Backpacking

[BigPiney]

Glad to read you're doing OK BigPiney. Excellent pictures, I don't think my backpacking treks in the San Juan mountains compare favorably. I too had to cut my recent backpacking trip short due to foot problems. Midway through a planned 6-day 50+ mile hike on the continental divide trail, one of my feet began swelling and was painful to hike on. Fortunately, I didn't have to go off-trail to hike out as I found a spur trail that connected to another trail to get out. I was highly motivated to hike as fast as I could due to the bear scat all over the spur trail. However, it was more difficult on my foot to hike downhill so my pace was slower than I had calculated and ended up hiking a couple of hours in the dark to get to the trailhead. Got picked up by my wife the next morning who had just arrived in Colorado while I was making my way out - I had driven up separately the previous week. Since I backpack solo, I always have GPS satellite treking with texting. Anyway, after resting my foot for a couple of days, I'm on the mend and feeling much better - did a 5-mile day hike earlier today. I think my foot issue was due to not being able to prepare well for the significant elevation changes on the continental divide by living in Texas. That, and still needing to lose significant weight - always a work in progress. I've planned previous backpacking trips with rest days or flexible itineraries (an advantage to backpacking solo) and thought I was prepared for a week of 8-10 miles a day of hiking with constant elevation change, but was wrong. Will try again next year. Still have a ways to go before I'm ready for a BigPiney hike in the Sierras. Here are a few pics...

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The funny thing is we had a rest day/float day built in. We used it to climb a peak and one guy stayed in camp to fish. At the end of that day and only 0.1 miles from camp is when I rolled my ankle and heard the pop in my foot.

Do you use a Spot or one of the new Garmin ones? Been meaning to get one.

[Paperback Writer]

The funny thing is we had a rest day/float day built in. We used it to climb a peak and one guy stayed in camp to fish. At the end of that day and only 0.1 miles from camp is when I rolled my ankle and heard the pop in my foot.

Do you use a Spot or one of the new Garmin ones? Been meaning to get one.

I use a Garmin InReach mini that is paired to my iPhone. User interface can be either the small screen on the Garmin or cell phone - most users opt for their cell phone as the UI. The phone app I use is Garmin Earthmate with free topo map downloads which I think are gov/forest service maps. A satellite subscription is needed which can be annual or for a 30-day period. I usually subscribe from mid-July through mid-Sept and then suspend until the following summer. The plan I use is about $30+ per 30-day period; there is also an annual fee of about $25. With the plan I'm on, I get 40 free texts per 30-day period and unlimited pre-set text messages. Also has an SOS button that puts the user in contact with search and rescue. With the service, you get a webpage that your location gets pinged to on a topo map every 10 minutes or whatever interval you choose. I've read that some users use their webpage to plan hikes and set waypoints, etc., but I haven't made the transition and continue to use National Geographic trail maps and misc guidebooks. Basically, the advantage of a Garmin or similar device is satellite texting, location pinging to a webpage, and SOS. Otherwise, one can navigate using GPS on a cell phone. I choose the Inreach mini because the graphics/display on a cell phone is much better than anything on a separate device and I'm using my cell phone as a camera so I'm packing it anyway. The InReach mini has just the minimum needed so it saves weight. I'm a big proponent of it because it has allowed me to hit the trail solo and was mandatory from my wife's point of view.

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[BigPiney]

I use a Garmin InReach mini that is paired to my iPhone. User interface can be either the small screen on the Garmin or cell phone - most users opt for their cell phone as the UI. The phone app I use is Garmin Earthmate with free topo map downloads which I think are gov/forest service maps. A satellite subscription is needed which can be annual or for a 30-day period. I usually subscribe from mid-July through mid-Sept and then suspend until the following summer. The plan I use is about $30+ per 30-day period; there is also an annual fee of about $25. With the plan I'm on, I get 40 free texts per 30-day period and unlimited pre-set text messages. Also has an SOS button that puts the user in contact with search and rescue. With the service, you get a webpage that your location gets pinged to on a topo map every 10 minutes or whatever interval you choose. I've read that some users use their webpage to plan hikes and set waypoints, etc., but I haven't made the transition and continue to use National Geographic trail maps and misc guidebooks. Basically, the advantage of a Garmin or similar device is satellite texting, location pinging to a webpage, and SOS. Otherwise, one can navigate using GPS on a cell phone. I choose the Inreach mini because the graphics/display on a cell phone is much better than anything on a separate device and I'm using my cell phone as a camera so I'm packing it anyway. The InReach mini has just the minimum needed so it saves weight. I'm a big proponent of it because it has allowed me to hit the trail solo and was mandatory from my wife's point of view.

