Well, I thought I’d share my thoughts on what was supposed to be a 6 day loop in Ansel Adams Wilderness, and ended up being a two day out and back. Having backpacked from Agnew Meadows to Thousand Island Lake before, I decided I wanted to check out some of the other lakes in the area, such as Minaret, Cecile, Ediza, and even Catherine. I had grandiose plans of a 6-day trek, which is double the longest trip I’ve previously done.
I brought my trusty backpacking partner, Vixen, who is an 8-year-old Belgian Malinois. Vixen and I (and the rest of our family haha) live at sea-level (about 2 miles from it to be exact). We do visit Mammoth and Tahoe quite often, and altitude has never been a real issue…Sure I get winded faster, and don’t sleep so good the first few nights, but never any serious high altitude problems or illnesses.
My goal for the trip was to try and take great landscape photos. I love photography as a hobby and a gear sink, but honestly I completely and truly suck at landscape photography. So I brought along a full-frame body, two lenses, tripod, filters, batteries, etc. Add to that 6 full days of meals for me and 6 days of dry kibble for Vixen, in a large size Bear Vault, and weight started to add up.
My lightest tent at the moment is a Hilleberg Jannu, which is a glorious, bomber tent, that tips the scales at a measly 6lb 13oz. My sleeping pad is not horribly heavy, it’s a Thermarest X-Therm, but my 30* down quilt is really my only true “light” piece of gear. Add to the list water purifier, three 1 liter bottles, toiletries/ first aid/ survival, clothes, etc., and my full pack with water tipped the scales at almost exactly 50lbs. UltraLight…I know. ;-)
So here’s a list of what did and didn’t work. 50 lbs didn’t work. My right knee didn’t work. Vixen didn’t work. Hahaha. Let me break it down a little better; I’ve had a series of injuries at work to my right knee (along with a lot of other parts of me, but the right knee is the biggest effect on mobility). Vixen is not overweight, but she has admittedly become more sedentary over the past few years.
The 9.5 mile hike from Devil’s Postpile gains 2,500′ elevation by the time you get to Minaret Lake, which is just shy of 10,000′. We started at 0745 and got to the lake at 1600 hrs (4PM)! It was a beautiful hike, with phenomenal weather, but the last mile or so and 600′ elevation gain are an a$$ kicker with exposed sunlight and a 50lb pack. We made good time for the first 3 or 4 miles. The second half of the hike we were stopping for about a minute every 100 feet or so. Sometimes even more often and longer breaks. In short, it was brutal, and by the time we set up camp my knee was killing me. The next morning it felt like it wouldn’t hardly move. Vixen was pooped.
Not wanting to be a victim of my own overconfidence, I decided that the plans for an epic 6-day/ 6 lake loop were out the window. I took some golden hour photos and we headed for Devil’s Postpile. By the time we reached the trailhead my knee was pounding and my legs felt like jello. For the return trip we left, coincidentally, at 0745 and reached the car at 1130! Less than 1/2 the time for the same distance covered.
OK, on to gear:
Trekking poles;
I’d never used trekking poles before. I honestly thought it was goofy and that I looked like a cross-country skier in the summer time by using trekking poles when I tried it once before for a day hike. This trip threw my ignorant misconceptions out the window. They were divine. I will never backpack again without trekking poles. I’d probably still be on the mountain, with a bum knee and my 50lb pack (but with plenty of food ;-) ) if it wasn’t for the trekking poles. I thought Vixen’s leash would be a hassle with poles and it wasn’t in the least. I attached her leash to the waistbelt of my pack with a carabiner and all was dandy.
Backpack;
The next item of gear that worked…my Kifaru “Late Season” pack. 50 pounds was brutal, but the pack actually carried it remarkably well. Nearly all the weight was on my hips, and the waist belt and shoulder pads were comfortable and padded for my physique. I’ve carried similar loads in an outstanding custom McHale pack, and I’ve got to admit, the Kifaru Late season, at less than half the cost, carried the weight better for me personally.
I specifically chose the Late Season over some of the larger Kifaru packs because I’m an overpacker, and didn’t want to be tempted. Of course, The large Bear Vault had to be added in a “pod” to the bottom of the pack, and a lot of my camera gear had to be strapped to the back in an E&E pack. So my new mantra is going to be, if it doesn’t fit IN the pack, it doesn’t go. Bear Vault included. In other words, I don’t plan on backpacking again unless my gross weight is less than half of what I carried (25 or less)…BUT…the Late Season is a keeper. I will put up with the pack weight even if I switch completely over to all UL gear. I was that impressed with it’s load managing ability. If it carried 50lbs like it did, I can’t wait to see how it carries 18.
Water filter;
I’ve now used my Sawyer Squeeze on three backpacking trips and honestly I’m not overly impressed. The first trip worked great, as advertised. The second trip was so hard to get a drop of water through that I had to sit on the bag to get it to squeeze…obviously ruining two of the three bags. I flushed it out at home after that. And this trip, with a flushed out filter, it took me about 45 minutes to filter 3 liters of water. I think I’d rather have been pumping. Or who knows…just simply drinking the lake water. Giardia can’t be half as frustrating as a slow water filter. Hahaha
Quilt;
My Enlightened Equipment 30* quilt is the bomb. I haven’t been too cold or too hot since I got it. It vents easily, keeps me toasty warm, packs tiny, and is very light.
General observations:
So I’ve come to the realization that because of my previous injuries, I really have no choice but to lighten my load if I’m going to continue backpacking. I’m not going to plan any more trips longer than 3 days until I get comfortable at the 3 day mark. I’m not going to bring heavy camera gear anymore. I really don’t have the skill to justify it, and I find I spend so much time trying to capture the perfect moment on film (so to speak) that I don’t take the time to enjoy it while I’m living it.
I have a nice hammock (WBBB) that I’ve only used one night. I’ve never slept comfortably on the ground… some times I’m so exhausted I get a decent amount of sleep, but I’m always sore the next day. I’m going to give hanging a shot on my next backpacking trip. This will also lighten my shelter/ sleep system load exponentially.
Anyways, here are some photos. Don’t get the wrong idea, I’m glad I went. Any day in the mountains beats a day at work. :) I just know for sure some changes are going to be made before my next outing.
Look closely and see Vixen resting in the shade on the left:
Alpenglow on Minaret Lake:
Hilleberg Jannu…the last time I’ll carry one of my beloved Hillebergs to Minaret Lake. hahaha:
Minaret Lake:
And the next time I carry 50 lbs to the High Sierra, I plan on riding in one of these instead… (I passed by these V22 Ospreys driving home on Hwy 108, at the Mountain Warfare Training Center:
