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My first UL solo overnighter

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Jun 17, 2009 at 1:38 am #1237136

Matthew Steingass
BPL Member

@steingass
Locale: Washington

This was my first solo trip and first UL trip. I didn't have much daylight because I work nights so I chose a short trip. I got really lucky and had a great time.

Marmot Pass/Buckhorn Mountain Olympic NF
Length: 12 miles round trip
Highpoint: 6983 feet
Elevation gain: 4522 feet
Low temperature: 38 degrees

The weather looked good until I got to the trail head so all of my photos are from 6000 feet and above. At this elevation I was basically in a cloud sandwich with some intermitent sunshine.

Picture of Buckhorn mountain and the ridge I spent the night on.

I weighed my pack at the post office after my trip and found I had a base pack weight of 7.82 pounds. I've used all this gear before but always needed a larger pack for some reason. This time I took my time and found a place for everything in my slightly modified Ion. My only other pack weighs over 7 pounds empty and easily kicks me out of the UL category.

Here's my Ion and LT4 poles at the pass.

I wasn't solo after all. I was starting to make camp at about 6800 feet on Buckhorn ridge when I saw this guy come up from the mist.

He didn't seem to mind me and grazed around my camp for next next 3 hours.

He doesn't advocate the use of poles.

One of my favorites.

The DuoMid did great. It shed the gusts with ease and was condensation free in the morning.

MYOG quilt

Sunset

Sunrise

A sea of clouds.

If my battery didn't die I would have done this part up there too. I guess my dirty living room floor will have to do. My gear list is in my profile.

Packing my gear.

The pocket I added under the lid gives the ion a little organization. It holds first aid, emergency poncho water treatment, mini bic. compass.

Pad, thermal pants, balaclava, and socks go in first.

Quilt

Inner Parka

Shelter, gloves

Hydration, wind jacket, camp food, spoon

Cook set, trail food

I bought the Ion before I had all my gear (the wrong way to buy a pack) and quickly found it was going to be a tight fit. I can barely do 2 nights with this pack but I have an MLD Exodus on the way so longer trips are sure to come. Enjoy!

Jun 17, 2009 at 2:23 am #1508758

Ashley Brown
Member

@ashleyb

Awesome Matthew. I can't believe you made that quilt before your first solo trip! The duomid looks very cool too. Thanks for the great pics…. =-)

Jun 17, 2009 at 2:30 am #1508760

Matthew Steingass
BPL Member

@steingass
Locale: Washington

Thanks Ashley. Here's the thread to the quilt in case you haven't seen it yet.

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=21087&skip_to_post=169191#169191

Jun 17, 2009 at 4:48 am #1508769

Eugene Smith
BPL Member

@eugeneius
Locale: Nuevo Mexico

Wow! Really nice trip report and I particularly enjoyed the goat set. This is your first UL trip? Crazy. You had me fooled, it appears you are a seasoned ULer. Thanks for sharing.

Jun 17, 2009 at 7:08 am #1508782

Steven Evans
BPL Member

@steve_evans
Locale: Canada

Duomid, quilt, long handled ti spoon…great gear choices. If that is a bag of peanut m&m's I see, I'd swear we have the same kit!
Nice pics by the way, you've got to be an animal lover to take all those goat shots. Sometimes, when I'm in camp and something stops by for a visit, I just sit and watch it for hours, even if it's a squirrel!
You know, if you had the TiGoat poles, you could have probably sold one of those photos to them. ;)

Looks like a great trip.

Jun 17, 2009 at 8:27 am #1508790

Matthew Steingass
BPL Member

@steingass
Locale: Washington

Thanks guys. Nope no peanut m&m's just some trail mix with fruit added.

LOL. I guess it is a lot of goat pics. Photos never do wide open areas justice but throw a mountain goat in their and you've got a winner.

Almost wish they were TiGoat poles in the pic. Maybe a trade for a Ti-Tri would be in order.

Jun 17, 2009 at 10:52 am #1508815

Jim MacDiarmid
BPL Member

@jrmacd

Nice Trip. I really like the running goat picture too. The gear pics are nice and informative too. It's one thing to look at a spreadsheet, another to see how it looks all laid out. I'll have to start including a 'gear layout' in my trip reports.

How did the LT4's perform? What kind of winds were you shedding in the Duomid? It's under serious consideration for my winter tent.

Jun 17, 2009 at 11:22 am #1508822

Kendall Clement
BPL Member

@socalpacker
Locale: Cebu, Philippines

Matthew,

Great trip report. Like the others I really like the goat pics, too. Also, great choice for a camp site… Really beautiful.

Thanks,

Kendall

Jun 17, 2009 at 12:22 pm #1508839

Matthew Steingass
BPL Member

@steingass
Locale: Washington

Thanks Kendall. I see your from Southern California. I'm getting stationed in Camp Pendleton this December so I'll have to get some trip suggestions from you when the time comes.

Jun 17, 2009 at 12:42 pm #1508845

Jared Cook
Member

@rooinater
Locale: Northwet

Marmot pass in the north cascades is snow free? That's good news, I'll have to find out where it's at in a guidebook somewhere. You going to Camp Pendelton as a corpsman, marine or for the navy landing crew down there?

