[pct-l] You still haven't accepted methowskye at gmail.com's friend

Mon Jan 13 13:42:11 CST 2014

I've been carrying a big camera on trail since the early 1970s and am used
to the weight of it hanging around my neck.  I carried a Canon Rebel on
thru hikes of the PCT and CDT as well as many other backpack trips and love
having the ability to shoot really good pictures of some of the most
beautiful places in the world.

I recommend carrying a light weight mylar umbrella on the PCT especially if
you hike with a good camera.  Not only is the umbrella wonderful in the
desert where the silver mylar reflects the sun, but when I got snowed or
rained on, and we had plenty of that in the deserts in 2010 and all through
the drizzle of WA, I was able to shoot pictures from under the umbrella.
 In most rains on either trail, I would just tuck the camera under my
partially zipped up rain coat, while still hung around my neck, and then
when a good shot appeared, I'd pop it out and under the protection of the
umbrella get these great shots of cliffs and forests or animals in the
mist.  There were storms that were so violent I had to put it in my pack
for safety, but the darned thing has been very resilient over the years.

On the CDT, hiking up Sweetwater Creek in the Great Divide Basin in WY,
which was anything by sweet water given the hundreds of cows crapping in
it, I slipped on a rock while crossing the stream and did a prat fall right
into the water.  As it wasn't a dangerous crossing I hadn't even zipped up
my camera bag.  I went in, the bag submerged and in my scramble to hold the
bag aloft and get it above water, I lost a hiking pole which whizzed off
downstream in a hurry.  That was a real disaster as I'd need that in the
Wind River Range which was coming up next for us.  I jumped out of the
water and emptied out the camera bag and left it all on shore and ran down
the bank trying to follow my pole.  Why Not, Furniture and Boat all ran
jumping from rock to rock trying to catch up to it, but it sank out of site
within a hundred yards of my disastrous fall.  Thank God the thing was
bright red.  Boat finally found it deeply submerged and went in after it.
 Trail folk are the best!

Now I had my pole, but also a totally soaked expensive camera.  I opened it
up and drained it, took off the lens and then hiked with it open in my hand
until we found a sandbar and a bit of grass sprinkled all about with cow
crap.  The Sweetwater was one of the grossest, beautiful spots I've ever
hiked through.  Gorgeous cliffs and stream, totally befouled by overgrazing
and smelling like a feed lot.  The cows moved down canyon ahead of us
crapping on the foliage and we'd then get hit by fresh dung as we came
behind them.  By the second day we were almost sick from the smell, and all
climbed out of the damned thing and hoofed it cross-country to get to
Atlantic City and the end of the Divide Basin.  But I digress.

We had a bit of sun in the late afternoon where we had pitched camp on
shore and I opened every nook and cranny of that camera and lens and left
it in the heat as long as I could.  By late afternoon I reassembled it and
unbelievably it took a picture.  The lens, a good size zoom, took a few
days to really get all the moisture out of it though.  When the weather was
warm it took clear pictures, but if it was cold, it fogged up inside and
there was no way to clear it except for days of leaving it in the sun.

I'll probably be carrying that same heavy beast of a thing on the AT this
spring.  So, if you like great shots, you just carry the weight.  Ship it
home if you get tired of it.  And have a wonderful hike.  One of the best
adventures you'll ever have!

Shroomer

On Sun, Jan 12, 2014 at 3:31 PM, Diarmaid Harmon <irishharmon at comcast.net>wrote:

> It is not so much about what the camera weighs more about what you want to
> achieve. For normal pictures a small point and shoot works well but seeing
> as you already shoot a D300s you have probably upped your photo game and
> are bordering on professional pictures. I would also add if it is because
> of familiarity with the settings and functions of the camera then start out
> that way and switch if you find the weight ridicules. I hike with a D300
> also and would never leave home with out it. I also recently changed to a
> 18 - 300 VR lens which means I don’t have to carry 2 lenses to get all the
> shots I want. I also shoot in RAW and use multiple 16GB Compact flash cards
> that I mail home and process them later. That allows the greatest editing
> options and allows for a more leisurely time for editing after the hike
> verses trying to manage storage on the trail.
>
> Irish.
>
> On Jan 12, 2014, at 2:26 PM, marmot marmot <marmotwestvanc at hotmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > I know some who did the AT carrying a saxophone . But it depends on how
> much you really need what you are thinking of leaving behind. Lots of stuff
> I thought I needed, I wouldn't even think of putting in my pack now.
> Remember you can always send it home and replace it with a smaller camera
> if it starts to feel silly. 6 #'s is a wicked heavy camera.
> > Just a thought. Remember it's just a series of 5 to 7 day backpacking
> trips strung together. If you've done the Wonderland Trail you can do this.
> > Marmot
> > Sent from my iPhone
> >
> >> On Jan 12, 2014, at 12:43 PM, "Angelina Kovtun" <angelkov2002 at yahoo.com>
> wrote:
> >>
> >> Hi!
> >> I have never been in a open email thread like this before so I don't
> know how to "accept" things. So I'm just replying to the email I got to
> "accept".
> >>
> >> My best friend and I never thru-hiked before and are doing the whole
> PCT this year. We decided to do it just a month and a half ago and it's a
> bit stressful to plan. We backpack a lot, but it's never anything crazy.
> The longest hike I've done is Wonderland Trail over 11 days....
> >>
> >> I guess right now my most burning question is: what cameras do people
> use? I cannot imagine leaving my house without my semi-pro Nikon D300s.
> It's 6lb.... But I really want to see the pictures from this hike later and
> actually enjoy them. I wonder if any PCT-ers ever use such big cameras or
> if everyone is going super lightweight there too.
> >>
> >> Thanks!
> >> -Angelina
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> On Thursday, January 9, 2014 8:11 PM, Paint Your Wagon <
> n801yz at hotmail.com> wrote:
> >>
> >> Folks around these parts are a pretty particular bunch... and may not
> want to dance on Facebook.
> >>
> >> Just ask a question, or state your business right here on the list
> serve, and let the chips fall where they may.
> >>
> >> Stick to hiking topics and all things PCT, and you will be amazed, no,
> astounded, by both the know nothings,
> >>
> >> AND- the know it alls, because, we are after all, pretty much just like
> you. Well, maybe, we are just like you?
> >>
> >> Guessing: folks aren’t hankering to friend someone that they don’t even
> know. What would you like to know about hiking?
> >>
> >> Ask, and you shall receive. They call me Paint; Paint Your Wagon. How
> may I be of service?
> >>
> >> By the way-  I’ll be a junior in hiking school this year. You?
> >>
> >> Gotta’ dream boy, gotta song, paint your wagon and come along.
> >> _______________________________________________
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