Desert backpacking

Foggy Bryce Canyon in 2010

While my housemate holds down the fort this weekend, I'll be heading off to Utah to backpack at Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks.  The lack of water there will push me back to a bigger backpack from GoLite and my Mountain Smith Daylight lumbar pack.  Not much bigger, just enough to fit a 3 liter Camelbak and the larger 1 liter bottles that my Mountain Smith can carry.  This will add at least 5 lbs to my total loaded back weight.  I'll hike less miles because my muscles will get tired and start depending on my titanium repaired backbone sooner.  Bryce Canyon is one of my favorite places.  Zion National Park is amazing too.   I'll let you know how it goes.

Zion in 2011

Found my favorite GoLite Day Pack

It only weighs 16oz.  I would like to see if I can fit everything into it.  It doesn't weigh that much less than my backpack but it has pockets on the outside making some things more convenient to get to.  I was able to get my revised list of gear inside of the bag and outside pockets with enough room for food and water.  This is what I'll be carrying on my next trip.  I might cut off the waist belt as well.

Camera on my iPad2 seems to take grainy pictures but here it is.

My backpacking gear (base without food, clothes and water)

Weights in ounces:

• Backpack - GoLite Day Pack (don't remember model) - 16 oz (1 lb)
• Tent - Big Agnes Fly Creek UL2 (2 man tent but gives me room for my gear inside the tent) - 42.3 oz (2 lb 10.3 oz) (Still thinking about going without the bug mesh and floor when I don't think bugs are around, saves a pound)
• Sleeping bag - Lafuma Warm n Light 1 Kilo Down (19-degree, seems more like the low 20's; weighed less when I bought it) - 39 oz (2 lbs 7oz)
• Sleeping pad - Nemo Astro Insulated - 24 oz (1 lb, 8 oz)
• Garbage bag to line my Backpack - 1 oz
• Stove - MSR Pocket Rocket - 3.9 oz
• Canister of butane - 11.65 oz (forgot to put this on original list)
• Cook pot - Snow Peak Trek Titanium 1 liter without frying pan - 3.6 oz
• Utensil - Light My Fire Original Spork, - 0.35 oz
• Bic lighter - 0.75 oz
• Water Purifier - Steripen Adventurer Opti (uses UV light, I also use antibacterial wipes for rim) - 4 oz
• Trekking Poles - Black Diamond Distance Z-Poles - 12 oz
• Compass & whistle - Brunton (don't remember model but got it 10 years ago) - 1 oz 
• Headlamp - Black Diamond (don't remember model but like an ION) - 1.1 oz
• GPS - Garmin Etrex (cheap old one with basic functions) - 5 oz
• Twine for Bear Bag - 2 oz
• Toilet Paper - 0.75 oz
• Water containers - (2) Platypus 2 liter with one drink tube kit, Wide Mouth Nalgene collapsable (I don't have to bring all of it on all trips) - 5 oz
• First Aid Kit - homemade - 4 oz
• Extra batteries - 2.3 oz
• Sunblock and bug protection - 4 oz
• Hand sanitizer - 0.65 oz
• Personal locator beacon - Spot Connect - 5 oz
• Maps in Ziploc - 1 oz
• Bandana - 2 oz
• Cat hole shovel - EZEE - 2 oz
• Knife - Gerber Splice - 2 oz (I might replace with Leatherman Micra, scissors are sharper, 2 oz)
• Toothbrush and toothpaste - 1.55 oz
• Hipsac/Fanny Pack - 4 oz
• TOTAL - 201.9 oz (12 lbs 9.8 oz)

I could drop over a pound by replacing my sleeping bag with something like Montbell Super Spiral Down Hugger #3 (1 lb 5 oz).  Drop a pound by not using the bug mesh and floor to my tent.

The Nemo Astro Insulated was the first time I had a sleeping pad that was comfortable enough to actually sleep instead of enduring sleep deprivation while camping so I won't be cutting that.  

I use my tent bag as my bear bag.  I fill my bag that holds my sleeping bag with all my extra socks and clothes as my pillow.

If I add 20 oz of food for each full day I'm gone and average about 2 liters of water at 35.2 oz per liter, that adds 110.4 oz for food and water for a 2 day trip to knock out a segment of the Colorado Trail for a total of 312.3 oz or 19.52 pounds.

I have more weight cutting to do but I'm happy with this for now.  Last updated 6/4/2010