JMT list…let’s talk VOLUME

The GG Gorilla has about 2400 cubic inches of volume. That is not large, so you have to take advantage of the big mesh pocket in the back to carry everything that you might need during the middle of the day. The item that takes up so much volume is your bear canister. Most of the people going places without bear canisters do fine with the ultra small packs, but as soon as you carry one, it automatically kicks you up in volume.

Small item… the rain pants that weigh 9 ounces. I'll bet that they take up a lot of volume in your pack. There are much lighter weight rain pants that will fold up and fit into a shirt pocket.

The thing about clothing volume is that you must learn how to flatten things out completely, then fold them and roll them tightly the same way each time. I slip rubber bands around the rolled items, and I pack them into the same corners of my backpack each time so that I know where to look for them in a hurry. This can apply to lots of stuff, even spare socks. Some items can get rolled and stuffed into a cook pot if they need protection. Or, the cook pot can use that stuffing to protect it from collapse, but that mostly only applies to aluminum beer can pots.

I use a backpack with larger main bag volume, but with less outer pocket volume.

–B.G.–

Headnet? – Yes! A small weight penalty to pay to keep your sanity.

Have you considered using your sawyer filter in an inline system as follows:

bladder with unfiltered water–> filter link–>section of hydration tube—> sawyer filter–> section of hydration tube–> bite valve

You can drink directly filtered water from the unfiltered bag or also use this system as a gravity filter into you spare bottle for water or a mixed drink. I tied a small piece of cord onto the bladder for so I can hang it from a tree in gravity filter mode. You can leave "clean bladder" behind.

If you can afford to spend an afternoon or two in your tent during a thunderstorm rather than making miles, I would leave the rain pants. I personally take a dollar store 1.5 oz plastic poncho paired with a rain jacket.

Have a great trip!

Jennifer, I shipped your hat cord/strap today.

Some quick thoughts:

1) skip wood burning insert b/c no fires above 10,000ft, strict wood harvesting regulations in many areas, twig fires are easy enough when wanted

2) Fuel container – I used the smallest water bottle found (like those tiny ones they give you on a plane). I carried very little alcohol and used every opportunity to refuel. Tuolomne meadows store sells alky by the quart, but you can probably find an open one in the hiker box, Reds meadow and VVR sell it by the oz.

3) If your last resupply is MTR, figure that it'll take you 7-10 days to get to whitney. At that point you're alky+fuel setup will equal in weight to a canister stove setup. With the canister you get faster hot water on demand…worth the convenience. Consider switching out at MTR. I brought a cat food alky stove, and when I got to MTR i tossed my alky waterbottle container, the catfood stove, and switched to canister. You can easily mail your stove ahead to MTR with your resupply and buy a canister at MTR

4) I'd skip the firesteel and carry a second mini bic instead (just cover the top with a small ballon or tape to keep it waterproof)

5) Consider switching to aquamira drops for faster, less finicky water stops. I repackaged my AM drops into smaller bottles found at usplastics.com and also brought a tiny tiny dropper bottle (make sure it's dark colored and not exposed to sun) to premix the solution ever morning to skip the 5 minute wait time for the A and B parts solution to react. I brought just enough AM to reach my next resupply. I would reach water, fill up my smartwater bottle, drop in the premixed AM drops, and hike for 20-30 min before drinking. My stops were no more than 45 secs. And b/c sierra water is pretty much pristine if you choose your sources wisely, there's no risk IMO.

6) yes on headnet. BPL and personal favorite at http://www.petersheadnets.com/

7) Skip spectra cord. I used my guylines when I needed to dry wet clothes etc.

8) If you're gonna bring a 3oz knife, make sure it's worth the 3oz. I brought a Opinel No. 8. Less than 2 ounces, and enough blade length to cut cheese/sausage, spread pb and cut wood

9)This is personal preference– Harrison maps are great for snow navigation but Erik the Black's Trail atlas is stupidly simple and gives all relevant info (water sources, tent sites, elevation profile, mileage between major points) but is limited in scope and only focuses on JMT. If you need to go off trail for an early exit, using his trail atlas may be tough.

