Dolly Sods Labor Day List Help

[Jeffrey U]

Hey guys,

I’ve been getting more and more into backpacking. Have another trip coming up over Labor Day, and decided to try to drastically reduce my pack weight from my previous trip (I had more car-camping style gear on that one, and my baseweight was around 40lb!). Needless to say I’ve made a few big purchases to help reduce weight including a new pack and tent (would have gone with a hammock if I were going solo, but I’m going with the girlfriend and wanted the comforts of the tent with her), and a few other small bits of gear. I still need a new sleeping bag (going with an EE Revelation once I can afford it), but other than that have done pretty well with my weight drop so far.

My baseweight is around 20lb which is good, but I’d like to see if I can shave any more off. I’ve put together a chart where I weighed every item – granted some small things are still missing (hiking shoes I’m wearing, small bit of aluminum foil, 2oz container of hikinggoo, some sanitizer wipes and TP) since I didn’t get a chance to weigh them quite yet, but they’d probably be about .5 lb (20lb is including those items).  Here is a table I put together of all the items I have and have weighed .

Do you guys see any obvious areas I can shave some pounds without buying a whole bunch more new gear?

I’d appreciate ANY advice here! Trying to drop that weight as much as I can for this one!

Thanks,

Jeff

[Kevin Babione]

I hit the Sods in the middle of July and am going back again the weekend after Labor Day.  Two things on your list jumped out at me and would save you almost a pound…

• Trade in your 6+ ounce Nalgene for a lighter Gatorade bottle
• You can’t be going for more than 2-3 nights…Ditch the solar charger/battery and just leave your phone off when you’re not using it.  My iPhone was fully charged when we started the hike and still had 62% after two days

Have a great trip!

[Greg Deitrick]

Hammock straps but no hammock?

You have a lot of weight in camp shoes and extra clothes.  I bring a base layer to sleep in if my worn clothes get wet, about 1 lb I think, and I’m considering reducing that further.

Consider drying out the Body Wipes and wet them with water as you use them.

That sleeping bag is an anchor.  If you or a friend sews it would be quick to make a 20 (30) degree ClimaShield quilt for around $80 that would be about 21 (16) oz with materials from ripstopbytheroll.com.

The usual advice is to use your cell phone for GPS fixes and leave the Garmin at home.

I tried very hard to make a hydration bladder work but it just didn’t.  Instead  I use a Sawyer squeeze, a 1/2 L soda bottle for clean water on my pack strap for drinking while walking and a 1 L soda bottle for dirty water.  The filter rides on the 1 L bottle.  I top off the dirty water bottle whenever I pass a water source.   I also bring a fitting to use the clean water bottle to backflush the filter.

 

[Link .]

.HERE  is a link to general info that I have posted in previous threads, it contains a lot of links on lightening up and some discussions and videos including how to do it cheap, footwear, clothing ect.  it is worth looking through, and welcome to BPL

[Greg Deitrick]

And a pack liner, typically 1.5 oz, would eliminate the need for the Rain cover 5.5oz and the clothes dry sack 2.2 oz.

[Michael]

Agree with Kevin … I was also there in mid July … had planned on making it 4 nights but in reality most of the loops (even with some side trails) make 3 nights a good number. I carried a Delorme inReach and iPhone. I was smart about using them, but after 3 days had more had more than 75% life left on both. Basically, carried backup batteries for nothing!

Its a beautiful place!

[daniel B]

Jeff can’t add more to what’s been already said.  I was in the SODS two weeks ago and had a great time.  Started in Linville and hiked up the Little Stonecoal trail — Dunkenbarger — Big Stonecoal — Rocky Point  and out the Red Creek Trail the same day.  I don’t think the temps are going to get too low and you may just get by with a poncho liner from an Army surplus store.  I’d check before I left, though.  Have you planned your route yet?  There are some sections that are extremely rocky (Rocky Point Trail) so be prepared.  There are enough established campsites so you shouldn’t have an issue finding one.  The intersection of Dunkenbarger and Big Stonecoal has a lot of nice sites but may be packed on Labor Day.

You could ditch your medical stuff since you’ll see plenty of other hikers out there and I’m sure anyone out there will help you if needed.

Red creek is extremely low so you won’t’ have any crossing issues.

As much as I like the SODS my next trip will be down to the Roaring Plains.  I’ve heard nothing but good from anyone whose hiked this area.

