View Full Version : Starting again Sept 1st
Old Hillwalker
08-02-2008, 12:03
After bailing out from my SOBO attempt at Monson with a minor back issue I have dropped about ten pounds from my pack and changed footwear so I am going to start again from Monson on September 1st and head south again.
Changes: Dropping my Featherfire Stove and Bakepacker setup in favor of my Beer Can stove and Ti pot. (Carried both on first round) Was happy with the performance of the Featherfire and Bakepacker, but need to cut weight and FB cooking with the BC stove was good too.
Dropped MSR Filter and Hydration system in favor of Steripen and free tonic bottle(s).
Cut alky supply from 32 oz to 16 oz as the BC stove uses about half what the FF used for one burn.
Reduced First Aid kit to the bare essentials from way too much stuff.
One roll of TP instead of two.
Two pair socks instead of four:o
Eliminated Tyvek ground cloth as my Shires Squall II has a full bathtub bottom that worked well.
May Eliminate the Camera. Canon Powershot A560
Clothing is now: One Ibex Tee, One Ibex Longsleeve Tee
One pair zip-off long pants, One pair hot chili's
Set of K-Way light weight rain gear. Hat
Dropped Ur-Sack in favor of Granite Gear Sack and hanging line.
Boots instead of Keen Arroyo IIs.
Good to hear you're feeling better and are getting back on the Trail.
Have a great time and a good hike!
Dropping those 10# is a lot of weight to lose. I thought your total weight was low to begin with...what are you down to now for a pack-weight?
TWS
Old Hillwalker
08-02-2008, 14:01
Good to hear you're feeling better and are getting back on the Trail.
Have a great time and a good hike!
Dropping those 10# is a lot of weight to lose. I thought your total weight was low to begin with...what are you down to now for a pack-weight?
TWS
20 to 25 pounds depending upon food and water
Old Hillwalker
08-02-2008, 14:04
Don't forget Labor Day.
Yeah, I know. However, looking at my calendar I can start as early as August 20th.
Since I no longer labor I don't observe Labor Day;)
I was thinking crowds and Post Office.
Personally, I can't see hiking without a camera. But maybe that's just me. Good luck on your hike, in any case.
Seems to me you might be seeing some pretty cold weather south of Monson in Sept./Oct. and then you're buffering or hiking in actual winter the rest of the way. Are you sure your clothes will be appropriate? Otherwise, it sounds good.
johnny quest
08-02-2008, 19:49
i hope to see you out there.
Blissful
08-02-2008, 20:49
By mid Sept in Maine we hit twenties at night. Might want to throw in a jacket. It's a different ball game starting that late. I'd make adjustments that way since it is not the same as if you were starting early summer. And you could hit snow/sleet in the WHites.
And I would never eliminate a camera, but that's me...
Hillwalker, sounds good, but with you potentially having some colder weather I would bring 3 pair of socks to have on in reserve for sleeping. Also would not go without a camera, but that is a personal choice. Otherwise sounds doable as long as your layers are warm enough. Good luck starting out again.
Yeti GAME08
Old Hillwalker
08-03-2008, 07:17
Personally, I can't see hiking without a camera. But maybe that's just me. Good luck on your hike, in any case.
Since I live in the White Mountains and hike all year I rarely find scenes that I haven't already committed to memory and rarely take pictures. Also having no one to share them with anyway makes it less important
Seems to me you might be seeing some pretty cold weather south of Monson in Sept./Oct. and then you're buffering or hiking in actual winter the rest of the way. Are you sure your clothes will be appropriate? Otherwise, it sounds good.
I forgot to mention that I will be carrying a fleece layer
By mid Sept in Maine we hit twenties at night. Might want to throw in a jacket. It's a different ball game starting that late. I'd make adjustments that way since it is not the same as if you were starting early summer. And you could hit snow/sleet in the WHites.
My home is up on a high ridge in the White Mountains and I winter hike a lot so snow and ice are my motivator.
And I would never eliminate a camera, but that's me... Hiking and backpacking in the White Mountains for the last 50+ years inures me to much of the scenery. I have Moose, Bears, Coyotes and other wildlife not 50 feet from my house at times.
Hillwalker, sounds good, but with you potentially having some colder weather I would bring 3 pair of socks to have on in reserve for sleeping. Also would not go without a camera, but that is a personal choice. Otherwise sounds doable as long as your layers are warm enough. Good luck starting out again.
Yeti GAME08
OK, 3 pairs of socks. My bag is an Under 25 from REI with an added silk liner.
Hey, I can always bail again. After all it's not too far from my house.:p
johnny quest
08-03-2008, 10:47
Since I live in the White Mountains and hike all year I rarely find scenes that I haven't already committed to memory and rarely take pictures. Also having no one to share them with anyway makes it less important
i have to disagree with you there. youve got a whole community here to share them with. i havent been up there yet. many of us havent. and since finding whiteblaze and its gallery ive been able to see maine and new hampshire thru the eyes of fellow hikers like yourself. you have many people interested in where youve been and what youve seen.
Old Hillwalker
08-03-2008, 16:46
i have to disagree with you there. youve got a whole community here to share them with. i havent been up there yet. many of us havent. and since finding whiteblaze and its gallery ive been able to see maine and new hampshire thru the eyes of fellow hikers like yourself. you have many people interested in where youve been and what youve seen.
You know I would love to share pictures, but with my 26.6 kb/sec connection speed to the iNet I rarely upload pictures.
No Cable or DSL, or Hughesnet nor Cell service up where I live. Our new phone company (Fairpoint) promises fiberoptics, but at last word it's at least two years away.
wrongway_08
08-03-2008, 23:42
good luck on the trip!
I would bring a camera, I took over 1,200 photos and a bunch of videos, that was only from Springer to Harpers Ferry - less then half way! I don't plan to print or down load all of them but its cool to flip through them on the camera/computer.
If your good without the camera, its one less thing to keep dry and look after.
Happy hiking!
Wise Old Owl
08-03-2008, 23:51
Keep the camera! 10 years ffrom now it hard to distinquish some hikes.