Finished Segment 5 of the Colorado Trail (Part 3)

Other items I carry in my lumbar pack:

• White Box alcohol stove - only 2.1 oz including the aluminum screen that goes around it and when it gets going, it is HOT.  I just use it to boil water because you can't regulate the heat.  Once you light it, it will burn all the wood alcohol you put in it.  Wood alcohol is great because it doesn't dissolve plastic items if it is spilled on it.  It will evaporate without leaving a smell and I have told it evaporates without leaving the item that was spilled on highly flammable.  I haven't tested that yet.  If I were going to cook food and needed to regulate the heat, I would use my MSR Pocket Rocket, which only weighs 3 oz but the canister weighs more but definitely an excellent alternative.  After this weekend's trip, I think I'm going to do without it, my fuel and the cook pot then see what it is like to camp without cooking.
• Varga Titanium Stakes - at 0.2 oz each, these are very lightweight.  They don't bend very easily when you are putting them in the ground, but you can lose them very easily in tall grass.  I need to paint mine with some kind of reflective paint.
• Sunblock and bug protection - I carried them this past weekend but didn't use them.  I didn't apply the sunscreen but I should have as I got a little red.  It was too cold for bugs.  Used sample size.
• Painter's plastic drop cloth - I picked up a big one at Walmart for less than a dollar and cut into into 4 pieces 6' x 4.5'.  I actually think I had the 4.5' side going length wise because my feet hung off the end.  I didn't bother to turn it the correct direction but should have.  The plastic is NOT thick.  It is one thickness greater than Saran Wrap.  I throw it away after the trip.
• Bottle for alcohol - I use a thicker juice bottle but I think I won't be taking it on my next trip.  I usually carry 5-6 oz of wood alcohol.  I've been told that wood alcohol isn't corrosive if spilled and it seemed ok the few times I've spilled it.
• Rx glasses - I carry these so I can see at night but I bent mine up on this trip.  I think I'm only going to take my Rx sunglasses and go without at night.  You might ask why I don't carry clip ons.  They don't seem heavy but the moment my face gets some sweat going, my glasses with clip ons start sliding.  I might look at it again if I'm too blind after dusk.
• Toilet paper - I think there is more of an exact science but I usually roll up about how much I think I'll need and then weigh it.  If I ever have some problems, I'm sure I'll wish I brought more.
• Bic lighter - I forgot it in the car even after I stopped to buy a set of 3 mini lighters.  Since I'm not cooking next trip, I should leave it at home since I have waterproof matches but I might bring it anyway.
• Hand sanitizer - I have a tiny bottle of it.  I always use it after nature calls.  I don't want to contaminate my food.
• Pack towel - I need to find the brand.  I bought it at REI.  I cut it in half and use half to clean my dishes and the other half to clean my face and hands if they get dirty but VERY lightweight.
• Camp soap - It is biodegradable and I kept it in a tiny 1/4 oz bottle.  I use it to wash dishes or my hair.  I bought the little bottles from hikelight.com.
• Driver's license, debit card and health insurance card - I want all of them in case I get hurt or get lost away from my car.
• Swiss Tech Utili-key - this 1/2 oz multi-tool is very sweet but takes a little practice to use.  It has screw drivers, straight and serrated portions of the small knife.  It does the trick.
• Light My Fire Original Spork - this has a spoon, fork and serrated edge.  I probably won't carry it if I'm not cooking but the plastic ones are great.
• ZipLit - I'm rethinking this.  I've been carrying two but I can't see anything with them
• Princeton Tec Pulsar - I'm rethinking this as well.  It only lights while you are squeezing it.  It is VERY bright but when I want my hands free, I want something that stays on.  I might go back to a very light headlamp.
• Whistle - I got this super small whistle at Hike Light as well.  I don't see the aluminum one I bought but this one looks just as good.

I'll talk about the clothes I wear tomorrow.  I was disappointed with the O2 Rainpants.  I caught them on a little branch and it ripped a huge hole in them.  Maybe they are too light for backpacking.  They were very light and I didn't seem to sweat under them.  I liked them except the rip.  I'll sew it up and see how they do on another trip.