10) don't bring a short sleeve. I never used mine. Long sleeves are more versatile, provide better sun protection (= less greasy sunscreen to wear or carry). Consider bringing a longsleeve capilene 1 as well to mix it up, to have something to wear when washing the other one, and because it dries faster than wool. 2 tops was all I needed for my 3 week trip. You could always wear your puffy over a sportsbra if you wanted to wash both at the same time in a laundry machine (like at vvr or reds)

11) Lightweight liner gloves are perfect…a touch of warmth, and they keep the sun from blistering your hands (true story!, we had to get my gf sungloves at VVR for this reason)

12) I didn't bring rain pants. I hiked 90% of the time in windpants and the other 10% were in running shorts. Windpants were breathable enough, and water resistant enough for passing sierra storms (we had 5 days of rain plus hail). I used montbell dynamos which are amazing, however I'm not sure if there is a female equivalent…maybe just size down if you really want them.

13) Love my goosefeet down booties, but I would skip the overbooties–not that much opportunity to wear them since it's one of the items you put on right before bed.

14) Pee bottle?

+1 for David's bladder suggestion. Here's mine: http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=65867 A ziptop is heavier, but easier to fill, particularly when the streams are seeping. If you use a bladder/tube for drinking, your extra smartwater should be collapsible – soft side platy.

You don't need handiwipes, use TP if you must for cleanup. A finger works great down to the last-last film. If you carry the alky stove, you'll also have a little alky for cleanup of oils/fats. The TP can be burnt.

You don't need the firesteel. Waterproof matches are lighter and can be used as firestarter. Perhaps add an esbit for that as well.

A bandana can be worn, good for sunshade on the neck, get it wet in a stream for cooling. The REI towel can't be worn.

You can go with a Leatherman Style ($14, 0.5 oz) in place of the Gerber.

I recommend J&J non-stick pads 2"x3" plus paper tape. Can be cut down and sized for anything. Great for blisters. Steri-strips just in case you get gashed. Aleve is too strong for me. I like ibuprofen, which I think works better for altitude headaches. No-Doze is also highly effective in this regard and doubles as coffee (used to use the Jetboil press, but that coffee never tasted right anyway.)

The map set is nice, but heavy. The JMT is hard to get lost on. I printed a list of mileages/elevs for about 100 waypoints, double sided on a single sheet (use Rite-in-rain). By the time I got to the trail, I'd pretty much memorized every lake, stream, and pass anyway – Google Earth!

Headnet yes. Add gaiters! (dirtygirl) Rocks in the shoes are like mosquitoes.

A little bar of soap (motel sized) is great for washing clothes. It's amazing how nice a still-damp, clean shirt feels in the midday sun. Bring a couple large freezer ziplocks to tote water/wash clothes in.

You're going to have a lot of fun. I'm on the trail a week before you. :)

>Small gerber knife, not sure of the model. It's tiny…about 3 oz
A Swiss Army knife Classic is 21 grams. 2.3 ounces saved. I buy lots of TSA-seized ones off eBay and hand them out to friends.

> Rain pants – I have an old, heavy, 2.5 layer REI pair that I love, but they are 9 oz.
There's "low-hanging fruit" but not as cheap per ounce saved. Something lighter might not stand up to bushwhacking, but you're talking about the JMT, but some alder-infested PNW or AK mountainside.

>Caldera cone Ti-Tri sidewinder with 12-10 alcohol stove . . .or soto microregulator canister stove that fits in my snow peak 700 pot with the fuel canister; leaning towards the alky stove but could be convinced otherwise. And I think the canister stove set up takes up far less room, too)
18-21 days is a long time for a alky stove. Alky stoves are very very light and for a weekend, the fuel load is small. But the fuel has less BTU per ounce AND the stove is less efficient than a canister stove, so at some number of days, you come out ahead with a canister. Also, traveling with another person (especially with 2 people!) means more water in bigger pots and a line at the stove. That will a SLOW line with an alky stove.

