Camping and Backpacking GEAR thread

ok my girl and I is preparing for this trip. My question is, is it safe to leave the truck at the parking area where the trail head start?

 

Yes. There is only one parking lot. Supposedly there is a night watchman but I have never seen him. I haven't heard of any cars being broken into so its pretty safe. Just don't leave any valuables in the car, but that goes for every where. However, on the trip over the weekend some one side swiped the rear bumper of my sisters car. They didn't leave a note or anything.

 

i was thinking sleep one night at the hotel near by. Drive at the parking lot early morning, start the hike. But can you camp at the parking lot? Save some extra $

 

I don't recall it being difficult at all, but that summer I was in the best shape I've ever been in. My recollection is that past Beaver Falls it's pretty easy going. I did have to cross Havasu Creek multiple times as one bank or the other disappeared. I carried a sawyer squeeze filter and filtered water from the creek as I hiked, which saved all that water weight. I got started at first light and was alone the entire hike to the Colorado which was very peaceful. About 10 minutes after I reached the river a rafting outfit showed up and dumped a dozen folks off to explore and eat lunch.

 

Yes you can. I'm from orange county also like you. I try to leave my house by 6pm. Get to the parking lot around 1am and then sleep in the car for a few hours then start hiking around 4-5am. I see tents setup around the parking lot all the time. You can prob just lay your pad on the back of your truck and sleep in the bed. I think the closes motel is about 1mi from Indian Road 18 which is about 1hr from the trail head. I suggest sleeping at the parking lot. save time and money.

 

I have the same filter and was planning to do the same thing. Would just be carrying lunch, a light, and knife. I was thinking of heading out right at first light also since im not sure how safe it would be to head down mooney in the dark. Thanks for the info.

 

Awesome thanks for the info!

 

There is a spring near the head of the campground, but I didn't camp particularly close to it since that is where the campers were most dense. I used a Sawyer squeeze filter to collect water from Havasu Creek while I was there. It was great for the regular small batches I was filtering (since you're almost always on Havasu Creek). It was annoying the night before I left, filtering cooking water for the night and several liters of drinking water for the next day's hike out all at once.

 

I like the Sawyer filters quite a lot, but I've settled on the Mini version and set it up with an old "camelbak" as a gravity filter. Drip into bottles, pans or another "camelbak" and it seems easier and faster than the squeeze version.

 

Seconding the advice above. I live in Vegas, got to the trailhead around 1 am, slept a couple hours in my car and started the hike down at first light. Worked out great.

 

Also, whether you are flying or hiking out, start early. People start lining up for the flight at 5am. The hike out will be very hot if you start too late. Especially the last uphill.

 

I've thought about putting a system like that together. Did you just cut bladder's hose and stick the end of the mini in there?

 

That's what I did

...

 

Is that a Platypus Hoser? Those are made for that, IIRC.

 

Platy bottle and hose. I cut and inserted the filter inline.

The Sawyer is threaded, but it's not the best fit. I've found that it will sometimes leak (only a little) at the threads.


I use only the black logo bottles for dirty water. I have others I use for day hikes, filled with clean water.

 

Wish Cascade Designs made some family sized car camping tents.

 

How big is your family?
http://www.cascadedesigns.com/msr/tents/all-season-tents/stormking-5-person-expedition-tent/product

 

I'd feel a little crazy pitching one of those in my area..

 

But seriously.. I'm looking more at the REI Kingdom 8.

https://www.rei.com/product/810168/rei-kingdom-8-tent

 

Hell, you should go all out and get one of those big canvas outfitter tents that Cabela's sells.