Gear, Resupply, & Misc

[gooz]

My friend and I are planning to start around August 8th and finish by September 15th (I have to be back at work on the 17th). We're planning to set a pace of ~20 miles/day and aim to be done by four weeks, the fifth week will be our buffer. I'm in very good shape but pretty much completely new to the backpacking thing, so I have a lot of questions.


First, how's my gear list look?

Essentials:
tent
sleeping bag
pad
pack
hiking boots
poles
3L bladder, 1 plastic water bottle (aquafina or equivalent)

Clothing:
2 long sleeve polyester shirts (1 for hiking, 1 for camp)
1 pair shorts for hiking
1 pair rain pants for hiking
1 pair long-john pants for camp
3 pairs socks (2 for hiking, 1 for camp)
2 pairs underwear (1 for hiking, 1 for camp)
backpackers poncho
lightweight winter jacket
beanie
light baseball hat for hiking
light gloves
light sandals/crocs for camp

Misc:
sun tan lotion
trail guide book and GPS
phone and charger
compass
tiny med kit
water purifier (x2, my friend will have one too) and tablets as backup
lighter x2
stove
small pot w lid, spork
biodegradable soap
ear plugs
TP / tiny lightweight shovel
toothbrush / paste
headlamp
duct tape
ziplock baggies to organize everything

Food:
tiny spice-holder
electrolyte powder
resupplying with large ziplock bags of dry rice/beans, couscous, dried fruit, nuts, and goodies (meal planning is my next project)


Second, how's my resupply list look (selected from Mags Guide)?

Bailey 40mi, meet friends for “oh ****, we forgot…” and first resupply
Breck/Frisco 104mi, take free bus from trailhead. lodging, PO
Leadville 142.6, shuttle to hostel that takes maildrops
Buena Vista 190, hitch on 306 (20mi ride) for lodging, PO
Salida 252, hitch on US50 (13mi ride) for lodging, PO
Creede 342, hitch (may get lucky since it says this is a tricky hitch and have a friend give us a ride here) lodging, PO
Silverton 410, shuttles avail, lodging, PO
Durgano 484, 4mi hitch into town


Third, a few miscellaneous questions:

1) What would you recommend putting in a med kit? Ibuprofen, neosporin, and moleskin are the three that stand out to me.

2) I was planning to wear my Lowa Focus GTX boots but I just talked to a friend who did the AT and she said she was in running shoes by the end. Thoughts on using lighter shoes? I have no idea what the condition of the CT is compared to the AT. For what it's worth, I don't have ankle problems.

3) Semi-related to #2, I've never hiked with poles before and wasn't planning on getting them because it just seemed like extra weight, but I'm beginning to hear that they're necessary. Thoughts/opinions on poles in general? They look pricey at REI, any tips for finding a good pair if they are a must-have?

4) Generally speaking, for two people pretty new to being in the outdoors for more than a day, any tips as far as skills to learn/things to know to a) survive or b) not be miserable?


Thanks! This forum has already been immensely helpful in answering my questions and I appreciate any more advice folks can offer here!

Adam

[PosterNutbag]

i didnt read your whole post but i would ditch all rain gear and winter clothing for a rain jacket shell. also the trail runners really are the way to go if your pack weight is under 30 lbs. people will tell you, you cant average 20 mpd. dont listen to them you can do it, just hike all day and make breaks quick!

[bearcreek]

Your list looks pretty good to me.

I would not scrimp on rain gear. You are probably going to get rained on at least a few times and you will be glad to have it. My 2007 thru-hike had 21 days of rain out out of 29 total days, including several days when it rained 4-5 hours or more.

You are re-supplying quite often. I would eliminate the re-supplies at Bailey and Buena Vista. 100 mile hitches in 5-6 days are not that difficult.

I am a high mileage unit prone to sore knees so I always hike with trekking poles. I also use over-the-ankle boots because of a history of twisted ankles. If you don't have any issues like that, then you might consider ditching the poles and using running shoes. I would if I could.

[Dogwood]

PNB, I bet just by what I'm reading the OP is over 30 lbs. Seems you are mistakenly thinking trail runner usage is ONLY affected by pack wt. NO!

Hiking poles aren't necessary. They can help to some extent take force/stress off parts of the body though. Cheap ones can be had at Wally World or Costco. I rec Costco.

