[pct-l] side pockets for pack

[goforth at cio.net (J. Lennox)]

Last Fall I went on a four day hike on the PCT out of Donner Pass to see if I could still walk(bad knee, broken hip), let alone carry a pack, and to find out whether my 3 year joust with asthma allows for hiking at a  higher altitude than we have in Washington. I did walk for four days, not very fast but it definitely gave me cause for hope.

Yes, the Peter Grubb hut now has electricity.  The paper size solar collector were so small, it allowed me to dismiss this possibility on the way in, but coming out I reached over and turned the switch on and sure enough -LIGHTS!!  Ditto the outhouse (brandnew and two storied). the hut is very dark and winter days very short, I am sure that for most people the four or less hours of added light are helpful. Does give a different feel than candlelight and flashlights.

the pack that I used was Spectra Cloth built like a box that is 20 inches long, 12 wide and 5 deep, zippered top to bottom against my back (this works for me).  I can carry food and equipment for a four day hike entirely inside. Zippers however do not lend themselves to the stuffing required , and soon one develops an adversion to getting anything out of the pack (I had the pack, and it was designed as a top pack to ride in my saddle - so it does not necessarily maximize hiking requirements)

During my thruhike, I always had a dilemma when hiking away from a supply point.  Frequently, there were a few bulky items (bread, rolls) that I did not want crushed, and other items that I wanted close to hand(camera, iodine, lunch, map), sometimes things that I was concerned about spilling etc. (fuel, iodine, etc), or items that I wanted to leave somewhere or pass to someone.

When I got to the trail head this time, I put various of these items (which I often accumulate outside my zippered pack and in the vehicle somewhere), into a silnylon stuff sack and hiked off carrying the thing.  After about 45 minutes , I finally tied it on the top ring that my removeable shoulder straps snap into.  It was incredibly comfortable, moreso than if the contents had been in the pack.

the next day I got another similar stuff sack and tied it on the other side.  Even better!!.
I now had two water bottles attached to  my shoulder straps with shock cord and two stuff sacks hanging in front of the pack.  I hiked the remaining three days this way and wondered why I had not thought of this before.

The stuff sacks were long (17X10 inches, squared at the bottom by sewing accross the bottom seam on both sides), I think this is a critical feature, The sack remained empty at the top and filled the space at my waist, swinging forward toward the front of my body.  It was comfortable even when I had a large bag of wind thrown lichens the size of a loaf of bread.  I do not think that you could carry a lot of weight this way, nor sharp objects. Although I carried a tuna can and camera and didn't seem to notice any difference.  Also not a good idea in critical snow and rock terrain, where you might need an ice ax or  rock work .  The one thing that I would do is put a small deldrin snap on the top of the stuffsack so the sack can be accessed without untying it to the pack.

Goforth