[pct-l] Pct-l Digest, Vol 10, Issue 41

[laura wolff]

This summer I hiked the JMT with a girl I met on the trail.  Her base weight
was 14 pounds and she carried a Granite Gear bag (I believe it was the
vapor).  Anyway, she used an ursack (sp?).  I don't believe it completely
complied with some of yosemite and kings canyon, etc.'s standards, but it
worked quite well. The only time a bear tried to get into it (and it
remained a failed attempt) was at VVR.  The bags were tested with real bears
who could not get into them.  It is usually people's mistakes (overstuffing
and not cinching properly) that create problems.  The bag must be tied to a
tree, less it be carried away, which could present problems at alpine
elevation, but big boulders work alright too.

Cheers,
L

On Thu, Oct 23, 2008 at 1:00 PM, <pct-l-request at backcountry.net> wrote:

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> Today's Topics:
>
>   1. Re: base weights and ultralight packs (mark v)
>   2. Re: base weights and ultralight packs (Will Hiltz)
>   3. Re: base weights and ultralight packs (Jeffrey Olson)
>   4. Re: base weights and ultralight packs (Dusty Wallace)
>   5. Starting early and saving the Sierra for last....... (Wes Davis)
>   6. Re: Starting early and saving the Sierra for last.......
>      (Donna "L-Rod" Saufley)
>   7. trail sampling (Andrea Harrison)
>   8. MP3 player with radio, memory card source (Vic Hanson)
>   9. Granite Gear Vapor Trail (Vic Hanson)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2008 10:09:34 -0700 (PDT)
> From: mark v <allemande6 at yahoo.com>
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] base weights and ultralight packs
> To: pct-l at backcountry.net
> Message-ID: <718463.89672.qm at web53911.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
>
> There were plenty of unhappy people and ripped up packs this year from
> people carrying 35-45 lbs.  If your weight is going to be that high more
> than a few days, i wouldn't recommend ANY ultralight pack.  But naturally
> i'd most recommend never to carry that  much on a thru or long section hike
> anyway.  I'm no saint or gram weenie, and i have lots of cheapo stuff, but
> just as a point of comparison, my base weight varied from 12 lbs. much of
> the way to 22 lbs. in the Sierra (carrying 2 person tent since Emma joined
> me for that part).  So total weight was anywhere between ~13-37lbs. My ULA
> Catalyst worked well for carrying those weights.  Other people carrying the
> same pack with more weight had rips and tears.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2008 13:15:08 -0400
> From: "Will Hiltz" <will.hiltz at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] base weights and ultralight packs
> To: allemande6 at yahoo.com
> Cc: pct-l at backcountry.net
> Message-ID:
>        <739c11e60810221015h17854393k5544f946fee5a08f at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
> You all have it backwards.... go ultra heavy!
>
> I carried my 8lb. Dana Terraplane and loved every minute of it.  Its like
> strapping yourself into a Cadillac.  And the pack itself is literally
> bulletproof, I've hiked over 4000 miles with it any only just replaced the
> hip belt buckle for the first time!  Gram weenies hate it, but I love it!
>
>
> YITOOD,
>
> Easy
>
> On Wed, Oct 22, 2008 at 1:09 PM, mark v <allemande6 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > There were plenty of unhappy people and ripped up packs this year from
> > people carrying 35-45 lbs.  If your weight is going to be that high more
> > than a few days, i wouldn't recommend ANY ultralight pack.  But naturally
> > i'd most recommend never to carry that  much on a thru or long section
> hike
> > anyway.  I'm no saint or gram weenie, and i have lots of cheapo stuff,
> but
> > just as a point of comparison, my base weight varied from 12 lbs. much of
> > the way to 22 lbs. in the Sierra (carrying 2 person tent since Emma
> joined
> > me for that part).  So total weight was anywhere between ~13-37lbs. My
> ULA
> > Catalyst worked well for carrying those weights.  Other people carrying
> the
> > same pack with more weight had rips and tears.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Pct-l mailing list
> > Pct-l at backcountry.net
> > http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l
> >
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:50:14 -0600
> From: Jeffrey Olson <jolson at olc.edu>
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] base weights and ultralight packs
> Cc: pct-l at backcountry.net
> Message-ID: <48FF67D6.6090308 at olc.edu>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>
> I second the use of the Golite Gust, or similar pack of spectra cloth
> (or semi-spectra).  There seem to be three kinds of packs I've seen on
> the trail.  The first two are lightweight.  Most use one where you use
> the foam pad as a kind of frame - it goes in a slot next to your back.
> The other is the Gust, where you wrap your closed cell foam pad into a
> circle, put it in the pack, and pack everything inside of it.  My pack
> is 22 ounces.  I've carried 40 pounds this way and not been
> uncomfortable.  The other way is the ultra-light way where it's just a
> little sack with shoulder straps and mesh on its outside, no hipbelt, or
> only a webbing strap.  Warner Springs Monte can talk about this level of
> gear.  My base weight these days, including a book as extra, and not
> much else, is 12 pounds.
>
>
> I use a quilt (Nunatak Arc Alpinist) and a full-length blue foam pad and
