of our schedules and partly to avoid crowds. We're looking for (day) hiking and sightseeing, not backpacking. We were originally going to camp. However I discovered that some campervan companies are surprisingly cheap during winter. Like the same cost as renting a normal SUV, which we'd have to do anyway. (1) Has anyone been to these areas in winter (Zion, Arches, Grand Canyon, etc)? From my early research, it doesn't look like they get a ton of snow, and what little they do is short-lived? Should I be concerned about driving a van (not big RV) without AWD/4WD in those areas in January? I'll bring chains to be safe, but I'd prefer not to use them. (2) Any must-do hikes or sights to definitely see? I haven't been to the area since I was a kid decades ago. We're interested in day hikes up to ~15 miles (or less), interesting sights, and avoiding crowds. Although I don't anticipate terrible crowds in winter.
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Oct 29, 2018 21:25
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Bottom Liner posted:a lot of stuff will be closed in the Winter, including roads. This is definitely a concern of mine. I know some (but not all) visitor centers and campgrounds will be closed, as well as the entire north rim of the grand canyon. The national park websites for the various parks seem to overall encourage visiting in winter, though. Is there a particular area or set of roads you were thinking of?
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Oct 29, 2018 23:41
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Bottom Liner posted:I'm going for a r2r2r run in the Spring and trying to plan my trip around the weather. Anyone with spring experience know what the weather is like late march? You've probably already seen it, but this might be a useful starting point for you: https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/weather-condition.htm#CP_JUMP_2664461
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Oct 30, 2018 21:02
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OSU_Matthew posted:Winter is a perfect time to visit, it's not broiling hot and you'll avoid all the crowds. I would add Moab to your list--Arches, Canyonlands, Dead Horse Point, and Mesa Verde are right nearby. I just did Grand Canyon earlier this year and I think you'll have a great hike virtually anywhere you go in the park. I think that during the winter you can even drive out along where the shuttles normally run to hermits rest and visit the scenic pulloffs and hikes there if you wanted to avoid Bright Angel, which is probably the most used trail in the park. The Moab area is definitely on my long list of hopeful stops. Honestly it's hard to narrow down to a 10ish day itinerary. There's so much in the area. Thanks for the advice on the trails. We won't try anything too sketchy. Hopefully the big popular ones aren't crowded in winter. That was our experience in Yosemite in December a couple years ago, and it was wonderful. The Aardvark posted:For the hiking at GC make sure you get YakTrax or something of the sort. It's slippery as gently caress on the mud going up and down the trails. We've got Yaktrax, but we've mostly used them for around the city walking in winter. I'm not sure if we should grab some actual microspikes. We also have snowshoes and do a fair amount of light snowshoeing in winter. Doesn't sound like there will be enough snow to justify bringing those, but I'll research that more.
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Oct 30, 2018 22:05
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George H.W. oval office posted:The best thing for garbage knees is using poles. I don’t know how people go without them. Try them out and see the light! Was just about to post the same. My knees sometimes hurt on the downhill portion of long steep hikes. Using poles definitely makes a difference. I carry them with me on any hike involving decent climbing now, just in case I start to feel that telltale tightness behind my knee that (for me) comes before actual pain. If I was smart I'd use them preemptively every time, including on the uphill well before any pain. I'm not always smart, though.
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Nov 6, 2018 06:11
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We're taking a ~11 day trip through Utah national parks (+ Grand Canyon) at the start of February. Government shutdown situation could change that, but currently we're planning with the naive hope it'll all work out (lol). We're renting a campervan and hopefully doing mostly dispersed/unimproved "camping". While we have the gear for cold-weather camping, a week and half of sub-freezing tent camping didn't appeal. Main goals are to hike, see sights, and avoid crowds as much as possible. Obviously we won't be in the middle of wilderness areas, but hopefully the winter months will help us get in some more secluded adventures. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to split our time among Grand Canyon (south rim only in winter), Arches, Canyonlands, Grand Staircase, Bryce, and Zion? I've been roughly thinking 2 days/nights for each, except maybe splitting 3 days between Arches and Canyonlands. I'm really not sure how much time to allot here, though. Any advice is appreciated. Also, while we're used to picking out hikes, any must-do suggestions are welcome. We'll probably alternate days between small sightseeing walks and longer 8-12+ mile dayhikes.
