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Surly official camping and backpacking thread


Chuychanga

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20 hours ago, Saint Tacky said:

Welp.  Bad news.  Email from Philmont today says our trek this summer is cancelled due to the wildfire that is currently raging unchecked.  We are beyond disappointed, but the safety of the firefighters and staff is our utmost concern.

SO, I NEED YOUR HELP. 

We are looking for a week-long trek (7/7 - 7/15) to substitute for the two-weeks we lost at Philmont.  It must be within driving distance of the Metroplex (8-12 hours, after all we were driving to Philmont).  Somewhere challenging and memorable, that the kids will enjoy.

Any suggestions? Thanks. 

Collegiate Peak Loop 

http://www.cleverhiker.com/blog/collegiate-peaks-loop-guide

https://pmags.com/collegiate-loop-2017-how-the-walk-went

http://www.coloradotrail.org/collegiate-west.html

Won't be able to do the entire thing in a week, but you can do half of it.  Plus you might run into @Bone3421 on the trail.  :)

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1 hour ago, Ebeye said:

Collegiate Peak Loop 

http://www.cleverhiker.com/blog/collegiate-peaks-loop-guide

https://pmags.com/collegiate-loop-2017-how-the-walk-went

http://www.coloradotrail.org/collegiate-west.html

Won't be able to do the entire thing in a week, but you can do half of it.  Plus you might run into @Bone3421 on the trail.  :)

+rep especially for the cleverhiker link.  He's a friend of a friend who does really fantastic work.

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Well it’s been a while but I finally figured out how to post pictures. I want to say thanks to all of you for helping me pick out some great places to hike and camp. Here’s a sample.4b14c80ada39b0608867eeef9fd7488e.jpg70e17afab82cd231c4621977d940c26d.jpgacba51f81bcded378b151ee4ea4ce941.jpg1f80d1516e3c0fc499831d9cc369f647.jpgc6414faac9520ec79b2f03de2fcb31a0.jpg


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I really do appreciate all the suggestions.  i just thought you might find it interesting that BSA is working overtime to create opportunities for us this summer at the other high adventure camps, Northern Tier and Seabase.  Lots to think about in a short period of time.

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The Ute fire is heartbreaking. Especially since you and your scouts have been training for a year to be able to do it. I can tell you that Northern Tier was harder physically for us compared to Philmont and you are cold / wet most of the time. Sea Base was like a vacation. We did the Coral Reef Sailing and had a blast.

 

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13 hours ago, Txlc said:

The Ute fire is heartbreaking. Especially since you and your scouts have been training for a year to be able to do it. I can tell you that Northern Tier was harder physically for us compared to Philmont and you are cold / wet most of the time. Sea Base was like a vacation. We did the Coral Reef Sailing and had a blast.

 

We are already signed up for Sea Base scuba diving next July.  So, I don't know what we are going to do.  I'll probably suggest Philmont for us in June and send my Scout to Sea Base w/o me in July.

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Thats kinda what i was thinking...thats why i asked
Seen online the ultralight guys do it
I did go ahead and buy sol thermal bivy
Will probably take bag also and see how it goes when i do the warm up in indian peaks wilderness

My kelty 4man discovery i use car camping is very warm...the 1man kelty circuit i got for trail hasnt been used yet

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1 hour ago, Bone3421 said:

Im trying to shed some weight....back is comfortable though but im sitting here looking at just bringing tent and a bivy....instead of sleeping bag

Thoughts...tent is a kelty one man

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It gets rather chilly above 10'000 feet.  I definitely would not skip out on a bag.  

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Yeah guess i was thinking poorly trying to shave weight....i have a bivy now to try out sometime

Could try doing bivy and bag and see if i think it will work for me

If not will just stick with bag and tent....expecting nights in 30's for sure during mid june
Bag is to 20 and bivy says +15 with bag so that would be good to 5 degrees correct?

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Sol thermal bivy grabbed it rei
Was sitting there staring at them wondering i was crazy for thinking about it when i first posted lol

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That bivy is mostly going to be for emergency use, like if you get caught out in a day hike or the weather really changes and you didn’t bring a full shelter. You could use it in above 50 weather, but it won’t breathe at all.

I’d take the tent and leave the bivy (or take it but as an emergency backup).

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Big 4 is at 14lbs wasnt overly concerned with superlight gear
So with 2lbs of food a day 6 days worth puts me at 26lbs

Want to carry 6l water at max so thats another 12/13lbs. So at 38lbs

All clothes are lightweight nylon pants(3) and drifit shirts(4) with one rei fleece
5 pairs of thin wool socks and 3 undies with 2 pair of polyester/spandex blend thermals....plus jetboil
Which puts me in the 45 to 47 lbs max carry with some miscellaneous items

Think i did ok considering i will be coming into towns at around 25 pounds and max around 47ish

Discuss....


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Ok, I think if you really want to cut weight, that's where you're gonna have to do it.  For contrast, my big 4, which is admittedly relatively expensive, breaks down like this:

 

Tent: 1lb, 11oz

Sleeping Quilt: 19.8 oz

Pack: 2 lb, 11oz

Sleeping Pad: 1 lb

Total: 6.6 lbs

 

There's actually a really good spreadsheet that I got from Stick, of Stick's Blog, to keep track of all the gear and weights.  I think you may be able to download it from his site if your'e interested.  At least to see where you weight really lies and what can be cut down.

