^^ lol ... don't worry, there's no "law of trail names." some people make one up, but IMO it's more fun to see what comes along. For example, a story went around that a girl we hiked with named Eileen took a swing at her trail boyfriend ... so we started calling her "Muhammad Eileen." She didn't like that name and instead wanted to be called Jukebox because she was an aspiring opera singer. but she was always Muhammad Eileen to us ... that name is waaaaaay better!! I became "MacGyver" because I had so much homemade stuff. TheBullDoza just named himself "Godzilla"

The fact is, if you don't respond to a name then it won't be your name, at least not to your face. And no, you don't have to keep it forever. if you hike with different people they won't know it unless you tell them or your reputation precedes you (which only happens if you're some kind of ass)

1/28/2011 7:58:07 AM

Hehe. Thanks. I wouldn't mind having an interesting story but only if it was coupled with an interesting name.

1/28/2011 9:48:20 AM

I'm in the let the trail name come camp, but you shouldn't stress about it no matter which way you decide to go. To me, most of the self-chosen trail names are pretty lame and easy to pick out. They just seem over-thought and unnatural most of the time.

I took the tarp advice from Nerdchick and TheBullDoza for my SOBO AT hike last year. Thanks guys! I got this guy here http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___20069 and don't have any complaints. It was lightweight, relatively cheap and provided adequate shelter. One night we fit four people underneath, so it's a little more than one person actually needs, but it's still under 1 pound without guy lines/stakes. I cowboy camped quite a bit when I didn't think it would rain, and this tarp was tough enough that I could use it as a ground cloth and then fold it over into a little waterproof envelope if it started to rain during the night.

1/28/2011 1:21:33 PM

I used to do the tarp thing out in NC, but I find that at higher elevations there's less trees and more wind (and more snow), making a tent almost a necessity, unless you only backpack in the summer. Also if you have a properly ventilated tent, there's nothing dryer than a full rain fly. The days it's fair weather, I just pack my full rain fly, groundcover and poles and skip the tent, it gets it down to 2lbs. or so. But I'm not an ultralightweight, I aim for 20lbs or so for 3-4 day trip, 16-18lbs. if I pack with a group and share equipment.

But not to discourage the tarp idea, it truly is the lightest shelter you can get and is great if you're doing a hut-to-hut and just need an emergency shelter or something to pitch if the huts are full. The best part is the multi-purposefulness of trekking poles, I love my poles and not sure what I'd do without 'em. Great monopods for cameras too

[Edited on January 28, 2011 at 2:03 PM. Reason : .]

1/28/2011 1:59:55 PM

I am interested to see if any of you have tried turning a hammock (I have a Hennessey) into a bivvy option? I saw a few ideas with using your hiking poles, but has any tried it?

I have a HUGE plan for doing some backpacking in the San Juan Mountains (colorado) this July for a week, and I want to be as lightweight as possible. Anyone have any Colorado hiking experiences/places to hit? I mostly want to hit up ice lake to see some meadows and flowers!

^^^I got my trail name because of friends...I went by "Meatstick Supertramp". Meatstick...being my smelly weiner dog and if you get supertramp...then I don't have to smack you

1/31/2011 5:08:29 PM

Yea, San Juans are beautiful. The collegiate peaks are a nice place to backpack as well if you want to nab some 14'ers while you're out here. I also LOVE the Rocky Mountain National Park, and of course there's always the Colorado Trail.

1/31/2011 5:25:19 PM

most hammocks have a tarp that you string over the top, right? why don't you use that? CO is pretty dry so a small tarp should be fine

also you can check out Mt. Massive, it's the 2nd tallest mountain in Colorado and its neighbor Mt Elbert is the tallest. The Colorado Trail runs along the base. if you take the summit, you'll be on the trail I built in summer 07!! The view and flowers are outstanding. The hike is about 7 or 8 miles from the road to the summit. depends how hardcore you are but it could definitely be done in a day. It's near Leadville which is not too far from Denver

1/31/2011 10:45:43 PM

I'm mostly going up for Ice Lake Basin. I love the pictures I see of it, and I'm dying for some good meadow romping.

2/2/2011 11:22:00 PM

Meadow Romping

2/3/2011 6:45:50 PM

Haha...I officially fly into Durango, CO on the 23rd of July.

MEADOW ROMPING!

2/5/2011 6:57:19 AM

Has anyone flown with their hiking poles? I'm kinda wondering if i can lash them onto the outside of my pack....