Finished Segment 5 of the Colorado Trail (Part 2)

Items in my lumbar pack:

• Mountain Smith Daylight Lumbar Pack - because of my back surgery and my inability to bear the weight of even a small amount of gear ABOVE the site of my surgery, I had to modify where I carry my gear.  I basically had to become an ultralight lumbar packer.  Fitting everything in a lumbar pack has proved to be impossible for me so far.  That is the reason I carry less than 3 pounds of the bulky but light items in my RikSak.  However, the remainder is carried in my Daylight Lumbar Pack, which weighs 13.6 oz.  I could reduce that weight by cutting off the handles on the top, the buckles that go to the shoulder strap, the interior pocket and the elastic cord on the front of the pocket.  I haven't done it yet.  I know, am I truly an super ultralight advocate if I haven't done even that?  About this lumbar pack, I have modified it.  While carrying about 11 pounds, the buckles for the belt and the buckles that are part of the Delta Suspension System aren't secure enough.  I get all four of the buckles where I want them and I tie the straps in place, otherwise, they will start loosening.  Obviously the lumbar pack wasn't intended to carry this much weight so I'm doing the best I can.  Just like when people who AREN'T ultralight backpackers and test ultralight backpacks by stuffing them with 35-40 pounds of gear and stuff (something an ultralight backpacker would NEVER do), I'm using this lumbar pack for something different than it was intended but by tying off the straps behind the buckles, it works for my purposes.  
• DeLorme InReach 2-Way Communicator with GPS - this unit is 3 oz heaving than my Spot Communicator was but I was SO HAPPY with it this trip for the following reasons:

• The InReach sent progress waypoints the entire time it was on, it didn't stop.
• All messages I sent were actually received by my recipients.
• My recipients could reply back to me even when I was in places that I didn't have cell service.  The messages were sent and received through the InReach unit.
• I was able to download all my trip details when I returned.
• I was able to download all of Colorado's topo maps onto my Android device, Droid Bionic for me.  The maps work even when I don't have cell service and didn't even require me to be connected to the InReach unit.  The resolution was excellent!  I could use the topo maps and my location on them with the GPS in my phone to know how close I was to the trailhead or my car.
• Droid Bionic - I love using this phone when I'm hiking so much that I need to buy another battery or a solar collector to charge it.  I love it for the following reasons.  