Work you way into the CT hike. That's most easily accomplished going SOBO as you are. Keep in mind at the gate you're looking to avg 20 MPD. That doesn't mean you need to do 20's all the time or from day 1. The trail will get harder terrain wise, especially from Breck south. Expect thunder, lightning, and rain showers in the afternoons especially in the first 2 wks or so. Go with the flow.

[Dogwood]

They are resupplying quite often(their longest stretch btw resupplying is 90 miles) but that might help offset their loads and wt carried a bit which might be beneficial doing at Bailey as they adjust to the thru-hiking lifestyle and their "being new to the outdoors" situation as well as addressing their specific question "how not to be miserable." It's going to be hot, they are going to get wet, and they are prolly carrying more wt than they need to. The first couple of sections going SOBO have less shade too. If their making changes from accustomed footwear like boots to trail runners there are obvious pros but possible cons to that too.

[Dogwood]

Breaking up the possible lower food wt by throwing in BV as a resupply pt might also be appreciated if they desire to bag a 14 er or two like Massive or Elbert on their CT thrus, although I would just send a box to Twin Lakes instead. Which brings up another question - what route are they taking going SOBO past TL?

[Cookerhiker]

I thruhiked the CT in 2011. Your gear list looks pretty good and I agree with Bear Creek, you will need raingear. My only other comment is to wonder about the size of your "small pot" because you may need it to extract water. Even though I hiked in a "wet" year, we still had a few water sources for which you could not fit a liter-sized Nalgene bottle. We used our drinking cups, something I note you didn't list.

Regarding shoes, I switched to trail runners for the first time ever when my boots fell apart before Salida. The Merrills I bought in Salida did me well the rest of the hike and now, I use only trail runners.

As far as your 20 mpd average, you may want to temper this depending on weather conditions and water supplies. For example, if your 20 mpd means that you have to hike over the pass you reach in midafternoon when thunderstorms have already hit, you should think (1) safety and (2) do you really want to hike in the alpine in the rain rather than a sunny morning? And the mornings are always sunny. I know it's HYOH but "YOH" depends on what you're seeking.

Have a great hike!

www.trailjournals.com/cookerhikerCT11

[PosterNutbag]

i just cannot justify the weight of extra raingear....why not just wear a rain jacket and have the lower section get wet? id rather have my lower half be soaked especially in summer then just put some long johns on at camp. ive hiked through rain all day on my 200 mile hike one day and showed up at the shelter dry from my coat from the waist up and the resy was wet. i didnt even have a change of clothes, if going again i would bring some long johns, but i would not have brought rain pants, or a poncho. are you comfortable hiking in a poncho all day? rain or shine your doing 20 miles, 20 with a poncho for me would be hell

[Mags]

At very least you'll want wind pants. These wind pants work well, are $20 and seem functionally the same as gear from Montbell or GoLite for a fraction of the price for similar weights.

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...=1#post1360062
http://www.pmags.com/gear-review-dis...rip-stop-pants

Why do you want at least wind pants? Because it is not just the rain; above treeline it is windy and cold. A lot different from the heavily wooded Appalachians (minus small parts of New England of course). Summer in Colorado is NOT like summer in the Appalachians. If you do not have some kind of leg protection (be it pants or a long poncho), you may find yourself very uncomfortable.

Continuing with the light and cheap category, Frogg Togg jackets are inexpensive and work well for the rain you see in the afternoon as well as the foggy conditions that often happen above treeline. I often couple them with long john bottoms if it is esp windy and rainy.

For on trail hiking (or non-technical off-trail hiking with no major buchwhacking), I find the Frogg Togg type jackets and dance pants are a good combo that works well, are light and breathable.

For more technical pursuits and any off-trail hiking where I am thrashing in the brush, I bring something sturdier. For a Colorado Trail thru-hike, that is not a consideration.

SO, for less than $50 an 10oz you can have the appropriate gear for the conditions you will see in Colorado.

Bring rain gear.

[Cookerhiker]

.... ive hiked through rain all day on my 200 mile hike one day and showed up at the shelter dry from my coat from the waist up and the resy was wet. i didnt even have a change of clothes, if going again i would bring some long johns, but i would not have brought rain pants, or a poncho. are you comfortable hiking in a poncho all day? rain or shine your doing 20 miles, 20 with a poncho for me would be hell

From your reference to "shelter," it appears your experience is on the AT or somewhere East. On CT, you may well have some rain every day but it's very unlikely it will rain all day. Rain at the end of the day when you're in camp is the more likely time; that's when I wore rain pants although I also wore them 1-2 times when descending passes in strong rainstorms. It made camp more comfortable.

