WhiteBlaze Pages 2024
A Complete Appalachian Trail Guidebook.
AVAILABLE NOW. $4 for interactive PDF(smartphone version)
Read more here WhiteBlaze Pages Store

Page 1 of 3 1 2 3 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 42
  1. #1
    Registered User
    Join Date
    09-29-2012
    Location
    Erie, Colorado
    Age
    35
    Posts
    78

    Default Thru-Hike ALL 19th century

    Hey Everyone,

    Its been a few years since I've been on but figured since ill be attempting the CT again this year id show my digital face. This year a dear friend and I will be tackling the entire trail utilizing nothing but mid 19th century (1858-1862 ) gear, clothing and equipment. I reproduce high end reproduction clothing for TV, Film, Museums, and Reenactors and have been hiking and mountaineering utilizing only gear from this period for quite some time now. This will be a challenging but incredibly exciting and rewarding adventure. The living history world is in buzz about it as it will be the longest 19th century trek since.... well the 19th century. Along the way will be updating with gear list and break downs just as anyone else would but it'll be fun to show just how similar period hiking is to modern lightweight and ultralight backpacking. Colorado was the birthplace of a good bit of early american hiking and this trip will be a fun and exciting way to share a lot of that information with the hiking community. I look forward to sharing with you, all the information along the way. I also look forward to hopefully running in to a few of you on the trail. Until then....

    Ben Jenkins

  2. #2
    Registered User colorado_rob's Avatar
    Join Date
    08-20-2012
    Location
    Denver, CO
    Age
    67
    Posts
    4,540
    Images
    3

    Default

    Fascinating. What is your schedule?

  3. #3
    Registered User lonehiker's Avatar
    Join Date
    11-18-2005
    Location
    Cheyenne, WY
    Age
    60
    Posts
    1,440

    Default

    Any chance of a get-together to see gear in person? I will probably make a race at CNS this spring and could come down early. Maybe Rob, mags, et al would be interested as well.
    Lonehiker (MRT '22)

  4. #4

  5. #5
    Registered User
    Join Date
    09-29-2012
    Location
    Erie, Colorado
    Age
    35
    Posts
    78

    Default

    You bet! it would be my pleasure! I will also be posting pics of gear and such as well... Feel free to contact me at 318-453-4072

    Thanks
    ben

  6. #6
    Registered User
    Join Date
    09-29-2012
    Location
    Erie, Colorado
    Age
    35
    Posts
    78

    Default

    We are working out the schedule now.... we are leaving the 22nd of june. We are both fairly experienced hikers and have done quite a bit period so this will be quite the adventure.

  7. #7
    Registered User
    Join Date
    09-01-2009
    Location
    In the shadow of Segments 22 and 23 between Lake City & Silverton.
    Posts
    100

    Default

    I will be looking for you on the trail this year. Very interesting! Heading to Lake City? If so, let me know your schedule. Ron ��

  8. #8
    Registered User
    Join Date
    09-29-2012
    Location
    Erie, Colorado
    Age
    35
    Posts
    78

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Cheyou View Post

    Indeed.... Similar. Different in distance, altitude, so on and so fourth, the normal colorado stuff. I will be making about 90% of both Aaron's and I's kit.

    Attached is a photo from a previous hike we did. The kit will be a little different for this trip as it is much longer but it kinda gives you an idea of the period and the look.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  9. #9
    Registered User
    Join Date
    09-29-2012
    Location
    Erie, Colorado
    Age
    35
    Posts
    78

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by San Juan Ron View Post
    I will be looking for you on the trail this year. Very interesting! Heading to Lake City? If so, let me know your schedule. Ron ��

    Have not nailed down all the little specs yet but its looking like Lake City is in the resupply list this year! I will be looking for you as well.

  10. #10
    Wanna-be hiker trash
    Join Date
    03-05-2010
    Location
    Connecticut
    Age
    42
    Posts
    6,922
    Images
    78

    Default

    Well you've got my attention, very interesting especially since you are making most of the gear yourself. Do you have a website or trailjournal that you plan to use for the hike? I hope that you will make once exception to your period appropriate gear and bring a decent camera.
    Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.

