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Urgh. Acquired a Gravityworks 4L to replace my now-obsolete MSR pump, and it's just sitting here as a constant reminder that I don't have any trips scheduled yet this year. 
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Apr 17, 2017 15:39
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ramatevish posted:Try to go with a group. You'll feel like Jesus H. Christ hauling back a bag of dirty water and turning it into Truth. That is totally why I bought one. On my last trip I was pumping water through my MSR like a goddamned savage, my buddy grabs his gravityworks out and instantly gets 4L. It was like the Chevy Chase canteen scene from Three Amigos. I was instantly sold. waffle enthusiast fucked around with this message at 06:11 on Apr 20, 2017 |
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Apr 20, 2017 06:07
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2.7mph is a pretty fast pace — how much elevation gain does that cover? I've never gotten nauseous after a hike, but after a big day on the bike (4-6 hours) I've been known to be hungry as poo poo and also feel like puking at the same time. It's usually the result of not consuming enough calories in small doses over the course of the activity; the dreaded "bonk." Did you only eat at lunch, or did you also grab a few handfuls of GORP now and then? As for a day pack, I really like the Talon 22. It's big enough for longer days, but light weight enough that you can also just throw a water bottle, jacket, first aid kit, and go.
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May 1, 2017 15:17
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got any sevens posted:I'm visiting Denver next week and thought I might do some day hikes in the area for a few days, should I get bear mace or anything special? Anyone know what the bugs are like this time of year? Would I be okay sleeping overnight with just a sleeping bag if I felt like it? I'm flying there first so I'm just bringing my water filter, no stove or tent or anything big. Everything Verman just said. Snowpack here is pretty high still but we're in runoff mode now so you'll be fine anywhere below 11k. The amount of day hikes is pretty much choose your own adventure. If you just want to stretch your legs there are a billion local parks in the foothills to do so: Matthews Winters, Lair o' the Bear, Three Sisters, Deer Creek Canyon, Apex, White Ranch, Chautauqua Park in Boulder, Eldorado Canyon State Park (fees apply for state parks), Golden Gate Canyon State Park, Staunton State Park, these are just the ones I can think of off the top of my head. The local parks won't offer camping, though some of the state parks, notably Golden Gate, will. If you're more ambitious, we're now into prime peakbagging season. You could try for one of the easier 14ers. Mt. Bierstadt or Quandary Peak are good options. NB "easier" is a relative term here. You'll still gain 3000+ of elevation over 5-15 miles. Check the weather. Start early (6-ish), be off the top before noon. Rocky Mountain National Park is loving gorgeous and worth the trip. The only caveat is no fires (at least not for dispersed camping) and you'll have to register at the backcountry office on the way up if you want to get a site. Most of the super premium spots will be taken. I haven't camped there since The Great Migration started, so ymmv. Alternatively there's tons of options once you get into the national forests. Check the Roosevelt and Arapaho NF sites for better information. A buddy and I did a trip out by Missouri Lakes last year and that was an absolute blast. As far as gear, yeah. It still gets down into the 30's and sometimes 20's at nights in the high county, weather depending. You'll want a good bag and a bivvy at least since — like Verman said — the weather can turn to poo poo in an instant. And it moves faster than people realize. A storm that looks an hour or two away could have you soaked inside of 20 minutes. The adage is: if you can see it, you're already in it. No need to bear spray but bring yo' deet and a shitload of sunscreen. You're a mile closer to the sun, so slather that stuff on and reapply a few times during the day. If you do stay out overnight just be sure to hang your food. Good luck, and have fun!
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Jun 30, 2017 15:01
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Oh, go checkout Red Rocks. It's open to the public during the day. Hiking the stairs will give you a good sense of how your body is reacting to the altitude. Plus the view is pretty nice.
waffle enthusiast fucked around with this message at 02:39 on Jul 3, 2017 |
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Jul 3, 2017 02:37
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Just be careful about REI's warranty. Since they switched to their one-year return policy on all items that's also their warranty term*. After a year, if your tent breaks for any reason, it's on you. Most other tent companies seem to have a more robust warranty on their fabrics and whatnot. Also seconding the advice to size up. There's no reason not to be at +2 when car camping. *I say this after having just picked up a Basecamp 6 for car camping with the kids.