>Bra/underpants TBD (need something different than what I usually wear on shorter trips…will tweak this on some trips this year)
I am so not qualified to address this, having very different parts to cover and support, but I will anyway. I got some polypro wicking Jockey-brand boxer-brief hybrid things that look just like thin bicycle shorts, but are really light. And cheap compared to actual bicycle shorts, like $17 for a 2-pack? Maybe there's something similar for women. In black, it really was hard to tell just how thin they were. Heavier shorts + 2 pair of underwear becomes just 2 pair of underwear. For a bra while BPing, use something that wicks and doubles a top, but without much thickness so it dries quickly. Then you can do a Mia Hamm (bra, no shirt) and wash your pits once a day without needing to go way off trail for privacy.

>Gloves of some sort
>One pair extra socks
Summer in the Sierra, I don't bring gloves. If my hands are cold during an early-morning start or on a windy pass, put on your extra pair of socks as mittens. I saved one skier's butt (well, actually, his digits) when his gloves fell out of his pack unknown miles back on top of Mt Lassen in winter – I gave him my extra socks and got a VERY thankful letter back a week later.

>Compass (don't have a good one yet…will buy one)
I know it is one of the traditional "10 essentials" blah, blah, blah, but on the JMT, with maps along? Why bother? You're a girl, so unlike a guy, you can ask directions. If you have ANY doubts after a trail junction ask the next person, "Am I heading towards Reds Meadow?" (a trick more people should do more often!) It is easier to use the sun as a compass than it is to use a compass as a watch.

>50' spectra cord – do I need this?
If the 3mm stuff, REI shows it as 2.28 grans per foot, so 114 grams, 4 ounces. I bring 25 feet of 80-pound-test fishing line (most often used up here to catch 100-pound halibut) which is maybe 10 grams. I can use it as an replacement shoelace, to lash something on a pack, or as 2 or 3 extra guy lines. PM me if you want a little hank of it.

Jennifer,
I used the GG Murmur '12 (lighter version of the Kumo) last year for most of my trips. I can pack up to two weeks of food in it (one bag of food.) So, here is how I do it:
1)I use down for a jacket and for sleeping. It is very difficult to find anything that packs smaller for the insulation. I use a 40F bag, but suplimented with the jacket, this is good to 32F for comfortable sleeping. I always use merino wool "sleeping" cloths to keep things as clean as possible. A mid-weight merono wool set will let me take this down to about 25F and still fits in the pack. Using a small compression sack, I put everything for sleeping together, compressing it. Do not worry about hurting good down by compression, you won't. But, you do need to spend about 1-2 minutes shaking the bag and jacket out to get them to loft. Most of the time spent on the trail will be compressed, try not to put a damp bag/jacket away. I also use heavy wool socks at night sized larger than I would wear for boots. Note that most of this gear ('cept the bag) can be worn, too. One bag in the bottom does it. This weighs about 3-4 pounds depending on the weight of my long-johns.

2) Using high density foods and what not, I get my food weight down to about 1.2 pounds per day. I plan on 1 pound. Then add some extras-hard candy, spices, salt, etc. to make up the total. For two weeks this works for me. All in one dry bag, again in the pack…just about filling it. I still have some room, but likely not enough for another sack.

3)A small K-Mart grease pot, is stuffed with my ditty bag/rock sack. This has an old bandana, pills, a small piece of blister pad, ~5 yard of duct tape, bear line, some fish hooks (3), superglue, a spare lighter, batterys, small e+light, AquaMira, etc. it usually caps the end of the food dry bag. The pot lid, (flat, edges filed and smothed, then dished slightly) slips behind everything along with the spoon.

4) I don't use rain pants. So, my rain jacket just slips in the outside mesh pocket. Along with my sweater, a 120z soda bottle of WG, camera, log book, WP maps and daily foods.