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Jan 6, 2019 21:06
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nate fisher posted:I did a 14 day trip 2 summers ago (Knoxville to Tulsa to Grand Canyon to Las Vegas to Zion to Byrce to Arches to Canyonlands to Boulder to Knoxville) in an Outback. We camped most of the time. Thanks, this (and the other quoted itinerary) is really helpful! We're definitely mixing in a shower or two. Probably at least one hotel night in Moab to do laundry and be warm.
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Jan 7, 2019 21:15
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Verman posted:In my opinion, one of the scariest things about hiking solo, especially in a new area, would be getting lost. Or getting a debilitating injury, such as a bad fall, on a low traffic trail. Always tell someone where you're going and when you expect to return. My wife and I went to Canyonlands this last winter. There was absolutely no one in the Needles district (which was amazing). We had a moment of realization while trying to scramble up (on trail) some ice-covered slickrock that we were several hours of difficult hiking from the car, without cell signal, and hadn't seen another soul even on the road. If we took a nasty spill, it could have been bad, especially as temps at night dropped into the teens. (We had texted someone to tell them our plans that morning, but I'd rather not test how quickly they'd think to call emergency services)
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Mar 29, 2019 21:03
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Adding to the REI fit people being super helpful. I went in eyeing other packs, but they patiently tried many brands and models on me and I ended up with a Gregory. For whatever reason it worked best on me. My wife got a new pack at the same time and Gregory was terrible on her (she ended up with an Osprey).
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Apr 2, 2019 18:00
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charity rereg posted:Does anyone have a recommendation for a larger water filter? I'm a sawyer/aquamira man when backpacking but we want something a little more robust (and weight is less of an issue in a canoe). I only got it last summer so haven't used it a ton, but I was really happy with my Platypus gravity filter. It's so nice just to fill the bag, hang it from a tree, and go about your time in camp. Check back in 10 minutes for a couple liters (or whatever, can't recall the size) of clean water. Repeat as needed. It's not super fast or easy to use on the go, but for a camp solution it's almost zero effort filtered water.
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May 6, 2019 20:46
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How do people go about planning camping spots along trails you haven't hiked before? So far we've mostly backpacked trails we had previously day-hiked (so knew where spots might be) or to lakes where we could assume there are spots. Is there a good source for these (such as an app or website) for trails that aren't the PCT/AT? Somewhat related: does anyone have opinions on Gaia GPS or competitors on Android? I've been using Avenza with Caltopo maps, but I'd like to get something that allows me to download an entire region offline. I know I'll have to pay, that's fine (within reason). Gaia has been okay so far on a free trial, but I want to make sure there isn't something better before I shell out for a subscription.
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May 30, 2019 19:49
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Thanks for the app suggestions everyone. I'm going to download a couple and see how they compare to Gaia.charity rereg posted:If you're looking for real sites the best source is usually to contact the people in charge of the land you'll be on, or stealth camp. Any good database will ruin any of the really good sites out there, as the sites would get overused The hikes we're looking at are definitely legal to camp/backpack on. I've done it before on that trail, and day-hiked it far enough to see many spots. But I'd like to do a longer loop hike, which will head away from the more well-traveled areas. It's harder to plan when I don't really know if there are any established spots out in that area or not. I'll try out those searches you suggested. I think I'll either wing it or try to dive into some local hiking forums I know of. I've been dropping pins for backpacking campsites in Google Maps whenever I pass one for a while now. It's pretty handy, but only if I've day-hiked that way previously.
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May 30, 2019 21:28
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The Aardvark posted:Just did four days at Yellowstone and ooooh boy am I glad I won't be there in July. Sure a lot of stuff is still closed because of snow but I couldn't imagine getting around with so many more people. Popular national parks in the off season are the best. I've done Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Zion, and Arches in winter months. Each time the worst you'll find is half-full parking lots for a popular viewpoint, but usually far less. Head a little ways down a trail and you may not see anyone at all for long stretches. I really enjoyed Canyonlands and Grand Staircase the most in the winter. We went entire days only seeing a single other car. We're considering Death Valley and/or Joshua Tree this year. Has anyone done those in the winter? Any suggestions? I've never been to either (during any season).
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Jun 5, 2019 17:33
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Tacier posted:If you have a high clearance 4wd vehicle and enjoy driving through beautiful and rough desert back roads, a lot of the coolest places in Death Valley National Park aren't in Death Valley itself. The Racetrack Playa, Saline Valley, and Eureka Valley with its giant dune are all worth checking out. Just make sure you're prepared. Thank you for giving me an excuse to rent one again! Renting a Jeep to explore empty roads in Grand Staircase was so much drat fun. Yeah, I have a lot more research to do currently. But empty Utah backcountry got me hooked on winter desert adventures. I should probably look into Big Bend, too.