> Tarptent Contrail.  The first thing that goes in is an airline plastic
> bag - the ones you use to protect your pack when you fly.  This is
> fairly thick plastic, and weighs a couple ounces, but boy is it
> waterproof and fairly bulletproof.  I never have to worry about a pack
> cover or my gear getting wet.  It is protected 100% of the time.  I
> don't carry long pants or rain pants either (except when hiking on snow).
>
>
> Then the blue foam pad goes in as a tube.  I put spare clothes on the
> bottom, then the food I won't be using that day, then miscellaneous
> gear, stove, water bottles, etc., and then the quilt in a plastic
> garbage bag.  (I've never stuffed the quilt and after six years of
> hiking, it still has its original loft and is good down into the 20s.)
> I'm always surprised that there is very little I don't use every day.  I
> have a couple ditty bags with drugs and fire and emergency garbage bags,
> duct tape, etc.  Together they weight in at 2lbs or so.  I don't carry
> much beyond the essentials, so the sleeping bag takes up one third to
> half the pack volume, depending on how many days of food I'm carrying.
> I've carried a bear vault cannister and hate every moment of it.
>
>
> I think if I were in the market for a pack (I have two Gusts, one of
> which has over  1500 miles on it, and the other a couple hundred), I'd
> get the Blast with a belt.  My Gust is 4500 cu in or so.  The large
> Blast is 3200 cu in. I'd have to stuff my quilt more I guess...
>
>
> http://www.zpacks.com/backpacks/blast.shtml
>
>
> Jeff Olson
> Martin, SD
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 4
> Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:02:34 -0700
> From: "Dusty Wallace" <dusterbuddy at comcast.net>
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] base weights and ultralight packs
> To: <Pct-l at backcountry.net>
> Message-ID: <000001c93489$8c0ee4c0$a42cae40$@net>
> Content-Type: text/plain;       charset="us-ascii"
>
>
>
> I tend to agree with Easy. Although I've only been doing sections, and live
> in WA. I need a tougher pack for the weather and my hiking style. So for me
> it is an Arterx Bora80. Over the last year I have notice I only use maybe
> 65liters of that massive volume but it fit me and rarely causes pain or
> pinching. And I've submerged it multiple times to have little to no water
> penetration. I was thinking that hiking the PCT with this pack maybe
> overkill and to heavy but ran into 'Hardcore' and 'Late Arrival' to see
> Late
> Arrival using the same pack. HYOH, and use the pack that works for you. But
> the beast is heavy at over 5lbs.
>
> Dusty
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 5
> Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:08:13 -1000
> From: "Wes Davis" <wesnice at gmail.com>
> Subject: [pct-l] Starting early and saving the Sierra for last.......
> To: pct-l at backcountry.net
> Cc: Rebecca Warner <lapecka at gmail.com>
> Message-ID:
>        <2d41ebb30810221408p6dee8e1bu82e0db7522bdd7c7 at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
> Hello,
>
> I am interested in starting the trail northbound early -- the beginning of
> March or late Feb...hitching from Kennedy Meadows to belden or sierra city
> and continuing north.
>
> The plan would be to finish the JMT, Tahoe, Yos sections in September
> hiking
> southbound from Belden or Sierra City.
>
>  Is snow an issue before Kennedy Meadows in March/April?
>
> Also, how early could we enter Castle Crags/Trinity Alps...in other words,
> is there a chance we would hit a ton of snow in June?
>
> Any feedback is helpful.  We are basically wanting to start sooner, take a
> couple of weeks off along the way and finish at Kennedy Meadows before
> October.
>
> Thanks,
> Western Plains
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 6
> Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:44:43 -0700 (GMT-07:00)
> From: "Donna \"L-Rod\" Saufley" <dsaufley at sprynet.com>
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] Starting early and saving the Sierra for
>        last.......
> To: Wes Davis <wesnice at gmail.com>, pct-l at backcountry.net
> Cc: Rebecca Warner <lapecka at gmail.com>
> Message-ID:
>        <
> 3296164.1224711883953.JavaMail.root at elwamui-polski.atl.sa.earthlink.net>
>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
>
> Snow can be present in early season in the Southern California ranges,
> especially the San Jacintos/Fuller Ridge and Mt. Baden Powell in the San
> Gabriels. Snow can also happen at any time in the variable spring/late
> spring conditions.  This year 4"-8" fell in the local mountains around
> Memorial Day weekend.
>
> Another early starter journal to check out is Chuckie V's, aka Funnybone!
> He departed from the southern terminus on March 24, 2006.  His trail journal
> at http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=161497
>
> L-Rod
>
> -----Original Message-----
> >From: Wes Davis <wesnice at gmail.com>
> >Sent: Oct 22, 2008 2:08 PM
> >To: pct-l at backcountry.net
> >Cc: Rebecca Warner <lapecka at gmail.com>
> >Subject: [pct-l] Starting early and saving the Sierra for last.......
> >
> >Hello,
> >
> >I am interested in starting the trail northbound early -- the beginning of
> >March or late Feb...hitching from Kennedy Meadows to belden or sierra city
> >and continuing north.
> >
> >The plan would be to finish the JMT, Tahoe, Yos sections in September
> hiking
> >southbound from Belden or Sierra City.
