Firming up campout plans

**Coffee** · 01-10-2007, 23:03

Originally Posted by slowhike

maybe it was just the hand warmer packets that i had, but i could hardly tell they were warm at all after activating them. even waiting & rechecking to see if they were getting any warmth. but some people have said that they work for them.
i know it involves more time & effort, but i still would rather use the small amount of fuel it takes to heat a bottle of water.
i believe the fuel weighs less than the hand warmers & in 10 minutes or less, you'll have heat that you'll be guaranteed to feel.
and of course it's by far wisest if you can begin to deal w/ your cold situation before you get to the point of uncontrollable shivers & incoherent thinking if at all possible.

For the handwarmer pouch, a sock would work well but may smell a little.

I like the idea of hand warmers for their almost instant heat without any work. It is basically going to sit in the pack next to the sleeping bag for emergency use. Any other time I will do the boiling water in the water bottle thing.

**headchange4u** · 01-11-2007, 09:25

Okay it just hit me the other day that the Grayson Highlands are where the wild ponies are located. Am I correct?

I would really like to try and see them while we are there and get some pics. How far is the "pony area" from where we will be camping.

**headchange4u** · 01-11-2007, 09:32

Originally Posted by hammock engineer

As of right now I do not have an extra tarp. Time (and sewing skill) promitting I may have a homemade one by then.

I just finished making a silnylon tarp so if anyone needs a tarp I can bring my Gear Guide 9x9 and they can use it.

**blackbishop351** · 01-11-2007, 11:19

Originally Posted by headchange4u

Okay it just hit me the other day that the Grayson Highlands are where the wild ponies are located. Am I correct?

I would really like to try and see them while we are there and get some pics. How far is the "pony area" from where we will be camping.

I saw a lot of ponies when I was up there this past fall. They were near (and AT) the Thomas Knob shelter, about 5 miles or so away from where we'll be. On the downside, though, I only saw them the first day I was out. I circled back through the same area the second day, but no pony sightings at all.

**headchange4u** · 01-11-2007, 11:22

Anyone know if there are high res. topo trail maps (downloadable and printable) for the area we will be in?

**Bird Dog** · 01-11-2007, 23:26

Originally Posted by headchange4u

Okay it just hit me the other day that the Grayson Highlands are where the wild ponies are located. Am I correct?

I would really like to try and see them while we are there and get some pics. How far is the "pony area" from where we will be camping.

The ponies move around alot. Im not sure about the winter months, but I have seen them at Thomas Knob Shelter (AT Direction South from where we will be) and near the "Scales" (which is AT Direction North from where we will be). So, they are nearby, its just a matter of finding them. BD