Camping and Backpacking GEAR thread

You can get a liner that will add temp rating to it. It will also keep it cleaner.

 

I do have a liner for keeping it clean, didn't work so well sleeping on a little bit of an incline, kept sliding down.

But i really wanted a quilt as well, and since I'm truck camping, having an extra bag isn't a bad thing.

 

They have Reactor liners to add 25°

 

That's impressive. I'll keep that in mind.

 

http://www.seatosummitusa.com/product/?item=Thermolite®+Reactor+Extreme+Liner

 

I've spent a few nights out in forced bivvies with just this and a poncho, pretty helpful up high. Required gear for many SAR hasty teams.

 

Required gear for my sweetheart, too.

 

You have made a wise decision. My 20 degree EE Revelation keeps me plenty toasty down into the 20's in just shorts, socks and a beanie.

Be aware that it's easy to get tangled up in bag liners and makes turning around in your bag quite a chore.

 

Estimated. Id never rely on that figure. While liners help keep a bag clean, they don't do much except knot you up inside.

 

Can anybody (ahem.... @Cuffs ) give me a primer on some good hikes/campgrounds in the Eastern Sierra? I am looking at a late August/September trip date and would probably go thru Vegas and DEVA (will still be hot af I know), and then head north on 395, seeing Bodie ghost town, and eventually entering Yosemite via Lee Vining on 120.

I know there are several campgrounds in the area, and that there are parts administered by BLM, USFS, and the NPS. Id like to explore Alabama Hills a bit, but other than that I am a noob. There is an Interagency Visitor Center in Lone Pine, so I know they would be helpful with any localized info, but if any of you guys/girls have any first hand experience I would love to hear it!

 

Dude. You're going thru one of my most fave areas. Seriously. This years shitshow of snow has quashed a lot of our summer plans keeping Tioga Pass closed. We spend nearly every off day on the east side. It's absolutely fucking amazing!

I'm just going to list a bunches shit, no particular order. If something is of interest, say so and I'll give you more!

 

*Manzanar National Historic Site. Former WWII interment camp for Japanese. Free. 30-60 minutes for the quick version, take the drive around the facility and be done.

*Alabama Hills. Theres another thread from another TWer who has very good in depth info on this.

*Lake Sabrina. West of 395 a few miles, but worth it if you need a place to camp. Theres a FS CG there, very small. But you can get breakfast at the lodge on the lake with awesome views!

*Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest. East of Bishop, tops out over 11K'. Theres small places to camp up the road to there.

*Bishop eats: Mountain Rambler Brewing. Schats Bakkery. Holy Smoke BBQ. (its not TX, but its pretty good!). Great Basin Bakery - good pastries to take on the road.

* Hot springs scattered between Bishop and Mammoth. Some very popular, some not as much but off the path a bit. Want more info, let me know.

*June Lake Loop. Just a quick detour off 395. Shopping, dining. June Lake Brewing. Has a great food truck in the lot too!

*Mammoth to Lee Vining is Inyo NF. They have a few campgrounds but generously allow dispersed camping. I highly suggest you do that, and have a great list of spots if you want.

*Lee Vining side trip: hike around the extinct crater at the edge of Mono Lake. 2 miles (I think) round trip. take an adult beverage and enjoy a stop overlooking the lake.

*Lee Vining downtown eats: not much... Do NOT eat the BBQ here. If breakfast/lunch time, go to Latte Da Cafe. Great coffee and breakfast and lunch sandwiches. Outside dining out front (pretty but looks at the highway), or go out the back door and sit in the courtyard flower garden (my preference)

Get gas at the Shell in LV, best prices in town.

*LV outskirts food: Definitely eat at the Mobil/Whoa Nellie Deli for lunch or dinner!! Grab a bomber beer from the cooler, pay. You can eat outside on the nice picnic tables, but can get busy. Theres a short (1/4 mile) drive out the end of their parking lot to an overlook (look for the flagpole!) take your food up there!

Mobile/Whoa Nellie is the last stop before you enter the park. Its at the corner of 395 and 120/Tioga Rd. Enjoy the drive up thru Tioga Pass.

*Ellery Lake is a quick photo op, but thats all. A good day hike just before entering the park is Saddlebag Lake. Gorgeous!
Do not expect much in the way of services this year in Tuolumne. There is NO gas in Tuolumne.

Hit me up as the date gets closer. I my not be around (Plans for Tetons about that time frame). But if Im around, would love to see you again!

 

@Both Tacos
Death Valley when it's hot is nice at the high elevation camps. Wildrose, and higher still is Charcoal Kilns (7300'). There is another camp even higher (name??). 4wd recommended.

 

Thank you very much! I'll have to do some more research but campsite info would be awesome if you have it!

 

Mahogany is the one you're thinking of, it's at 8200ish

 

Hey, they're free, too!