I'm hiking the JMT in a few weeks and there, I won't bring rain pants but for the CT, I consider them a necessity. They weigh next-to-nothing.

[marktrumpet]

Here's what I would ditch:


1 pair underwear (go commando in camp)
camp shoes
guidebook and gps (just use the map)
biodegradable soap
toothpaste
only bring one water filter, since you have a backup
shovel (use a rock)
3L bladder (get more, smaller water containers, in case of failure)




You didn't mention how much everything weighs. You gear should weigh less than 20 pounds and less than 15 would be far more preferable.


I would definitely go with running shoes and hiking poles. They complement each other.


My wife and I are starting August 14 at Kenosha pass, so maybe we'll see you on the trail!


Mark

[bearcreek]

The guidebook weighs 19 ounces. A new CT data book is now available. It weighs 3.8 ounces and provides a lot of information. If you like detailed maps, get the Mapbook and disassemble it. Send the appropriate pages in your resupply boxes. (that is the lightest weight option) The CT is very well marked and the blow by blow descriptions in the guidebook are not really necessary. Some people like to bring it along because it contains a lot of interesting historical and biological information which they read as they go along.

If you are going to take a GPS and haven't gotten one yet, I would recommend the Etrex 20 or 30. Weight is 5.3 ounces and it will hold the entire 1300 waypoint list for the CT. You can download the waypoints at no cost at: http://www.bearcreeksurvey.com

You can order some nerdy little camp shoes available online at Ebay that are called Actos shoes. They are great camp and stream crossing shoes and weigh 2.5 ounces per pair, as compared to Crocs which weigh 11 ounces.

The lightest water bottles are plastic drink bottles. A 1 liter Coke bottle weighs about 1.5 ounces empty. A similar Nalgene weighs about 4 ounces. If you ruin one, they are easy to replace.

FWIW, I carry toothpaste, extra underwear, and a sturdy metal Digit trowel and my base weight (before food and water) is under 13 pounds for a very comfortable setup. There are many who have a base weight of under 10 pounds, but they are giving up some comfort to get that low. If you would like to get a copy of my gear list it is available here: http://www.bearcreeksurvey.com/Data/...calculator.xls It is a Excel spreadsheet and you can put your own gear in there to figure out how much weight you will be carrying.

Do the environmentally responsible thing and bring the trowel - a lot of those rocks have already been used and in some places it is getting downright nasty. The CT has a lot of users.

[Dogwood]

i just cannot justify the weight of extra raingear....why not just wear a rain jacket and have the lower section get wet? id rather have my lower half be soaked especially in summer then just put some long johns on at camp. ive hiked through rain all day on my 200 mile hike one day and showed up at the shelter dry from my coat from the waist up and the resy was wet. i didnt even have a change of clothes, if going again i would bring some long johns, but i would not have brought rain pants, or a poncho. are you comfortable hiking in a poncho all day? rain or shine your doing 20 miles, 20 with a poncho for me would be hell

That's a legit question PNB. Why? It's the Colorado Trail with much greater elevation, more above treeline, and most importantly, with more exposure than the Appalachian Trail. The CT is not the AT. No shelters to fall back on with a CT thru-hike either. The OP is also thrung the CT at a time of the yr in CO when it's usual to experience quick moving storm fronts accompanied by lightning and rain in the afternoon. I agree with you PNB, if the OP was on the AT, during summer one possible rain gear option is to just bring along a rain jacket and let your bottom half get wet. I wouldn't be so inclined to do that or advise that on the CT. You might want to factor in the terrain, weather patterns, exposure, kit integration(which we know little about), hiking style, season, etc into the apparel/rain wear equation.

[Dogwood]

BTW, PNB I'm an ULer always examining just what you said in your above post " justifying or not carrying(the wt of) something" so I know where you're coming from. I've come to realize not everyone wants to or is ready to hike at the kit wt I would bring on the OP's CT thru BUT I"M NOT THE OP. What I'm saying is take into account the hiker when jumping into gear/gear wt discussions. The OP does not seem like an ULer to me. Prolly more of a conventional gear and gear wt type hiker. That's OK. He doesn't need to hike like us.

