First Sub-10 Trip

[Nate Meinzer]

So I tried out my first UL trip. Started out in San Francisco, marched across the GG Bridge and up to Muir Beach on the Coastal Trail. Then I used the Heather Cut-off to the Coastal View Trail and stayed the night at Pantoll before catching a ride home.
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Here's a list of my gear (or most of it):

REI Kilo Flash Women's Reg 18
Big Agnes Air Core (no stuffsack) 21
GG Thinlight 2
MSR Pocket Rocket 3
IsoPro 4oz fuel 8
SteriPen Adventurer 3.6
Nalgene 32 oz bottle 3.5
Smartwool Light Hiker Socks 2.6
Petzl Tikka Headlamp 2.75
Duofold polypropylene pants 6
5×9 SilTarp 8
NorthFace Recon 18
HeatSheets Bivy 4
REI TiWare Mug 2.4
BPL Pillow 0.9
Hat 3
Motorola Razr Phone 3.5

Total 6.89

I modified my old North Face Recon backpack and it worked great. Pretty roomy, so not sure I'll be getting a new pack right away. For a bivy, I used an Adventure Medical Kits HeatSheets that I modified with velcro for easy access. Though I don't think I really needed it since it was so dry and marginally warm.

Also, I took a hint from some a MYOG thread here and added a band of ribbon to the sleeping pad to hold my BPL pillow in place and it worked great. Made a little dimple for that cradled my head nicely. In the future, I think I may add velcro to the tarp so I can slight my windshirt over the "door" and attach the sides to the tarp to get more coverage.
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All in all, I had a really great time and was astonished at how far I was able to get with a light pack (about 15 miles!!) I've never hiked so far in one day, and it taught me….that I need better shoes.

Oh, and I saw a bobcat on the Heather Cut-off Trail, which was just the icing on the cake.

Here's a pic of my tarp (Thanks Ken Thompson):

and the view (shoddy with the camera phone) of San Francisco from the coastal trail:

[J B]

Can you reuse the Heat Sheets Bivy?

[Nate Meinzer]

Yes. Though it will never roll as small as it comes originally, and when cutting it you have to stay on the seam because the material will rip easily. I would think it could work for a week or so if you are careful to avoid rocks and use it as a supplement to a tarp. In case of a downpour I planned on using my pack liner to add extra protection.

[Roger B]

Well done a nice and simple overnight trip something many of us do and as you have shown it is easy to get a very light pack for such a trip. I also like that you used a 5 by 9 tarp as I think that a 5 by 8 can be a little short. Did you make your own tarp?

[Nate Meinzer]

I purchased it from a member here. Worked great and was affordable.

[Ken Thompson]

Congrats on your success! Don't you wonder what you were carrying the other stuff for? Glad the tarp worked out for you. I was stoked to see a photo of it so soon!

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