Early season Solo list for the olympics

[Jared Cook]

Big 3 oz.

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Tarptent-for-2 26.05
Montbell SS #2 30.5
Sea To Summit Dry sack 1.2
NeoAir 9.1
Golite Jam2 21.05

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Subtotal 87.9

Clothes Carried oz.

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Socks 2.0
Beanie 1.2
liner gloves 1.35
MW Polypro pant 7.35
MW Polypro top 7.7
Minima Vest 4.9
Sea to summit dry sack 0.95

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Subtotal 25.45

Rain Gear oz.

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Pants 13.85
jacket 13.95
stuff 0.65

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Subtotal 28.45

Solo Cook kit oz.

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Ti windscreen 0.3
BPL Trapper Mug 1.25
foil lid 0.05
handle 0.3
sipper cup lid 0.1
BPL Esbit Wing Stove 0.45
mini bic 0.45
rag 0.4
Freezerbag cozy 0.35
Ti Spork 0.55
Stuff Sack 0.3

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Subtotal 4.5

Essentials Bag oz.

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Epipen 2.15
pills 0.45
matches+bandaids + tape 2.1
compass 1.0
petzl e+lite w/case 1.6
fire starter 0.35
aircore pro rope 0.4
floss + toothbrush 0.3
Sportslick 1.0
mini swis knife 0.9
aquamira 1.75
sunscreen (empty) 0.2
handsanitizer (empty) 0.2
donner's soap (empty) 0.2
stuff sack 0.85

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Subtotal 13.45

Other Stuff oz.

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2L Platy bladder 1.3
1L platy bladder 0.8
1L platy bladder 0.8
play hydration hose 2.2
Bear Bag hanging kit 3.4
Olympus 1050 SW camera 5.95
camera case 1.15
stick pic 0.35
thermometer 0.2
nitelite clip #1 0.15

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Subtotal 16.3

Solo Kit early Season Total 176.05 (11.00lbs)

I've lost 2.5+ pounds so far this winter… I have a Golite Ultra 20 in the mail to save another 10 oz. Can't really cut out any of the warming layers yet… it's possibly going to be very cold and wet this weekend. Other up and coming plans other than cutting the vest and maybe trying some merino wool base layers this summer… are things like sewing a bivy as soon as i get around to it and a 5×9 sil tarp. I'm really looking for lighter rain gear preferably with pit vents and i'll also be modifying a golite Ion with a roll top, water pockets and backmesh panel for a wet tarp to save about 9 to 10 oz off my jam2 which is too big. any other ideas? dry sacks are non-negotiable they stay…

[Tad Englund]

Jared, I think you might be light on your insulating layers. Yes it will be cold this weekend (it snowed in Issaquah this morning!). I'd look at a MB inner or Patigonia down sweater and maybe the like for the bottoms? Unless you are going from hiking straight to you MB SS #2.
You could drop the 2 small platy's- There is more then enough water in the Olympics.
That's my quick glance.

[Jared Cook]

I drink a lot of water… I was thinking about dropping the 2L and fill as I go since i know there's a stream every mile or so. I won't be up in the peaks, and the current noaa weather predictions are calling for lows in the lower 40's for the elevation that i'll be at on the Elwha River trail (camping at about 1500, and highest crossing is 2000). The "cold" streak was supposed to be over for this weekend… but i'm currently watching the weather report… I do have a fleece liner for my snowboard jacket laying around that i can throw in if the weather report gets worse. thanks for the help.

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=47.871913671841675&lon=-123.46989154815674&site=sew&smap=1&marine=0&unit=0&lg=en

[Dave Weston]

Those rain gear weights seam high. I wear a heavier rain jacket at 14oz, but I love the extras like the pit zips. The pants seem really heavy to me. I have a pair of dryducks that weigh 4.4oz. They are not great for ventilation. I really like to wear my home made silnylon "skirt" when hiking. It weighs 3oz.
Also, what size dry bag are you using for your MB #2? I have one and have not found one that it fits in.