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Jul 5, 2017 17:21
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nate fisher posted:Why not the Kingdom 6? I am just asking cause I've debating between the 2 for a new 6 person tent. The kingdom 6 honestly just felt way too massive. While I like having a lot of space inside my tent, the Kingdom felt like overkill. Also camping here in Colorado, I kind of liked that the basecamp felt a bit more rain/wind/hail resistant. Both seemed like great tents for the money. It just came down to personal preference. waffle enthusiast fucked around with this message at 01:50 on Jul 6, 2017 |
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Jul 6, 2017 01:42
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What length do you guys usually carry? I have about 75' of paracord I carry around for bear bagging, etc. but it's about 10 years old so I'm thinking about replacing it. I also don't know the weight rating, which is suboptimal.
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Aug 12, 2017 16:07
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Split it five ways. I'd be pissed if I had to pay more money based on which canoe I sat in. I'd also be pissed if I brought a canoe and had to pay anything at all.
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Oct 3, 2017 03:59
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Everything that makes noise between dusk and dawn is a bear. If it whinnies, or brays, chirps or otherwise makes non-bear noises, it’s a sly bear.
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Mar 7, 2018 00:06
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RMNP: Longs Peak keyhole route. If you don’t want to go that crazy (you probably don’t) then Nymph/Dream/Emerald is solid. I'd also highly recommend driving Peak-to-Peak down through Nederland. If you want a hike outside the park, just about anything in Indian Peaks will be equally amazing. Mt. Evans would also be worth the drive, or — come to think of it — Trail Ridge Road inside the park. waffle enthusiast fucked around with this message at 17:55 on Mar 7, 2018 |
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Mar 7, 2018 17:49
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I love the talon 22. I take it riding, peak bagging, walking around with the kids, whatever. The stuff pocket is great for layers, and it’s generally just a really well though out bag.
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Apr 2, 2018 14:00
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Your shoes sound like they don’t fit. You might try some Superfeet to see if you can adjust the fit a bit (this can help with arch support and toe splay). If you’re just hiking in the front range you might also just think about rocking tennis shoes and see if it helps. Final option would be to head to a boot fitter.
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May 8, 2018 03:37
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fknlo posted:There's a lot less poo poo in Colorado than I assumed there would be. I need to get better about checking myself for ticks after outdoor activities for sure. I was used to doing it back in Missouri but haven't really thought about it much here. Not to worry. In Colorado it’s the weather that’s going to kill you.
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May 13, 2018 16:55
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Anyone have opinions on the Grayl Ultralight Bottle? Just saw this advertised by my local fly fishing shoppe and it looked interesting. Probably too heavy for most backcountry applications but might be interesting for a mellow day out near the water?
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Aug 7, 2018 22:23
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Puffy coats should be filled with down, and layered appropriately as others have said, depending on the activity. Marmot makes some good and stylish options.George H.W. oval office posted:The hardest part to keep warm was always my toes. My feet get cold super easily and it sucks. Smartwool PhD socks and then, if the temperature is low enough, some Grabber toe warmers. Making sure you’re not accidentally restricting circulation by over-packing your feet with insulation is important and sometimes overlooked.
