Point Reyes 4 day with Golite Ion pack

[Dave T]

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[Casey Bowden]

What is your planned route? Point Reyes is pretty small so it's hard to imagine doing 4 'long' days out there.

[Doug Johnson]

I have one of the DWR MLD bivies- it's not designed to be waterproof in a downpour and should be used with a tarp in heavy rain conditions. I'd highly recommend carrying a tarp with it.

Also, what about raingear? I don't see that. I know the forecast is no rain, but if it goes south on you and a storm rolls in, you'll be unprepared to deal with it.

Maybe a poncho tarp is the perfect addition to your list!

Looks good though- have a great trip!

Doug

[Casey Bowden]

Dave,

I assumed your four day trip would be to/from the usual campsites (coast, wildcat, glen, and sky). Your itinerary is impressive.

Regarding your gear, I wouldn't worry about rain or raingear since you can always bail out rather quickly.

Regarding non-cooking, I find that to work fine when I'm in the wilderness but it really sucks when your eating your cold food next to people who have brought the 'kitchen sink'. This may be the case if you stay at the above mentioned camps.

If your interested, my wife and I have done some good trips in the area:
http://caseyandemily.com/Backpack/2004/2004_02_PtReyes/point_reyes.htm

[Doug Johnson]

Hi Dave,

Sounds reasonable. I've done the same, actually- pushed a breathable/water-resistant bivy into conditions when rain was very unlikely. I figured that I could put it silnylon side up if things went wrong.

Still, I'd do a rain jacket. But maybe it's just my hypothermia pacific northwest fears coming through. :-)

Enjoy!
Doug

[Denis Hazlewood]

I also question your 'long distance' plan. One rather 'longish' route, from Palomarin through the four allowable campsites (Wildcat, Coast, Sky and Glen), is 32.5 miles. You may not camp anywhere else in the Point Reyes National Seashore. Also, there is little or no water available in the areas north and west of the Limantour Road, the ponds inland from Abbott's Lagoon notwithstanding.

[Aaron Sorensen]

Hey Dave,
When are you going?
If you want some company for a day or two, I am looking for something to do over the next week.
Also, (doesn't matter) but how far are you planning on going each day?

One important factor in planning the route is that when you look at the Map; only the areas shaded in green have forest. The rest is completely barren and down right ugly.
The difference is huge and the scenery in the trees is excellent. I would try to stay in the forested area as much as possible.

For camping, you can not camp with out a permit and have to camp at one of the camp grounds.

Although it seems like every trip I take there I am never at the station on time so we have to bail out early in the morning so we don't get hit with a BIG fine…
They patrol by horseback out there about 3-5 days a week, but this time of the year there is nobody out there except just days on the weekends.
If I were you, I would take the longest routes covering the most trails possible between campgrounds and just stay at a different campground each night.
As far as scenery and a good trip go, you could do a lot better with your route selection.
I wouldn't even bother with any of the Drakes Bay area other than to go by car before you start to check it out.

The best campground is Sky camp.

Coast camp is an easy 2nd.

Glen is in a pretty area, but the sites are too open.
This wouldn't be bad at all having it to you self though.

Wildcat is nestled in a bunch of dried up tall weeds. It is unique and the view over the cliff is cool, (can't see it from the campsites though). Still easily comes in last place.

There are a few creeks out there, (need to be treated).
About 90% of the creeks shown on the map will have running water. A lot of the trails just don't intersect with them.
The campsites are close enough to do 2-3 Litters of water in between if you did something like a figure 8 with the campgrounds on the trails it would work out the best.

[William Webber]

Have you hiked Pt Reyes before? It can get kind of cold out there. But like everyone said, you are never too far from your car and can always bail. Watch out for poison oak.

[Casey Bowden]

Hey Dave,

Aaron has good comments except I can't believe he ranks Wildcat Camp 4 out of 4. I think its number 1 based on the photos (move your cursor over the pictures for captions) below. Geez, I need to get back out there!

[Dylan Taylor]

its true that you'll be hard pressed to do 4 long days. and being as light as your are going, you will be able to do some big days.

you could do a loop from palomarin along the coast trail then come back along the ridge. i think someone said it above– thats a bit more than 30 miles. you could go out on a yo-yo on the estero trail and back or go all the way down by bolinas on the other end on the ridge trail to tack on some more miles.

i just finished my first trip with the ion. loved it. i just traded my caribou for the highlite and used that along with the GG sleep pieces you are using as well. worked perfectly.

in terms of camping in PR, i've been stealth camping there for years. i know its illegal, but the campgrounds are always so full and for me, take away from the backcountry experience there. i set up at dusk and break down and head out at first light. its probably controversial, but by using no trace ethics, there is basically no damage to the park; the only thing is you risk a citation. but you think a ranger will believe you are doing an overnighter with only the ion on your back? tell them your day hiking. they are so conditioned to weekend warriors carrying huge expedition packs for one night they wont second guess you. that works for the steep fees too, but i digress…

anyway, heres i few shots. i thought i would add to the cool ones already posted… heres a shot of my buddy at a stealth camp on a late evening

check this white fallow deer i saw. i hear the national park is planning on exterminating them b/c they are non-native. sorry quality is poor, i had to edit it to enlarge.

[Dylan Taylor]

Just got back from doing 35 mile loop in PR. Dang, 60+ in 3 days? (above post) thats awesome. i could never get my hiking buddy to do those miles. he was hard pressed for the 35; but he is more on the traditional end of the backpacking continuum.

anyway, i will post some pics later. looks like this thread is still alive since you just posted that pic.

[Aaron Sorensen]

Hey Dave,
Did you do the itinerary you were planning on doing from the beginning?
You never really said how the trip went other than how the gear was.

[Dylan Taylor]

i did the loop with a buddy. we started at south entrance– blanking on the name– after getting permits at the bear valley station. had a late start friday so stayed at wildcat first night. for a shelter we used my old lightning (in fastpack mode so we each carried a little over a lbs for shelter). we dropped down at alamere falls onto the beach (after checking tide table) and had enough room to hike on beach from the falls to wildcat. there was a cool vertebrae from a whale.

it did get cold and my WM highlite was on the verge of its rating. i supplemented it though with the MB ul down inner, but legs got cold.

day 2 we trekked the balance of the coast trail past coast camp. at coast camp we got onto the beach and hiked northward, cutting back onto the trail as it cut inland. there, the loop starts turning around. we stayed the night at sky camp.

you can see why its called that.

last day we hiked back to palomarin — oh yeah, thats what the trailhead is called. had a cool shot of the farallone islands. thats one of the points of the "red triangle" — an area known as one of the highest concentrations of great whites.

i tried my new pair of montrail hardrocks and got a nasty blister on my heel. i almost always get a blister on my heels on first outings b/c i have heel spurs. but, i loved the wide toebox– no blisters on my pinky toe (another prob area).

great trip overall.

[Nate Meinzer]

I'm thinking of going up there next weekend (starting at Golden Gate Bridge, walking through GG Recreation area to camp at Mt. Tam first night, then take ridge over and west to Wildcat, then catch a ride back from either Bear Valley or Bolinas), and I'm surprised everyone agreed their WM bags weren't enough. So I'm beginning to wonder if my 35 down rei flash will do the job. Guess I'll find out =)

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