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Hiking/ Backpacking thread (Now with more pics!)
ALocksly
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
This thread is for those of us who periodically head out in to the wilderness in search of peace and quiet and adventure and great views and the chance to go skinny dipping in a lake that still has ice floating in it.
When I’m in my home state of Washington I like to roam the Cascade mountains from spring till fall, and occasionally break out the snowshoes for winter. I usually do overnighters and day hikes, occasionally going cross country to find a neat looking lake with no trail to it.
Ostensibly this is a place to talk about gear, techniques, and favorite places. Anecdotes about the time you almost got ‘et by a bar and pretty pictures are good too.
To start off I like to do a lot of solo hiking. Often this stems from the fact that a trek I find enjoyable and challenging my friends call “what the hell man?” I like a hike where you have to push a bit to get in and out before dark. When going on a solo day hike where I’m either bushwhacking or have more than ten miles to cover I bring along some gear to help me spend the night if I have to or weather out a bad storm should I get stuck. I usually bring a lightweight nylon tarp and a small, lightweight hatchet. I’ve waited out several squalls under my tarp in front of a little smudge of a campfire. I also like having the hatchet for those rare occasions when I meet unfriendly people or animals. Something else I’ve also started bringing on my solo hikes is a hiking staff. When I was a kid I though it was cool to have the stick (‘cause I could hit things with it) but later decided it was just extra weight. Recently I’ve found that for off-trail hikes it helps to have a staff while fording streams, crossing snow banks, or walking along slick logs. Also in a pinch I can hold up a corner of my tarp with it.
I’ll add some pretty pictures later provided this doesn’t drop off the boards before I get off work.
edit: Here are all the cool pics so far from later in the thread. For the stories behind 'em you'll have to read through though.
OK so here are some pics of past wanderings.
My old set up, tent and peak one stove. Number ten tin can pot.
Rainy cedars
Big cedar
Copper lake
Malachite lake
Elbow lake (no really it's there in the distance)
without the snowshoes (there's my aforementioned hatchet)
My current stove; stopped for some hot cider before pressing on.
Tomyhoi peak, near Mt. Baker, Canada is just out of shot to the right.
alpine meadow, Mt. Whinchester and Canada in the background
more meadow
can't remember where, near Baker anyways.
Im heading for that lake down there.
looking back, an hour or so after the last picture.
high mountian trout
hero shot, Mt. Winchester in the background
Caren on the trail up Algonquin Peak
Algonquin Peak from below
Heart Lake
Top of Algonquin Peak, Mt Marcie in distance
Mist on Wallface Lake
I can't copy the pics of folks who posted an image rather than a link. If you posted a pic PM me the image URL and I'll put it up here.
When I’m in my home state of Washington I like to roam the Cascade mountains from spring till fall, and occasionally break out the snowshoes for winter. I usually do overnighters and day hikes, occasionally going cross country to find a neat looking lake with no trail to it.
Ostensibly this is a place to talk about gear, techniques, and favorite places. Anecdotes about the time you almost got ‘et by a bar and pretty pictures are good too.
To start off I like to do a lot of solo hiking. Often this stems from the fact that a trek I find enjoyable and challenging my friends call “what the hell man?” I like a hike where you have to push a bit to get in and out before dark. When going on a solo day hike where I’m either bushwhacking or have more than ten miles to cover I bring along some gear to help me spend the night if I have to or weather out a bad storm should I get stuck. I usually bring a lightweight nylon tarp and a small, lightweight hatchet. I’ve waited out several squalls under my tarp in front of a little smudge of a campfire. I also like having the hatchet for those rare occasions when I meet unfriendly people or animals. Something else I’ve also started bringing on my solo hikes is a hiking staff. When I was a kid I though it was cool to have the stick (‘cause I could hit things with it) but later decided it was just extra weight. Recently I’ve found that for off-trail hikes it helps to have a staff while fording streams, crossing snow banks, or walking along slick logs. Also in a pinch I can hold up a corner of my tarp with it.
I’ll add some pretty pictures later provided this doesn’t drop off the boards before I get off work.
edit: Here are all the cool pics so far from later in the thread. For the stories behind 'em you'll have to read through though.
OK so here are some pics of past wanderings.
My old set up, tent and peak one stove. Number ten tin can pot.
Rainy cedars
Big cedar
Copper lake
Malachite lake
Elbow lake (no really it's there in the distance)
without the snowshoes (there's my aforementioned hatchet)
My current stove; stopped for some hot cider before pressing on.
Tomyhoi peak, near Mt. Baker, Canada is just out of shot to the right.
alpine meadow, Mt. Whinchester and Canada in the background
more meadow
can't remember where, near Baker anyways.
