Shipping gear to Denver vs. flying with it?

imported
#1

The airlines are going to hit me up for the money anyway to bring my backpack with me on the plane. I am thinking that I might as well pay the same $$ amount basically and mail it to a Denver post office on the route to the Colorado Trail trailhead as to ensure the certainty and lowered hassle (?) of the gear getting safely to Denver. My only apprehension I guess is getting to a post office easily in Denver once I arrive. I do like the idea of being more agile leaving the airport on SkyRide, not having to lug a backpack onto the light rail train and bus and not having to wait around for the backpack to surface at the luggage depot. A big drawback is having to mail the backpack at least a week ahead of my arrival to Denver. I guess I just don’t like the idea of my gear getting lost on the flight too. Of course mailing it to DEnver it could get lost as there are more transfer nodes along the way. Opinions? Should I put my back pack in a box and check it at the airport?

HankPoisson

#2

How about shipping it to the hotel where you are spending the night. The airport is an hour and a half from the trailhead. There is no camping the first 7 miles. It is possible to arrive, get fuel and last minute food and start hiking in the same day, but…

I use my pack for my carry-on bag and check my gear in a suitcase. That means I need a place to leave my suitcase while hiking.

Shipping to the hotel solves a lot of logistic problems, like what do you do with your gear while shopping for fuel and food?

food

#3

I hope to fly into Denver and head up to Waterton the same day. Plane arrives mid-morning. Maybe get to the trail by 2 PM if I hustle, which is really hoping for a lot. Anyway, I might just look for an inexpensive gym bag or something to put the pack in for the check-in. I’ve done that before for trips out To CA for my JMT hikes. A simple nylon gym bag that weighs near nothing would do the trick. I’ll need to to take a walk to REI in Denver to get a fuel canister too. I did not pencil into my itinerary a stay in Denver. Maybe I should if I can stay at the hostel.

HankPoisson

#4

On the plus side, if you can reduce your packweight, packsize, and gearlist to the point where “having to lug a backpack onto the light rail train and bus” becomes a GOOD thing and not a negative, then just imagine how awesome walking on your thru-hike will become. Happy trails.

fandango

#5

Based upon how well I can resupply on the CT, I am shooting for keeping my pack weight less than 30 lbs, which includes a full CamelBak 100 oz. bag and the 4 day food supply ration. I am bringing cold weather gear, and that is bulky/adds some weight, even though majority of it is synthetic or down.

HankPoisson

#6

That’s awesome if you can keep your total pack weight below 30 with 4 days of food and 100 ounces of water. The water and food is at least 15 pounds which leaves you maybe 15 pounds for everything else. I would bclasping 35 with 4 days food and 100 ounces. Must be my creature comforts (pillow, tent, thermos). SJ Ron. :slight_smile:

San Juan Ron

#7

Check the pack
In 2009 I checked my pack with USAir from Manchester, NH and it arrived safely in Atlanta. Take no fuel or combustibles, use your pack cover, and let it go. I even lashed 60" wooden walking sticks to it and the pack arrived no problem. This past week, I did the same thing on a Southwest flight from Manchester to Burbank with two plane changes and the pack also arrived intact.

Ankle Express

#8

I have a few weeks to do triage on my pack weight. Definitely bringing cold weather gear. Food weight I may skimp on, as I can resupply if push comes to shove, at many towns along the route. The water weight is a certainty. I have read about lack of water in some stretches. The most I can take is maybe 4 miles of walking without water to sip.

HankPoisson