Backpacking

[comiso90]

Anybody have tales to share? Advice? Tips? Favorite spots? Favorite foods?

I just got back from a 3 day trip. The hike was only 4 miles but the first 3 miles were over 2000 foot gain... pretty damn steep with a 50 pound pack on my back.

The fishing was fantastic!

I just invented a GREAT drink for Backpacking:
Lime Smirnoff Vodka and Lemon Propel with water... AWESOME.

Why was my pack 50 lbs?... mostly cause I carried the tent and rainfly. I need too spend money on lighter equipment!

 

[Wildcat]

Great pics Comiso, great looking country there.

 

[comiso90]

Thanx Wildcat.

Often when people think California, they think Hollywood, beaches and maybe san francisco but to me the real treasure are the Sierra Nevada mountains. The photos dont do them justice!.. We didn't see anybody else in 3 days...

 

[Thorlifter]

Dayum comiso, can you find somewhere pretty to go?

That looks Awesome! Where is that? Did you go alone?

I have always wanted to do something like that, but my knees won't allow it. I have a couple buddies that go every year but they wait until the middle of summer and then do 15 miles hikes over 3 or 4 days. That doesn't sound like fun to me.

 

[Erich]

a couple of things, leave the alc0hol back at the car. second what part of the Sierras did you go to, I hardly see any snow so the elevation was not that high for mid-June ? Mosquito's ?? I know portions of the east side quite well as this is where I learned to backpack/climb back in the late 1950's, I have hundreds of pics ..............

Rainbow trout ? good eating I admit over the fire

 

[v2]

nice countryside, Comiso. Great pics!

 

[comiso90]

Dayum comiso, can you find somewhere pretty to go?

That looks Awesome! Where is that? Did you go alone?

I have always wanted to do something like that, but my knees won't allow it. I have a couple buddies that go every year but they wait until the middle of summer and then do 15 miles hikes over 3 or 4 days. That doesn't sound like fun to me.

hey thor,

I went with my girlfriend. It was her first time backpacking and she did an awesome job! Backpacking is a team sport and it really helps to go with someone who chips in. There are a lot of chores: pump water, collect wood, chop wood, prepare meals, clean up, hang food.

it's good to know your limitations...u dont want to hold your buddies back but if you take your time, u may be amazed how much ground u can cover!

.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I enjoy backpacking and hiking.

One of the most memorable trips I have done was when we backpacked for 4 days through the Ashbury Trail in North Carolina in the Great Smoky Mountains and the Appalacian Trail.

We carried everything we needed on our backs. Was a great 4 days out in the wild.

My next hike will be the Samaria Gorge on the Greek island of Crete in September. It will not be backpacking though because it is only a one day hike of about 18 km. It will still be a good time though.

 

[comiso90]

a couple of things, leave the alc0hol back at the car. second what part of the Sierras did you go to, I hardly see any snow so the elevation was not that high for mid-June ? Mosquito's ?? I know portions of the east side quite well as this is where I learned to backpack/climb back in the late 1950's, I have hundreds of pics ..............

Rainbow trout ? good eating I admit over the fire

Alcohol is just fine as long as you follow a few rules:

Be aware of dehydration at altitude.. drink TONS on water!

Dont chop wood while drinking (sounds like common sense but i've seen people do it)

Clean up the area around the fire ring... nobody needs to trip.

Dont over do it

____________

The trailhead was 2.5 hours from Fresno at 7200 feet and we camped at about 9200 feet (the photos are at 7200 - 9500 feet). If you look at the last photo, there is a patch of snow next to the tent.. ur right... not much snow.

Mosquitos at this site were pretty damn bad, Its a freakin beautiful site but it's better in the late season when the marshes have dried out a bit. Mercifully, the mosquitoes went away by about 6:30 pm. There was a bit of a breeze which helped out too.

I have tons of pics also. I've been on dozens of 3-4 day trips and four 10-13 day trips.

I havent been to the east side much.. I'd like to see some of your photos.. what are your favorite meals?

I only caught one rainbow trout. the rest were Brook/Brown hybrids.. very pretty fish. I'd like to think there was a Golden in there but I'm not familiar enough with Trout varieties.

I LOVE to eat fish... except trout!... My GF ate two but I bent the barbs and played catch and release the rest of the time.


,

 

[comiso90]

I enjoy backpacking and hiking.

One of the most memorable trips I have done was when we backpacked for 4 days through the Ashbury Trail in North Carolina in the Great Smoky Mountains and the Appalacian Trail.

We carried everything we needed on our backs. Was a great 4 days out in the wild.

My next hike will be the Samaria Gorge on the Greek island of Crete in September. It will not be backpacking though because it is only a one day hike of about 18 km. It will still be a good time though.

