Sounds like a good time...I'm planing a 2-3 day trip in the ADK's in the next couple weeks and would love to have you post a trip report...Have fun
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Sounds like a good time...I'm planing a 2-3 day trip in the ADK's in the next couple weeks and would love to have you post a trip report...Have fun
http://www.zsny.org/cranberry50/cranweath50.jpg
The weather outlook is starting to look good for our trip...YAY!
Jamie - nfa
It was a great trip...before the pics, here is a brief after-action report...
Body- I was not in adequate condition for this trip. I read the map as showing an essentially flat or gently rolling terrain, and it was more hilly than that...not K2, but enough elevation change to make a significant difference.
I had done lots of training walks prior to the trip, some 8-10 mile hikes and some 3-5 mile hikes with fully loaded packs...the problem was I trained on terrain that was too flat, and I was overconfident...when I got on the trail this weekend, the ups and downs both kicked my *** (and legs and knees)...hauling 320 pounds of meat and lard and gear up and down ridges is much more work than just moving it across flat terrain.
Shelter- My Eagle's Nest single hammock and tiny HH tarp (the large tiny tarp ;) ) worked great...I had 3 wonderful nights of sleep. I slept in the green bag from my MSS system, which had me a little chilly, but not uncomfortable. I sleep in polypro long underwear and balaclava and fleece gloves and socks.
The three nights of our trip got down to 22, 20, and 29 degrees F.
Water/Food - I brought the Katadyn basecamp filter for camp, and clorox for on the trail...I would fill my platypus bag to 1.5l each morning, and then make more water along the trail when we stopped to rest/eat, masking the clorox taste with propel drink mix (a gatorade analog).
I brought too much food on the trip. I ended up catholing a few pounds of food after the first day, based on my consumption, and would plan accordingly the next time. I will cut the portion of my breakfast oatmeal in half (½ cup of oatmeal), bring less trail mix, and smaller suppers. Something about the activity level destroyed my appetite, I had to force myself to eat both in camp and on the trail.
Boots- I bought a pair of Bates desert hikers from LAPG a while back for $19, and figured on using them as knockaround boots at home for chores and stuff, but once I started wearing them, was very impressed at the comfort and support they gave for being light and cheap boots. I wore them on all of my training hikes, and as they continued to perform, I chose them for the trip. My feet were comfy and safe the whole trip...no blisters or soreness beyond what you should have after a long walk.
Gear – My jetboil performed like a champ...I used it to boil water twice a day, for food and hot drinks at breakfast and dinner, and the 100g canister still has plenty of fuel in it. I love how the stove and fuel and burner all nest in the pot, and as all I cook these days is water, this is really the perfect stove for me.
My katadyn basecamp water filter worked flawlessly, as always, on the second morning, it was cold enough that the water from the previous night had partially frozen in the bag, and completely frozen in the tube...I shook the bag and thawed the tube in my morning water in the jetboil, and it worked long enough for me to get my hydration bag filled for the morning's walk before freezing solid again.
I had a PrincetonTec Fuel headlamp along...it's light and has a 146 hour runtime...it worked perfectly.
I brought both a CRKT M16 and a Leatherman Squirt PS4, and needed neither while on the trail...still worth bringing along.
I brought more FAK than I needed, but am glad to have carried the extra weight, and even more glad not to have needed it...
Clothing- I brought too much, but mostly this was due to our having great weather...if it had been raining one of the days, I would have been very thankful for everything I had, but didn't use.
Hiking poles – I was unsure about bringing these along on the hike at first...never again. I will always use trekking poles on any hike longer than a short walk, or if I have a pack weighing more than 5 pounds.
It was a fun trip, with a great group of guys...I was the slow man for most of the trip, but they hung with me to keep the group together, despite my offer to catch up at the end of the day. We passed through some beautiful country, and only saw people in the last few miles of the trip.
I like being challenged, pushed to, and even a bit beyond, my limits...this trip did that for me, in a good way that never felt unsafe or scary.
In thinking about future trips, I would want to be in better shape, lighten my pack a bit, and keep the daily mileage to 8-10 miles rather than the nearly 16 that we did on the first day.
Now...on to the pictures...
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery.../3/1/8/2/a.jpg
My pack and poles...somewhere between 30 and 35 pounds when ready for the trail...
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery.../3/1/8/2/b.jpg
Some buttons that I had made for the 4 of us that attended the trip...
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery.../3/1/8/2/d.jpg
Here are the other 3 guys ...all in better shape and younger than me, but they were gracious about my slowing them down...
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery.../3/1/8/2/h.jpg
Festus' hammock setup...
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery.../3/1/8/2/j.jpg
The view from the campsite that we stayed at on the second night, after a 16 mile hike with more up and down than I/we were counting on...it was my longest hike with a filled pack, and it kicked my butt, but was a lot of fun...
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery.../3/1/8/2/j.jpg
We hiked by this beautiful waterfall the next morning...
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery.../3/1/8/2/o.jpg
My hammock hang...ENO single and the new HH tiny tarp...I use the small stuff-sack to hold my glasses and a small nalgene and other stuff off of the ground...the nights had lows of 22, 20, and 29 degrees F.
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery.../3/1/8/2/p.jpg
It was a great trip, across beautiful country, with a super group of guys...we may go back again sometime in the future, although there are so many perfect spots for backpacking in the ADKs, and all around the Northeastern US, it's hard to say...
Jamie - nfa
SOunds like a great trip, thanks for the report and the awesome pics
Sweet pic's, looks like you had some really great views, and a great time! Thanks for the report!
Great report! Thanks for taking the time to post it! Me loves the ADKs!
Good on ya' NFA .... way to take the hump and figure what you did wrong and what you did right........
Good read for me.
Too much fun.
Shug