I finally got around to setting up the tent in the back yard again. I wanted to test out my sleep system one last time. I got a new sleep pad last fall but it was warm out when I slept on it. It's the Sea to Summit Ether Light XT with an R value of 3.2. My previous Big Agnes pad was rated at 4.8. I just want to be sure it's warm enough for me. It's getting down to 37 F tonight, so it should be a good test.
Better to find out now than when I'm on the trail. 🥶
I think I have finalized my gear. I still have a few days to make minor tweaks.
For food, freeze dried dinners have been purchased but I still need to go to the store for breakfast, lunch, and snacks.
16.5 pound base weight. I think that's pretty good for a guy that's 6'2", 255 lbs, and needs XL/2XL everything. I've been hiking with a 22lb pack recently and I hardly feel it.
I had an amazing weekend, I’m so happy spring is finally here. It’s so freeing to carry everything you need on your back and be completely surrounded by nature. I feel so much safer alone in the middle of the forest than camping along forest roads. I’m considering this spring training while the Cascades are still covered in snow. This trail is ideal for that.
A few more photos and some spring training stats to finish out the trip. Very happy with how this trip turned out. Will probably be back out on this trail soon as I wait for the snow to melt in the Cascades.
40 hour trip
17:35 hours hiking
39.17 miles (63.04 km.)
9,707 feet elevation gain (2,959 m.)
6,239 active calories burned
30ish pound backpack (13.61 kilos)
🧵 1/5
September 29, 1983: A relatively-level ridge walk led to Mountain View Pond. Across the small, crystal-clear lake, Boardman Mountain’s slopes were aflame with fall colors. The air was very tranquil for autumn, virtually a dead calm. A perfect reflection of Boardman was etched into the lake surface, and each stone of its rocky lakebed was clearly visible well out from the shore.
🧵 1/3
August 14, 1983: The trail turned into a virtual rock climb straight up the face of a cliff to the top of Barrack Mountain. It was a rather sadistic climb for a backpacking trail, but some open ledges near the summit offered great views to the north and to the south — some of the nicest since Shenandoah National Park.
Variety of sleep and nap stops going out and back.
Nice bivy spot for a couple hours pre dawn Saturday. Long nap in the grass Saturday afternoon watching clouds. Long bivy under a rock out of the wind storm Saturday night. Long dirt nap Sunday aft reclining on a sun warmed rock.
🧵 1/3
July 3, 1983: My final twelve miles today were in Shenandoah. The trail inside the park was well-graded and almost completely cleared of overgrowth. I hiked through dignified old forests of stately trees, following the ridgeline for most of the distance. There were a number of good viewpoints.
🧵 1/6
June 2, 1983: Beyond Carvers Gap, the trees rapidly began to thin out along the ridge crest. Near the top of Round Bald stood a small cluster of red pines.
2/ This snowshoeing trip marked a milestone for me—it was the first time that I have summited a mountain on snowshoes. It was only several years ago that I first hit the wintry mountain trails by snowshoe. Going solo and without formal instruction, I proceeded extremely cautiously, doing many repetitions on easier, moderate-slope trails and only going relatively short distances, turning around well before a summit. (CONT)
🧵 1/3
June 29, 1983: The remainder of the trail was densely wooded, generally lacking in viewpoints. That was of little consequence today. The cold rain intensified and lingered into the night. Rain makes for a much more introverted hiking experience than on a clear day. Far-off vistas disappear and distant colors are muted into shades of gray.
Planning some sewing projects to replace disposable plastic bags for these final uses:
electronics
med/hygiene
portioned calories
sets of portioned calories
cold soak bag
pack liner
I already have systems of bags I reuse so sizes are easy to spec. I’ll mostly use Dyneema remnants. It’s air/water tight(ish) and see thru. I’ll seam seal and add zippers to some and roll tops to others.
🧵 1/4
August 13, 1983: The Appalachian Trail went into Dark Entry Ravine, ascending through the perpetual twilight silence of an old hemlock forest. Long years of decomposing fallen needles had buried the boulder-strewn ground and transformed it into a soft, lumpy carpet. It was lovely, even though the stream was barely running.