I spent some time in the Garmisch/Berchegarden area. I didnt get a chance to do hiking but i'm sure there are some great places!

I'd like to do the Appalacian trail... different terrain then what i'm used too.

.

 

[comiso90]

nice countryside, Comiso. Great pics!

Thanks V2... how's the camping where you are? do many people do it?

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I spent some time in the Garmisch/Berchegarden area. I didnt get a chance to do hiking but i'm sure there are some great places!

I'd like to do the Appalacian trail... different terrain then what i'm used too.

.

I have done plenty of hiking and backpacking down in the Garmisch/Berchtesgarden region. My favorite was wenn we climbed (hiked) the Zugspitz which is Germany's highest mountain. We made it a two day trip and spent the night camped out half way up the mountain. Was really great.

I was in Boy Scouts at the time and we went to do it again the next year, but had to turn around on the 2nd day due to weather.

I am hoping this fall to head to down to Tirol (Italian Alpine region) and do some backpacking/hiking there.

 

[timshatz]

Used to do some of the A-trail back in the 80s when I was at Penn State. Nice area around there, but a bit like Grand Central Station on the weekends. Always somebody coming or going on the trail. During the week, it was dead.

Then again, living in a college town, I guess you'd have to expect that.

Did Val Feret in the Italian Alps back in '05. Great walk, plenty of trails to shoot out of the Valley. Could pretty much pick anywhere you wanted as there is nobody in the Alps on a weekday in late September. But a fantastic hike, cool and clear all days out there.

 

[v2]

Thanks V2... how's the camping where you are? do many people do it?

Yes, but only in south ( Tatra Mountains Tatra Mountains - Holiday Poland) and in north ( Lake District Mazury Lakes - Holiday Poland ). Very nice places for holidays...

 

[Erich]

looks like low elevation, and am surprised they have not posted signs stating no downed or live wood for campfires, farther south of you in the area north and south of Bishop this is so but of course we park the cars at 9,000 ft and then climb up to 10,000 minimum for base camp and moving forever higher till we are around 11,000' and like you said earlier - no-one is there, no bears, no Mosquitos though June is almost insane to go anywhere in the backcountry on the west coast till snow melt is down, August/September is preferable in the Sierras' as the tourists are now home, the wildlife comes out and you get a real peaceful feel of the entire region, you'll find that any type of alcohol at elevation will really mess with your head, and I cannot even count on my fingers the many we have had to haul out of the backcountry for those just a little wasted stating they thought they could handle the stuff as well as smoking doobie.

cooking trout over fire and a silly stove is an art form, you may just not have it down quite right. the old first hand aquaintance with the first freeze dried foods and Bernards barf as we use to call it in the 60's left us with a terrible feel of what may come in the future in those little dried light weight meals but they have come a long way. personally the best bet is to cook something up at home and bring it along in the large plastic freezer bags, get your pot of water boiling and steam the dinner, Mexican is great - burritos and tortillas, you can do all sorts of pastas and shrimp, yeah we eat like kings but we have done it so long, the folks we used to take out on Mt. Hood thought we were nutz until they tasted the treats before them the same went the while while we guided on Mt. Shasta as well ( used to be a high altitude Mountain guide ). Never was the fisherman like my dad or bro, my dad was one of the first in the backcountry in the Sierras along with his own father they blazed many a trail on the east and west sides, now some of these trails are almost paved and so stinking deep and wide and 4x4 could travel them, and you know of what I speak. thanks for the private I know where you were now ..........

let me suggest a spot for you and the lady or other friends, and go late season. park up the 14 mile riad above Bishop to lake Sabrina, walk past it about 2 miles climbing higher and camp by Dingleberry lake. the scenery is superb the better the higher you go, many lakes and hiking/camping and fishing opportunities to blow your mind. I grew up here in the area of Sabrina, north lake and learned my trade, another area now more for sight seeing is the area around the Palisades, a climbers region where too many have tried and failed as they don;t have a clue how to properly climb over glaciers and steep rock. Fantastic views..........

have you gone south towards Bridgeport on the east side as the area around twin lodges/lakes and above it are superlative, few trails but the country is breath-taking with the Sawtooth range in the background. Believe it or not the area is one of the "hottest" backcountry spring ski areas on this planet.

our previous trips were never less than 9 days so we would miss most travelers as we got up and usually moved to two different camp-spots.

