A friend and I hiked into the family widerness camp at Raven Rock State Park yesterday and had a surprisingly good time.
After an hour drive, we began the hike to the wilderness camp. We were notified by the ranger that is was supposed to be very cold and we were going to be the only ones out there. Fine with us!
We arrived at camp after a mild hike and began to setup. We finished gathering firewood and setting up camp aout 5:15, just as it was getting good and dark.
We cooked, then talked around the fire until about 10 pm, it was about 30 degrees by then. We both went to bed and I heard him snoring after only about 10 minutes! I watched a documentary call Revolution OS on the iPod and by 12, couldn't keep my eyes open. I crawled out of the hammock for quick tightening on one of my tarp tie downs and realized just how cold it was.
Our tarps were completely frosted over and both our hydration packs were frozen. I hurried back to the hammock, crawled in, and went to sleep. My buddy woke up at 6am like clockwork, and as usual, I slept til 8:30 or 9.
We packed up and had a beautiful walk home. We had clear blue skies and and a star filled night. Everything was absolutely perfect and non eventful, just how I like it.
I was using my Eno DN, Campmor 20 degree down bag, AHE KAQ UQ, JRB 10X11, and a home made sock. I never got cold, not even once. I slept in shorts and a hoodie.
My buddy used a rig that I built, home made hammock with whoopies, sil tarp 8x10, a home made UQ from a synthetic bag, an IX UQ, and a home made sock.
BTW checked with NOAA.gov... it got down to 24* by 6 am!!!
A personal best for me. Before HF I wouldnt hang below 40. Some of my earlier posts will prove that. I am gonna post the pictures tomorrow!
It was great trip, only about 6.5 miles total, even though the trail is marked as 5, they dont count the connector trail which is a mile. Our gps said 6.5 when were finished. It is a very mild and beautiful hike. I totally recommend this hike to anyone in NC.
Pictures!
http://www.bobbyhancock.com/images/g...vember Hangout
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