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Yeah i know thats the big place to cutdown...will be longest hike for me obviously and using some of my car camping gear
Will definitely need to cut down if i like it and want to do pct or at

Usually good with just a day pack for 20 miles or so


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Well yeah, go for a tarp and bivy and you could save a lot of weight.   But ultimately, hike your own hike man.  That's what it's all about.

In other news, my PCT plans just took a huge hit because I unexpectedly didn't get a job that I was planning on getting to help finance it.  Big blow for me.  Still pretty numb

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If you have a sewing machine or someone who can sew for you you can sew up a pretty good tarp tent for cheap. Or use cuben fiber and skip the need to sew with modern adhesives. Plenty of plans and tutorials online. A little mesh to keep out the bugs, and then a good quilt and pad to make a pretty light setup.

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Well yeah, go for a tarp and bivy and you could save a lot of weight.   But ultimately, hike your own hike man.  That's what it's all about.
In other news, my PCT plans just took a huge hit because I unexpectedly didn't get a job that I was planning on getting to help finance it.  Big blow for me.  Still pretty numb


Damnit, man. I’m sorry.
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Nice list...yall got that lightweight shit down
See how i feel after a few days...the 3 miles around town with about 40lbs packed up the pack didnt feel heavy at all but thats without elevation of course

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4 hours ago, Bone3421 said:

Jesus...just saw youtube video of colorado trail speed record unsupported...9 days 12 hours 32 mins

Think i will be at mile 160 or so in that time with a zero day

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Haha, yeah the speed record people are nuts.  I don't get it, but again, hike your own hike.

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12 hours ago, Bone3421 said:

Big 4 is at 14lbs wasnt overly concerned with superlight gear
So with 2lbs of food a day 6 days worth puts me at 26lbs

Want to carry 6l water at max so thats another 12/13lbs. So at 38lbs

All clothes are lightweight nylon pants(3) and drifit shirts(4) with one rei fleece
5 pairs of thin wool socks and 3 undies with 2 pair of polyester/spandex blend thermals....plus jetboil
Which puts me in the 45 to 47 lbs max carry with some miscellaneous items

Think i did ok considering i will be coming into towns at around 25 pounds and max around 47ish

Discuss....


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Bone

Maybe what you posted above isn't comprehensive but to me you have to much clothing.  I don't have duplicates of the same type clothing except for uw and socks.  If its cold, I'll layer up with just about everything.   For summertime hikes in the  mountains, I carry:

1 LS shirt, 1 ss shirt,  1 pr zipoff pants, 1 pair hiking shorts, 2 pair tech underwear,  3 pair of socks, 1 pair lightweight thermals, 1 lightweight fleece jacket, a lightweight rainjacket,  a myog rainskirt, ski liner gloves and lightweight beanie.  I'm wearing one set of clothes and carrying the other. 

I good down to 32F with this setup.

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Yeah might be a bit over done...guess just wanting to be prepared since first thru hike

Been reading a bunch today and probably wont need full 6L of water except in 2/3 stretches...10 miles thru burn section in segment 2 which 6 might be to much there
Around segment 18 there is another 12 mile stretch and 22 miles after segment 25

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@Bone3421 something else to be aware of is that many of the counties around the state have firebans in place if you planned on having campfires.  Definitely check the route and subsequent restrictions before you head out.  Colorado is rather dry right now, so it is a bit of a tinderbox.

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45 to 47 pounds is in my opinion too much for a through hike. It may be ok for a long weekend or even a week on terrain that isn't too hilly, but I would try to find a way to get my weight under 35 pounds for the maximum. Less on stretches where you don't need to carry as much water. I think you can cut some weight for food if you plan well. Of course the freeze dried meals are a good option, but you can also make soup and stuff and dehydrate it yourself. Some people repackage the freeze dried meals in different bags to lower the weight, as the foil bags are pretty heavy duty. You can hydrate it just fine in your jet boil. Try and figure out the lightest meals per calorie you can think of and send them ahead to cache food if you can.

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REI Garage Sale today.  Made a beeline for the tents and grabbed as many red and orange bags as I could get in my hands.  Put them up one by one and bought a MSR Hubba Hubba NX 2 for $120.  It needs to have one segment of the pole repaired.  Also, picked up a near-pristine Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL3 for $250. 

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Nice tacky.... In other news was leaving this weekend to get some warm up time in. Took car in for oil change and a look over on thursday. Got to around weatherford when rpm starting spiking and transmission acting funny. Think i narrowed it down to the overdrive is out so will do 35k rpm at 60mph. So might just fly up next week but now i see that durango has a wildfire going on.... :(

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On 6/5/2018 at 10:28 PM, Saint Tacky said:

I really do appreciate all the suggestions.  i just thought you might find it interesting that BSA is working overtime to create opportunities for us this summer at the other high adventure camps, Northern Tier and Seabase.  Lots to think about in a short period of time.

FWIW, I did Philmont and Northern Tier as a scout. I loved them both but preferred Northern Tier. It may have been a little more physically challenging, but if you've trained for Philmont, you'll be fine. The only issue I could see is if you have scouts or leaders who are non-swimmers or non-paddlers. My advice is to go to Northern Tier if you can make it work.

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