5) The left hand pouch has the SVEA 123 w/cup, a windscreen, and lighter. The right hand pouch has two .5L water bottles. I also carry a smaller, 1.5L platypus for longer dry marches. In NY, this happens rarely…mostly at the tops of the hills.

6) My 5 piece pad is packed in the pad pockets in the pack. This makes a very stiff, yet torsionally flexible frame for up to 25-30 pounds. And, it doubles for sleeping.

7) I use a 14oz tarp. After adding lines abd stakes, it is right around 16oz. This is rolled and folded over the top of the gear in the pack body. If it's wet, sometimes I stuff it in next to the svea and drape the other edge over the net front pouch.

On the NPT, the total weight was 22 pounds. For the St Regis, it was 24 pounds (fishing gear.) For the Oswagatchie River (using a Miniposa), it was 23 pounds. I have been using the same system for close to ten years. Those were typical weights for trips lasting from 10-15 days. Mostly, changing out gear to save weight, then adding luxuries back in.

A lot of stuff I am glossing over….

Jennifer,

Here are some thoughts, although, I do understand a lot of of this is just personal preference and to some degree based on ones skill and comfort levels.

1+ on the Classic Army knife – lighter and more uses (tweezers, file, ect)
Leave the wood burner at home
Look into saline solution bottles to store your fuel. As light as or lighter than water bottles and much less likely to get damaged
Leave the fire steel at home. Bring a 2nd lighter or waterproof matches for backup
I love the in line Sayer filter, 3.0 oz, no mixing, no waiting. Maybe a little Acqu for emergency backup
Bandana instead of micro fiber towel – more uses
TAKE A HEAD NET especially for July. I love the MLD version. So thin I keep trying to stick my spoon though it when eating
No spectra cord – use line from your tent if needed
I now wear long sleeve and pants. My hat covers my neck. I leave the sunscreen at home. I bring lip balm with sun protection.
Most likely you won't need the compass. JMT is very well marked and there are quite a few other hikers
I had the nano puff and went to the Montbell ExLite down jacket. 1/2 the weight and stuffs smaller
Unless you have a special condition with your feet, I don' think you will need the down booties.
Re-supply your misc items (DEET, hand wipes, etc) at your food re-supply points (Red's, Muir Ranch, etc).
If going North to South only take enough food and misc items to get you T. Meadows, Re-supply. Eat there too.
If your schedule allows and is more slower paced plan to stay at or close to TM and Red's to eat dinner and breakfast there
Make sure you bring feminine hygiene products REGARDLESS to what your cycle looks like at home.
Look into Trail Designs Caldera Cone. No fuel container with Esbit. Can re-supply with food. Complete kitchen 3-4 oz

Hope this helps.

I don't fully understand the Trail Designs stove, but to follow-up on that last comment: what is the difference between the Caldera Cone system you're recommending and the Caldera Ti-Tri Sidewinder she has?

Looks great! Only changes I would personally make would be to replace the rain pants with something like montane wind pants, and ditch the extra shirt and underwear. One shirt for day and baselayers for night does the job if you wash your shirt and underwear when you can. I wouldn't bring the down booties either. Also, although I have no experience with the inferno insert, If I was somewhere where fires were allowed and I was going to build a fire I would just cook directly on that. Not nearly as efficient or quick i'm sure, but does the job.