• GPS - with the DeLorme maps, I can use it anywhere for which I download the maps, which unlike some other Android apps, almost all of Colorado was contained in 4 maps.
• Pictures - I can take pictures with a GPS location attached so when I download the picture with my waypoints of my trip, I can know where I was when I took the picture.  I still need to learn to take better pictures with the Droid, but I was happy with it.
• Music - I could listen to music if I wanted
• I can text (when I get a signal) to give status messages or I can text through the DeLorme InReach unit any time.
• It did go from about 60% to 20% battery capacity overnight after I turned it off.  I need to figure out what happened there.
• Snow Peak Trek Titanium 1 liter cook pot with lid - now there are multiple sizes.  Mine looks the closest to the Trek 900 Titanium.  I didn't use it on this trip.  I had just set up my tent without the trekking poles.  I was a little frustrated with how low the ceiling was because I chose too short of a stick.  I already had my shoes off.  I ate one item and crawled into cocoon liner and sleeping bag to try to go to sleep.  The next morning, I was so cold, I wanted to get walking as soon as possible so I just ate food that didn't need to be cooked before packing up my silk liner, sleeping bag and tent to start looking for the trailhead.  After not cooking 2 planned meals, I have decided to try not cooking for my next trip and leaving my cook pot, wood alcohol, bottle for alcohol, Spork and alcohol stove at home.  That will almost save a pound and LOTS of room in the lumbar pack.  I'll keep my lighter in case I need to start a fire for another reason.  The only downside is that I use my cook pot to get water from streams because its opening is big enough to use my Steripen to disinfect my water.  I'll have to bring a substitute.  I usually use it to boil water to cook oatmeal, pasta or coffee.
• O2 Rainwear Original Hooded Rain Jacket - I really liked this jacket.  It was a lighter alternative to my Sierra Designs Hooded Shell.  I liked the hood.  It fit my baseball cap and didn't hang past the bill.  The flap over the zipper almost always folded the wrong direction.  I used the jacket to shield me from the rain and wind.  It also kept my baseball cap on during the wind.  Since my sleeping pad is only the length of my torso, I zipped up my jacket and put the foot of my sleeping bag into my jacket to cover my legs.  It made a big difference.  When it is warmer, I'll also put my thermal jacket inside my rain jacket for additional insulation.  However, since the temperatures got down into the upper 20's with my 35 degree bag, in the night, I opted to wear my thermal jacket instead.  I don't know the reason, but I felt warmer overall having my torso insulated more.
• Cocoon Mummy Silk Sleeping Bag liner - this was an interesting decision for me and on this trip I was so happy to have it with me.  Since I invested several hundred dollars on my sleeping bag, I wanted to keep it clean so it will last a long time.  Normally, I get in my liner first, then I get into my sleeping bag.  It makes up for any drafts I have in the sleeping bag.  Cocoon claims that it adds 5.3 degrees to the warmth of your sleeping bag.  Wrapping the liner around my ears and tightening up the hood on my sleeping bag so that basically only my nose and mouth were out made a huge difference.  When I get home, I can wash my liner.  It increases the life of my sleeping bag.  For me, it was worth the additional investment in cost and weight.
• Extra batteries for the InReach and for the Steripen - I didn't use them this trip but are a necessary backup for me.  I could have used an extra battery or two for my phone.
• Emergency Kit - some ultra lighters like to really cut this short but I carry minimal quantities of all of the following:
• small scissors for cutting moleskin
• bandaids and moleskin
• alcohol swabs
• tweezers
• Advil, antihistamine, decongestant (I always need them)
• Chlorine tablets as backup for my Steripen
• antibiotic ointment
• fire starter and waterproof matches
• Steripen  Adventurer Opti water purifier - I love this device.  You scoop up some water, put the Steripen in the water, press the button, and 90 seconds later all the germs are sterilized.  Almost all other methods take a long time, especially with really cold water.  It sterilizes viruses and bacteria.  I wipe the edge of my container with an antiseptic wipe as well before pouring my water into my water containers.  I carry chlorine tablets as a backup.
• Extra pair of socks - some people go without these.  I like having something to change into if I get my feet wet.  I took off my shoes and stepped onto the marsh, getting one of my feet a little wet on the bottom.  I was SO happy that I had another pair.  The first pair dried in the bottom of my sleeping bag.  I wish I had been able to find the first pair when my feet started getting cold in the middle of the night.  I would have put on the liners and both pairs of wool socks if I had been able to find them.  They were there in the morning but I couldn't find them in the middle of the night.  
• 2 PowerAde Zero containers - I usually buy two sugar-free PowerAde Zeros and carry them in the mesh pockets on my lumbar pack.  They barely fit.  I can't take straight Gatorade with all its sugar.  I have an insulin reaction so I use the sugar-free PowerAde.  I refill the bottles with sterilized water after I drink the PowerAde and usually add some kind of sugar-free drink mix that replaces electrolytes.

I'll continue on with the rest of my list soon.  There are a lot of items to go and each one of them is about 2 oz or less, but fulfill a valid purpose for me.

Finished Segment 5 of the Colorado Trail (3rd Hike)

Here is the path I took:

Eastern Qtr of the Western Half of Segment 5 of Colorado Trail

Share your Adventures with SpotAdventures

This was an interesting trip for a few different reasons:

• This was my third time to hike Segment 5.  I had hiked the eastern half of it, then came back to hike the western quarter and finally yesterday and today, I knocked out the final quarter.
• I couldn't drive all the way to the North Fork Trailhead and had to hike almost 4 3/4 hours to get to it because CR-56 was blocked off.  The beginning of April is pretty early to be hiking in Colorado.  I actually didn't see a single person my entire hike except when I was in sight of my car.  A pickup was turning around at the gate where the road was closed.
• I forgot my trekking poles so I had to use a stick to support one side of my tarp.  I left the other side sagging.