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Thank you. I will look into that

[Paperback Writer]

Thank you. I will look into that

I just finished a 12-mile through hike today and discovered a limitation on satellite texting. Both parties need satellite capability. Wife was at the cabin about 40 minutes from the trailhead where she was to pick me up. Towards the end of my hike, I texted her cell phone that I was about a mile out from the trailhead. No reply. Texted again when I was at the trailhead, no reply. Now I'm starting to wonder since she always would at least acknowledge my texts. I was planning on waiting a few minutes since I knew I could cover the last mile in about half the time it would take her to drive the 40 minutes to meet me. While I was standing in the river filtering water, I hear a voice from behind: "You can drink that river water or this cold soda I brought you". My wife had been following my progress on my Garmin webpage and timed her arrival within 5 minutes of my reaching the trailhead. It dawned on me that she could read a topo map better than I. She didn't receive my texts because she left the cabin before I sent them and the forest service road was off the grid. So I could send texts using satellite but she couldn't receive them once she left wireless coverage.

[Bo Diddley]

I just finished a 12-mile through hike today and discovered a limitation on satellite texting. Both parties need satellite capability. Wife was at the cabin about 40 minutes from the trailhead where she was to pick me up. Towards the end of my hike, I texted her cell phone that I was about a mile out from the trailhead. No reply. Texted again when I was at the trailhead, no reply. Now I'm starting to wonder since she always would at least acknowledge my texts. I was planning on waiting a few minutes since I knew I could cover the last mile in about half the time it would take her to drive the 40 minutes to meet me. While I was standing in the river filtering water, I hear a voice from behind: "You can drink that river water or this cold soda I brought you". My wife had been following my progress on my Garmin webpage and timed her arrival within 5 minutes of my reaching the trailhead. It dawned on me that she could read a topo map better than I. She didn't receive my texts because she left the cabin before I sent them and the forest service road was off the grid. So I could send texts using satellite but she couldn't receive them once she left wireless coverage.

That's a good woman.

[Donuthole]

Any recommendation on water filtration systems/devices for backpacking? I have an old ceramic MSR pump that is at least 20 years old. Worked fine for a long time, but now seems to clog up before I even fill a single nalgene bottle, requiring constant scrubbings. It's old enough that I don't think they make the right size ceramic filters for it, so I'm due for something new.

I was thinking I would just grab the newer version of the same system, but I figure I might as well at least explore whether there is something better out there. Any of our serious backpackers here have a recommendation?

[Joe Public]

Check out the MSR Guardian. Chlorine dioxide in the bottom of the pack as a back-up.

The UV-based treatment systems look cool, but I don’t know much about them.

[Pelado]

Any recommendation on water filtration systems/devices for backpacking? I have an old ceramic MSR pump that is at least 20 years old. Worked fine for a long time, but now seems to clog up before I even fill a single nalgene bottle, requiring constant scrubbings. It's old enough that I don't think they make the right size ceramic filters for it, so I'm due for something new.

I was thinking I would just grab the newer version of the same system, but I figure I might as well at least explore whether there is something better out there. Any of our serious backpackers here have a recommendation?

I like the Sawyer Squeeze. Pair it with some Cnoc Vecto water bags and a Sawyer coupler, and you can process a lot of water pretty quickly via gravity or, well, squeezing.

Sawyer Squeeze: https://www.amazon.com/Sawyer-Produc...ag=googhydr-20

Vecto: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Cnoc+O...5?ref_=ast_bln

Sawyer coupler: https://www.amazon.com/Sawyer-Produc...s%2C247&sr=8-1

One thing I would recommend, though, is replacing the rubber gasket on the dirty water side of the Squeeze with something a little more robust from the hardware store. I also cut out a little mesh from a coffee filter as a pre-filter.

Just make sure the filter doesn't freeze. If it's going to be sub-freezing temperatures, keep the filter in your sleeping bag with you.

Edit: The Sawyer Mini is actually a little bit lighter for backpacking purposes, but it takes longer to process the water. If you're not worried about how long it takes to filter the water, then a Mini will save a little bit of money and some weight.

Sawyer Mini: https://www.amazon.com/Sawyer-Produc...ag=googhydr-20

[Flystripper]

I have some buddies that use the new lifestraw steel version. They like it for the minimal size and weight.


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[BigPiney]

Really depends on how clean the water you will be filtering is.

On my last trip we had a Katydyn hiker (it got plugged), one of the UV sticks (worked well, but is a bit slow sometimes), and I also used aquamira drops. Oh and somebody also brought a dropper bottle with bleach in it.

I personally like the drops, but they are even slower than the UV light (you have to wait 15 minutes before drinking), but they are super lightweight. That is what I have been using for the last 10 years.

[Paperback Writer]

Any recommendation on water filtration systems/devices for backpacking? I have an old ceramic MSR pump that is at least 20 years old. Worked fine for a long time, but now seems to clog up before I even fill a single nalgene bottle, requiring constant scrubbings. It's old enough that I don't think they make the right size ceramic filters for it, so I'm due for something new.

I was thinking I would just grab the newer version of the same system, but I figure I might as well at least explore whether there is something better out there. Any of our serious backpackers here have a recommendation?

