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@gearmaker You wrote, “Scotch “Tough” Transparent Duct Tape (their glow-in-the-dark duct tape works well too)”
I assume you meant the Duck brand GITD rather than 3M/Scotch?
I discovered that my son used my last roll of 2120 and bought me Duck’s transparent version to replace it with. It doesn’t seem quite as strong to me. The local store where I got 2120 no longer carries it, but has several other “all weather” options. Lowes has some “Tough” but not the transparent (aside from “repair tape” without fibers like that Gorilla that failed early) and the only “all weather” one appears to be the one you tested above that didn’t do too well.
@gearmaker I’m surprised that I never posted on this thread!
Did you ever try several strips of tape narrow enough for a smaller D-ring and aligned at different angles as proposed by @autox. I also missed on the polycryo tarp tested thread that Rene had also suggested linelocs. It looks like those weigh 1.35 g so an additional 6 g for your 8 tieouts.
Any more tips you’ve learned? It didn’t look like you were selling these anymore when I checked your site. I’ll be making Rev 4 in the next couple weeks. It looks like 3M 2120 (e.g., TOUGH transparent duct tape) is still the winner for tape.
With the forum software change, the link to Brian Camprini’s trip report no longer worked, nor did the one for the trip report on Pierre Lakes basin so those have been updated in this post since I sometimes refer people to this thread.
I figured since I’m here already that I may as well add a few comments with regards to my Part 3 outline at the bottom of my OP and how things differ 7 years later. :)
– I now train before trips and haven’t had any knee issues to speak of despite rugged terrain – duh! That is usually doing bleachers or hills at a city park.
– Re sticking to the Neoair it’s not really an issue since I wear long pants and sleeves
– I switched to using a 2L Platy for my pillow though I’ve recently splurged for a larger Klymit pillow
– I now take a midweight fleece vest for extra insulation sometimes
– I stick with no- or light-cushion Darn Tough Vermont socks – lifetime warranty FTW!
– Inov-8 did replace those particular shoes and I bought 2 more pairs and am still using the second pair. I also bought enough Roclite 295 shoes since the 315 are discontinued to last the rest of my hiking life (unless my youngest ends up with feet my size)
– I’ve continued to use the OEM Inov-8 insoles and they hold up very well. I’ve found I sometimes need to clean the little “airholes” in them if tiny rocks get stuck
– dropped the plastic spoon for an iced tea spoon
– never carried “gatorade” mix unless a son was with me.
– I’ve gone to an ursack so I don’t have to bother with finding a suitable tree which is difficult where I like to go.
– still using the same light I think and don’t recall ever having it switch on again
– not sure I’ve used any bandaids since then
– I don’t think I’ve tried bread bags yet since the thinner socks I use now don’t stay wet. That would be a good test in winter snow someday.
– back to just using the trial size toothpaste
– I’ve tried to take less food over the years but have always come back with some. I figure that is just insurance should I have to wait out a storm or get injured.After going down some more since this trip my base weight has increased maybe a pound for some luxury items – I use a large Neoair now (for the width) and bought a Delorme inReach, for example.
Michael Ray: I’m aware of the prohibited use of alcohol stoves during BSA activities but have made several “homebrew” stoves with them so that they have an inexpensive and easy to use stoves on their own outings.
I did use this setup with the Starlyte to boil water for three scouts who forgot to bring dinner at our last campout.
The way you worded that sounds like this was an official BSA activity. It makes no difference whether you use it or a Scout does. Or this was one of those non-BSA campouts that happened to include mostly Scouts?
I collected a bunch of cat food cans and made some with our Boy Scout troop.
FYI, sadly alcohol stoves have been prohibited in the Guide to Safe Scouting for several years now. One could try to argue these are “commercially manufactured”, but it’s clear what the intent is. I still use one when out with my son on our own trips.
In case you’re interested I haven’t listed it yet, but I have a 2016 Duplex I’ll be selling for $500, but I don’t want a Soloplex. Has 13-14 nights on it.
My go to no cook dinners have been just pouches of chicken, tuna or salmon with ranch dressing. Last year I had also added raisins and/or sunflower seeds at times, since that is how I’d eaten some lunches previously but I discovered I tired of that pretty quickly so it was just the meat/dressing this past 7-dinner trip.