Im heading for that lake down there.
looking back, an hour or so after the last picture.
high mountian trout
hero shot, Mt. Winchester in the background
Caren on the trail up Algonquin Peak
Algonquin Peak from below
Heart Lake
Top of Algonquin Peak, Mt Marcie in distance
Mist on Wallface Lake
I can't copy the pics of folks who posted an image rather than a link. If you posted a pic PM me the image URL and I'll put it up here.
Yes,... yes, I agree. It's totally unfair that sober you gets into trouble for things that drunk you did.
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I'm going back there in September. There's waterfalls in that gorge that would blow your mind. No actualy water flowing, but stretches of boulders that will take you all day to climb and rockpools where the wallabies and goats frolic freely until one of them slips up and falls over the edge and you have to listen to them scream all night long.
It's a romantic place. I recommend taking a girlfriend.
This is the hatchet I usually carry, 525 grams, made by Fiskars. I was looking at getting a tomahawk so I could roll mountain man stye (plus it was designed to be carried as a lightweight all purpose tool/ weapon) but I couln't find one I liked.
I'll post some pics later of the family and I at Sky Meadows, VA. Moved from VA to CO May of 2006.
I wish I could get time off this summer to go hiking/camping/canoeing in the Boreal but it will have to wait until next year. So far it's just been hitting up the local provincial park for a few hours every few days. Here's some photos if you care to look. It's a pretty nice park. Decent hills (it is called Short Hills for a reason) and there's tons of different birds to look at. Overpopulated by deer though since they banned hunting and there's no natural predators.
One day I'm going to go backcountry canoeing/camping. I really want to spend more time up in northern Ontario, it's absolutely wonderful any time of year.
:^: to the thread idea Locksly
I haven't been backpacking or camping in years. I really wish I could have time to get out to the Smokies - I drove through them last week and it really, really made me want to go backpacking again.
I've only been on a few canoe trips but I would highly recommed it. It's particularly good if there's someone who wants to head into the wilderness away from the car campers but hasn't got the joints or whatever for an extended hike. Provided you aren't looking at any huge portages you can bring along more gear then you would otherwise be able to carry; space I usually devote to fancier foodstuffs. There are times when I'm mainly interested in making good time on the trail and I keep the food as simple as I can; instant oatmeal, energy bars, and freeze dried stuff. But when I have the luxury of bringing extra stuff, making a semi-gourmet meal and enjoying it around a campfire next to a pristine alpine lake is one of lifes more sublime pleasures. Add a few pulls from the 'ole hip flask and you're almost gauranteed to have someone lean back and wax philosophical about "this being the life" or something.
It doesn't make them outdoorsman, but shit a lot of people around here have never set foot in a forest. Let alone backpacked anywhere.
No, but it's always nice to meet another fly fisherman.
Wyoming flyfishing trip, color me jealous. What kind of pack rod you got?
Ontario is pretty much the canoeing paradise. I hope to make it out to the mountains one day, wrestle some bears and cougars.
I would also like to try dogsledding/snowshoeing. Call me crazy, but I find the vast Canadian north is hella interesting.
My dad took all my older siblings on trips after they graduated high school, and I decided I would rather go backpacking than to New York or Europe or something. I really cannot wait to get out there. I think there was about eight inches of snow a few weeks ago, so I have to take plenty of layers to keep warm, and, seeing as we will probably be above the tree line for much of the trip, fire might not be an option.
There are a lot of places now, in Washington anyways, where the surge of new hikers had led to a general ban on campfires. The Alpine lakes wilderness comes to mind. This is another reason I like to find lakes with no marked trails to them to explore, some of the more popoular destinations are downright crowded, even six miles in.
@ Bomb; I only recently started snowshoeing. I found that if there are some trails that are ridiculously easy and overcrowded in the summer they can become whole new adventures after a few meters of snow gets dumped on 'em. I got some pics I'll post later.
Don't worry, that was the first thing I told myself when I finally got down.
Who hasn't told themselves that at some point?
I know what you mean about getting away from other people, which is why we chose the Winds, because it's nice to know that there is no one withing miles of you. I don't get to have that feeling very often. I went to Alaska last year on a backpacking/sea kayaking trip with an adventure organization called Moondance, and it was great. I didn't think I would like being with a larger group (about 14-15 people), but it was cool going on such a trip with people from all over the country.
About how physically fit should you be before you do this kind of crazy shit? I mean, I'm about as weak and out of shape as they come. Do I just need to get myself to the average point, or is this the sort of thing only people who go to the gym every day and lift comically anvil-shaped 200 pound weights for five hours can do?
And assuming I could do it without being too fit, how much money would it cost to get all the supplies?