I'm going to talk about my trip from a new perspective of equipment that I bring and why I use it and what happened with it:

ITEMS in my Rik Sak:

• Western Mountaineering Highlite - It was between this bag and the Jacks R Better Sierra Sniveller.  Jacks R Better can also serve as a jacket.  I just didn't know if the jacket/sleeping bag combination would work for me since I toss and turn a lot switching from side to side.  I'm glad I chose the Highlite, it fits me well but also stuffs into the little space I give it in the Rik Sak.  The zipper works well and it doesn't seem to get wet easily.  The temperatures were in the upper 20's so I did get cold.  About half the water in my 1 liter bottles was frozen so it got cold.
• ZPacks Hexamid Twin Tarp with Extended Beak and Bugscreen - Joe Valesko did a great job with this tent/tarp.  He has a 6-8 week waiting list and I originally wasn't going to wait that long to get my tent but one came up with a repair in the Bargain Bin that I could get for immediate delivery.  This tarp, which comes pretty close to the ground on 3 sides is only 6oz after I applied the seam sealer.  Current models don't need seam sealing.  About a month ago, I sent the tarp back to Joe to get the bug screen added.  It almost doubled the weight to 11.75 oz.  It didn't take the 6-8 week wait time so I used it this weekend.  I forgot my trekking pole, used a stick that was too short so it was kind of cramped but it was fine on my trip last September.  The bug screen didn't tear (I put my painter's plastic cloth, 85 cent stuff that I cut into 4 pieces, on top of it.  I didn't pitch it in ideal conditions either.  I was kind of on top of marshy soil, which I was ok on top of the painter's plastic cloth.  It had plenty of ventilation.  I look forward to pitching it with two trekking poles.  I can't find another tarp/tent for the weight with bug protection and rain protection.  There are lighter tarps but we get a lot of afternoon rain storms when I'm backpacking in Colorado.
• Patagonia Polyester Fill Jacket actually didn't fit in the Rik Sak with the larger size of the tarp with the bug screen sewn in.  I wore it the entire time any way but I'll just tie it around my waist with my rain jacket.  When I was at REI last year, I thought I was getting the down pullover jacket but I must have grabbed the polyester one by mistake.  It has worked great.  I tore the sleeve with my trekking pole once and it has worked with the tear.  I do need to get it repaired.  I use it ALL THE TIME during the winter and with backpacking in the summer.
• Gossamer Gear Nightlight Sleeping Pad - at 3.65 oz, it can't be beat for weight savings.  However, it barely protects you from the ground.  Camping and backpacking has always been an adventure of hiking with sleep deprivation.  I'm praying for 5am or the first glow of sunlight so I can get up.  It was COLD this morning, my hands and feet hurt, so I tried to be hiking by 6am.  I would like to look at a Thermarest NeoAir XLite S.  At 8oz, it will be heavier.  The bigger problem is that it will take more of the room in the Rik Sak, I think.  I need to go to a store and look at it.  I also get the short version and my legs are unprotected.  I put the foot of my sleeping bag in my zipped up rain jacket and I wasn't as cold.  Later in the summer, I put my Patagonia jacket in the rain jacket and put the foot of my sleeping bag on top of the two.  That works but it was too cold last night.
• Gossamer Gear RikSak - at 2.1 oz, I really like this backpack.  I used it to carry my iPad and other items for short trips when I went to Europe for 3 weeks for work this January.  Because of my back surgery, carrying my gear on my back even with a hip belt (which is actually hard for an ultralight backpacker to have enough gear for the bottom of your pack to reach your hips) just wasn't working.  See previous posts.  I had to move to a lumbar pack but couldn't find one big enough for my sleeping bag, tent and bulkier items.  The RikSak came to my rescue and I only carry about 3 lbs on my back.  Sometimes I'm taking off my jacket and my RikSak is coming with it.  I don't even realize it until I actually see the RikSak and its contents in my hand.

