BPLers Gathering of Gear Geeks: Henry Coe State Park January 23-24th, 2016
Corral Trail Head to Group Campsites 4 and 5 near Manzanita Point 2.5 Miles Approx.
Manzanita Point Camptsite Elevation 2,270 Ft.
Daytime Temps: 58F
Evening Temps: 45F
25-30 People Attending
Organized by Ken Thompson and David Gardner of GOLD Gear
Henry Coe State Park Head Quarters (Photo taken on Sunday the 24th, a sunny, rain free day)
Ken and Marc arrived on Thursday the 21nd where is sprinkled a bit that night. Ken has brought his wife to the GGG for the first time. However, after a damp and relatively sleepless first night, Ken decided to take his wife home. Katharina and handful of others arrived on Friday night and endured a hard afternoon and evening of rain. However, it did not rain much that night.
As this was an El Nino year, heavy rains have been expected this winter across California and the whole of the country. Given that California has been in a four to five year period of drought, the rains were welcome, but did much to keep people away this year as much of the week leading up to this weekend had been full of daily showers.
In fact, on hour and twenty minute drive from the East Bay, I was treated to patches of rain along the freeway and sprinkles as I drove up into the hills to get to Henry Coe. Arriving at the park entrance, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the lower parking lot, which was a half a mile away from the head quarters was closed with only one lone car behind the closed gate. In years past, we were required to park down here as the main parking lot was too small to accommodate all of us.
Driving up to the head quarters, I was easily able to find parking, as there not many visitors at this park this morning. I parked my car and headed into the head quarters to pay my $8 overnight parking fee. As I was waiting to pay my fees, I ran into David P, another fellow BPLer, who had just arrived and was looking to pay for his parking fees too.
David and grabbed our gear and headed out toward Manzanita Point together
Fortunately, the drizzling rain had stopped and we found the trail not too terribly muddy
Catching up on the trail with light rains coming and going as we shared what we had been doing over the past year since we had seen each other.
One of the reasons I keep coming back to the GGG is for the people and sense of community with my fellow backpackers. There is an instant bond to be had with new friends to be made and to see familiar faces to see again. The common love of the outdoors and a per-occupation with all things light weight gear make for an easy ice break that makes this event open and inviting to all.
Something new and blue this year
I guess David and I really must have been deep in conversation because we managed to blow past group sites four and five because we found ourselves at the end of the trail at Manzanita Point Group Campsites with no one to be found. Hummm, bonus hiking, right??
Upon turning around and hiking into the group sites, David spotted a yellow Mountain Laurel Designs Duo Mid in the distance. We had found the right campsite!!! Wandering into the two sites, I was struck with how few people there were but that there was a huge blue tarp that was setup to provide shelter from the rains. Turns out that David G. of GOLD Gear was thoughtful enough to haul in a massive 20ft x 30ft tarp to provide safe harbor from the rains where we spent most of the time.
After having taken some time to setup my shelter, while there was a lull in the rain, I wander over to the big blue tarp and said hello to everyone. There a mix of familiar faces and new one. Despite the dampness and the sound of mud under foot, the conversations were lively and welcoming.
Interestingly, I noticed that there were only about 14 people in camp this afternoon, which was the number of people we had at the first Gathering of Gear Geeks. Later that night, from 5pm til 7pm, we had a bunch of people come in til we had maybe 25-30 the next morning.
After spending time to say hello to everyone, it was off to snap photos of everyone’s shelters and gear while the weather was good.
Rick’s 29 oz. Oware 10×10 Pyramid with what looks like a Six Moons Designs Fusion 65 Pack 39 oz.
Platypus Hydration Bag Setup with Orange Saywer Mini Water Filter as a Gravity Filter
Close Up of How the Sawyer Mini is Connected to the Dirty Water Bag with Clean Water exiting out via a blue hydration tube with bite value at the end of the blue tubing.
Back Side View of Oware Pyramid Tarp
Photo 2 Marc’s Cuben Tarp with Hammock and Brown Under Quilt (what tarp, hammock, and quilt??)