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Aug 8, 2018 23:18
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n8r posted:Telling people to wear down during activity is bad advice. This depends entirely on the activity and exertion level. On a normal backcountry skiing day, where I’m gaining and losing 1000’ over the course of a few hours, I’ll have my down jacket off and on a dozen times (including on the downhill of its particularly cold). Obviously don’t sweat into it but there’s no way in hell I would leave the parking lot without a down jacket with me if temps are going to be below 30° I don’t think anyone here has advised doing highly aerobic activity for long periods of time in down, have they? quote:Same thing with shells - if you've got any sort of a waterproof laminate, the minute you start really sweating it's going to act like a sauna. Generally speaking old fashioned fleece works pretty well in between long underwear and a shell. If/when you do start to sweat, the fleece isolates you from the moisture and retains it's insulation well. Again this is entirely dependent on the activity, exertion level and, with regard to a shell, environment. A decent three layer shell should breathe well, have pit zips and keep you relatively comfortable in a range of temperatures. In a drier climate, you can opt for a soft shell, though I tend to prefer a hard shell just for the packability + weight factor. I’ve had fleece get sweaty on me and it gets wet, heavy, and cold. The only material I know that maintains its heat-retaining properties when wet is wool. The advice I think were both in agreement on is: Don’t get your layers sweaty in winter. Stop and adjust. My general setup for backcountry travel below 30°: - Wool (or silk) base layer, both top and bottom. You can get away with poly if you know it’s going to be a warmer day. - Fleece layer. I like 1/4 zip. - Down puffy. I usually wear this out of the lot and then take it off about 10 minutes into a skin. You can also start off chilled and just let the workout warm you up, but I prefer to layer down later since we’re usually doing things like beacon checks in the first 10 minutes of a skin. YMMV for Snowshoeing. - Hard/soft shell. What is on your body at any given moment will completely vary. The key is to feel comfortable and, if you start to swear or feel cold, adjust your layers accordingly. waffle enthusiast fucked around with this message at 00:15 on Aug 9, 2018 |
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Aug 9, 2018 00:10
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DeesGrandpa posted:Fourteeners are stupid but it was pretty. Agree to disagree. I’ve only got 21(ish) under my belt but I will never get tired of the views. Granted, Grays/Torreys/Quandary/Bierstadt are conga lines. Did you do Belford + Oxford or just the one? Those photos are great.
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Aug 24, 2018 19:41
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Always Be C doing squats. Also I recently learned the joy of tippy birds (basically a single leg RDL), which are a good time.
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Nov 12, 2018 16:02
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1. PCT hang is always the way to go. 2. Moose are yuge. 3. Black bears are big ole teddy bears. 4. Brown bears are the work of the devil and the only thing that truly terrifies me.
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Mar 30, 2019 20:59
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I’m supposed to go backpacking on Friday. I’ve been staring at CalTopo maps for weeks trying to figure out where to go. Gore Range, Collegiates, Front Range. The struggle is real. What’s your process in narrowing down locations? waffle enthusiast fucked around with this message at 18:20 on Aug 11, 2019 |
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Aug 11, 2019 18:13
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Nymph, Dream, Emerald is pretty great.
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Aug 16, 2019 02:03
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I just ordered a Helinox Chair Zero. This was either a really dumb idea, or extremely overdue and I don’t know which. Oh, also I had a problem on my trip with my Gravityworks filter. Filled the dirty reservoir, got rid of as much air as possible in the hose, and still got nothing but a drip. It took hours filter 4L. I wound up calling Cascade Designs and the guy on the phone said it could be an air locked filter from disuse, and to soak it for a few days. Test your filters before you head out, folks. Anyway, camping is cool and good.  
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Aug 24, 2019 03:18
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Dangerllama posted:Oh, also I had a problem on my trip with my Gravityworks filter. Filled the dirty reservoir, got rid of as much air as possible in the hose, and still got nothing but a drip. It took hours filter 4L. I wound up calling Cascade Designs and the guy on the phone said it could be an air locked filter from disuse, and to soak it for a few days. Test your filters before you head out, folks. Quick follow up to this. After soaking the filter in a bowl of water for two days, I assembled the system and tried filtering some tap water. Full flow was completely restored. Verman posted:Try blowing into the clean hose straight into the filter. You should see bubbles in the dirty bag. Thats been the best way of getting things back to normal for me. Curious. The manual says that if you can blow from the clean hose and make bubbles into the dirty bag the filter is compromised.
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Aug 25, 2019 17:24
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I have an ancient Gregory Baltoro 65 and between a REI Sub Kilo 20°, Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2, food, water filter and clothing, I feel like there’s no way I could get down to less than 50L. My only creature comfort so far has been a Nemo camp pillow. Also fishing gear, which all fits inside a 1L stuff sack. Sleeping pad (Therm-a-rest Trail Lite) was purchased before such things could fit inside one’s pack. That’s not even including camera gear, which I ditched last trip because I didn’t have room. I think my pack weight was around 30lbs. I have no idea how one gets down to 35L without being a weight weenie.