I'll finish with the Lumbar Pack and its items tomorrow.

All packed up for first trip of the season

I had to revise my gear list.  Some things weighed more than they were advertised.  A couple things dropped in weight as I have used them.  I think I'll finish the rest of Segment 5 of the Colorado Trail.  I have already hiked from eastern end to the center.  Then I hiked from western end back about half way to the center.  So I have about a quarter of Segment 5 remaining.  I'll drive to the center and hike to where I camped last trip.

I'm happy that everything fit.  I had to move the sleeping bag liner (hung it on the belt) and the Rainwear O2 jacket (tie it around my waist) to the Mountainsmith Daylight Lumbar Pack.  The Daylight also weighed 3.6 oz more than I thought I had weighed it last year.  Gaining 3.6 oz from an error was irritating.  The O2 rain jacket and pants weighed more than advertised but then I realized I use the XL size so their average weight probably comes from the medium size.

I couldn't find a Bic lighter that still had fuel or my two 1 liter water bottles so I'll buy those tomorrow.

My food weighed slightly more than 24 oz per day.  I'll see what is left when I get back and then trim for the next trip.  I'm bringing:

• Ramen noodles
• Peanuts
• Jif To Go tub of peanut butter
• 4 whole wheat tortillas
• Summer sausage
• Cheddar cheese
• Raisins
• Dried apricots
• Via coffee from Starbucks (it is amazing how a hot cup of coffee is so wonderful in the morning after a night of minimal sleep)
• Creamer
• Oatmeal
• Splenda packets (6)
• Beef Jerky
• Bars:  Oatmeal & Honey; Oatmeal and Peanut Butter
• Gatorade and other drink mixes

On other trips, I have brought tomato sauce, tuna in foil packet and cream of wheat.  The tomato sauce was too messy for me and I always seem to spill the juice/oil from the tuna packet on my gear, which is begging a bear to come visit me.

Since the ramen noodles, coffee and oatmeal are the only things needing boiling water, I could leave them home and ditch the cook pot, alcohol stove, Spork, wood alcohol and its bottle for a savings of 13.8 oz which is almost another entire pound.  That might be a serious consideration for my next trip but hot coffee, warm oatmeal or warm soup when it is cold makes a huge difference.  The cook pot does take up a lot of room in my lumbar pack.  I'll keep you posted on what I decide.

Another Year, Another Gearlist

Getting ready to start backpacking again.  Though I haven't been posting, I have been busy.  I've been working on my gear list.  Some changes have been:

• I sent my ZPacks Hexamid Twin Tarp to have the bugscreen sewn into it.  There still isn't a floor, you put your painter's drop cloth (barely thicker than saran wrap) over the bugscreen.  The weight only went up to 11.75 oz from 6.15 oz.
• Rainwear O2 Hooded Rain Jacket replaces my Mountain Designs Rain Jacket, reducing the weight from 9.7 oz to 6.7 oz.
• Rainwear O2 Rain Pants to replace my WW Sportsman polyster zip off pants, reducing the weight from 8.1 oz to 4.75 oz.
• I wanted to replace the Gossamer Gear Nightlight Sleeping Pad for a inflated Thermarest but I haven't bit the bullet, keeping my 3.65 oz option rather than 8 oz.  I'll have to find a softer place to sleep.  Otherwise, I'm just lying there praying for the sun to come up.
• I'm switching to Delorme's InReach personal locator beacon from my Spot, increasing my weight from 5 oz to 8.3 oz but I REALLY like the idea of knowing if people got my messages.  Last year, about a third of my 'check in' messages never made with the Spot.  It would also stop sending my waypoints as well.

So here is my new Gear List:

• 6.12 pounds of gear without the following:  consumables (food, water, and fuel), clothes I mostly carry in my bags, glasses, trekking poles, and ID.  
• 14.26 pounds of gear if I include everything I carry.  
• 18.69 with everything I wear and carry.