Erik’s brother in law’s shelter
Stansport 2 Person Nylon Tent 3.8 lbs
I was shocked to learn that this was considered a two person tent when it looked like it was barely enough for for one person. However, at $35, it certainly was crazy inexpensive. Unfortunately, for the owner, it leaked terribly and soaked much of his gear, forcing him to sleep under the large blue tarp Saturday night, after doing his best to dry out his soaked gear by the night time fire.
Erik’s 7.5 oz Mountain Laurel Designs Cricket Tent in Cuben
At first, when I saw this shelter, I did not recognize it, and thought that it was an oddly pitched MLD Solo Mid
Erik says, “The rough weather was a great way to test the storm worthiness of the setup – I stayed dry the whole time! Winds gusted to around 15mph on Friday night, combined with heavy rain. Saturday was a little less wet, but still pretty breezy in the evening.”
View of the Mountain Laurel Designs 9.5 oz Cricket Inner Net with Bathtub Floor
Close up of the bathtub floor on the inner net
Rear View of the Cricket Tent
I admit that I have been fascinated by the MLD Solo Mid shelter and pyramid shelters in general for a number of years. Filled with cuben lust that a 11 oz shelter could be the bomber shelter to protect me from driving rains to falling snows. Having been stuck under a tarp and in a bivy in a 13 hour rain storm, having the ability to sit up right vs. laying uncomfortably on my back, belly, or side tossing and turning is very attractive.
David G’s Walrus Gear Tent, Pre-cursor to the Micro Swift Tent 2.85 lbs
David, “The tent is a predecessor to the Micro Swift, but I don’t know the exact model name. It weighs 2lbs. 3 oz. It’s a single-wall tent (no fly) with big side vents that aren’t visible in the picture because the “eaves” aren’t staked out.” The tent here is from around 1985.
Looks like a pretty sturdy little shelter with two hoops
MSR Wing and some creative use of Umbrellas for additional protection
Creative Use of Materials to Prop Up a Tarp
David and the others had placed empty plastic bottles and beer cans on the end of metal support poles to help reinforce the tarp from the winds and to better prop it up. The butts of the beer cans and bottle preventing the poles from puncturing the relatively thin tarp. Notice the support pole that is a wooden branch set in the middle of one of the picnic tables with David G’s foam sit pad lashed to the top of it to prevent the stick from tearing a hole through the tarp. I believe that Kat’s multi colored bandanna was tied around the foam sit pad to keep it in place.
Jane swapping stories with Peter
Jane has become a fixture of the GGGs over the past number of years and a personal inspiration for me. She picked up backpacking or returned to backpacking late in life and manages to get her husband out on one trip per year. Jane has a group of lady friends who she gets together with during the year to get out onto trips. She is a trooper and has been out each year….even when it is soggy. Seemly, always with a smile on her face, she is a joy to be around.
GOLD Gear fixed length trekking poles at the end of the table, custom-made to order in any length up to 52″/132 cm. The poles pictured here are 48″ and weigh 4.4 oz with straps.
David G’s 1985 REI Rain Cover for a pack
GOLD Gear 4-fuel SUL cook kit on the table, which comes with an esbit burner, alcohol stove, BRS-3000T canister stove, and can also be set up to burn wood. Also includes a 1 qt caddy/bowl and 16 oz caddy/cup, 700 ml beer can cook pot, titanium pot lid, titanium windscreen, and 8 fluid oz fuel bottle. Weights are as follows: 6.82 oz for all four fuel alternatives 4.72 oz for canister stove only 4.72 oz for Esbit only 4.93 oz for wood only 5.16 for alcohol only.
Just to show you how big this blue tarp is….this made the difference between being hunkered down the whole time in our shelters or being able to socialize together while it rained.
Dylan’s Hyperlite Mountain Gear 11.4 oz 8 x 10 Cuben Tarp
Dylan arrived Friday night and had this to say, “I ended up sleeping in the barn <span class=”aBn” tabindex=”0″ data-term=”goog_1768408173″><span class=”aQJ”>on Friday</span></span> night after Cameron saw my wandering headlight in the car camping lot. At that point it was heavily misting and the ground was sopping wet – lifesaver.”
Mountain Laurel Designs Exodus 3500 cu in/57L pack with optional suspension upgrade 23 oz.
