Sierra Shakedown-Early September

[Brad W]

Doing 5 days near Cottonwood Pass/New Army Pass in early September. Camp elevations are 10,800-11,200ft. Expected temps are 30f-80f. Hiking with wife. Any suggestions?

https://lighterpack.com/r/9hqw9m

[David Thomas]

The Amicus stove can come with or without an igniter, but I’d bring a mini-Bic lighter anyway, as a back up.  A 1″x2″ bit of scrubbie sponge?  (or use local sand).
The filter is fine.  I’d consider some iodine tablets in a small bottle in case you have a problem with the filter.
I see extra sox but not extra underwear.  Do you go commando when they’re being washed and dried?  I’d bring a few pinches of high efficiency Tide detergent to use inside the pack liner or bear canister to wash clothes thoroughly.
2 ounces is a lot of bug spray.  Ben’s makes a 1.25-ounce DEET container and for a week, I’d bring it half full.
11,000 feet in early September can get snow.  I don’t know that it requires any more gear if you watch the weather forecasts and get lower if something is heading your way.
The 30F bag could be marginal on a cloudless clear night at elevation but you have a big pad and enough clothes to add to your sleep system.
7 ounces is a lot of first aid kit.  Mine with a Classic SAK and a bit of emergency cordage is under 3 ounces.  A few pills, a few Bandaids, and lots of training and experience.  I include 25 feet of 130-pound-test halibut line as a clothes line, emergency shoe lace, and (with a glover’s needle) heavy repairs.
Presumably your wife’s BW is lower if you’ve got the tent and kitchen items.
Only one water bottle?  Streams could be pretty dry by September, this summer especially.  I tend to “camel up”, but not everyone does.  I assume your wife has another identical water bottle.  Is one the dirty-water bottle and the other clean?  I’d bring an extra lid – worth the 2 grams in case it’s dropped into the river.

[Brad W]

David- thanks, some good advice here.

Will add lighter, small piece of sponge, and revamp the first aid kit. I have struggled with getting that down in weight. Would you happen to have a picture or list of your FAK items?

I was going to use the Dr. Bronner’s for a refresh of needed items.

I will also look at smaller container for picardin-Litesmith bottle maybe. What do you think about eyedropper with bleach as filter backup?

Wife actually has probably similar weight base weight only due to less UL gear, a few more clothing items.

 

[David Thomas]

A  bit of bleach in a water-tight bottle is a great back up, too.  Super cheap and just dump it after each trip and refill it before the next one and you’ll know it’s fresh.

A modern detergent is far better than any soap at removing the funky body oils that give one that particular “eau de backpacker” from clothing.  Let the wash water percolate into non-mineral soils far from surface water and everything will break down just fine, like it does in any proper septic leach field.  But if Dr. Bonner’s suffices for your needs, great.  Get one of the older bottles that described how to use it as birth control (“all according to God’s plan”).

I’ll try to snap a pic of my minimalist FAK.

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