Wear some comfortable shoes, sneakers or whatever and go for a walk. You don't need fancy gear to do a day hike in summer. As you get in a little better shape though and want to try more difficult stuff it's nice to have raingear and good boots and nifty stuff like that.
ed: also I should mention that there is a list of stuff you should carry if there's even a chance you might get lost or otherwise stuck out in the woods. Most of this stuff you'll probably have around the house already so just throw it in a day pack and go. Camping stores sell lighter and spiffer versions of all of it but honestly an empty plastic soda bottle works just as well as a $10 Nalgene bottle.
ed2: btw where do you live?
At a time?
Generally.
Well that answers that.
Now for the tricky part. There's hardly anywhere to go around here that isn't just raw desert, which kind of sucks for a guy who hates the heat.
Scotland is great for wild camping, the law there is so liberal, you can camp on private property within reason (not in visible range of the residence I think) and on waterboard land etc... just dont try to pitch your tent in a slate bed (long story) and make sure if you have a knife you keep it discreet, out of plain site and dont be without your gear with it (the police wont mind as long as they can see your camping)
They're that anal about you having a knife in the middle of nowhere Venkman?
<- Eagle Scout
And we went camping at least once a month. One of my more memorable trips was one to Cumberland Island, GA. We took a ferry to the island, backpacked 10 mi in, and setup bas camp. Then we hiked another 2.5 mi to the beach, spent the afternoon chillin on the beach, went back to camp, fixed dinner, and got up the next morning and hiked out. The weather was great... Except for the last 5 mi back.
We were hiking back through some low live oak trees and palmetto plants (tiny palm trees). I and my buddy hear it start to lightly rain off in the distance. So we broke out of the line and were starting to retrieve our rain gear.
Then one of the younger scouts asked "Why are you geting that out? It's not raining that bad."
"Yet" I said.
As soon as we finished putting the raingear on, bottom fell out. We were (relatively) dry while the rest of the scouts scrambled to get in their gear. Too bad for them, the ferry was 45 min late.
I sure do enjoy hiking/camping/backpacking. I just need to get my girlfriend into it so that we can go do it together.
From what I hear in Britian now even having a swiss army knife on you requires a valid excuse other than, "I might need it"
I also shouldn't say that hiking and stuff is that shitty in Niagara (it still is), but there's this place called Navy Island. It's basically an uninhabited island on the Niagara river that people use to practice back country camping without having to drive 5+ hours north. If you're brave enough you can canoe to it, but it's probably wise to take a small powered boat due to the current.
I can't believe you guys get grief over carrying a knife - I never leave for a hike without my .45. A pack of large coyotes approached me and my friends once on a hike and were aggressive, which is very rare. I drew my pistol and shot one and the others ran off. Since then, I always bring protection.
What kind of daypack does everybody use? I just bought a new one, a Camelbak M.U.L.E., and I'm really liking it.
Anyways, my girlfriend at the time was just getting into backpacking and she'd heard my dad talk about this lake and she wanted to try for it. Part of her determination though was due to my dad expressing doubt as to whether she could do it. We started off with the walk up the blocked road and then hit the alders, it started to drizzle a bit. By the time we made it through the brush and broke out into the old growth below the ridge it had turned to snow. We missed th entrance to the vally and had to hunt around a bit, all the while it's getting colder and colder and the snow is picking up. I set a cutoff time that if we didn't sight the lake in half an hour we'd head back regardless, which she didn't like 'cause she really wanted to prove my dad wrong. After another 20 minutes I see the lake and we go clawing up through the iced up heather to grab a quick picture for proof we made it. I snap the pic and turn around and see my girlfriend in tears because she's so cold and her hands are cut up and going numb from grabbing the ice covered brush. We retreated under a tree and I had her put on the rest of her extra clothes and all my emergency gear as well and then made her eat some energy bars. We didn't stop for a rest once on the way out since now all I had on was a soaked T-shirt and a nylon hiking shirt and anytime we stopped moving I felt like I was gonna freeze. We made it bak to the car and my hands were so numb I couldn't unclip my key from my pack so I had to hold the whole pack up to the door to get it open and then start the car. We sat in front of the heater for a good 20 minutes and shivered together until we'd warmed up enough to drive out.
Probably the closest I've come to hypothermia. Since then both of us have upgraded our gear to be able to handle soaking rains just barely above freezing. (Neoprene gloves FTW) She got to tell my dad that she'd made the hike in worse condidtions then he ever did so she was happy.
here's the picture I got of the lake, just imagine there's a girl freezing her ass off just behind me.
This is a Kelty Redwing 3100 I got at REI. It's hydration compatable (note the tube on my shoulder) and has a soft frame. I tend to need the extra room for my emergency gear. As the story I posted above illustrates the weather in the Cascades can be freaky.