E ~

 

[comiso90]

E ~

Im not in a hurry to camp over 9500 feet. I've had altitude sickness twice (no, there wasn't booze involved) and felt like I was going to die. I'm addicted to a nice fire, and as u mentioned, there are regulations prohibiting fires at higher altitudes. We played it by the book and secured a wilderness permit! I know I'm missing out on some great scenery; I'll have to give it another shot someday

We had pasta and sausage on this trip… VERY tasty….
For lunch, tuna sandwiches in pita bread

Does pre-cooked shrimp keep well? That sounds great.

Maybe before my next trip, I'll PM you for some more specific suggestions.

I'm surprised at the number of mylar, toy balloons I've ran across in the backcountry.

Post some pics!

 

[comiso90]

Yes, but only in south ( Tatra Mountains Tatra Mountains - Holiday Poland) and in north ( Lake District http://holidays.staypoland.com/mazury-lakes.aspx). Very nice places for holidays...

Beautiful... is it heavily used?

.

 

[Erich]

sounds liek you are already there with the altitude, sometimes it takes up to a week to get fully aclimated, one reason why when climbing from 7-14,000 feet we take a minimum of 3-4 days to get accustomed or ...you know the results, headache, no appetite, vomit everywhere, disiness like no-ones business, yeah I've done it in my younger years but got smart real fast. Again it also depends alot on what your food/drink intake is, taking an aspirin daily at least 1 week before you go aobve 7,000 feet since most of us are flat-landers whether we want to be or not.

as to Shrimp we have tried both bagged and in can form. the latter works the best, small round cans of shrimp and or crab, calms and dump it in with pasta an d white sauce accompanied by some nice white rolls and butter..............ah heaven ! and the carbo load will keep you going at the high extremes.
Do you like ritz or wheat thins crackers and cream cheese ? another energy booster along with nice warm apple cider. I had this on the summit of Mt. Hood some 25 years ago at over 11,000 ft with 3 unknowns from Colorado their first time to the Oregon Cascades, it was 6am, no-one but us on the summit, pristine clear, Columbia river was gold, the Mt. St. Helens and Adams, Rainier where glowing with the morning apline sunrise and we ate in style and had so much energy we nearly ran off the summit and dropped 2,ooo ft below we were so loaded with energy.

at present our first night we do a mexi-type salad and it is very filling to say the least. everything is premixed with a light oil-vinegar dressing to keep it all moist with the long hike in, then pull it out fluff it a little, you can even warm it slightly - steamed and then bring on the white or corn tortillas and look out ......... let the party begin !!

hey give me a buzz I have plenty of meals, in fact somewhere stashed is 9 days worth. Obviously heading up in the higher terrain one needs to keep in mind what is going to be bothersome to your insides and trying suitable dishes at lower elevation is a must before tyring this up in thinner air.

 

[comiso90]

>>you know the results, headache, no appetite, vomit everywhere, disiness like no-ones business,

YES! miserable! Followed by intense drowsinesses and sleep.... TERRIBLE. Drinking a a lot of water helps too.

I never heard of the asprin trick... does it build red blood cells?

the mex salad sounds great
It's amazing how good the food can taste.
A tube of peanut butter and honey is a nice boost too.

What kind of stove do you use? I prefer the MSR whisperlight with white gas.

Do u use a water pump? Tablets? Skim?
I use a Pur filter but I have friends that do nothing but skim and have had no problems.

.

 

[Erich]

Aspiring helps not to restrict Brain veins literally and that is what happens we have folk nearly go comotose on us on Mt. Shasta as they were not prepared for the fastness of the ascent and were not in shape to tackle the Mtn.

have used all the MSR stoves, one I cannot remember acted like a freight train but was the bst for steaming food and that is a definate plus on windy cold outings in winter, fall as i do this all eyar when I am able. Butane and propane are almost a joke though we have even used the cheap colemans at over 9,000 ft sputtering and taking forever in a day just to heat up soup - and that is a must as well, onion soup and crackers or small pieces of whole grain bread covered in PP and J.

we have used all sorts of tablets from the 60's onward in the high country though we never really needed it until the crazy 1970's when i got back from overseas, yes several different type of filter systems from pump to self contained enclosure models but we normally get above animals and humans and make sure we are close to a good source of rapid water run-off over clean, non-fungused rocks, we have never had a prob with Giardi or red fungus caused by standing water and snowmelt. One of your probs you will face with deer/bear in the country and too many humans is you will not get away from un-clean water sources. Will tell you I have had Giardi crap while in the mid-east and can say with authority it is nothing you will laugh at, I did think at one point I was going to die........... ~ plus hanging up your food or renting from the F.S. one or more of the big boy bear cannisters. even if your intent with a large group and using mule/horse-stock-packers is that it is required and you will pay hefty fees to use one for a week long adventure.........yes it sucks so reason enough to go back with a small group and go light