A few gear questions

[Lemming Fleming]

Hi there,
I'm doing a section hike from rockfish gap to harpers ferry, I'm hoping to do it in 12 days, I wouldn't say I'm a complete novice to hiking or camping but I've never really done anything like this and have a few questions.

1) Is my target feasible for a first timer?

2) There was two of us originally but now only me, I bought an msr hubba hubba hp for us both but now am wondering if I should get a one man tent? I can't really afford another one so close to the trip but am I being a fool taking a 2 man tent?

3) Steripen? yay or nay?

4) MSR pocket rocket? yay or nay? And also are they universal with regard to the canisters they use or do they have to be MSR specific?

5) For 2 weeks how many canisters would you carry? Oatmeal and a coffee for breakfast, snack through the day and noodles / rice etc.. for dinner.

6) How frequent are the water sources in SNP and in between harpers ferry and how much should I carry?

7) And what are the regulations for camping in SNP, has it got to be at or around shelter or are you free to camp wherever?

8) Will I get eaten by a bear? :)

Thanks

[bigcranky]

12 days is reasonable. A two-person tent is fine -- you'll actually appreciate the extra room. If you already own the Steripen, bring it, but bring plenty of batteries. (If not, try Aqua Mira.) The Pocket Rocket is a good stove, and can use any commonly available canister. I would start with one 8-ounce canister and buy another one in Front Royal (where I would also resupply my food.) Water is everywhere in SNP. Camping regs are pretty specific, so get a copy of the rules when you get there. It's not a big deal though. Only about 1 in 6 hikers gets eaten by a bear on any given trip.

[McKeever]

That's a nice section to hike. Your asking the right gear questions, but have you obtained companion book, data book, and maps so you will know how to set your distance goals for each day for camping and water? Have you actually purchased or own any of the gear you mentioned?

[Lemming Fleming]

That's a nice section to hike. Your asking the right gear questions, but have you obtained companion book, data book, and maps so you will know how to set your distance goals for each day for camping and water? Have you actually purchased or own any of the gear you mentioned?

I do have the correct guide and map books, I only ask these questions here because my trip is only round the corner and I figure you can't have too many answers to your questions or concerns.

I figure my distances are do-able (between 8.2 and 15.8 miles per day average about 11-12) , I have completed a 20 mile hike with my full pack and am no stranger to camping. Water is my only real worry as I've never had to collect and treat my own water.

I have all of my gear now apart from the steripen, but I'm going to buy another sleeping bag as mine is wrong (I tried it the other week).

[Lemming Fleming]

12 days is reasonable. A two-person tent is fine -- you'll actually appreciate the extra room. If you already own the Steripen, bring it, but bring plenty of batteries. (If not, try Aqua Mira.) The Pocket Rocket is a good stove, and can use any commonly available canister. I would start with one 8-ounce canister and buy another one in Front Royal (where I would also resupply my food.) Water is everywhere in SNP. Camping regs are pretty specific, so get a copy of the rules when you get there. It's not a big deal though. Only about 1 in 6 hikers gets eaten by a bear on any given trip.

Thanks for that, I figured I'd be ok with my tent, I just didn't know how fussy I have to be about keeping weight down. I haven't got a steripen yet but I plan to. I'm not sure I'm down with chemicals and not too convinced about filters either and boiling seems a waste of gas.

1 in 6? good odds :)

[Lyle]

Hi there,
I'm doing a section hike from rockfish gap to harpers ferry, I'm hoping to do it in 12 days, I wouldn't say I'm a complete novice to hiking or camping but I've never really done anything like this and have a few questions.

1) Is my target feasible for a first timer?

Sounds reasonable, but I don't have a map in front of me, so will defer to others.


2) There was two of us originally but now only me, I bought an msr hubba hubba hp for us both but now am wondering if I should get a one man tent? I can't really afford another one so close to the trip but am I being a fool taking a 2 man tent?

Folks carried much heavier two-man tents for many years for single use, so it will work just fine. Your pack will be lighter and more compact if you go with a one-man or tarp.
One option, if the tent hasn't been used, ask the retailer if they will exchange it. Or you could try selling it here or on ebay, then use the money to put on a one-man.

3) Steripen? yay or nay?

Aqua Mira for my money. Light, compact, no batteries, no bad taste.

4) MSR pocket rocket? yay or nay? And also are they universal with regard to the canisters they use or do they have to be MSR specific?

Home made alcohol for me. Lighter, cheaper, fuel available most anywhere.

5) For 2 weeks how many canisters would you carry? Oatmeal and a coffee for breakfast, snack through the day and noodles / rice etc.. for dinner.

Alcohol can be resupplied MANY times, so only need to carry about 8oz or so usually.

6) How frequent are the water sources in SNP and in between harpers ferry and how much should I carry?

Again, no maps with me. Don't believe water should be a problem. I usually carry about 1.5 liters at the start of the day, then check it at lunch to see if I need to get more. Totally depends on the terrain and temp of the day.

7) And what are the regulations for camping in SNP, has it got to be at or around shelter or are you free to camp wherever?

As I recall, you can only sleep in the "Huts", any structures identified as "Shelters" are for day use only. I've heard the Byrd's Nest Shelters are being re-opened for overnight use - this makes much more sense to me, hopefully that will be the trend. Otherwise you can camp anywhere as long as you abide by the rules. Two hundred feet from any H2O source, out of sight of any trail, road or structure, etc. Check them for current rules when you get there.