[Jared Cook]

I'm using an 8L dry sack for my sleeping bag. There's plenty of room to get 7 or 8 turns on the top. I'm using the 4L for all my warming layers, and a 2L for all my essentials.

I know the rain gear weights are high, and have been looking for replacements, but there are a ton of options and weights i'm sorting through. The bummer is my raingear lack features like pit zips… They were my first wp/b jackets and pants that i paid for… Cabela's "lightweight" on sale for $50 top and $50 for bottoms… full zippered pants, lame but cheap… I needed reliable raingear/wind shell at the time and had very little cash and needed something that wasn't too fragile. Initially this year i wanted to make the poncho that BPL has in the myog article… but i have too many projects lining up and would actually like to get more backpacking in this year.

I was thinking of the new marmot essence for a jacket and the golite reed pants for replacement rain gear. That would total the rain gear weight to about the same amount as my jacket. Supposedly the new marmot essence has pit flaps to help evac some hot air. next winter i might try making a sil skirt and mountain poncho, which could save me a few ounces. I'd think the skirt is a little too cold for this coming weekend though.

some Gear swapping ideas so far, possibly weight savings?
Golite ultra 20 quilt, saving about 10oz (actually in the mail)
Marmot essence jacket + golite reed pants, saving about 13oz
making a heavily modified ion, savings about 10oz
switching to a myog tarp and bivy, savings about 10oz.

which would bring my base weight from 176oz/11lbs to 133oz/8.3lbs

generally my camera is hanging off a belt loop and not in my pack anyhow, so i could probably put that in my weight worn.

[Turley]

Overall – nice list….
I try to do a late March hike either along the Duckabush or Elwha (this year was the Duckabush March 27th & 28th).
Even though temps are warming up their is dampness in the valleys this time of year making temps, at least in my opinion, feel colder than they really are. I would bring an extra fleece or as mentioned a MB inner down jacket. I used as a base layer a hot chillys layered with a REI powerstretch and a MB snap neck down vest.
I carry a Olympus stylus camera in a small ziplock – saves the weight of a case.
With the high humidity this time of year, be prepared for condensation, especially if two are sharing your tarptent. I took a friend and my GG Squall Classic had quite a bit of condensation in the morning – enough so that I wish I had brought an additional ultralite towel.
How do you like the trapper mug and esbit tiwing stove? I've been waiting for them to be available again…
Have fun, if you've never been along the Elwha, Mary Falls camp (around the 10 mile point) is a good site w/ a beautiful backdrop….

[Jared Cook]

I don't have a solo shelter made yet, so the tarptent-for-2 will just be a ginormous shelter for one. The rag in my cook kit normally gets used for the tent wipe down, since i really only use it for a silencer for the stuff in my cook kit. I just got the sag fix installed on the tarptent for 2, so i hope it rains that way i can make sure the water is no longer pooling in the back high side. My buddy is bringing his contrail for himself.

I was really hoping the insulating minima vest I'm just finishing sewing was going to be enough paired with the mw duofold polypro layer and the rain shell. but i could definitely add a pound and bring the fleece. I'd love to get a MB down inner jacket, but time doesn't allow for this trip. This is the basis of the kit i carry in the summer also, minus a few things.

how about a light base layer plus my hiking shirt to start hiking in, than adding the second MW base layer and insulating vest? I'll try and go through my starting layers and add them in my clothing worn section. When i get back to sewing i'll try to make some shell mittens out of some scrap silnylon. I'll throw in the camera in a ziplock in my pocket for now.

The trapper mug and Esbit wing stove i've only got to try out once so far when i went traipsing around point defiance park for a couple hours. It definitely takes longer to boil than my canister stove that i bring when my g/f comes along, but a lot less finicky than my alcohol stove. (took about 1/2 to 3/4 a tablet to get a full trapper mug to start boiling) I was offered the older 14g Esbit wing stove for a good price, cause i've been getting antsy and wanted to turn my trapper mug into a cooking pot for solo trips. It had just enough water for dinner and a few swigs of water for a warm drink. with breakfast it has just enough water to make oatmeal and a small cup of java juice.