This will be my next pack….it is the pack that I have been wanting after completing my 2011 JMT trip. After resupplying with a week’s worth of food at Muir Trail Ranch to cover 110 miles with a GoLite Jam2 that weighted in at 31-32 lbs, the Exodus with the suspension upgrade seems like the perfect solution for me on trips when I need to carry more food that takes the UL pack beyond its recommended 25 lbs comfort rating. This year, I have the perfect excuse as my custom 750 cu in Bearikade Food Canister is too wide and won’t fit in my trusty 2008 GoLite Jam2. (I am hoping that the 750 cu in canister will better allow me to carry 7 full days of food where I was only able to fit 6 to 6.5 days of food in the 700 cu in Bear Canister).
Dillon chose this large tarp to provide him with the option of sleeping under it without his Borah Gear 12.9 oz Snowyside eVent Bivy with just a polycro ground sheet. He felt that the larger tarp would provide tons of room and a lot more cover in bad weather.
Tony’s First Generation Tarptent Contrail 1.5 lbs
I have not used this shelter in years, having moved to a tarp and bivy setup. It took me a little time and help from a few others to get a tight pitch as I had forgotten to setup the tent. That said, I was easily able to get the tent setup in a matter of minutes. However, it was a great choice for this trip. I had plenty of room to stretch out and to store my pack at the foot of the shelter. Later at night, I enjoyed watching a few tv shows that I had downloaded onto my Amazon Fire Tablet.
Dylan and Matt Hanging Out with Ridgerest Foam Pad and Caldera Cone by Trail Designs
Bottle of Whiskey….interesting thing is that I don’t drink much simply because I get drunk really easy. Guess that I am a cheap date. So I tried out Dylan’s bottle of whiskey (not sure if I have had whiskey before). Surprised that I was able to drink a number of sips through the night when a shot would normally put me down. Hey, maybe this means that I am going to grow some hair on my chest next???
Peter’s Trekkertent Stealth Tarp 1.5 weighing 14.8 oz
Rear View with Collapsed Hiking Pole for Support
Peter has the 8.1 oz Net Tent 1 as an inner net
Dave P setting up his hammock after the rains stop for a moment
Cameron’s 20 oz Pro Silnylon Mountain Laurel Designs DuoMid
This Duo Mid started my fascination for pyramid shelters after going through a 12-13 hour rain storm at Trail Camp on Mt. Whitney at around 12,000 feet with Cameron. I laid under my MLD Poncho Tarp in my MLD Soul Side Zip eVent bivy, tossing and turning trying to find a comfortable position to be in. All the while looking at Cameron’s DuoMid and being envious that he could sit upright in his shelter and cook his dinner without fear of the rains reaching him.
Rear and Side View of the DuoMid
Jane bids us farewell….having come out in the bad weather to say hello to everyone.
Plus, she is not as stupid as the rest of us….warm bed, hot food, and staying dry. Humm, why do we do this? For fun?
Shawn (???) rolls into camp after braving the drizzling rain
Shawn is the maker of the Ultralight Backpacking Titanium Cathole Trowel and Ultralight Titanium Spatula and came out to show us his wares
17 gram or 0.6 oz Cathole Trowel
The one the left is the standard trowel from the store. The one on the right has been heated over a gas stove to heat it up to give it the various colors, which anyone can do with a pair of pliers and a hot flame.
Men and Women Do Not Live on Water and Trail Mix Alone
Dylan hauled in the 12 pack of Sierra Nevada Beer and I believe that Peter brought in the much loved Cheese Cake! (I believe that there were three of them that he brought it to generously share with everyone….I personally “forced” myself to eat two or three pieces).
“I am soooo sick of water!” Quote from a JMT hiker who had just rolled into the Whitney Portal at the end of his trip, tossing his pack down to go into the store to get a beer.
Monkey Shoulder? Maybe they had sampled too much of their product while brain storming to come up with the name…
Dylan finds a clean source of fresh drinking water for his dinner
Actually, pretty clever. A number of people were able to fill their water bottles and water bladders by collecting the ample rain water that had pooled on top of the tarp. We frequently had to do this to make sure that too much water did not collect and rip the tarp.