8) Will I get eaten by a bear? :)

Probably not.

Thanks

Have fun.

[Lemming Fleming]

Have fun.

Fun? Is that the right word? :) I'm not sure any of my friends or family think it's fun.

[McKeever]

I do have the correct guide and map books, I only ask these questions here because my trip is only round the corner and I figure you can't have too many answers to your questions or concerns.

I figure my distances are do-able (between 8.2 and 15.8 miles per day average about 11-12) , I have completed a 20 mile hike with my full pack and am no stranger to camping. Water is my only real worry as I've never had to collect and treat my own water.

I have all of my gear now apart from the steripen, but I'm going to buy another sleeping bag as mine is wrong (I tried it the other week).

We have had a tremendous amount of rain this Spring here in Virginia so there should be ample water at all listed locations. I believe you will find it easy to obtain and treat. A light weight 1 gal nylon water bag works well for scooping water from low flow areas. I rarely hike without one and am an ultralighter.

If you travel often the Steripen will be a good investment but understand there are a lot of complaints regarding malfunctions so make sure you check the reviews on arrrrr e i . c o m before buying. Even with the complaints, I am going to buy the Adventurer because I don't like to wait for chemicals and a seasons worth of Aquamira will cost as much. If you're on a budget Polar Pure is very easy to use, lasts forever, and really doesn't taste bad. For the tent, you can shed much weight off your back by getting an inexpensive sil-nylon tarp from that camp-more site.

[Blissful]

Take Aqua mira. Works fine.

I use a two man tarptent. Nice to have my pack with me inside. If you can handle the weight, take it.

Pocket rocket is great. Used mine the entire hike. Need a large canister to start. Might be able to resupply it in Front Royal, check on that, I'm not sure on outfitter there ?. Unfortunately Big Meadows in SNP doesn't stock it (or they haven't in the past). You can use snowpeak, msr, jetboil with the stove.

You need a permit to backcountry camp in SNP, even at shelters. Everything you need to know is on the kiosk when you hike in from Rockfish Gap. Fill it out and you are set. Just be sure your permit is on your pack, rangers do check.

12 days looks right for this section, maybe even less.

[flemdawg1]

Hi there,
I'm doing a section hike from rockfish gap to harpers ferry, I'm hoping to do it in 12 days, I wouldn't say I'm a complete novice to hiking or camping but I've never really done anything like this and have a few questions.
So what is your prior backpacking experience?

1) Is my target feasible for a first timer? If you've never done so much as a weekend BP trip, I'd be skeptical. You'll survive, but the likelihood of you returning or having a good time is reduced.

2) There was two of us originally but now only me, I bought an msr hubba hubba hp for us both but now am wondering if I should get a one man tent? I can't really afford another one so close to the trip but am I being a fool taking a 2 man tent? That would be fine.

3) Steripen? yay or nay? I have one and am very happy with it.

4) MSR pocket rocket? yay or nay? And also are they universal with regard to the canisters they use or do they have to be MSR specific? Yes, and any butane/iso-butane/butane-mix canister of similar design should work.

5) For 2 weeks how many canisters would you carry? Oatmeal and a coffee for breakfast, snack through the day and noodles / rice etc.. for dinner. 2-8 oz canisters.

6) How frequent are the water sources in SNP and in between harpers ferry and how much should I carry?

7) And what are the regulations for camping in SNP, has it got to be at or around shelter or are you free to camp wherever?

8) Will I get eaten by a bear? :) Only if you are in a hammock at the Blood Mountain Shelter and smeared w/ honey.

Thanks

[Lemming Fleming]

12 days looks right for this section, maybe even less.

I have actually got 15 days before my flight home, so I have a couple of days where I can do nothing or low miles if I need them. 12 is my aim though.

I guess from what Ive read elsewhere and you guys, aqua mira is the most poular treatment eh?

[Blissful]

I guess from what Ive read elsewhere and you guys, aqua mira is the most poular treatment eh?

Well, you'll also see some who use no treatment at all. I've seen filters, steri pen, Aqua mira all on the trail. But the chemicals worked fine for me.

[Lemming Fleming]

Hi there,
I'm doing a section hike from rockfish gap to harpers ferry, I'm hoping to do it in 12 days, I wouldn't say I'm a complete novice to hiking or camping but I've never really done anything like this and have a few questions.
So what is your prior backpacking experience?



Backpacking experience is limited, a couple of weekenders in the last month with 10-15 mile walks each day. I've been camping for a week twice a year for the last 15-16 while I go surfing so that's going to be no surprise. I've done all the individual parts, just not the whole :). Physically I feel ready but I hear that mentally it can be daunting.

[flemdawg1]

Since you've done weekenders before, you should be fine. It would have been a steeper learning curve going from car-camping & dayhiking to a 2-week trip.

[sly dog]

I am doing the same section next month. I carry a 2 man tent all the time, nice if it is raining and ya wanna have your pack in the tent to go thru it or room to look at maps and such. I carry a filter and and glad I do, several times I got water from a merky NJ swamps. I dont know what that water would have looked like if I just used a steripen.I dont make a habbit taking swamp water but I had none and needed to fill up. 12 days is fine,SNP is a bit easier on the legs than other areas. As for the bears, they wont eat ya, just an arm or so then they run away.