Here’s a great link for maps if you’ve not already found them. http://www.wvhighlands.org/Pages/Maps_DSRP.html

Have a great trip and report back with Pics!

[Kevin Babione]

Oh yeah…One thing I should have stressed…AVOID the Dobbin Grade Trail between the Raven Ridge Trail and Bear Rocks Trail.  It has about 6 wide and deep bogs that are simply no fun to cross.  You really have to work your way around them and that just widens the trail.  I tried to go on the edge of one of the bogs and, while my right foot only went in an inch or two, my left foot sank up to my knee.

Enjoy your time – it was amazing!

[Michael]

And once again .. I agree with Kevin … We made it about 1/4 mile down the Dobbin Grade trail in that section before rerouting. It was a mess … the two dogs LOVED it however.

[Jeffrey U]

Hey guys, whew thanks for all the advice on the Sods! I’m so excited for this one! I decided to follow a route which was put together and done on HikingUpward. It does hit the bogs a little bit, but only intermittently. No real way around it. We did Seneca back over Memorial Day and hit Lumberjack for a mile or so, so we’re a bit accustomed to that sort of hiking haha – thankfully it wasn’t for the full 4 miles of the trail, it was actually sort of fun for the portion we did have to go through, hopefully the same will go for the section of Dobbin that we hit.

The forecast for Lanesville, WV has lows of 52 for next weekend – I am assuming that at the elevation in Dolly it may be 45 or so at night? Is that fair enough? Got the baselayer for sleeping, convertible shorts into pants if needed, a rain layer, and am trying to find a lightweight long sleeved fleece for the potential cold, also have the winter hat. I feel like this may be necessary – would you guys agree?

Any other tips or suggestions?

[Michael]

In July we got daytime highs only the upper 70s … GLORIOUS! (when it was over 90) in lower elevation WV/northern VA … it is always very breezy as well in exposed areas (granted you will be camping in more sheltered places probably)

If lows are low 50s in Lanesville … I would prepare for maybe 10º cooler at the higher elevations, esp if near water.

[Alex Wallace]

“You could ditch your medical stuff since you’ll see plenty of other hikers out there and I’m sure anyone out there will help you if needed.”

Seriously?

[daniel B]

Shave 1/2 lb sure.   I’ve been there plenty of times and it’s not uncommon see 20+ people on a weekend like labor day.  I’d be more concerned about sprains in an area like the sods.

[Bob Moulder]

 Shave 1/2 lb sure.   I’ve been there plenty of times and it’s not uncommon see 20+ people on a weekend like labor day.  I’d be more concerned about sprains in an area like the sods.

Commandment #11B, paragraph C: “Thou shalt not depend upon others for thy salvation.”

Actively PLANNING to rely on others for basic needs is simply poor form.

That said, 1/2 lb for First Aid gear is very heavy. Plenty of examples and discussions on BPL and elsewhere (look for Mike Clelland’s video on youtube) about what to carry in a very lightweight FAK and what items to re-purpose for use as First Aid… for instance, toilet paper and duct tape make a dandy Band-Aid.

[Kevin Babione]

I did a loop in the Sods again this past weekend (sorry Bob – we missed you and Cyrus) and would have to say it really depends on which combination of trails you’re doing whether or not you’ll see other hikers.  While all of the campsites at The Forks were occupied we only ran into one other pair of hikers while we were on the Dunklebarger to Little Stonecoal section.  Little Stonecoal is either a nasty 1.4 mile downhill or uphill, depending on which way you’re going.  I’d be surprised if it sees many people on any given weekend.

I think one of the big draws of the Dolly Sods area are the beautiful campsites that you can get to with just a 4-mile hike.  Expect people at the popular campsites and don’t expect to find any firewood.

[Link .]

+ 1 I agree with Alex and with what Bob wrote,

Actively PLANNING to rely on others for basic needs is simply poor form

 

 

[Bob Moulder]

Kevin, I hate missing the Sods trip but I’m soaking up all the beta — Thanks mate! :^)

It’s possible that I might make it down there in the next few weeks. For me it’s a bit shorter drive than Seneca/Spruce Knob.

[Eric Blumensaadt]

I remember XC skiing in theDolly Sods for a Ski Patrol Mountaineering patch in the ’80s. It was -5 F. that night but my synthetic winter bag and long johns kept me nice and warm.

I too now have an Osprey EXOS backpack, the 58 size, with small side pockets added for better organization of gear. Love that pack!

[Author]

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