MSR Pocket Rocket 3.0 oz a Classic Stove
Marc sporting Zpacks Rain Suit….older version
Zpacks Water Proof Breathable Cuben Rain Jacket
Vargo Triad 1.0 oz Alcohol Stove with small metal cap/cup as primer pan for getting stove up and running
Alcohol has been colored green with food dye to prevent it from being accidentally being mistaken for water and drunk
Seeing the alcohol stove in action with what might be a Toaks Titanium 750ml or 650ml Pot
Kat leaves us…feeling a bit ill, perhaps coming down with a cold
Kat is no whimp for sure. I have personally seen her hike a multi day trip in the Trinity Alps with a busted ankle without complaint and taking the lead on the trail. She is one of the more interesting and talented people that you will ever meet and one of the nicest.
Matt (???) Leaves us too after spending the day and possibly arriving a day or two earlier
Hilleberg Enan 1 Person Tent 1 lb 15 oz
A matter of priorities….keep your gun powder dry, keep your booze dry/warm, and close to your bed
Cheryl maker of the NoGround Trekking Poles for pitching your Hammock
The Tarp Blows Away After a Strong Gust Rips out the Grommets and Stakes
A little bit of panic and surprise as everyone grabs a hole of the fluttering tarp while we figure out how to secure the tarp the ground.
Heavy fallen branch and the legs of a picnic table do the job with guy lines added and tightened
View of one of the campsites
Life Under the Blue Circus Tent
Corner of the Tarp that Collapsed and was tied to a picnic bench to help secure the corner
David P’s Tarp and Hammock Setup
View of the Hammock with Camo Underquilt
Everyone that I have spoken to, who uses a hammock, swears that it provides them with the most comfortable night’s rest. I believe that Rick was telling that he once spent over 250 nights sleeping out on a hammock and just loved it.
Nothing says Ultralligt like Hiking in a Backpack full of Wood!
The Amazing Gift of Wood
These two guys hiked out just for the day to check out the GGG, maybe for the first time, and hauled in two huge loads of fire wood for us. After dropping off the wood, they spent a little time checking out people’s gear and shelters and left. As I have said, you really meet some of the best people through backpacking. Unfortunately, I don’t think that anyone got their names. If you gentlemen are reading this, THANK YOU for your generosity and for making what would of been a damp, cold night into something special.
Inspired by the two men who had hiked in all of that wood for us, five of us hiked back to Marc’s truck at the Park Headquarters with empty packs to try our hand at being wood Sherpas.
Not a sight that you see everyday….packing logs into your pack
Dylan’s Mountain Laurel Designs Exodus with Suspension Upgrade Loaded and Stacked
Rick (???) Carrying 35 to 40 lbs of wood on his back with a smile
A Couple Who Had Braved the Wet Weather to Come Out for the Day to Check Out the GGG
The Fools of Henry Coe: Marc, Peter, Rick (?), Dylan, and myself
I think that the consensus was that hauling 35-40 lbs of fire wood definitely was not comfortable and that our packs had not felt this heavy in years. That said, it really was nice to get out of camp and hiking to get a change of scenery, enjoy some more conversation with new friends, and to generate some heat to be warmer. The weather was a mix of light patches of rain to drizzle
A Welcome Rain to Help with a Long Drought
California has been dealing with a four to five year drought that had left many reservoirs extremely low throughout the State. Even driving into Henry Coe State Park, there is a reservoir/lake that we pass that looks to be hundreds of feet below it’s normal level. Despite the El Nino weather and excess rains, I heard that even if it rained hard everyday of this winter, California would still not be able to get caught up on the water needed to full replenish what we have losted/used over the past years.
Night Fall Means Dinner Time!
We had returned back to camp just before it got dark. Thankfully, people in camp had used the wood that the two men had brought us to start a fire, which turned into a great base of coals for easily feeding more wood into the fire that lasted all night.
Communal Table of Snacks, Booze, and Stoves
The Remote Canister Stove Looks Like it Might be the Caffin (BPL) Winter Stove?
Pretty Shade of Blue in the Night
Simple Joys….One Hot Meal
Busy Bees and a Hive of Activity
Dinner Time was filled with the sounds of stoves roaring, the gurgling and bubbling of boiling water, the clatter of pots and lids, the sound of a spoon stirring food, the sucking sound of your feet lifting out of the mud with each step, and the picnic tables full of voices and occasional outburst of laughter as food and drink is shared and stories told.
