Colorado Rockies 3 Season List

Some insights and feedback:
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Pack–Golite Pinnacle 29.0 – You could easily cut a LOT off this pack, making it at least 8 oz lighter.

Ground cloth 5.0 – What are you using?

Umbrella—Golite 9.2 – Easily nixed for Colorado, this is more for the Olympics or the Canadian Coastal range.

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Sleeping Top—long sleeve Thermax 9.7 – What is a "sleeping top" ???
Sleeping Bottoms–Capilene- 5.5 – What are "sleeping bottoms" ???

Do you really take "extra" clothes just for sleeping? Colorado has super low humidity, and it isn't that hot at high elevations. If you are swaety, you'll dry off before bed. Don't take ANY extra layers for sleeping, just sleep in the clothes you hike in during the day.

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Wool Socks – 3.3 – that's heavy for socks.

Gloves 2.7 – this is heavy for summer in Colorado.

Grill 3.0 – What is a grill? Are you cooking on fires? Make a cat food can stove (the cheapest!) and use alcohol. The stove and an aluminum foil wind-screen and empty fuel bottle will weigh UNDER 3 ounces.

First Aid Kit 3.5 – this is kinda high for a personal kit.

Toilet paper – Easily NIXED, you can leave it behind.

Deet – 1.0 – You are above tree-line in Colorado, are bugs an issue?

Knife—Victoria Classic .8 – Easily replaced with a single edge razor-blade (0.1 oz)

Thanks Mike for the comments on my list.

The Golite Pinnacle is new to me this year. I took out the foam pad. I suppose I could cut out the pocket that housed it and the spandex pocket for a water bladder. And yes, the straps could be shortened. I'll work on it after I see if the pack is a keeper. But 8ozs?!

You are right about the umbrella. Although it is so nice to just quickly put up my walking stick and grab the umbrella for the showers that frequently happen in the afternoons.

"Sleeping clothes!" Just a set of long underwear. I suppose I could try with out them. I know there is almost always an "although" but I have run into snow storms in June, August and September.

The grill is for cooking on fires. I haven't tried a "cat stove" yet. Maybe this is the year.

I'll give serious thought to the other items you mentioned. Thanks again–from what I read on this site you're the expert on lists! And I really enjoy your illustrations.

Jason

– There are lighter trekking pole options.
– There are lighter stake options– save an ounce or so.
– Purchase some tyvek or polycro for the ground cloth and save 4oz.
– Nix Unbrella
– Windbreaker is also heavy. Golite whisp is around 3oz/save 5oz.
– I would try to find a lighter sleeping top.
– Gloves are heavy duty. Pick up a pair of cheap fleece ones from Goodwill. Save 2oz.
– Nix the wool socks.You will be fine with just two pairs.
– Grill? Nix. Use a stove.
– Pot gripper– have you tried a bandana? Save 3oz
– Nix the mug– eat and drink out of your pot.
– Bear bag eqipment– what is in this? 3.5oz seems like a lot for a bag and some rope.
– FAK, you could probably knock an ounce or two out of this.
– TP, nix.
– Tiangia stove– heavy. Most alky stoves weigh under 1oz.

Chris,

Thanks for taking a look at my list and giving me your thoughts on it. You have given me some good ideas. I keep looking for a lighter windbreaker but I really like having a full length zipper and a hood and the the Wisp doesn't. Why do you think I should give up a 3 oz grill for cooking on a fire over an alcohol stove? The fire not only cooks, but gives off warmth, dries clothes, lights the campsite and keeps you company.

Windshirt with full zip and hood: Marmot Ion. No hood, but full-zip: Montane Featherlite and Lite-speed.

No grill– leave no trace. I mean really what are you backpacking in that needs to be cooked over a grill? I know that the majority of people just boil water for their meals. Even when I fly-fish, I cook my fish over a stove.

Besides, most places in Colorado that I go don't even permit fires except in designated campsites and if I only plan to stay in a campsite, then I will bring my 4Runner and save my legs.

Feel free to take a look at my three-season Colorado rockies gear list, located in my profile.

The stove is FAST.

I no longer cook where I camp. I'll stop while hiking in the evening, and then cook, eat, put it all back in my pack and continue on hiking. Easy.

That would be hard to do with a fire.

I have seen a lot of irresponsable fire users (messy fire rings) that have turned me off to the unnecisary use of fires in the backcountry.

A cat food can alcohol stove is simple and fast. It will no leave any noticable damage to the pristine backcountry, unlike a cooking fire. It requires substancial clean-up time.

Over the decades – I've cooked on fires plenty, but I do not advocate the practice.

Thanks for the advice on my list. You have been very helpful. It's always great to have other opinions and to be challenged as to what you thought was a good idea or necessary.

As far as stoves vs. fires, I guess to each his own. I've been backpacking for 40 years. Yikes that sounds like a long time! I've used lots of stoves–Optimus 8R, Gerry butane, MSR XGK, Whisperlite, only a Trangia alcohol stove. But I enjoy a camp fire. I love cooking over one–the trout tastes better; baking bread on a stick, scones or biscuits in foil, or a baked apple that has been cored and filled with cinnamon and brown sugar is just delicious. Nearly every where I go in Colorado its legal. Obviously if fires are prohibited because of drought conditions I don't use them. And I don't often backpack in RMNP–too many people and too many regulations for me.

I think camp fires embody the concept of light weight. I don't think there is such a thing as "leave no trace". You just have to pick and choose where and how. Stoves leave a trace from the metals they are made of, the fuels they use and the place where they are purchased. Yes, some people use fires irresponsibly but I'm not one of them.

I like this quote from Don Tryon, "The domestication of fire is man’s greatest technological achievement. For perhaps a million years using and watching campfire has been a life supporting, recreational, intellectual and spiritual experience."