[kidchill]

It's hard for me to comment on some of the specific stuff since I've never hiked the CT, and honestly, I don't know much about it. However, being that it's your fist outing, I may be able to help a little bit. Question1) Medkit...I would bring whatever NSAID works for you (ibuprofen, aleve, tylenol, wtvr), any prescription meds that you're on/need, benadryl (generic name diphenhydramine HCl, this is for allergic reactions and can be used as a sleep aid...NOTE: if you're having an anaphylactic reaction, this will NOT open your airway), small pack of something to clean wounds with or antibiotic ointment (betadine, chlorhexidine, neosporin/AAA is fine, or even alcohol), if you know someone that works at a hospital and can get dermabond (if not, consider NuSkin or Liquid bandaid), super-glue (can be used to close even larger lacerations---NOTE: this is NOT medical advice--you can clean the wound, apply strong pressure, use a tourniquet if possible, and seal the wound superglue...it WILL burn, it WILL scar, and if you decide to get stitches once in town, the person suturing the wound probably will NOT be happy with you...but it does work), some clean gauze, and medical tape. I recommend the Nuskin/liquid bandaid/dermabond for hotspots). Now, there's a million and one things you can carry in a medkit, but there's really 3 types of soft tissue wounds you'll be treating...1 is hotspots/blisters, 2 is smaller wounds (abrasions/lacerations), and 3 is massive wounds that the only thing you can do is apply pressure and call for help. Other wounds are gonna be sprains/breaks/tendonitis, and you're probably gonna need more then a basic kit for that, so don't stress it.

Question 2/3...This is TOTALLY individual and personal! I prefer trail runners over boots. Why? They dry quicker and don't interfere with my normal gait. What I mean by that is, when I hike in boots I have limited dorsi/plantar flexion of the foot and it causes me to walk differently then I normally would. Essentially, it locks the range of motion of my ankle and I march rather then walk. I don't like it. There's way too many debates of boots vs shoes, and everyone has their opinions. Poles are also very personal! I started my AT thru without them, sprained the hell outta my ankle, and needed them just to walk! I was SOBO and used them daily through the rest of ME and NH. Once I hit VT, I felt I didn't need them. I continued to carry them, just in case, but didn't use them again until I was post-holing through 3ft deep snow after Superstorm Sandy. If poles are used properly, they are helpful; however, there is a learning curve for them, and on nice terrrain, they really are just in the way. I lumped these two together, because footwear and poles are both extremely personal. I would recommend trying trail runners and trying poles, and then make your own decision. You can get poles cheapo at Walmart and decide if you like them and what to invest in a decent set.

In terms of "skills" I would just recommend hiking with your full setup, and getting your pack organized/setting up/ breaking camp. Pack your gear in a way that allows you to quickly access items that you may need in a hurry! I intentionally packed my filter and extra water bottles in quick access pockets. I also did the same for my guidebook. I made sure my food was at the top of my pack so I didn't have to dig for it...Some of the organizational stuff just takes time, but when you're living out of a bag, it can get frustrating when the one item you need is locked at the bottom of your pack! Consider pre-trail time as training! Make sure you know how to use everything that you're bringing.

[litespeed]

If you would like to get a copy of my gear list it is available here: http://www.bearcreeksurvey.com/Data/...calculator.xls It is a Excel spreadsheet and you can put your own gear in there to figure out how much weight you will be carrying.

Do the environmentally responsible thing and bring the trowel - a lot of those rocks have already been used and in some places it is getting downright nasty. The CT has a lot of users.

Spreadsheet is very cool. Thanks!

I once sat in my campsite and watched as two ground squirrels dug a tunnel under a rock which, BTW, was really close to camp, and retrieved paper and feces. That is disgusting. There are some popular campsites out there that have a surprise under every rock. As BC says - do the right thing by making a proper cathole then pack the paper out. BTW, lightweight plastic trowels don't work very well.

[StubbleJumper]

First off, I'm jealous that you'll have the chance to hike the CT in 2013. I completed my end-to-end in 2011 and can't stop thinking about when I'll do it all over again!

