Emigrant Wilderness SUL Trip – July 13-14

[Andrew F]

Have you been reading the latest BPL articles by Ryan Jordan and Will Rietveld and you're tired of them having all the fun with SUL packs? Do you have a pretty good UL system down and you're curious just how much lighter you can go? Just want an excuse to hang out with your fellow California BPLers? Then join in on this group trip to Emigrant Wilderness on the weekend of July 13th and 14th where we will see how little gear we can can get away with bringing and still have Type I fun.

If you don't have SUL gear, don't worry! A 20×40" piece of 1/8" Thinlight and a white plastic grocery bag will be provided to all who need it. Participants will be strictly limited to 11 individual pieces of gear and a 6 lb base weight. We will have a digital scale at the trailhead, and any offenders will be asked to hike as a separate group. Just kidding, anyone and everyone is welcome on this trip though the focus will be on bringing the fewest number of items and using the lightest gear that we already own as an educational experience.

We will be starting at Sonora Pass and hiking south on the PCT to the Emigrant Lakes. If we have enough people to do a car shuttle, we will exit at Kennedy Meadows via Brown Bear Pass. Roughly 25 miles total. Either drive up Friday night and camp near the trailhead, or enjoy the lack of traffic and get there early Saturday morning. Emigrant was chosen so that there are no permit issues and because bear canisters are not mandatory – so hang your food (properly!), use an Ursack, or borrow my Bearikade Weekender if you'd like. Conditions will likely be moderate mosquitos, some chance of afternoon thunderstorms, elevations from 6,000-11,000 ft and temperatures most likley not to fall below 32F overnight. Right now there are 4 people including myself interested in going, I will let those people chime in themselves once they are in for sure.

[Chris S]

I'll be there with my fully loaded cargo pants.

[Andrew F]

Chris, I was hoping it wouldn't come to this, but I guess we'll have to measure full skin-out weights at the trailhead. Privacy curtain will be provided.

[Jay Wilkerson]

Sounds like a great trip and dates. I just ordered a ZERO backpack from ZPacks- Good timing! Digital scales are a must and Less is More! Off to Mineral King in a few hours.

Jay

[Anthony Weston]

If there is room, I'd like to tag along and try out my new myog tarp.
Hope the skitters have thinned to nothing by then.

[Andrew F]

Plenty of room Anthony – there is no quota and the group size limit is 15. Would be fun if you can join us.

[Chris S]

Hmmm….I guess I'll have to get a little bit more creative.

[James Winstead]

Chris, two words: cargo socks.

Guys, I'm in for sure. This sounds fantastic and I'm really curious to push myself into the SUL world and see what I learn. Dates work for me too.

[James DeGraaf]

Can I tentatively reserve a spot? I'll have to double check with the misses, but I would love to come. Been wanting to try something like this for a while and this seems like a great insentive to do it. Thanks Andrew.
-James

[Andy Duncan]

Is there room for a BPLer from the lower portion of California? I would gladly drive 14 hours to hang out for 48 with a group like this.

[Eric Lundquist]

I'm interested. How strict is the 6lb base weight and 11 item requirement. I'm guessing everyone else will be so light they won't have cameras to document my infringement?

[Andrew F]

You guys are all welcome, I hope we are entertaining enough that it's worth the long drive Andy.

The 6 lb requirement is of course mostly tongue in cheek. If you pull out a camp chair at Emigrant Lake I'll be a little jealous but we can still be friends.

[USA Duane Hall]

Can "F's" come? :)
I just got back with some heavy weights where we bped into Relief Reservoir from Kennedy Meadow Resort last weekend. Mosquitoes were light mostly, except around drainages. It would be fun to shoot for 6 lbs. or less and 11 items if you were serious. But, this trip is between trips for me, going on vacation about the middle of the next week and would have been to the Trinity Alps over the 4th. Have fun, I need to meet a few BPL's and see what the fuss is about over the articles.
Duane

[michael grosse]

Hello,
I was going up there July 3-5 and was going to see how light I could go, maybe I need to postpone for a week and see how my fellow travelers do it. I was entertaining the notion of a Kennedy Meadows to Hetch Hetchy trip, 44 miles I think..

thank you,
michael grosse

[James DeGraaf]

Please check my profile. Constructive criticism and feedback is welcomed. I've never been backpacking in Emigrant wilderness and would love to hear from the "veterans". I'm especially curious to hear about precipitation and the logistics of a wood fire. (Did I read somewhere no fire within 1/2mile of Emigrant lake?)
Thanks,
James

[Manfred]

James,

Andrew's invite got Michelle and me excited, but we couldn't go that weekend – so we decided to go anyway – but a week earlier from July 4-7.

Here is a map of Emigrant Wilderness that shows all areas where fires are not allowed. As you can see all Emigrant Lakes are in the "No fires" area.

Have fun out there!

Manfred

[David W.]

Manfred, sorry to hear you wont be able to make it. Lets get another trip in the works for this summer.

Manfred and James are correct, no fires above 9k feet or within a half mile of Emigrant Lake.

The only special gear considerations I can think of for this route in Emigrant is 1) the possibility of getting caught in a thunderstorm above tree line and being exposed and 2) people seem to say there are an exceptional number of mosquitoes in the Emigrant area (I have not experienced anything out of the ordinary).

James, your kit looks spot on to me. However, you exceeded the 11 item limit. You will need to figure out how to hide some of those items as contraband when Andrew does his pre-trip inspection.

[James DeGraaf]

Manfred and David,
Thanks for the map and the added info. The hike looks like it will be mostly taking part in the "no fire" zone. I was wondering if bring my Bushbuddy instead would be a worthwhile swap for cooking diners. It doesn't seem like it will be worth it since I won't be able to use it.

What are you (everyone) going to bring? I like comparing my list to other's to see if I'm lacking anything.
Thanks,
James

[Manfred]

James,

I'm missing sunglasses on your list. I'm still trying to get under 6 lbs and all of a sudden my 16 oz Zpacks Arc Blast looks heavy …

Manfred

[Ken Thompson]

What daytime high temperatures can one expect?

[Andrew F]

James, looks good to me. I never bring rain pants (don't even own a pair) so you might consider nixing those. If it does rain it will likely be a short-lived afternoon thunderstorm, in which case we will be running for cover at Kennedy Lake anyway.

I'll be bringing an Esbit Ti wing stove to cook on. We did manage to pick the one place in Emigrant where wood fires are not allowed, otherwise I'd be cooking on a fire. But that PCT section looks like an awesome ridge walk so it will be worth it.

Ken, it's too far out for a specific forecast yet but I would expect highs in the mid 60's – low 70's and lots of sun. Last weekend at 11,000 ft it was hot even in just a long sleeve base layer and pants unless the wind was blowing. Definitely bring a sun hat.

[Ken Thompson]

That is a fair bit cooler than I thought. Tempted.

Another never been there.

[Jay Wilkerson]

Ken, It could be in the Low 60's to low 90's in the day. Lost of variables just like the T Alps. You should come down Ken–Let me know?

[James DeGraaf]

My spectacles have transition lenses. Can I assume that'll be enough? Can I get bonus points for multipurpose items?
And what can one expect for low time temps? Just curious of what to mentally prepare for.
Thanks,
James

[Andrew F]

Here is a link to the NOAA point forecast:

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=38.20581359813473&lon=-119.64591979980469#.UcOvj2S9Kc0

It's unlikely to get more than a few degrees below freezing. If you are good to 32F you should be fine.

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