2/10/2011 9:30:48 AM

Are you asking if anyone has brought them in/on their carry-on? I just got mine mailed to me at the end of my hike because I wasn't going to check my pack and I think it's pretty reasonable to view them as a potential weapon. I probably wouldn't strap them to the pack either way. They'd probably be safer from damage or loss if you just took the baskets off and put them inside the pack.

2/10/2011 12:34:27 PM

^^I had mine in my checked baggage and my bags got searched there and back and they didnt confiscate them. I had all my stuff inside a duffle bag though

[Edited on February 10, 2011 at 1:19 PM. Reason : .]

2/10/2011 1:15:39 PM

Nice...thanks

I already have my trip fully planned.

Fly into Durango, drive to Silverton. I'm going to "Spud Lake" and Crater Lake, do 1 day of slack packing on the Continental Divide Trail, hit up 3 14ers for 2 days, 2 days at Ice Lake Basin. I think there is a Ghost Town on the way to Silverton too...can't miss that.

2/11/2011 12:33:35 PM

are you planning to spend any time in Durango? it's cool town with a huge music scene. Also Moab, UT is about 120 miles from Durango and that's where Arches Natl. Park is. Arches is one of my favorite places I've ever visited. Having lived on the east coast my whole life, it was like another planet. It's a very driving-centric park, but that means you can see the whole thing in a day.

I know you probably don't want to add extra places to you trip, but if you do ...

2/11/2011 1:00:56 PM

Down jackets. I like the Marmot Zeus jacket but now I can't find one on sale in the size/color I want and I am not particularly inclined to drop $165 unless it's really needed. So I am taking suggestions on experiences you all have had and hopefully I can find something on sale.

2/15/2011 11:41:07 AM

First Ascent!!!!!! if you're looking for a really cold weather fat puffy one, get the mountain guide down jacket. if thinner, get the down sweater. we have both & they fit so much better than any of the other manufacturer's jackets. free shipping with code STAYDRY. check whittaker mountaineering too before you order bc sometimes it's cheaper there. they have them in the store too.

http://tinyurl.com/downsweater
http://tinyurl.com/mtnguidedown2

they make the peak xv too, meant for really really cold, like 5 degrees. they make a suit out of the same stuff to climb everest in. http://tinyurl.com/49qwgej

some things are on sale at WM too
http://www.whittakermountaineering.com/pg/brand_store/&id=250?id=250#insulation

[Edited on February 15, 2011 at 12:20 PM. Reason : ]

2/15/2011 12:19:31 PM

Yeah..not really looking to scale K2, just the AT so like March-October and I know it still gets cold and snowy at times but I don't want to over do it and spend $Everest.

2/15/2011 12:25:49 PM

^haha yeah, i figured. the downlight sweater is really nice & very packable, but you'll need a baselayer if you're out in snow i think.

actually land's end makes an equivalent jacket that they put on sale/clearance constantly. the men's seems to be a little harder to find than the women's. i have one & found out about it through whiteblaze.net. i like it fine. the sleeves are baggier than they should be probably but that's my only complaint. it packs into its pocket. i got it bc it was only $40 at the time, 14oz http://www.landsend.com/pp/SnowPack700DownJacket~206741_59.html

2/15/2011 12:38:23 PM

Oooh. I like that idea . I am not trying to seem too cheap, especially since it's something to keep hypothermia away, I just don't want to overpay because of a brand *cough* North Face *cough*. My layering thinking is as follows: short sleeve athletic shirt (my default hiking shirt), long sleeve yet lightish shirt, fleece pull-over for chilly but not really cold nights, and then a down jacket/sweater (sorry this is the first time I've heard it called such) for early and late season treks when it can still get cold. There is also be my rain shell, but I am inclined to go with something light that will stop wind and rain, but I don't need it to really insulate as much.

[Edited on February 15, 2011 at 12:54 PM. Reason : Girls have it waay easier when looking for gear. ]

2/15/2011 12:50:07 PM

there are tons of camping stores online, I would just check around on google shopping till you find something on sale. Be patient, you have plenty of time. I used a Montbell down jacket, it's normally $150 but I got it for $85 on sale.

And go ahead and get a women's jacket if you find a better deal on one, usually there's no difference other than marketing. Erik used mine but he did get busted on it being a women's jacket (apparently Montbell uses the diamond stitching for women)

2/15/2011 1:30:27 PM

Haha. Fair enough. I am not exactly the largest bear in the forest so as long as something fits properly and gives the needed protection then I can totally overlook the built in bra support.

2/15/2011 1:36:59 PM

the land's end jacket is cut much squarer than it looks in that picture. they also run big. if you can find a decent color it might not be a bad option. i have it in black. i can take pics if you want.