  11. #11
    Registered User
    Join Date
    09-29-2012
    Location
    Erie, Colorado
    Age
    35
    Posts
    78

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Sarcasm the elf View Post
    Well you've got my attention, very interesting especially since you are making most of the gear yourself. Do you have a website or trailjournal that you plan to use for the hike? I hope that you will make once exception to your period appropriate gear and bring a decent camera.

    We are making a few exceptions, most being safety and health exceptions. We will have a good camera and will document the best we can. We will also have a professional photographer out with us for a week as well as several of the local newspapers will be sending out photographers as well. I don't have the Facebook page setup yet but there will be a dedicated one that will be updated regularly. You can see a bit of what i make at :

    Facebook.com/jenkinsandcompany1

    Thanks so much!

  12. #12

    Default

    "...bring a decent camera. "

    1860's circa Matthew Brady means wet plate photography. It is still more popular than you might think, but requires some large fixtures and use of dangerous chemicals.
    But you could get an old Kodak bellows film camera or a cheap box camera (Brownie) and get some nice B&W shots for sepia toning.

    BTW it's a beautiful idea. Out West the mountain man rendezvous are very well attended and can be quite realistic. Seems like the simple old fashioned life bekons more and more, the more digital and souless modern life becomes.

  13. #13
    Registered User
    Join Date
    07-29-2012
    Location
    Moorhead,Minnesota
    Age
    55
    Posts
    238

    Default

    I will keep an eye out for you on the trail. Good luck!

  14. #14

    Default

    I spent many years of my life as a history student......what a cool idea and what a great thing you're doing. Best of luck!! Let us know how things go.

  15. #15
    Getting out as much as I can..which is never enough. :) Mags's Avatar
    Join Date
    03-15-2004
    Location
    Colorado Plateau
    Age
    49
    Posts
    11,002

    Default

    Fantastic!
    Paul "Mags" Magnanti
    http://pmags.com
    Twitter: @pmagsco
    Facebook: pmagsblog

    The true harvest of my life is intangible...a little stardust caught,a portion of the rainbow I have clutched -Thoreau

  16. #16

    Join Date
    05-05-2011
    Location
    state of confusion
    Posts
    9,866
    Journal Entries
    1

    Default

    I think its cool.

    However I imagine you will omit the firearms, cast iron cooking implements, cook fires, bushcraft style camps, and diet of bacon grease, flour, and whatever small game you happen across? You are free to carry non working replica firearms.

    If only there were grizzlies and savages around...
    Last edited by MuddyWaters; 03-26-2016 at 02:35.

  17. #17

    Default

    Love this. As someone who is thoroughly interested by re-enactment from earlier times (medieval and viking era) I would love to see what all you go going on.

  18. #18
    Registered User colorado_rob's Avatar
    Join Date
    08-20-2012
    Location
    Denver, CO
    Age
    67
    Posts
    4,540
    Images
    3

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by MuddyWaters View Post
    You are free to carry non working replica firearms....
    Not that I would suggest doing it, but pretty sure on most if not all of the CT you are free to carry working firearms. I can't think of a single possible use for one though, other that to look like a mid-1800's explorer... or to fight off all the Texan's down in the Lake City area of the trail.....

  19. #19

    Join Date
    05-05-2011
    Location
    state of confusion
    Posts
    9,866
    Journal Entries
    1

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by colorado_rob View Post
    Not that I would suggest doing it, but pretty sure on most if not all of the CT you are free to carry working firearms. I can't think of a single possible use for one though, other that to look like a mid-1800's explorer... or to fight off all the Texan's down in the Lake City area of the trail.....
    If the idea is to get insights into the experience of people in the past, one might strive to be authentically laden and equipped, as well as dressed.
    Last edited by MuddyWaters; 03-26-2016 at 10:12.

  20. #20
    Registered User
    Join Date
    05-08-2010
    Location
    Gardiner, Maine
    Posts
    97
    Images
    5

    Default

    Love your planned hike. Would hikers/travelers of that period have used clothing/gear that was left over surplus from the civil war?

Page 1 of 3 1 2 3 LastLast
++ New Posts ++

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •