6th Annual G.G.G. 1/24-26 2014

:)
Ken, I checked out Mapquest the bestest I could last night. I think I'll shoot down 5 and 580 to miss the mess in the Bay Area, more comfy for me. Look forward to seeing faces.
Duane

Ken,

Thanks for putting this event together one more time. Looking forward to it!

Ken,

What is the capacity this year?

Tony

@ Diana. Yeah! Will be great to see you.

@Tony I opened up 50 spots and have a capacity of 70 persons.

@ Manfred

I'm down to try the packraft route!

also down to packraft some other time too!
south folk of the American, mattole river, cache creek?

I have three mystery guests registered. Does anyone know the following people?

EngShien Wu

Max Katzmartsic

Sanjay Waghray

These three are the only ones on the list that have not been before. BPL search turned up nothing.

Spam Brigade Ken?

I made a pot stand for Eng-Shien Wu a while back. He seems like a good guy. I don't know about the other 2.

I assume Max is: http://www.meetup.com/Wildcat-Adventure-Club/members/8482990/

There are more than a few members using a pseudonym so it's hard to say.

From reading last year's report, is it safe to say that we'll spend 80% of our time in camp? Just trying to figure out if I should bring a mac-daddy chair or not.

Also, I'm bringing my truck down. I understand that it'll be parked a ways away from where we're camping but I'm happy to offer it up to shuttle supplies, gear, and people if necessary.

Last year we had a van and truck haul in stuff, maybe you could slip in a few items if there is room.

Last G.G.G. was the first one to have more than a few forum lurkers show up. I have been around here long enough to recognized most names of active posters.

I just find it curious.

It just seems a little backwards to meet first like this.

Friends of members or lurkers? Anyone hauling in a generator for the fridge full of Sierra Nevada and Lagunitas? :)
Duane

A fridge. Good idea Duane.

Ian,

Most people will end up staying in camp the whole time making new friends and saying hello to old one.

A lot of show and tell with the manufatures, checking out other people's gear, and a host of characters who will do a bit of show and tell with their own collect of gear for sale and personal stuff.

Last time we have had some people get together informally for a dayhike in the area and we have seen Geo Cacheing with kids lead by an adult.

A chair would be a good idea….nice luxury item to have.

There are a number of picnic tables with benches to sit on, but not nearly enough for everyone to have a seat.

Just remember to dress a little warmer than you might while out on the trail.

Given that there is a lot of time standing around, you might want a little more warmth.

-Tony

Thanks Tony et al for the replies. This sounds like a lot of fun.

Morgan,

Your PM is not enabled, so I'm replying here.

I'm always open to packraft ideas.
This weekend my wife and I packrafted the Elkhorn Slough from Kirby Park down to the Pacific Ocean, had lunch there, went back with the tide to Kirby Park and then went backpacking in The Forest of Nisene Marks.
Last weekend I took the packraft along on a trip to Henry Coe and used it for fishing on Kelly Lake. The weekend before that my wife and I packrafted the South Fork of the American River from Coloma to Greenwood.

Where are you located? We are in Menlo Park. Cache Creek sounds like a great packrafting trip that combines backpacking with packrafting. What are the flows currently?
I would also be open to another South Fork weekend. The River Shuttle doesn't run any longer, so we would have to find another solution for getting back to the car.

Mattole River sounds like an interesting trip too — Once it rains and there is enough water, it should be possible to packraft from Honeydew down to the Ocean, hike back along the Lost Coast to Spanish Ridge or Kinsey Ridg and hike up via Smith Etter Rd to Honeydew.

You can PM me to discuss ideas.

Manfred

Ian,

It is a blast in that you have the instant ice breaker to start a conversation with anyone….gear, backpacking trips you have taken, asking for suggestions for places to go, conversations on why "we" collectively are not insane for doing what we do as UL/lightweight backpacker, meeting cool people to take future trips, laugh at all the "other" crazy people there.

You should see my tarp, it really is stupid, crazy small…..the suggestion of protection.

You will have a great time…invite your friends or make new ones if you don't have any!

Tony

I tell the ladies at work, that the issue isn't me going bp by myself, on snow camping trips with all the big bad bears out there also, its all the other people doing it too.
Ken, I'll see if I can find a UL fridge. :)
Duane

OK Duane. Don't worry about a fridge. One reason why we do it in January. The beer stays cold, and the scotch is warm. Thermal regulation.

Ian, It'll be worth the trip. It really is a fantastic group of folks coming.

So much so that I have to close open invitations. We are pretty much at capacity. The cottage folks mostly have not yet committed. But it is still a few months off. I will have a list for standby.

Group spots 4 and 5 have been reserved. I see someone has themselves a spot for Thurs. night at the HQ campground. See you there!

I got #16 at HQ camp. We are 2 but the site will fit 6 more people. We will have 1 truck but there is space for 2 more cars.

Split CG fee? Anyone care to split the fee for Thursday night at the Headquarters CG? I'll try to get off late Thursday morning and drive there, should be there before dark. 5+ hour drive I'm thinking, weather permitting a drive over the Sierra. Single male, over the hill now, but can put away the younger crowd usually. Non smoker/drugs, light alcohol use if any. Early riser. Need a tent site, may have loud stoves in use, depending on folks. :)
Ken, any recommendations on which sites not to get? Good coverage?
hikerduane at aaa hawk dot com
Duane

Duane. PM sent.

I haven't been able to think about something this far out until now. Are there still open spots?