Most Forgotten Item?

**Buffalo Skipper** · 12-07-2010, 08:56

Last January, we were down in a valley at FDR State Park, and had had a miserable 24 hours of constant rain. Forecast was for it to pass in 6 hours but it just hung over us. Rained all night. Everyone's gear was soaked; temps in the 40s. I could not get a good fix with the GPS because of the surrounding ridges, so I set it on a log to sort itself out.

30 minutes later, as we had climbed out of the campsite and almost to the top of the ridge, I remembered it. It was about .25 miles back (via the trail) but I dropped my pack and went straight down (I could almost see the campsite from where I realized I had left it).

There it was on the log, right where I had left it. I came back up via the trail. It only set me back by 15 minutes or so.

**Rat** · 12-07-2010, 09:57

I picked "other" because you didn't have "all"! I once forgot a whole stuff sack full of food! People who use the site after me think they walked into an REI demo days campsite with all the left-behind gear laying around!

Because of that, my suspension uses no removable parts except carabiners; all the rest of it is attached to the hammock and all my other gear has a specific place. But I still leave stuff...

**KerMegan** · 12-07-2010, 10:16

2x on the stakes- fall into leaves and disappear...probably exacerbated by the use of Aluminium gutter nails; I have tied bright pink cords onto the most used stakes, helps a lot! hmm- maybe I should configure those into loops to clip tarp ties into..KM

**SkyDog** · 12-07-2010, 10:44

Originally Posted by UncleMJM

I can't remember the gear I forgot...

HAH! Good One! Thank you!

One non-hammocking buddy whines too much. Often considered leaving HIM in the field.

**Buffalo Skipper** · 12-07-2010, 11:33

Hiking this weekend, one of our older scouts very dryly stated out of the blue: "It's too bad we are following LNT principles. It would be nice if we could just leave Edward behind."

**Miguel** · 12-07-2010, 11:53

Tree Huggers!!! I left two sets on trees....it's why I stopped using whoopie slings and went back to KISS method of straight straps and biners.

I try to keep things (especially small things) organized into a couple of bags so I can just pick up and go when it's time to hit the trail. I'm naturally disorganized so this really helps.

**Sarae** · 12-07-2010, 15:23

I left my tree huggers on the last backpacking trip that I led. Bummer! Guess I was more distracted getting everyone up and on the trail than I should have been.

**blkx01** · 12-07-2010, 15:35

Stakes.
That's why I always check around on any campsite I come across on the trail for any gear left behind. I leave them too often, but I also find them more often than you'd think.
Got to be stakes.

**SkyPainter** · 12-07-2010, 17:33

Originally Posted by blkx01

Stakes.
That's why I always check around on any campsite I come across on the trail for any gear left behind. I leave them too often, but I also find them more often than you'd think.
Got to be stakes.

====> hehehe....I was sitting around playing with stake-carving with a knife I had just gotten, and made about a dozen or so out of good hardwood branches with branch hooks. Fire-hardened them, too! Thought I would try em out, so I used three. Left 'em all there for the next camper in a neat little pile. wonder what they thought?