> >
> > Is snow an issue before Kennedy Meadows in March/April?
> >
> >Also, how early could we enter Castle Crags/Trinity Alps...in other words,
> >is there a chance we would hit a ton of snow in June?
> >
> >Any feedback is helpful.  We are basically wanting to start sooner, take a
> >couple of weeks off along the way and finish at Kennedy Meadows before
> >October.
> >
> >Thanks,
> >Western Plains
> >_______________________________________________
> >Pct-l mailing list
> >Pct-l at backcountry.net
> >http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 7
> Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2008 17:20:42 -0700
> From: Andrea Harrison <andylouharrison at hotmail.com>
> Subject: [pct-l] trail sampling
> To: <pct-l at backcountry.net>
> Message-ID: <BAY108-W32C193FB23A3E07724388CB9280 at phx.gbl>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
>
> I am looking for hiking partners for the PCT. I am not a thru hiker, but am
> doing the trail in pieces and/or sections as I can find partners. I live in
> the San Diego area and have already hiked Sections A, B, most of C, the
> Mojave Desert section of E and a stretch between Devil's Postpile and
> Toulomne Meadows. Anything else is open game. Personal info - I am a mother
> of 4 and hike between 1-2 mph depending on whether or not I am dayhiking or
> carrying a backpack.
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> Store, manage and share up to 5GB with Windows Live SkyDrive.
>
> http://skydrive.live.com/welcome.aspx?provision=1?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_skydrive_102008
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 8
> Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2008 19:29:12 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Vic Hanson <vichansonperu at yahoo.com>
> Subject: [pct-l] MP3 player with radio, memory card source
> To: pct-l at backcountry.net
> Message-ID: <226867.77351.qm at web65615.mail.ac4.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
>
> Buy.com has a SanDisk Sansa e-270 mp3, 6 GB player on sale for $40, with
> free shipping. It is re-certified, which can mean anything from factory
> repaired to returned for any reason. I have had the e-260 for almost a year,
> it is the older version with 4GB, also re-certified, and it has worked like
> a charm, no problems. You can also put your PCT photos and videos on there,
> has expandable memory (mini SD cards) but that doesn't work for photos, only
> music, at least on mine. It has an FM radio and can record as well.
> ?
> Sorry, the URL was about 8 lines long, go to www.buy.com and search or
> check weekly specials (you can sign up to receive an email). They also have
> great prices on memory cards, usually SD cards are on sale, sometimes
> others, ie a 2 gb mini SD with full size adaptor for $6. You may be able to
> find the same price elsewhere but almost all of the specials include free
> standard shipping. They have multiple shipping warehouses so things usually
> arrive in 2 or 3 days. I have been very happy with buy.com except that I
> tend to spend too much money there! Oh, they have a wide variety of things
> for sale, lots of electronics, computers, software, but other items as well.
> ?
> Vic
>
>
> ?
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 9
> Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2008 23:45:36 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Vic Hanson <vichansonperu at yahoo.com>
> Subject: [pct-l] Granite Gear Vapor Trail
> To: pct-l at backcountry.net
> Message-ID: <398169.14452.qm at web65612.mail.ac4.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
>
> Shepherd,
> ?
> I, and many others, used the Vapor Trail in 2006. The only problem I had
> was when I tried to jam my Bear Vault sideways in the top. It went in but
> ripped out a couple of seams, which I sewed up by hand. After that I put it
> in verticle. Other than that it did the whole trail with no ill effects. I
> would use it again on a thu-hike.
> ?
> I seem to remember one other hiker having some problem with his, Granite
> Gear replaced it, he just had to send the old one back to them.
> ?
> Since then I have used it mountain climbing and hiking in Peru, where it
> has gotten a number of rips from sharp lava rocks, most of those from
> lowering it down a rocky cliff on a rope.
> ?
> Oh, mine fit fine before the hike but after I lost about 10 lbs. the hip
> belt was too big. I have a medium and normally about a 31" waist. Carrying
> 40 lbs. wasn't very comfortable, my base weight was about 18 - 20 lbs. They
> do make another model which I think is rated at 40 lbs. but it weighs 3 lbs.
> instead of 2 lbs.
> ?
> Sugar Daddy
> ?
> ?
> I am also looking at ultra-light backpacks such as Rays, the GoLite Jam 2,
> Six Moons Comet, the Granite Gear Vapor Trail and others.?I currently haul
> a
> Ospry Talon.? ?My problem is that once I fill a bear vault with 5 days to a
> weeks worth of?food, plus a base weight of 20-25 lbs, I am up around 35-45
> lbs.? My impression is that this is a lot of weight for one of these
> packs.?
> I have also been known to "plop" down none-to-gently and fall back to rest
> with the pack still on.? I am concerned as to the "ruggedness" of some of
> these packs.? Your experiences are hereby solicited.? Thanks.
> ?
> Shepherd
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
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>
> End of Pct-l Digest, Vol 10, Issue 41
> *************************************
>