Zelph’s Starlyte Alcohol Burner Stove is incredibly lightweight and contains carbon felt inside of it, which acts as a sponge. This sponge absorbs up to 1 ounce of fuel, thought half and ounce will burn for 10-12.5 minutes. The sponge effect means that you cannot spill alcohol from the stove even if you knock it over. Another bonus is that it is very easy to light (no primer pan needed) and any excess fuel can be saved by just blowing out the flame and snapping on the plastic, air tight lid on top of the burner. Caldera Keg Stove System in the background….Fosters Beer Can Pot.
Happiness is a Hot Fire to Dry Your Gear Out with and to Warm Up With
Actually, a few people were boiling water/cooking food with the fire, while others were drying out wet gear.
A Warm Glow Against a Blue Tarp Sky
Danny from Massdrop with the newest and youngest BPLer….two month old Sage
Danny may be one of the luckiest guys on earth with a dream job. He is in charge of the Ultralight department of Massdrop. After people vote on what products they would like to see go on sale on Massdrop via user created voting polls, Danny will contact the manufactures to arrange a number of sale prices that decrease as more and more people sign up to join the “Drop”. I recently just scored a great deal on a recent drop for a Black Rock Gear Down Beanie. Danny has had the surreal pleasure of meeting a number of UL cottage manufactures and to build not only a working relationship, but friendships too.
The Cutest BPL Member with the most Request to Be Held
Hot, Dense Wood….Makes for a Fire that Last All Night Long
I was pleasantly surprised that the logs that we had did not burn up so quickly. The wood burned long and hot that night and made what could have been a slightly miserable night into a joyous one filled with many conversations around the fire. Again, thank you to Marc for taking the time to load up his truck with fire wood this year and every year past.
A Beautiful Orange Glow that Breaks the Darkness of Night
Night wanders on and a choirs of voices are punctuated with a sudden burst of laughter. Orange and black shadows flicker against the blue tarp and the human drama plays out as the flames reach up to the heavens. Wisps of smoke shift in the night air and eyes winch from the momentary burn. A bottle is generously handed around and sips of liquid burn my throat, but warms my soul. People who were strangers share a meal and stories. Friends not seen since last year renew ties and exchange smiles. Hands reach out to the flames to find warm. The radiating glow of the fire is blocked by a steady circle of characters taking their turn to feel the dampness of the day’s rain steam away. Slowly and surely, the voices drift away as darkness and warm down sleeping bags call to the weary. There is someone sitting on a picnic bench just a the end of the fire’s warmth, who has fallen asleep while sitting up with their hood pulled over their head. There are slices of cheese cake, left uneaten that must be finished lest the creatures of night get them. My feet, unaccustomed to bearing these long unused and heavy leather boots, are hurting from standing up so many hours. I turn to leave the dwindling fire, which is more of a hot bed of coals, and I leave the voices and venture into the stillness of the night. Looking up, I see white and grey clouds in the sky that partially hide a bright moon that struggles to be seen. Thankfully, I crawl into my tent, happy to be free of mud caked boots, and slip under my down quilt. Feet are quickly warming as they are nestled in down booties. The sips of whiskey have caught up with me and I feel the slight turning of the world beneath me. Everything is okay and I lay my head down to the sound of voices in the distance and the occasional pitter patter of drops of water drumming away on silnylon.
The Sun Rising Over the Campsite
Hot Coals from the Night Before Used to Stoke Another Fire
Danny carrying Sage in his arm with a chest carrier.
Brock, busy being a boy and happy as can be
Just think about how lucky Brock and Sage are going to be….enjoying the outdoors and having to avoid all of the experimentation and trials and errors of going lightweight. For them, it going light weight will be natural and they will unlikely every know the distraction of an unbearably heavy pack taking away from their joy of the outdoors.
Another of Cheryl’s Hammock Pole System
A Happy Turn in the Weather. Sunny Skies.
Tarptent Stratospire 1 or 2 46 oz. 2-3 Person Shelter 4 Season Capable with Light Snow Loads
Rear View of the Stratosphere
View from the Far Edge of Camp
Josh’s Mountain Laurel Design DuoMid
Josh had biked in a fair distance from one of the other entrances and had arrived later in the night
Most of the Upper Campsite
Creative Pitching After the Wind Tears You Apart
Cheryl, Marc, and Peter Enjoying the Morning.