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Jun 5, 2019 20:23
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charity rereg posted:About 100 miles into our thru paddle This is awesome and I'd love to see more when you're able.
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Jun 9, 2019 06:16
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Lord Zedd-Repulsa posted:What's the advantage of having specific hiking pants instead of durable, well broken in jeans? Assuming you're talking about cotton jeans, there are plenty of reasons. On a basic level, synthetic clothing will often be lighter, wick moisture, dry faster, possibly be water resistant, and more breathable. It's just generally more comfortable for sustained outdoor exercise, especially if you'll be sweating. More importantly for longer hikes or backpacking, cotton can be dangerous when wet and cold: https://sectionhiker.com/why-does-cotton-kill/ Edit: wool is also a good cotton alternative. incogneato fucked around with this message at 21:50 on Jun 10, 2019 |
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Jun 10, 2019 21:46
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khysanth posted:Consider getting one of these to throw down before you sit down: These are great. They weigh nothing, waterproof, insulated, and fold small enough to strap to the outside of a day pack. Can also be used to fan fires, create cooking windblocks, or kneel in mud/snow. We carry ours on any long-ish day hike now just to sit and eat lunch. We even took them on snowshoeing trips and just sat down in the snow to rest. Pretty versatile for $15.
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Jun 14, 2019 21:37
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Liner socks have helped me somewhat when it comes to blisters. Honestly, I have just started preemptively putting leukotape where I know I get blisters if I'm going on a steep hike. Works perfectly. It's probably a sign I haven't found the right boot yet, but I have yet to wear a pair that doesn't give me heel blisters on really steep hikes. Maybe I just have weird shaped feet and/or gait. But yeah, leukotape is great and cheap. Highly recommended.
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Jun 18, 2019 16:51
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C-Euro posted:Is this the correct thread for asking camping questions? My wife really wants to go camping this weekend after not having done so in years, and has tasked me with figuring out how to make that work. Except I haven't gone camping since I was a kid and have no idea where to begin with planning. We're planning to drive out with our dog to a state park a couple hours away in Eastern PA, hike around a bunch, sleep in a tent, hike around a bunch the next day and drive home. The campgrounds we looked at all have standing toilets/showers so we're not exactly going off the grid, but I'm sure there's still a fair amount of prep and campground/hiking etiquette I'm not aware. Is there a good beginner's guide out there for first-time campers, or things you all wish you knew when you first started doing this? I know I referenced REI in the other thread. I swear I'm not a paid shill: https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/camping-for-beginners.html Especially for car camping in an established campground, it's hard to mess it up too bad. As long as you've got shelter, something to sleep in/on, food, and a basic first aid kit, you'll be fine. You'll probably simultaneously pack way too much and somehow also forget something. Don't sweat it and make note of what you use or didn't use for next time. Enjoy!
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Jul 16, 2019 15:57
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Verman posted:The mountains aren't going anywhere. But seriously, hiking and camping while sick is very not fun. Sounds like you made the right choice.
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Oct 21, 2019 01:33
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We went in January/February, so obviously less people. However, even then Arches was pretty busy. Canyonlands was far, far less crowded and honestly much more beautiful in my opinion. Island in the Sky was amazing, and had some people but not bad (it's more sightseeing than long hikes, but it's an easy stop). Needles was a fantastic hike and we saw literally not a single other person. No idea what it's like in October, but it's got to be better than Arches.
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Oct 21, 2019 23:40
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FCKGW posted:I'm going through Zion/Arches/Canyonlands in a few weeks too. Hopefully it won't be too cold. In January Zion was significantly colder than Moab and Canyonlands. Most Zion trails were sheets of ice and we used our YakTrax every day. The higher roads were closed with snow. Obviously it probably won't be that bad yet, but I wouldn't lump Zion (and Bryce) into the same weather category as Moab area. That being said it was mostly really cold at night. I loved Utah in the winter and I'm already hoping to go again. Also Capitol Reef was really nice and completely empty. It was an unplanned stop due to the pass being snowed over, but I'm glad we ended up spending a day there. incogneato fucked around with this message at 05:26 on Oct 22, 2019 |
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Oct 22, 2019 05:01
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Grizzled Patriarch posted:Any go-to recommendations for a good shell layer that is actually waterproof / windproof and relatively sturdy? If possible I'd love one with a hood, a full-zip collar that can be popped up to cover my neck, and a couple deep pockets / pouches. I guess the question is what you're using it for. Any true raincoat from the usual outdoor brands (REI, OR, Paragonia, North Face, etc) is going to be waterproof and windproof. Many collars in my experience can be zipped up high enough to block wind. Pouches aren't common, though. A raincoat + adequate midlayers and baselayers have always been plenty fine for me in some pretty bad weather. But if by "relatively sturdy" you mean you'll be doing physical labor or something else beyond usual outdoors activities, I'm less knowledgeable about that. But otherwise as long as you don't get the ultralight versions of the above jackets, they should hold up fine.