2/15/2011 1:40:56 PM

My only potential concern about the women's sizes are that they seem to cut them a little slimmer around the ribs. That may not be a universal trend, especially with the more serious hiking sweater/jackets but it is just what I see during my Google stumblings.

2/15/2011 2:03:46 PM

Quote :

"My layering thinking is as follows: short sleeve athletic shirt (my default hiking shirt), long sleeve yet lightish shirt, fleece pull-over for chilly but not really cold nights, and then a down jacket/sweater"

If you're just talking about the AT, I'd say you need either a down jacket or a fleece. Remember, you're going to be hiking pretty much all day every day, and you're going to be producing enough heat that you don't need both of those on while you're moving. Starting NOBO in March you'll have maybe a couple weeks of legitimate cold where a down jacket would be useful but where a fleece jacket will suffice. Unless you plan on doing more cold-weather hiking/camping, it seems like a waste of money.

My layers in December on the AT were: mid-weight merino baselayer, long sleeve synthetic shirt, cheap fleece jacket, and dri-ducks. The only time I actually needed all of that on and zipped up was when it was in the teens and it was sleeting or the wind was blowing.

2/15/2011 2:51:35 PM

It'd mostly be for at night, in town or if I am just hanging out with folks and not generating that much heat. I am not a big fan of being cold so a light weight yet high down jacket was on my list of things to research/purchase.

2/15/2011 3:04:09 PM

Going down to Uwharrie for the weekend. Any suggestions on trails and areas to camp?

2/16/2011 12:07:30 PM

By Badin Lake
http://bit.ly/gTidLm

2/16/2011 1:00:19 PM

^^ i can get you the GPS log of our trip there a couple of weeks ago...pictures and elevation profile are at the bottom of the last page

2/16/2011 2:26:21 PM

Anyone willing to start up a backpacking group for some long weekend trips? I want to hit up the Art Loeb for a 3 day weekend early May but would love to have some company....also planned:

Linville Gorge
Mammoth Cave/National Park
Grassy Bald (Roan Mountain)
Shennandoah
Cape Lookout
Greyson Highlands

2/24/2011 8:24:12 AM

we're doing some river platform camping on the roanoke at the end of march...my plan is to practice my kayaking (the others will probably be canoeing) and bring my hammock

^ i may be interested...there's a group of us who usually go backpacking together, if you ever wanted to join us

we're planning on doing mt mitchell sometime soon, as well as the art loeb/cold mountain (probably one in april and one in may)

2/24/2011 8:32:56 AM

we wanted to do some river platform camping on the roanoke last year but just didn't get around to it. where are you planning on going? if you've done it before, any tips?

2/24/2011 9:30:13 AM

I'd be totally in if you're willing to take on another person. I'm always good for gas money and entertainment...and I know how to haul ass without whining

2/24/2011 10:34:01 AM

I'd definitely be interested in joining in on some weekend trips. I have a hard time finding friends that are willing to spend more than one night without a tv or cell phone signal.

2/24/2011 11:03:30 AM

^^ I might be interested, too. Haven't hiked any of those places besides the gorge. Once I'm actually back in shape I can haul ass uphill no prob I love the mountains

2/24/2011 11:08:29 AM

does anyone have any experience hauling a couple of canoes on top of your car with an aftermarket rack?

i have a saturn SL sedan and a yakima rack system and yakima says it should max out at 75lbs...well, the canoes are about 70lbs each

i don't particularly care if it "damages" my car, as long as nothing falls off or breaks...obviously yakima is going to lower their max load rating to cover themselves in cases like this where people really load up their car, but i was hoping some of y'all might have some experience with this

i'm also willing to just lay down a blanket and strap them to the roof of my car without the rack

3/4/2011 4:48:18 PM

SUP CAMPIN PEEPS!!111

KEEP IT GOING










[Edited on March 4, 2011 at 5:20 PM. Reason : .]

3/4/2011 5:17:21 PM

^ nice pics! Where is that?

FYI REI Outlet has an automatic 20% off one item right now..ends Mar 10th. Great way to grab that expensive accessory youve been wanting

Quote :

"Anyone willing to start up a backpacking group for some long weekend trips? I want to hit up the Art Loeb for a 3 day weekend early May but would love to have some company....also planned: Linville Gorge Mammoth Cave/National Park Grassy Bald (Roan Mountain) Shennandoah Cape Lookout Greyson Highlands"

Also interested in this. I can attempt to start up a group if we have sufficient interest. Would need about 5-6 people to start. If you guys want to post if you are interested I can start taking names and info and find a place to meet.