Big Sky Chinook 2 Person Tent 3 Pole, 4 Season 3 lbs 11.4 oz
Rear View of the Chinook 2
Manfred’s Family Lovingly Tucked Away in Zpacks 21.0 oz Duplex Tents in Green. White Shelter might be 23.8 oz Triplex Tent
Unknown Black Diamond Tent
View of the Lower Campsite from the Lower Edge of the Site
The Business of Breakfast….Unknown Stove and Cook Pot
David P Using Unknown Canister Stove
Note: Smart Water Bottles are a popular choice for Sawyer Mini Water Filter Users. The Semi Ridged Smart Water Bottle is easier to dip into the water and fill up vs. a collapsible soft side water bottle, like a Platypus. However, it is strong enough and flexible enough to be squeezed to force water through the Sawyer Filter.
Where Erik’s Brother in Law Slept Due His Tent Not Being Waterproof
Home Made Aluminum Foil Wind Screen
Japanese Instant Coffee for the Trail or on the Go
Just Open Up Cardboard Wings to Attached to the Lips of the Mug after Peeling the Top of the Bag Open
Pour Hot Water into Bag in Small Amounts To Allow Filtering and you have Coffee
Danny Attends to Brock and Sage. Brock has a fascination with all folding foam pads. Apparently, he loves to fold them up and carry them around. Here, a foam pad is a welcome bit of duel usage to keep your bottom away from the cold, wet bench.
Another Canister Stove, when you want a lightweight and easy solution
Stupid Easy Choice for an overnight trip like this when you don’t want to fuss with anything and where having the lightest weight pack is not of critical concern.
We should all sleep so well.
Funny thing, we start out our lives living in the simple lap of luxury and, when we are older, maybe we are just trying to earn enough money to be treated this way again???
Father and Son Enjoying a Hot Bowl of Special Oatmeal
Natalie (???) was great…taking the time to walk around with Brock and to keep an eye on him
Chubby Cheeks and The Look of Contentment
Cameron with Orange Jacket with David to the Right with Blue Puffy Jacket
Who is the man in blue to the left and woman?
Josh Warming Up with a Hot Cup of Something and Feeling the Morning Sun
Kristen with Sage
Generous Gifts Donated by Vargo to the GGG Courtesy of MassDrop.com
Danny brought these into the GGG to give away to attendees of this Year’s Gathering of Gear Geeks
In the middle we have a Vargo 0.5 oz Titanium Spork
To the Left we have a Vargo Ultralight Titanium Nail Peg at 0.3 oz each
To the Right we have a Vargo Titanium Shepard Hook Stake in High Vis Orange at 0.3 oz each
Brock is modeling two additional gifts from Vargo:
Hexagon Wood Stove at 4.1 oz with Vargo Converter Stove at 1.6 oz
The Converter Stove is a clever bit of kit that can be suspended with attachable “hooks” to the opening of the Hexagon Wood Stove. The Converter Stove is suspended low enough to shield it from the wind, turning the Hexagon Stove into an effective wind screen. The Converters Stove is an alcohol stove, but when turned upside down, it has a small depression on the underside that allows it to be used as a solid base for Esbit Fuel Cubes. The result is a multi fuel wood, alcohol, or esbit stove at 5.7 oz total weight.
Note: Brock is holding the collapsible “hooks” that attach to the Converter Stove
View of the Underside of the Hexagon Stove
Toaks Titanium Backpacking Wood Burning Stove 5.4 oz
Another gift that Danny from Massdrop brought in that was Donated by TOAKS Outdoors
I believe that the Pot on Top is a Toaks 375ml or 450 ml Titanium Pot
Firebox Gen2 Folding Nano Ultralight Wood Burning Stove 6.0 oz./4.0 oz for Titanium Version
Another Generous Donation to the GGG by Firebox Stoves
This stove folds completely flat and is stored in included pouch shown for easy and clean storage, keeping soot from getting onto your gear in your pack. Cleverly, the Gen2 has been designed to be able to work with the Trangia Spirit Burner Alcohol Stove to allow a multi fuel option.