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Nov 13, 2019 18:23
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There are quite a few near Bend (with the mentioned Lava River being the best known I think). Not really an easy day drive to and from Portland though. I pass a sign for the Guler Ice Caves on the way to many of our Gifford Pinchot hikes, but we haven't stopped in yet. Ape Caves are really the best known and largest/most impressive in the area, though. If you ever find yourself way down south, there's always the Oregon Caves National Monument. But it's definitely not a quick drive from Portland. incogneato fucked around with this message at 23:41 on Nov 20, 2019 |
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Nov 20, 2019 23:33
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Adding to the Gaia recommendations. It does require an annual subscription to access maps offline, but we decided it was worth it. The previously mentioned free option of caltopo.com + Avenza does work very well. Downside is that you can only download a few small areas at a time (eg a few day hikes). We used it for years, and still do it as a backup. But I like having my entire region offline in case we go exploring or forget to grab the caltopo.
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Jan 12, 2020 18:17
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black.lion posted:As for budget I'd like to get everything I need for under $1,000 - I'm intending to be carrying the big pack and have my wife carry a daypack (which we have piles of) so really the expensive-ish things are going to be (I think): backpack x1, tent x1, sleeping bag x2 (necessary?), sleeping pad, camp chairs, boots... everything else is like $20-$40 items that I'm not too concerned about the cost of. It may have just been a typo, but since you listed number of items just before it: you'll need to two sleeping pads. Backpacking sleeping pads are single person. I'm not an expert in hiking boots, but since no one has answered your Danner question: I personally wouldn't get hung up on a certain brand just due to a coupon. Try on a lot and see what feels good for you. Lighter and quicker drying are definitely preferred by most people these days (often sold as trail runners or close to that). A good pair of boots that works for your feet is pretty important. Blisters suck. I don't really know Danner as a brand, except I thought they were associated more with heavy traditional leather boots. I could be wrong, maybe they have other styles. Personally I wouldn't want to backpack or even long day hike in something like that, but I'm sure some people do.
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Feb 14, 2020 17:39
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PhantomOfTheCopier posted:Mt Baker Snoqualmie National Forest closed. Same with Gifford Pinchot, Mt Hood National Forest, and likely many others.
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Mar 31, 2020 14:44
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We're starting some loose planning for a Glacier National Park trip later this year. Goal is to avoid crowds as much as possible, but also try to sneak in before too much snow. Ideally we'd do long day hikes, seeing the sites while getting away from the parking lots and viewing platforms. Some short backpacking is possible, as is snowshoeing. Based on my initial research, late September to mid October looks like the best bet. Fewer people but (hopefully) not much snow yet. Does anyone have any experience on the different seasons and crowds? Even just general tips on what to definitely do or not do is appreciated. We'll be camping most or all nights, although depending on temperatures may ditch the tent to sleep in the back of our car. Obviously all this is a bit tenuous given the current situation. Maybe the trip won't happen, but might as well do some initial research while we watch how the reopening unfolds.
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May 28, 2020 01:05
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BaseballPCHiker posted:I tried to get advanced permits and they got cancelled due to Covid. We're just thinking day hikes. We're open to a short backpacking trip in there, but it's not really our intent. I would like to do dispersed camping, or at least camping away from busy, built-up campgrounds. I haven't researched that aspect at all yet, though. Appreciate the heads up regarding permits, though. I hadn't really given any thought to that.
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Jun 2, 2020 20:04
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Agreed that buffs own. I never go hiking without one if there is even moderate sun exposure. I burn easy and it's comfortable.
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Jul 21, 2020 22:30
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Shine posted:Hey y'all, any objections to moving this thread to The Great Outdoors? Seems like it'd be a better fit there. No objection here. I just get to this from bookmarks, and I'm all for trying to keep the new subforum alive.
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Jul 26, 2020 17:24
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