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Sep 5, 2019 03:37
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armorer posted:Crossposting from the climbing thread, because these aren't really climbing photos for the most part. I spent a week in Yosemite (mostly in Tuolumne Meadows) climbing. This is some good poo poo.
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Sep 25, 2019 03:44
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edit: Not online, but Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills has a pretty good navigation chapter. I just pulled off the shelf to check, after however many years. I forgot how information dense that thing is. waffle enthusiast fucked around with this message at 15:04 on Nov 4, 2019 |
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Nov 4, 2019 14:58
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edit: wrong thread.
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Jan 13, 2020 03:24
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Yikes. That is some Chris McCandless stuff right there. Glad you guys made it back safely.
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Feb 9, 2020 20:31
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FYI, the Chair Zero is both lighter and cheaper than the Chair One if you’re going to be taking a camp chair. Also, I’ve found a backpacking pillow to be worth its weight in gold. Don’t forget the DEET, flask (with top shelf booze in it; I like putting some in hot chocolate at the end of the day), fire starting kit (a lighter and some of those sawdust pods), and a book/kindle/fly fishing gear/something to keep you entertained if you’re not hiking more than a few hours per day. Thanks for posting this. This site is really cool!
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Feb 14, 2020 15:44
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I’m getting sick of pads constantly getting better. I’m the proud owner or two REI Trekker pads from 15 years ago, and two Therm-a-rest Trail Lite pads from circa 2015. The Trail Lites probably have a grand total of 10-15 days on them (because kids), and yet I now find myself lusting after something smaller, lighter, and warmer. GAS is bad in the outdoor industry.
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Feb 14, 2020 20:48
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Around Denver, August, and not packed are going to be a tough get. How far are you willing to drive to start? Anything specific you want to see?
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Feb 16, 2020 17:51
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Rolo posted:So, uh, should I cancel my Sun-Fri Denver trip? All hiking would be day hikes and I’d be in the city at night. If you’re hiking and generally being outdoors you’re fine. Buuuuuuut… I absolutely would not plan on doing anything social in Denver right now. If you’re staying at an AirBnB or hotel, I would buy groceries and cook there. Could be an extremely weird, but once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. bring toilet paper
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Mar 13, 2020 05:50
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This is the hiking and backpacking thread. Is there foliage nearby?
waffle enthusiast fucked around with this message at 03:14 on Mar 14, 2020 |
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Mar 14, 2020 03:12
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Rolo posted:Ok I’m thinking I’m just gonna bite then cost, cancel the rest of the plans and get home now. Have you been in the high country at all in the last week? https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/news/cdphe-strongly-advises-all-visitors-and-residents-eagle-summit-pitkin-and-gunnison-counties
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Mar 16, 2020 20:04
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Your friend sounds like quite the poo poo-heel. You did the right thing. Good on ya.
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Mar 17, 2020 23:12
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https://youtu.be/vYBzVXV8nPM
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Mar 25, 2020 05:18
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What’s everyone’s favorite weather app for iOS these days? Weather Underground seems to have turned into adware. Accuweather is strangely designed (see their graph time picker). Dark Sky seems too focused on just precipitation. I’m looking to have info on temperature, precipitation, and wind speed at a glance over the upcoming day, as well as more detailed info quickly available (UV index, pressure, sunrise/sunset) — ideally in graph format.
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May 12, 2020 17:12
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I live in CO and plan/pack accordingly on trips. But for things like day hikes, fishing, or mountain biking I want to have a general sense of precipitation, thunderstorms, pressure, temp, and UV index over the course of the day. Knowing when a storm is going to roll in and how (within reason) it’s going to roll in are critical to being outside in the high country. Having to look at many of those things one at a time is also super annoying. This is the best example of a useful graphic where I can see at a glance what the next few days are going to look like, and then quickly zoom in to get details on wind, precip, etc. 
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May 15, 2020 04:41
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I’ll never buy another Nissan after they failed to warranty the motor mounts and some (very expensive) internal belt on my X-Terra, but otherwise a Pathfinder is a pretty known quantity. High clearance, 4WD, plenty of space. You’ll be fine. If you’re going anywhere crazy, put skids and good shoes on it.
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May 25, 2020 15:28
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