 

@Both Tacos Yeah, that's it.
Thorndike is at the Charcoal Kilns, so that must be what I remembered. I really liked that camp.
We would have gone to Mahogany but we got the top most site at Thorndike, and liked it.

Oh, it was really windy when we were there, and Wildrose had much more wind, but Thorndike was nearly wind free.

 

Coleman stoves are okay. I was driving the Dalton highway and the little ignition switch got stuck inside of the stove itself when I was trying to ignite it, have to use a match to get it to light now. Just gonna buy a camp chef now

 

Critique my gear! I'm planning on a 10 day trip on the 165 mile Tahoe Rim Trail. I'm starting at Echo Lake, which is on the south side of Lake Tahoe. I'm starting with 5 days' worth of food, backpacking to Tahoe City in 4 days (depending on how its going, might gorge myself on real food and shower in the city), and picking up another 5 days' worth of food for the next 6 days to complete the loop. My dog will be my only companion; she's a Belgian Malinois mix. This is our longest trip, but we have completed multiple 4-5 days trips with ~20 miles each day. Here's the breakdown:

Backpack: REI 48 L backpack w/ aluminum frame. Not the lightest, but sure is comfortable and I've gotten used to the weight and pockets [3 lb 13 oz]

Shelter: MSR Thru Hiker 2 mesh tent w/ footprint and tarp. Will use aluminum trekking poles to pitch. I usually hike w/out poles, so they'll mostly be strapped to my pack [shelter: 2 lb 2 oz, poles: 1 lb 4 oz]

Sleeping arrangements: Katabatic Gear 15 deg Flex quilt w/ REI flash sleeping pad. May be overkill, but light and versatile [bag: 1 lb 10 oz, pad: 15 oz]

Clothes: shorts, lightweight pants, 2 pairs socks, 2 underwear, 2 shirts, light down jacket, light rain jacket, bill hat, sunglasses, Hoka hiking shoes [guessing 1 lb 8 oz, excluding what I'll start out wearing]

Water: Sawyer Squeeze filter, two SmartWater bottles, and one 64 oz Sawyer Squeeze bag. All dirty containers. The bottles will be accessible while hiking, the bag will get filled before I stop for the nights and before long stretches w/out water sources [I'll be carrying about 64 oz max at a time]

Food: won't get too detailed here, just overview. Hardware: JetBoil MicroMo, spoon. Breakfast: coffee, oatmeal, nuts, dried fruit. Lunch: tortillas, salami, nut butter, powdered hummus, trail mix. Dinner: Mountain House dehydrated pouches. Snacks: Skittles, bars, gummies, powdered energy drinks, few other items [guessing 10 lb, but I really don't know]

Dog stuff: she ain't no freeloader! She's about 50 lb, so will carry about 8 lb of her gear at a time. What is more than 8 lb, I'll carry. Just food, booties (on ~75% of the time), and a collapsible bowl. I'm a big fan (and it seems she is too) of a brand of food called TurboPup. They are specially formulated for dogs on backpacking trips. They're about 4x better than her regular food on a calorie/gram basis. I still use her regular food for about a quarter of her intake. I also carry a few little baggies of high calorie treats. Dog policy (from TRT website) states dogs should be on leash "around other trail users, at trailheads, and on steep or slippery terrain," and should be under voice command at all times. She has great trail etiquette and I'll always have the leash within reach for the areas described in quotes. I'll use my poles/tent stakes/sticks I find to dig holes for her and my excrement, but will also carry some biodegradable bags for places she goes that I can't dig.

Misc: Leatherman multitool, matches, lighter, headlamp, sunscreen, bug repellant, SPF chapstick, GoPro (pretty light and worth the memories), extra batteries for headlamp and camera, shit tickets, maybe a book... [3 lb?]

Just-in-case stuff: first aid kit (won't get into too much detail, but I have enough to take care of blisters, stop bleeding, splint, disinfect, and suck venom. Kit includes dog-specific tape and hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting as well. I also won't ever be too far from help should shit seriously hit the fan), patching kit for tent/pad and repair kit for poles, map and compass (probably won't ever use the compass; the trail is well-marked throughout) [2 lb?]

Other: smiles, smiles, and more smiles... [-10 lb]

Weight total: about 16 lb 4 oz, before 10 lb food AND 4 lb water AND ~1 lb fuel*. I think I guessed a little light for my clothes, misc stuff, and just-in-case stuff, but pack should be no more than 30 lb when I start, then get lighter as I eat. I've definitely decreased weight since my last 5 day, 110 mile hike (the tent is new, replaced a North Face Stormbreak 2, and JetBoil is replacing a clunky old setup, plus a few other things) and I'm not trying to go hardcore ultralight. 30 lb is manageable for me as a starting weight.

*EDIT: I goofed up my math. I initially said 16 lb 4 oz, before 10 lb food. Correct is 16 lb 4 oz, before 10 lb food AND 4 lb water AND ~1 lb fuel.

 

Colemans have ignition switches? When did this happen?