First of all…I can't thank you guys enough. This is such an awesome group of folks…I would never have even dreamed of doing the jmt if it weren't for all the great info and help I've gotten from all of you. Now to just pack up and move out west. Or maybe David and Dena can convince me to go all the way north…

Anyway, I digress. Here is my updated list, still with some minor clothing questions:

GG Gorilla
hexamid solo plus with cuben bathtub floor
EE 30* quilt with overstuff
exped synmat UL7 (full length) – exploded last weekend (long story) so now I have to decide on pad. Disappointed in the new BA, so maybe just get another one

soto microregulator canister stove that fits in my snow peak 700 pot with the fuel canister (but I do love my CC…hmmm….)
Ti spork
FBC cozy
Mini bic x2
Bearikade weekender

Sawyer squeeze – will bring the back-flush syringe
In line filter system for drinking
1.5L evernew bladder for clean water vs Gatorade/smart water bottle
1.5L evernew bladder for dirty

Bandana
Toothbrush/paste
Handi wipes (find them kind of essential for, um, personal hygiene)
Sunscreen
DEET
Headnet
First aid kit: hydrocolloid dressings (for blisters, burns, scrapes…great stuff), band aids, antibiotic ointment (repackaged), gauze, antihistamines, aleve, maybe Diamox)

Zebralight H51 headlamp
Small folding knife, not sure of the model. It's tiny…(actually weighed it… It's .7 oz)
Nook
Nikon P7000 camera
Harrison's map set
(Friend has black's atlas…we'll decide which to take)
(Friend has a SPOT)

Worn:
Salomon XA 3D ultra 2 (is this the dumbest shoe name ever?)
Mountain Hardware convertible pants
Merino (150 weight) long sleeve
White Rock sun hat
Darn tough shortie socks
Oakley sunglasses
Bra/underpants TBD (need something different than what I usually wear on shorter trips…will tweak this on some trips this year)
Black diamond trekking poles (don't know what model)

Extra clothes/rain gear:
Montbell alpine light down parka (full zip, hood)
Houdini
Capilene tights (very old, pretty light, not sure of the model) – for sleeping, extra insulation if needed
extra merino or capilene shirt (Perhaps one long and one short sleeve?? Not sure here… Still can't decide between 2 long sleeve or 1 long and 1 short
Black rock gear hat
Gloves of some sort – not sure which ones…maybe my smartwool liners?
Rab Demand vs Haglofs Endo II pullover
Wind pants (ordered the montane feather lite. Thanks Anna!!)
One extra pair underwear
One pair extra socks
Goose feet down booties (mayhe, maybe not. I have cold feet)

I read multiple times the rain gear on the jmt post and now I'm just more confused. Houdini AND rain smock?? Wind pants will be enough?? I've never liked ponchos, since Girl Scouts…..

I think I'm going to be hung up on clothes more than anything. I've never hiked the Sierra before.

Thanks again!!!

What is the base weight for the dog? I see the red dog pack.

–B.G.–

He carries his food, any water (if not near water sources), 2 dog boots (just in case), and, um, my trash.

So I guess it depends on how much garbage I make ;)

The dog doesn't get a collapsible dog bowl?

How about an ultralightweight dog blanket?

You could get little Vuarnet sunglasses for the dog, held on with elastic.

–B.G.–

Yes, he does have a silicon dog bowl. But blankets, sleeping pads, etc…he wants nothing to do with them. Even on the chilliest of days, he likes to sleep on the ground. In the tent, of course.

"silicon dog bowl"

That's amazing. I've never heard of a dog with its own semiconductor dog bowl. Silicone rubber works better.

Lots of dog owners furnish an old foam sleeping pad for the dog. It keeps their claws from scratching up the tent floor. Your dog may be hard core, though.

–B.G.–

>"Yes, he does have a silicon dog bowl."

The cut-off bottom of a gallon or quart HDPE milk jug will weigh less by a lot. And be free (dumpster-dive at the recycling station). Works for you, too. Heck, at 10-15 grams, you could even bring your own.

It's a nice list. I understand your concern with volume. I used a GG Mariposa Plus when I hike the JMT but now use a Gorilla when I can (unless someone else in the family needs it). I find in order to use the Gorilla I have to be real careful when packing as the volume is less than the Mariposa Plus. However, it also make me make good decisions.

I use a tarp, down bag (32º for summer sierras) and torso pad. If I were to use one of my other shelters or a larger bad the Gorilla may not work.