Since this was the thread that started it for me, I figured I’d post here. As mentioned in another thread, in the end I decided on the Winds. My trip report
I figured those balds would be packed but maybe 342 is about all that one could fit.
I was essentially alone near Baker Lake in the Wind River Range. About 10 others did finally show up the afternoon prior but they choose to view from Yukon Peak mostly.
FWIW, I really like the design of the Lunar Duo. I had planned to sell mine off for a Zpacks Duplex but will likely sell the Duplex instead. It is longer and wider than the Duplex and has superior door design (IMHO). If only the Duo came in cuben fiber!
Hmmm… not sure why it didn’t show up in the main post. BTW, this used 5 min interval or roughly 3 hours as I hope to get Aug 21.
Ha! Now it shows up in the main post and not here. Go figure!
We made it. The spring was still flowing though there had been lots of rain. I hadn’t expected it that close to McCurdy Mtn so about zipped right by it. Weather kept us from attempting to summit Bison. I didn’t think the skeeters were out of hand.
How were the skeeters?
Unless the weather is bad, we’ll definitely camp up high.
Dondo,
The main reasons for Ute Creek were closeness and no gravel/dirt roads. We’d be driving a Prius, which sits fairly low (lower than my Civic), coming North on I-25 and then leaving east (on I-70 eventually). If the road to Lost Park is good, I’d be fine with that change.
It appears from the USGS site that water levels are below normal near the Lost Creek area. Not sure if that is because it has been exceptionally hot or that it didn’t get the above avg snowfall the rest of the West did. Will we have any issues with water along our route detailed below? Would also appreciate any suggestions on campsites if there are any particularly enjoyable ones. Our plans have been changed so we only have 4.5 max days of hiking now. My current plan is to start at Ute Creek TH and deal with the stiff climb on the Ute Creek Trail. Then head north on Brookside-McCurdy > Wigwam > Goose Creek (with possible trip down to Shaft House area if time) > McCurdy Park > Brookside-McCurdy back to Ute Creek. Aside from the slower, steep start, this would put the cooler stuff closer to the end of the trip, which is important for him, being so goal-oriented. We will start next Tuesday morning.
I wonder if you have ever made it along Lost Creek (from either side). I was planning to try heading north in a couple weeks. However, I’m also curious if the boulders on the north side would be possible for an 11 year old to maneuver if we do make it over?
That looks like the storm of a lifetime to me. Without other tents constructed of different material pitched alongside for comparison, what UL tent/material do you suppose would have fared any better?
His friend’s tent pitched right next to his appears to be (~17:00 in the vid) an identical Duplex that apparently sustained no damage. There’s also another tent you can see behind his friend’s.
If the forecast doesn’t look good my intention is to bail out of the Winds the evening prior and head to the plains to the east, but personally would expect 25 to be quite busy that morning.
I go up and down the steepest hill in the city which happens to be at a park. The moles seem to love it so it provides unstable ground.
If you’ve followed the polycryo tarp threads here, you know I purposely design mine for the half mid pitch (it is closer to 9×6). If the wind shifts to the door direction, you may get wet if you can’t scoot back far enough. On my first tarp (LDPE one pictured in my avatar) I created a “storm door” for just that occurrence and it worked fine. I intended to make one for my current tarp, but haven’t yet.
I’d think you could hammock in any of the valleys.
Since I sit behind a desk mostly, I try to do some cardio and lower body training. Bleachers at the high school or jogging up/down the steepest hill in the city 3x/wk a couple months in advance. My trip here in 2011 taught me I needed to do something to get my lower half in better shape. Went too hard too fast. Haven’t had any issues since.
Late this summer my youngest will move into the Troop a year early since he seems to be getting bored with Cub Scouts. As such it got me thinking that perhaps I should come out with a New and Improved Second Edition of my dissertation. ;) I know there some gear options that are new (or no longer available). I’m sure the collective mind knows of more that I don’t so if you don’t mind, please share here what you would add, keeping in mind that a Scout is thrifty.
I had also thought of expanding the content some to at least provide hints/tips for those areas of the country that didn’t fit into my original parameters, specifically the desert SW and PNW. Frankly, I don’t have any personal experience in the latter and just a bit in the former (though that was during a record heat wave) so I’d appreciate thoughts on what I should cover regarding gear for those areas. I don’t have any intention of adding a winter section though.
Thanks in advance for any assistance in making this a better resource. I note it got hit over 2600 times in 2016.