Jun 17, 2009 at 12:54 pm #1508849

Matthew Steingass
BPL Member

@steingass
Locale: Washington

Being a Corpsman I had a hard time putting together a first aid kit that would fit inside my Ion. I did make a special pocket for it under the lid to make it quickly accessible tho. I can't wait to go down there. Sometimes this PNW weather is a little frustrating.

Jun 17, 2009 at 7:22 pm #1508938

Kendall Clement
BPL Member

@socalpacker
Locale: Cebu, Philippines

Hey Matthew,

There's lots of great trails here in California. BTW, I was on the USS Roanoke from 1981-1982 and then at NavFac CVB in Northern California from 1982-1985. Let's keep in touch. I'm planning my first solo UL trip for July maybe, but hopefully not as late as August. Send me a PM anytime.

Jun 17, 2009 at 7:31 pm #1508943

Ken Helwig
BPL Member

@kennyhel77
Locale: Scotts Valley CA via San Jose, CA

Also keep in mind Matt, that alot of us meet up for hikes within California too. Sometimes our Southern CA friends come up and join us

Jun 17, 2009 at 7:42 pm #1508944

Joshua Gilbert
Member

@joshcgil2
Locale: Seattle

I think this particular Marmot Pass is in the Olympics.

Still, I was up there 2 years ago at the same time of year, and where Matt was camped was a snowfield, so that is good news

Jun 18, 2009 at 5:09 am #1509001

Matthew Steingass
BPL Member

@steingass
Locale: Washington

Sounds good Kendall. I plan on exploring most of California from lake tahoe down. On the drive down I-5 I want to check out Redwood NP. Are there any other must see areas of California north of tahoe because after I come down through that area I probably won't ever go back?

Jun 18, 2009 at 10:51 am #1509062

Jim MacDiarmid
BPL Member

@jrmacd

Ha. I just got a FB update from Gossamer Gear with your picture of the LT4s & goat. Nice.

Jun 18, 2009 at 4:56 pm #1509152

Kendall Clement
BPL Member

@socalpacker
Locale: Cebu, Philippines

Matthew,

I'm pretty new to this sport. Most of the hikes I've found are on Backpacker Magazine's website and a couple of books I got off Amazon. The other people on THIS site know alot cooler hikes than I do. And, Ken is right. Lots of times the Northern California hikers will post a trip announcement when they're looking for hiking partners. We could definitely go on a hike when you get down here.

Ken,

I've been tempted to go with you guys sometime, but my schedule always seems to get in the way. Is that an open invitation? I'd like to go with you guys sometime.

Jun 18, 2009 at 5:25 pm #1509156

Matthew Steingass
BPL Member

@steingass
Locale: Washington

I sent some pics to GG and MLD. Hopefully I'll see them on their sites.

Jun 18, 2009 at 5:36 pm #1509157

Joe Clement
BPL Member

@skinewmexico
Locale: Southwest

Cool hike. That is some serious vertical for an overnight. Oh, to be young again. Or in shape. Or both.

Jun 18, 2009 at 5:38 pm #1509158

Nick Gatel
BPL Member

@ngatel
Locale: Southern California

>> I plan on exploring most of California from lake tahoe down.

Tne state is bigger than you think! :)

Jun 18, 2009 at 5:41 pm #1509159

Matthew Steingass
BPL Member

@steingass
Locale: Washington

Its nice and steady most of the way except the 35-40 degree climb at base of buckhorn mtn. It was slow going for both me and the goat.

Jun 18, 2009 at 5:45 pm #1509161

Matthew Steingass
BPL Member

@steingass
Locale: Washington

It is a huge state. I guess I mean most of the NP and NF.

Jun 18, 2009 at 8:39 pm #1509198

Jeremy Pendrey
BPL Member

@pendrey
Locale: California

I enjoyed your pics. Always amazing to connect with some wildlife, especially on solo trips.

Redwood NP is not on I-5. It's on the coast. If you take I-5, you could go through Lassen. A lot less steep than the Sierra, but many pretty lakes and lots of good day hikes if you don't have time to backpack on the way down. Try the hikes out of the Summit Lake trailhead down toward Snag Lake and/or up to Cinder Cone through the painted desert for some cool volcanic views. Cinder Cone is accessible from Butte Lake I think also (that is probably the closest trailhead.)

I used to live in Southern California (now in Nor Cal). There are lots of great hikes in So Cal. Places for you to check out: Mt. San Gorgonio area of San Bernardino Mountains, Mt. San Jacinto area, San Gabriel Mountains (Angeles National Forest) – lots of great day hikes plus some pretty solid backpacks that can be more remote than you would expect so close to a metropolis, Joshua Tree (mostly day hikes, but I've done some backpacking there too), and best of all is that you are not that far from the South Eastern High Sierra. Head up to Lone Pine and up to the Golden Trout Wilderness or points north for all the passes that access some of the most beautiful hiking I know.

Edit: I should mention that if you have not seen Redwoods and you are thinking of taking the coast for that experience, by all means go for it.

Jun 19, 2009 at 6:28 am #1509267

Matthew Steingass
BPL Member

@steingass
Locale: Washington

Thanks for the suggestions Jeremy. 11,000 foot mountains only a couple hours from where I'll probably be living. Nice.

Jun 20, 2009 at 8:47 pm #1509577

Matthew Steingass
BPL Member

@steingass
Locale: Washington

Mr. Goat is now the featured picture on gossamergear.com
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