I agree with a lot of the other persons here:

No firesteel. 2 bics.
Canister stove is so easy. It is nice to have an easy stove to use when you get into camp later and are tired. It's just an easy item to set up, break down and store.

I like Aquamira drops (in smaller bottle pre-mixed each day) and have tablets also. Easy as can be. I carry a 1 liter large mouth soda bottle and a 1 liter Platypus which is usually rolled up until I need it at camp. 2 liters is plenty for me.

I see you changed to a bandana. I may take 2. They dry extremely fast and are quite handy. It's pretty dry up there and you will be amazed how fast things do dry. I never take handiwipes as they have to be packed out. Water and your bandana will do just fine

Headnet? Yes!

I use Leukotape for my feet. If you have a hot spot put it on and you will be blister free. It will be on for the rest of the trip.
I usually don't take a knife but if you do there are lighter options that should get the job done.

Clothing: I take 2 shirts in the summer. 1 long 1 short. I don't sunburn but having 2 long sleeve shirts is also nice since you can just roll up the sleeves when wanted for protection from sun or cold. When you are at higher elevations a long sleeve shirt is really nice and you don't notice it at all.
I have a Montbell ex-light jacket (8 oz. I think) which I use in camp. I also like to use it to put around or on top of my canister in my pack as it tends to insulate my canister and thus my chocolates.
I use Dri-Ducks top and bottom. Cheap and easy. I only use 1 pair of shorts and 1 extra pair of socks and underwear.
Down booties in the summer are probably overkill.

Enjoy preparing and enjoy your trip.

On the subject of underwear: have you ever tried the Icebreaker 'Rush' bra (probably not a good one for larger cup sizes) or the underwear? They're my go-to exercise underwear now – highly breathable, antibacterial, natural, anti-odour, and dry overnight. The only downside is that you need to wash them carefully (like all superfine merino, they can get holes if handled roughly). Oh, and they're not the cheapest.

No matter what gear choices you end up making, have a great trip! Look forward to the post-trip report :D

Cheers,
Anna

Anna thanks for the recommendations. I have not tried merino for my really really base layers, but I was considering it. I've always been a cotton gal but that is a serious no go on any trip longer than a few days. I just couldn't imagine 21 days of that…

My running bras are just TOO constricting for that long, as well. Again, great for shorter trips but no way I want to deal with that every single day for three weeks. I was looking at some yoga type bras…but that one sounds like a great suggestion. I will certainly take a look.

And thanks for the +1 on two long sleeve shirts. I'm really going back and forth on that…

I am a bit worried about the gorilla having enough space for me. I really and truly do not see how so many of you can pack pretty much the same stuff in a zpacks zero or a GG murmur and say "there was just too much room!" I actually found myself looking at the Ohm 2.0 for the trip, even tho I truly love that gorilla. I need to get the bearikade and just see if it will work.

Jennifer, I noticed you're taking the Weekender, but you didn't mention if you've ever used one before or list what food items you're bringing. As you probably know, the northern half of the JMT has several on-trail resupply options, which makes the Weekender more than adequate. But, the southern half requires you to go over 100 miles without a resupply (without leaving the trail)…which is a minimum 9 days at your pace. I used a BV500 canister, which is larger than a Weekender, and got my final resupply at MTR (going southbound), and really had to pack it tight for the southern half (which we did in 7 days). Obviously your food requirements and packing skills will probably be different than mine, but you may need to upgrade your canister to the Expedition (which is huge), pack some excess items in Opsaks, or get a BV500. Again, this post is moot if you plan on leaving the trail for resupply, but thought this was worth mentioning, since pack volume is your major concern.

Best of luck!!

Thanks John…yeah, I was at first a bit worried about being able to fit 9-10 ish days of food in the weekender; but I've got some extra padding that I use to augment my caloric intake!!!