Texas may be short on mountains but it's a helluva place for wildflowers in the right season. Also fun; be the only guy fishing cottonmouth infested waters with a flyrod and chest waders!
edit: thinking on it I've only packed heat once; a moutain lion brought down a deer near the place I was hiking just a few days before I was headed out there. I didn't wanna freak out my hike partner though so I kept it in a shoulder rig under my shirt. The coyotes in western Wa don't tent to be that agressive or even make packs for that matter and bears are pretty rare.
Well, we saw the family and went close to get some photos. Soon enough we learned that the male is a gigantic angry asshole and it started charging at our canoe across the water. Now, I know being afraid of a bird is kind of silly, but these things are huge. I was most worried about the canoe tipping and some expensive camera gear getting ruined. We slowly backed off but he kept charging us and nearly flying into us so we had to keep him at distance with the oars. Still he would bang his chest into the canoe (which was aluminum so you can imagine how loud this was) and just sit there until we got to a distance where he could charge us again. After about a dozen or so of these charges we got to one of the canoe only campsites and some kids lured him away with bread. Apparently he will show up at the campsites and not leave until someone gives him something. Also by this time we were probably a mile away from his family. Good job protecting them, dumbass.
I did get some photos though
Edit: you'd better still be with that girl!
I don't hike, I don't camp, but was reading and thought I'd mention, I love the peak district too. Moved back here about 5 years ago because I love the place.
I do mountain bike.
I'm one of the nice ones that says hello.
<waves> Hi! :P
I have an old Camelbak Cloudwalker. Just enough to keep some supplies in. Original use was when a buddy and mine for rollerblades in the streets of DC (Insanely fun and stupid all at the same time)
*Edit*
Some pictures of the family and I doing some trial runs. I've had to put off more serious hiking since I have little ones. Plus the move to Colorado killed my asthma(went from a couple hundred feet in elev. to 7100), but I'm getting back into shape.
My daughter and I at Sky Meadows, VA
Setting up camp towards the Appalachian Trail
Why I moved to Colorado. This is my backyard, and I'm camping w/ my daughter.
I have done a little hiking in Hawaii (only on the big island though) My best advice for you is to bring more water then you think you'll need. I've heard this from several other folks as well. One of the parents from my old boy scout troop almost passed out from dehydration/ heatstroke because he wasn't used to how much more fluid he sweated out in a tropical climate with the more intense sun.
This also carries over to the sunscreen. Unless you're used to tropical sun go extra heavy on the sunscreen. Even if you usually tan ok if you come from northern climes and have the pale skin you will get burned. Hats and lightweight long sleeves are good too.
I'm not sure how many lava flows there are on Kauai but if you're wearing sandels don't try to cut across the the flows that had a real frothy composition (jagged rather than smooth) or you'll cut the hell out of your feet.
Also, as a side note, bacteria present in the local fruit and water may or may not be compatible with your system. If not there's a three day or so ah, adjustment period when you will need to be close to a toilet at all times. The downside of this is missing three to four days of vacation, the upshot is that after your system adapts to the new bacteria you shouldn't have any further problems eating what the locals eat ever again. If you would like to avoid this entirely stick to bottled water and avoid eating wild fruit.
edit: I'll put up a pic of the jagged lava after work.
I really can't believe it, I'm really the first to say anything?
Those pics are absolutely gorgeous!
I've been on mostly smaller trips, back when I lived in Connecticut. Most of my outdoorsing was with mountain biking. Middletown has some tremendous trails, super hard single-track. The coolest time was when I, and a few friends, made our way out to some abandoned Minute Man missle sites (supposedly haunted too).
Now I'm in Boston, any idea of a good hiking site around here? Hopefully T accessable?
My old scout troop did a mountain bike trip up Pilchuck (in Wa) and afterwards they had shirts made up that read "Mt. Pilchuck Bike Trip; Four Hours up, 30 minutes down"
I live in the NW section of FL, ie the panhandle (otherwise known as lower Alabama) and I moved here rather recently, and am unfamilar with the local hiking 'scene'.
My girlfriend is coming down to visit during next week and whe expressed some interest in going hiking. I looked a couple of local state parks, but I was kinda looking for something a bit more remote. (I don't really like bumping into other people every few minutes on 'nature trails'--just me being picky I guess) I've live relatively close to Eglin AFB, and I know they have lots of wooded land that people can explore. But I have been unsucessful in finding any info on hiking through the AFB.
I wsa looking for some suggestions (in general, or locale-specific) from anyone who's had experince hiking in the area. Or just advice for taking a girlfreind on a hike.
I don't think we'll have to worry about hypothermia :P