[Edited on March 4, 2011 at 5:27 PM. Reason : a]

3/4/2011 5:24:32 PM

I'd be down for a backpacking group.

3/4/2011 6:53:18 PM

Anyone ever been hiking in Falls Creek Park in Tennessee? Guy from work was talking about how awesome the waterfalls were but he hadn't been in like 20 years so had no idea what its like today.

3/7/2011 10:34:06 PM

^^^Count me in

3/8/2011 7:02:56 AM

I dont have any experience with yakima racks to haul canoes, but i used to cartop my canoe with my Honda Accord. I just used the foam blocks that rest on the gunwales. I have had it on the highway and never had problems, but this was just with one fiberglass canoe(~45lbs).

I think that you would be fine with one canoe. I doubt you will be able to cartop two canoes on a standard sedan. Im assuming the beam of each canoe is 36", so unless you have a 6 ft wide sedan, you are going to struggle to get both of them up there safely. If you are taking two cars you should just put a canoe on each car. If you need to borrow some of the foam blocks and straps, let me know.

3/8/2011 7:18:17 AM

^ well, i've got the extra-long bars, so i can fit two canoes on there without any trouble (physically, anyway)

we're taking two cars, but we need either 3 canoes and a kayak or 4 canoes (depending on whether 7 or 8 people go)...pictures like these make me feel like i can do it

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm219/Graham_Devenish/Mordiford%202008/PICT0156-1.jpg


http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u267/retro4848/LochEviteearlyjuly09012.jpg


[Edited on March 8, 2011 at 7:30 AM. Reason : could be that european cars are just better than american ones, though]

3/8/2011 7:27:13 AM

I would only trust those setups to get my canoe across town, but that is just me.

I dont like turning the canoe on its side and then cinching it down, the canoe should be transported with the gunwales facing down onto the racks. Of those 3 pictures, the third one is the only one i would attempt, and i wouldnt be driving very fast or far like that.

It looks like the vertical canoes are not connected at the bow and stern, which could become very dangerous.

Like i said, this is just my opinion. If you can lay the two canoes flat across the bars, that will probably work.

3/8/2011 7:48:54 AM

Have Art Loeb/Roan planned. If anyone wants to go, I'm slamming this out early so you can ask days off now. I already handed in my boss vacation requests up til August so I can get my hikes in.

Lemme know if anyone wants to join up. I would love to split gas and have the option to maybe (with a group) be able to have cars at each end of a the trails:

Art Loeb - 5/26 - 5/30
Roan Mountain/Grassy Bald - 6/17-6/20

3/8/2011 1:19:33 PM

Hiking Cerro Chirripó in Costa Rica (tallest peak at 12,228 ft) on April 7th. Hike in on the 7th, there's a hut at the top from which you can see both the Carribean Sea & Pacific, hike down on the 8th. While it's not a 14-er, it'll be a good start to the season

[Edited on March 8, 2011 at 1:44 PM. Reason : .]

3/8/2011 1:41:25 PM

^for the CR trip, I'm debating either the REI Lookout 40 or the REI Flash 50, on one hand the lookout would be great for travel in general, on the other hand the flash would be more versatile for backpacking. Dilemmas. My current pack is 5400 in3 (~85L) which is great for multi-day backpacking, but heavy (5lbs.) and not suitable for lightweight backpacking and travel.

REI Lookout 40
http://www.rei.com/product/778463
REI Flash 50
http://www.rei.com/product/778469

3/25/2011 11:23:04 AM

^ if you're ready to to go frameless ... I used the Mariposa Plus on my AT hike. When you're carrying more weight you roll up a foam sleeping pad inside for support. It's a great day pack too because it's much less bulky than an internal frame pack. My sister used it on a summer-long trip around Europe. It weighs about half as much as the REI pack you posted.

http://gossamergear.com/packs/mariposa-plus-ultralight-backpack.html

3/25/2011 11:44:10 AM

No, I'm not going frameless, per-say.

I looked at the frameless route 10 years ago when it started catching on, but did not like packing it all the time to get it "just-so" and just felt too barebones, I felt like if I didn't pack it right the weight would always be off and got kind of annoying. I much prefer an adjustable frame sheet and lid to my pack, knowing full well that I could remove them later. The REI Flash can get down to 29oz. (that's only 6 oz. more than the pack you posted) if I don't use the frame sheet & lid... so I can always go that route later.

^I can't believe that's $170 pack!

[Edited on March 25, 2011 at 12:44 PM. Reason : .]

3/25/2011 12:40:37 PM

^ yeah I think it was more like $110 when I bought it a few years ago

3/25/2011 1:00:00 PM