There are a lot of new options with water filters/sterilization. Many recommend the lightweight steripens. I've stayed with a Platypus 2-liter Gravity filter system. It's a little extra weight but very functional and I'll probably stay with it until it no longer works. One of the reasons I like it is for the 2-liter collapsible "dirty" collection bag. Water feeds from this collection bag, through the filter using gravity or compression, and into one's water bottle. The reason I like having a collection bag is because on one day hike, I managed to lose my water bottle and didn't have any back-ups that I normally take on backpacking trips. I was able to fill the collection bag from the water source, hang it from a branch, and filter directly into my mouth. That would have been a lot more difficult using my old Katadyn water filter pump. The main drawback is it's probably considered heavy from an ultra light backpacking standpoint. However, I don't always go the ulta lightwieght route since often I prefer comfort and functionality over weight - I continue to use a 2-man, 3.5 lb tent when backpacking.

Also, filling a 2-liter collection bag is easier for me than to find a suitable place for the bobber end of a pumping system. Another note: above treeline its difficult to use gravity as a force to move water through the filter but compression works fine (the collection bag has a seal) and is often faster. It's still easier than working a hand pump like I did with my Katadyn. However, I seem to always come across thru hiker's gear lists and recommendations and most of those hikers seem to be going the steripen route.

[bluegoose]

I love the gravity filtration systems. I started with an MSR autoflow, and switched over to the Sawyer Squeeze and Sawyer mini for the last two seasons. I love it. You can hook it directly to a 1 or 2 liter Evernew collection bag or even a Smart water bottle that has similar threading. Pretty slick. I have a Steripen, but have never relied on it solely for my water. I'm not sure why, but I just don't trust them.

[bluegoose]

Just spent three days in the trinity alps. My wife went with me for really our first trip together in over 20 years (pre-kids). Had a great trip. 6 mile hike into and out of the campsite, with about six miles for a day hike the middle day.

I've been to this area several times before, but I wanted to go someplace that I knew well and that I was confident that she would enjoy. We had a great campsite right next to the creek. The weather was perfect, with a daytime high of about 85 and overnight lows of about 55. There was a huge bear problem in that part of the valley though. As we were hiking in, we met a group of six people that were bailing early due to their camp being raided by an aggressive bear while they were out hiking. Took most of their food and shredded their tents and sleeping bags. So obviously we were on high alert and took extra measures to store our food up high and out of reach. The bear actually chewed through one of my paracord ropes trying to get it down out of the tree, but fortunately he chewed on the wrong one, so it held. Never saw him, despite going out morning and night in search of him.

We had a great time. Hard to tell if she enjoyed it as much as I always do, but she is already talking about a trip for next year.

[Paperback Writer]

Just spent three days in the trinity alps. My wife went with me for really our first trip together in over 20 years (pre-kids). Had a great trip. 6 mile hike into and out of the campsite, with about six miles for a day hike the middle day.

I've been to this area several times before, but I wanted to go someplace that I knew well and that I was confident that she would enjoy. We had a great campsite right next to the creek. The weather was perfect, with a daytime high of about 85 and overnight lows of about 55. There was a huge bear problem in that part of the valley though. As we were hiking in, we met a group of six people that were bailing early due to their camp being raided by an aggressive bear while they were out hiking. Took most of their food and shredded their tents and sleeping bags. So obviously we were on high alert and took extra measures to store our food up high and out of reach. The bear actually chewed through one of my paracord ropes trying to gI'et it down out of the tree, but fortunately he chewed on the wrong one, so it held. Never saw him, despite going out morning and night in search of him.

We had a great time. Hard to tell if she enjoyed it as much as I always do, but she is already talking about a trip for next year.

I've decided to accept the extra weight and go with a bear cannister. It also helps when I camp above tree line. You are bolder than I on electing to search for a bear.

I cannot persuade my wife to go backpacking with me - car camping and day hikes only. She does keep an eye on me when I backpack solo via satellite tracker that pings to a web page. And does offer up the occasional humorous text message exchange:
Wife: "I see you're off-trail...AGAIN! Are you lost or just being stupid?"
PBW: "Stupid is as stupid does"
Wife: "I felt better when I thought you were lost..Forrest"

[bluegoose]

I've decided to accept the extra weight and go with a bear cannister. It also helps when I camp above tree line. You are bolder than I on electing to search for a bear.

I cannot persuade my wife to go backpacking with me - car camping and day hikes only. She does keep an eye on me when I backpack solo via satellite tracker that pings to a web page. And does offer up the occasional humorous text message exchange:
Wife: "I see you're off-trail...AGAIN! Are you lost or just being stupid?"
PBW: "Stupid is as stupid does"
Wife: "I felt better when I thought you were lost..Forrest"

I think I’m done backpacking without a canister as well. When I was prepping for this trip, I was actually at the outdoors store looking for a new food bag. I was staring at the bear canisters, wondering if I should bite the bullet and grab one. Instead , I figured it was far more likely that a rodent would get to my food while it was laying about, so I grabbed a nice rodent bag. Should have spent the extra ten bucks to get a canister.