RikSak and Items in RikSak	Ounces	Pounds	Cumul Oz
Sleeping bag -Western Mountaineering High Lite	16.00	1.00	16.00
Hexamid Twin Tarp with Extended Beak & Bugscreen	11.60	0.73	27.60
Patagonia Down Jacket	12.10	0.76	39.70
Nightlight Sleeping Pad 19 x 29 x 3/4" (torso length)	3.65	0.23	43.35
RikSak	2.10	0.13	45.45
RikSak and Items in RikSak	45.45	2.84
Daylight Lumbar Pack and Items in Lumbar Pack	Ounces	Pounds
Mountain Smith Daylight Lumbar pack	13.60	0.85	13.60
Personal locator beacon - Delorme InReach - 8.3 oz	8.30	0.52	21.90
Cell phone	6.65	0.42	28.55
Cook pot - Snow Peak Trek Titanium 1 liter with lid & bag	5.70	0.36	34.25
O2 Rain Jacket	6.70	0.42	40.95
Sleeping bag liner - Cocoon	4.50	0.28	45.45
Extra batteries (2 AA, 2 batteries for Steripen)	2.60	0.16	48.05
Emergency Kit	3.45	0.22	51.50
Water Purifier - Steripen Adventurer Opti	3.55	0.22	55.05
Extra pair of wool socks	3.45	0.22	58.50
Water containers - two 1 liter PowerAde bottles	3.40	0.21	61.90
White box alcohol stove (with screen)	2.10	0.13	64.00
Varga Titanium Stakes (8)	1.65	0.10	65.65
Sunblock and bug protection	1.45	0.09	67.10
Painter's drop cloth 6' x 4.5'	1.55	0.10	68.65
Bottle for alcohol	1.00	0.06	69.65
Rx Glasses	0.85	0.05	70.50
Toilet Paper	0.60	0.04	71.10
bic lighter	0.75	0.05	71.85
Hand sanitizer	0.55	0.03	72.40
Pack towel (cut in half, half for body, half for food)	0.60	0.04	73.00
Camp soap	0.55	0.03	73.55
Driver's license, debit card and health insurance card	0.50	0.03	74.05
Knife - Swiss Tech Utili-key	0.45	0.03	74.50
Light My Fire Original Spork	0.35	0.02	74.85
ZipLit LED and Princeton Tec	0.40	0.03	75.25
Toothbrush	0.20	0.01	75.45
Walmart bag to line bag	0.25	0.02	75.70
ZipLoc	0.20	0.01	75.90
Whistle	0.15	0.01	76.05
Maps & guide in phone (scanned in)	0.00	0.00	76.05
Lumbar Pack and items in Lumbar Pack	76.05	4.75
RikSak and Lumbar Pack with their contents (including jackets)	121.50	7.59
Base weight without clothing, glasses, IDs and consumables	97.90	6.12
Consumables	Ounces	Pounds
Food 2 days (~24oz per day)	48.85	3.05
5 oz of denatured alcohol	5.00	0.31
Water 1.5 liters (average, start with 2 @ 70.40oz)	52.80	3.30
Consumables	106.65	6.67
Total packs and items carried in packs	228.15	14.26
Worn clothes & trekking poles	Ounces	Pounds
New Balance GTX Hiking Shoes	33.50	2.09
Socks (1 pair wool, 1 pair liner)	4.95	0.31
Nylon shorts (with mesh liner)	5.35	0.33
O2 Rain pants	4.75	0.30
Synthetic short sleeve shirt	5.80	0.36
Liner gloves	1.90	0.12
Synthetic Baseball cap	1.80	0.11
Rx Sunglasses	0.85	0.05
Black Diamond-Distance Zpoles	12.00	0.75
Worn clothes and trekking poles	70.90	4.43
Total carried in packs, clothes worn and trekking poles	299.05	18.69
OPTIONAL ITEMS
Thermal underwear (top)	11.85	0.74
Thermal underwear (bottom)	9.10	0.57