Gear changes for 2012

I have been spending the last couple of weeks going over my gear, researching weather predictions and deciding whether or not to change out some things. I took my third backpack and returned it to REI with the intention of exchanging it for a Deuter, when low and behold, the one I wanted all along was hanging there. If I had allowed someone to measure me in the beginning, It is likely I would have bought that pack to begin with and not needed to go through the pain of carrying around a backpack that was too big for me.

My next gear change is with my tent. Mother goose, my hiking buddy from last year is selling me a Big Agnes Seedhouse for 125.00 plus shipping. I woke to many wet mornings in my single wall tent from condensation last season, This time I hope to be able to stay dry in my shelter without needing to slip on my rain gear inside the tent, then dry out my down and everything else that got wet from the Rain inside my tent!

I am very much attached to my JetBoil stove, but its really heavy at 16oz, without fuel. I am switching to a Pocket Rocket, titanium pot, cozy and windscreen at half the weight of the jetboil. The trade off is efficiency. My Jetboil cooks very fast, at less than 3 minutes due to its innovative flux ring cook pot. I think I can handle the trade off, a couple more minutes to boil water is worth the weight savings over the long haul..

I got lazy..

I'm gonna try to keep this updated more often now, check back for more updates!

Holiday Lazyness

No thanks to the holidays and all the rich foods that go along with it, I have fallen into a place of inactivity. The weather has played a role in this as well, after all it is colder out now. Temps are barely in the upper 60's by day and even colder at night. Well no matter, it's warming back up here in San Diego finally....which means getting back outside again for me.

Tomorrow I start the Wilderness basics course that lasts for 10 weeks. This should be a lot of fun!

See you on the trail soon!

Winter Weather Arrives in San Diego?

First we have no summer. The weather in California was unseasonably cool this past summer. Mostly clouds and marine layer. Then we have summer in December; Think I didn't take advantage of that?  So Anyhow, It appears that we are to have 5 or 6 days of rain all the way up till Christmas eve. So, no day hikes for at least 10 days. I might however be getting to do a few short hikes helping to resupply a water cache in the San Felipe Hills  very soon. This I feel will help to bridge the gap between this last backpacking trip and the next long trip out, either a day hike or an overnight backpack.
~Alphabetsoup

PCT: Noble Canyon TH to Warner Springs

I have returned home after a fantastic 64 mile section hike of the PCT from Noble canyon trail head to Warner Springs (0111.5-second hwy79 crossing) Over the next few days I will be transcribing my trail journals so as to make them into something readable and understandable.. I was cold and tired when I wrote them so they are not so legible.  Check back here in a couple of days for my trip report and a few photos to boot!

--Alphabetsoup

All Packed...

Spent the entire day getting ready. After all this thought that I bought a pack bigger than I needed, I discovered I filled every inch with gear, clothing and food. With everything in the pack, Transportation arranged and me all psyched up..It's off to the wilderness tomorrow about midday. I hope I have done this all correctly, and not mis judged anything. I guess I will find out soon enough!

A weekend excursion

This coming weekend is to be my first multiple day hiking trip. I will be hiking from Mt.Laguna to Warner Springs Via the PCT sections A8 thru A14.  So far I have not overnight backpacked at all, just day hikes. "It is time I learn to dance in the rain, rather than wait for the sun " A quote I received in a fortune cookie the other day...It is somehow very appropriate for this time in my life. I shall return sunday night, maybe monday morning..it depends on how tired I am when I get to Warner Springs. I might sleep in WS and come home the following day.

See ya when I get back!