Seriously, though, it seems I really only need a pound or a bit less of food a day. I only took 6 pounds for 8 days in the winds and actually had a bit leftover, and my 11-day Patagonia trip food bag was only 8 pounds. I am a bit concerned that after 10-15 days of hiking that my caloric needs might jump a bit, but I don't really know at this point. I guess we'll see if I'm hungry!!

I will be getting the bearikade soon so I can experiment. I was going to wait, but given my newfound worry about my pack I will probably buy it sooner rather than later to see if I really do need to get a new pack. I guess I'll be taking some weekend Midwest trips with a loaded bear canister…woo hoo!

You're talking volume: keep the Weekender. A great choice. The Expedition is just ridiculously large.

I hear what you're saying about not needing that much food for this last stretch. In case you find yourself needing more calories than you anticipated, however,
maybe you'll need to improvise with your food storage for one or two nights. Check your map to see if there are campsites with bear boxes for those nights. Sometimes there are other hikers in the area with room in their canisters for your food. I've happily lent space in my Weekender to through hikers this way more than once. Don't be shy! And though I bow to none in my concern for bears, you may even have to hang food for a night or two. Just be darned sure that you know what you're doing, for the bears' sake!

What can I get rid of?? Or what am I missing? Last resupply is MTR, then probably 10 days to Whitney.
I am going with two other people, but I will be cooking for myself. My companions are married, so they'll cook together and whatnot; I'm on my own for meals.

GG Gorilla
hexamid solo plus with cuben bathtub floor
EE 30* quilt with overstuff
Exped short downmat UL7

Caldera Cone with starlyte stove
900mL evernew short/wide pot
Ti spork
FBC cozy
Mini bic x2
Half bandana
(All this stuff fits in the pot)

Water bottle for alcohol

Bearikade weekender

Sawyer squeeze – will bring the back-flush syringe
Gatorade/smart water bottle
1.5L evernew bladder for dirty

Bandana (second one)
Toothbrush/paste
Handi wipes, dried out
Sunscreen
Lip balm
DEET
Headnet
First aid kit: hydrocolloid dressings (for blisters, burns, scrapes…great stuff), band aids, antibiotic ointment (repackaged), gauze, antihistamines, aleve)

Zebralight H51 headlamp
Gerber folding knife (0.7 oz)
Nook
Nikon P7000 camera
(Friend has black's atlas…I have harrisons maps; we'll decide which to take)
(Friend has a SPOT)

Clothes carried:
Montbell alpine light down parka (full zip, hood)
Houdini
Capilene 2 tights (sleeping, insulation)
Merino 1 long sleeve
Black rock gear hat
Smart wool glove liners
Haglofs Endo II pullover
Wind pants (montane feather lite. Thanks Anna!!)
One extra pair underwear
One pair extra socks

Worn:
Salomon XA 3D ultra 2 (is this the dumbest shoe name ever?)
Mountain Hardware convertible pants
Merino 1 long sleeve
White Rock sun hat
Darn tough shortie socks
Oakley sunglasses
Bra/underpants TBD
Black diamond trekking poles (don't know what model)

I'd really rather not have to buy another pack (of course, who doesn't love a good reason to buy new gear?!) but I will if I need to. I'm going to try carrying this exact set up on some weekend hikes around here over the next month, see how it carries.

Should I switch to aqua Mira?
Do I need the Houdini AND the Haglofs rain jacket? (I really don't like the dri ducks…I tried, I just can't wear it…)
Do I need a warm hat? The black rock gear hat weighs literally nothing, but if I don't need it ill leave it at home
I only seem to need a pound of food (or less) a day…I may regret that on a 20 day hike, but so far it works great up to 11 days, so we'll see….

"I only seem to need a pound of food (or less) a day…I may regret that on a 20 day hike, but so far it works great up to 11 days, so we'll see…."

Maybe one pound per day will work for 11 days. It sure wouldn't be a bad idea to have 1.5 pounds per day for days 12-20.

I met a guy on Mount Whitney who was finishing the JMT in ten days total. He ate his last Powerbar on the way down from Whitney, and he was famished.

–B.G.–