Some other things i'm contemplating is switching to the micropur ClO2 tablets so that i only carry just what i need on the particular trip.

[Turley]

I hiked in my long sleeved base layer (hot chillys) under my hiking shirt and simply layered my REI power stretch fleece over it and it worked for me….
I like the MicroPur tabs and use them in conjunction w/ my frontier pro, which allows for just a 15-20 minute treatment time. Like you, I bring one additional 1 liter platy for filling and letting sit prior to attaching the filter and drinking from it.
What have you found to be the best at removing the residue from esbit? I use a small section of a green kitchen scrub sponge…
Unlike most, I do not use rain pants (am looking at the silnylon skirts thought) as I've found that I sweat too much and become damp and uncomfortable….my convertible pants dry quickly and haven't posed a problem when damp/wet..
For summer hikes I'm looking at the WM Highlite or quilt…now I use a Valandre Mirage 23 degree bag short w/ the 3/4 length zipper option which weighs in at 23 ounces or a WM Ultralite w/ 2oz of overfill)….a quilt or highlite would shave approx 8 ounces….
This year I'll be trying out a BMW Spinnaker tarp w/ Titanium Goat Ptarmigan Bivy w/ full net hood for the summer…the quest to keep getting lighter (while maintaining comfort :-))
What tarp tent do you have that fits two and weighs 26oz? I have the GG Squall Classic (Spinnaker) and that weighs (guylines, rear hoop pole, stuff sack, stakes) 27 ounces…
From your mention of Point Defiance Park I'm guessing you're from around the Tacoma area??? I live in Port Orchard on the Kitsap Peninsula….always looking for additional hiking partners (my former hiking partner now lives in Portland – now hike mostly solo)…

Cheers,
Christopher

[Jared Cook]

I'm in the wauna/purdy area off of Hwy 302. I had to go to point defiance for an evolutionary biology lab project. Presently I'm going to Tacoma Community College for pre-pharmacy. I'm generally looking for people to hike with 99% of my friends can't fathom going hiking. My buddy Jesse is coming out on his first in a long time backpacking trip this weekend. Otherwise I've been hiking solo or with my girlfriend since i got out of the marine corp.

I've been contemplating setting up a gravity filter system with a frontier pro, but i need to cut some of the larger parts of my system out that add up to a lot…

look me up on facebook as [email protected] or my blog @ http://rooinater.blogspot.com i generally post a note on facebook when i plan on going hiking.

I haven't gotten around to removing the residue yet, it's not bad with only one use so far. I was just thinking a scotch brite pad since I have a lot of them lying around for waxing snowboards.

As for my Tarptent it's the one under the projects page, the Original Tarptent-for-2, on Henry shire's website. I use my trekking poles for the support. It was a MYOG project last year and the weight includes the stakes, guy lines, removable tubed floor and the extra netting. As for this year, until i can afford to buy some spinnaker and make the tarp on the 5yds to SUL article on BPL, I'll just be buying some silnylon and making a simple 5×9 solo tarp. As for the bivy I've been prototyping designs for and deciding exactly what i want… I have the zippers, momentum, silnylon, and no-seeum, i just need to get time and decide on the final design. Basically it will be a cross between a MLD bivy and a Ti-goat bivy.
here's the tarptent.

I shifted the floor to the high side about 6 inches and added the sag fix for the back high side since the last use. It worked well last time, so hopefully it keeps up.

I'm a sweater and always warm… but i haven't really gone hiking this early, except in arizona… and that doesn't count. So i'm still tentative on the warming layers that i'll be bringing. The Minima vest is about a 1/4 inch of synthetic insulation everywhere but the arms.

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