A few observations:

1) It will rain...possibly often. There are very few credible dangers on the CT, but in September hypothermia is one of them. Do not leave without proper rain gear because you may very well find yourself above the treeline at 12,000 feet, wet, with a 40 mph wind and temperatures in the high 30s or low 40s. This is nothing to fool around with. At least a cheap set of Frogg Toggs will keep you dry-ish and will block the wind. A poncho in Colorado will be nothing but a PITA due to the wind...

2) It will be cold at night...possibly often. I started my 2011 hike in mid-July and I had frost on three nights, and had a few more nights that would have been in the 30s. You'll be finishing your hike in mid-September so you should plan for several mornings with frost. That will require a decent bag, a beanie, your long underwear and you might even end up sleeping in your light winter jacket. This is not a place to save weight.

3) The sun is strong and you will be exposed above the treeline. You are planning to wear a baseball cap, which is okay, but I would consider a hat with greater coverage....or at least a bandanna that you can run from your cap down the back of your neck Lawrence of Arabia style.

4) You may wish to attenuate your objective of 20 miles per day. While it is certainly possible to achieve this distance, at the beginning of your hike you will have about 13 hours per day of daylight and by mid-September you will be down to about 12 hours per day of daylight. To achieve 20 miles per day you will need to use almost all of the daylight hours for hiking which basically means waking up before dawn and breaking camp at first light...and then possibly eating supper at twilight.

5) Consider sending yourself a mail-drop at Twin Lakes. The post office is only 1 mile off the trail which makes it really convenient to pick up your parcel. That would enable you to skip the Leadville stop, if that were your preference.

6) If you have an Android phone with GPS capabilities, you could consider buying an app like AlpineQuest to replace your GPS. This would save about 6 ounces and in my experience, it would be a rare situation that you would need a GPS on the CT (but if you have it integrated in your mobile phone then it doesn't cost any extra weight anyway). IMO, the guidebook is too heavy to justify taking it with you. There are a few gems scattered throughout the book, but... If you do insist on carrying the guidebook, I would suggest cutting it into pieces and mailing the pieces to yourself at strategic locations along the trail.

7) I understand why people carry ear-plugs on the AT, but I'm not sure why you'd want them on the CT. Are you sharing a tent with somebody who snores?


Have a blast on your hike!

[HeartFire]

5) Consider sending yourself a mail-drop at Twin Lakes. The post office is only 1 mile off the trail which makes it really convenient to pick up your parcel. That would enable you to skip the Leadville stop, if that were your preference.

!

Stubble Jumper - the post office at Twin Lakes is closed, The General Store will accept mail drops via UPS only.
Twin Lakes General Store
6451 E. Hwy 82
Twin Lakes CO. 81215
Attn: hiker - eta etc

[HeartFire]

OK, so I have one more question still - I guess I'm just obsessing over gear now as I have nothing else to do till I leave in a few days -
I have 2 down jackets, both by Mountain Hardware -

first one is 1 lb, keeps me toasty warm into freezing temperatures - too hot to wear unless it's very cold, and makes me look like the Pillsbury dough boy -

second one is a down 'sweater' I bought this year, it did NOT keep me comfortably warm in the early morning/late evening at the PCT kick off this year - even with a long sleeve smart wool shirt under it. - it weighs 7 oz. I will have a smart wool t-shirt,(for hiking in) long sleeve smartwool (for sleeping in), a golight wind shirt (adds some warmth) long sleeve button down nylon shirt, and a rain jacket.(the rain jacket is not breathable - it's my own design for LightHeart Gear that I will be coming out with on the website later this year).

So my question is do I take both down jackets? I'm not taking a fleece jacket as they are too bulky and heavy. If it gets too cold in camp I can just crawl into my sleeping bag (15*) if it's cold in the mornings, I just start hiking and warm up, but I'm worried that the down sweater will not be enough, (even with layering) the down jacket will be too much - Help me make a decision.

[Venchka]

You must be very sensitive to cold. Or could it be that you are sensitive for the first few days until your internal thermostat regulates your body for lower temperatures? That always happens to me coming from the Gulf Coast. The first couple days I freeze then after that I'm OK. I have always been comfortable with a synthetic long sleeve top, long sleeve shirt, down vest and some form of light jacket as my outer layer in the Rockies in late August through early October. And a wool ski hat! Keeping your head warm is vital to keeping the rest of you warm.
Have fun! Good luck!

Wayne