Overnighter this weekend or next

[Jim MacDiarmid]

Gear List

Weather conditions:

Saturday: Rain likely, mainly after 8am. Cloudy, with a high near 47. Northwest wind between 8 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Saturday Night: A chance of rain showers before 11pm, then a chance of snow showers. Cloudy, with a low around 24. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Sunday: A chance of snow showers before 11am, then a chance of rain showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 41. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Thoughts?

[Mike Clelland]

QUESTION – Where are you planning to camp???

Please check this out:
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=31018

Wow – 14.71 ounces is a LOT for hydration needs. You should re-think this.

You could get this down to about two ounces if you wanted.

NIX – Granite Gear Compression sack

NIX – Kahtoola Microspikes

NIX – Stuff Sack for shelter

NIX – Pack towel from Dollar Tree

NIX – Pack Cover, just use the plastic bag liner.

NIX – Where are you hiking? DO you need an URSACK and a bear hang set up?

NIX – TP and Add a little bit of soap.

[Jim MacDiarmid]

Oh yeah – Catskills. I'm completely new to them.

Reports are that most people aren't needed traction devices as the snow is mostly gone, but where I'm going – The Blackhead Range – is 'notoriously dry' according to my Appalachian Mountain Club Guide. My map doesn't indicate a lot of obvious streams, though in the spring I'd think water wouldn't be too hard to come by. I'm bringing the Nalgene + cozy for hot chocolate at night when its raining 25 degrees and I'm stuff in my bivy sack under my tarp.

As for the Ursack, I'm not sure what the bear situation is like in the Catskills this early in the season, but I've never bear bagged before, so while I learn, I'm bringing the Ursack on the change that I fail. 6 extra oz vs no food and a fed bear is a trade off I'll make for now.

I will drop the compression sack and just go with a couple liners. I'm not ready to drop the stuff sack for my fancy new cuben tarp though.

[V k]

1. No Microspikes needed in the catskills this time of the year.
2. Also no need for Ursack. You can hang your food. There are bears in the Catskills but I am yet to see one or hear of anyone who has.
3. No need for BPL Full zip cocoon pants. The temps will be too warm.
4. Maps -2oz? Sounds too heavy. Just copy the section you need at staples.
5. Odor Sak x 3 + 1 lrg – Not needed – see #2 above
6. OR 1L Cozy – not needed. Nothing is freezing on this trip.
7. Not sure how much water you are planning on carrying but I would suggest 2 liters. You can find water in several places like just North of Blackhead.

I suggest that you avoid Batavia Kill Lean-to. It's overused.

[Jim MacDiarmid]

Vladimir,

Thanks for the input. After checking the weather forecast this morning, it looks like it's going to be wetter, but warmer than I originally planned for, so I was dropping the Cocoon pants. Between that and leaving the microspikes at home, I'll save 1.5lbs. I also can then likely fit all my gear in my GG Whisper; another 1lb savings.

The maps@2oz is just my standard generic estimate. I have the AMC maps and I bet they're really only an oz or less.

Okay, so I'll drop the ursack for my 2 oz Oware daypack stuff sack. I have a Sierra Nevada- particularly Yosemite – mindset still when it comes to protecting food from bears.

2L is what I was planning to carry. Thanks for the tips on where to look for water.

I plan on staying away from lean-tos. As a solo camper, I like the idea of being in the vicinity of one(and other people) in case something goes wrong, but staying in one has no appeal to me.

Great, between you and Mike C! I've chopped about 2.5 lbs from my baseweight.

[Andy F]

Any chance you can cook over a fire? That would save you around 12 oz. + consumable fuel. A fire might be more challenging in the rain though.

I'd add a firesteel, along with the required practice of course. :)

[Mike Clelland]

Hey – I wouldn't worry about bears. And, when you say you are going to be drinking hot chocolate in your bivi sack, that is a huge no-no in bear country (I live near yellowstone).

Personally, in the catskills, I would eat in my shelter and hang my food (out of habit, and more for squirels) and I wouln't worry about bears at all.

---

I would NOT take a full size nalgene botlle. Take a wide mouth soda bottle (but don't pour boiling water in it, just a little under boiling is fine, it'll warp the shape and the lid wont fit anymore)

And – Don't take a cozy, just stuff it in an inside pocket. It'll warm YOU and stay insulated.

Maybe fine a wide mouth plastic bottle that easily fits in a pocket. Juice bottles come in a million different shapes and sizes.

---

Nix the stuff sack for the tarp! Just because it's fancy and new is no reason to use a stuff sack. Just cram it in your pack FIRST, add the pack liner on top, and let it fill the space UNDER the pack liner. It'll be fine.

No need for "a couple of liners" one is fine

[Jim MacDiarmid]

I forget about Gatorade bottles. I have to stop and get some food for the trip, I'll try and find a nice 16-20 oz one that will suit my needs and save another couple oz.

Okay, I'll drop the stuff sack for the tarp.

I hadn't thought about the oxymoron of bringing an Ursack and then taking food into my shelter.

Andy, I definitely can't count on starting a fire in the rain; my skills aren't there. But you're suggestion does put it in my head that it would be a good idea to practice when I'm out there.

Since the temps are about 5 degrees warmer than I originally thought, and the winds aren't predicted to be bad (3-5mph) I might swap out my cannister stove for my Packafeather XL alchohol stove and save about 9oz.

I've got my baseweight down about 2lbs 14oz thanks to the advice here and the weather not looking so bad.

If I can fit my slimmed down gearlist into my GG Whipser, I'll be a hair under 8lbs. Not too bad for a rainy, 30 degree spring trip.

[V k]

James,

Best maps to use for the Catskills are from NY/NJ Trail conference. They just came out with a new edition a couple of weeks ago.

[Author]

Posts