Sweeper... - The Colorado Trail

imported
#1

sweeper-

so i just finished reading your entire journal from last year’s CT hike. i must say that it was very inspiring and sounds like you had a wonderful time!i’ve decided to give it another shot this summer (quit half-way through for a number of reasons, lonliness being a big factor, but plan on finding a partner this time!) before starting school and had a couple questions for if if you don’t mind answering (if you don’t remember me i was the guy who left the hiker box outside of leadville, but i think dan and jeff - the guys from tennessee got to it first!)

what were you using for water purification? i used aqua mira, and it worked fine, but was a pain to wait fot it to work every time. thinking about just using the old bleach in a visine bottle.

what did you use for a stove? (i used a pepsi can stove - awesome!)

also, what did you use for a groundsheet? (i was using space blankets cut in half, but they really weren’'t that durable.)

finally, out of all your gear, what was homemade? you mentioned you made your own pants out of supplex. where did you get the supplex from and where did you get the pattern? were they comvertibles? i know you have a homemade pack. i have a go-lite breeze which i plan on doing some minor mods (pro-dealed it for like $35 so i can’t really complain.)

i saw in one of your pics what looked like an integral sil-shelter. that the same shelter i used and absolutely loved it.

anyway, any advice would be greatly appreciated! once again, i thought your journal was very inspiring and motivating! thanks!

scott

scott

#2

Hey Scott, thanks for the compliments, yeah I remember you! I almost drank your denatured alcohol in your hiker box before I saw the skull and crossbones on the gatorade cap lid! Anyway, I’m glad you’re going back to finish the trail because it is an awesome hike and the best (San Juans) is yet to come for you. Definitely take some extra time to explore La Garita, Weminuche etc. if you can.

I’d be more than happy to answer your questions, and if you have any others, just let me know.

-I used polar pure for water purification and that worked well for me. You have to wait 20 minutes but not too bad. I used a bandana to filter the water that was nasty looking.

-I used a homemade titanium wingstove (pattern and instructions from thru-hiker.com) with hexamine tabs. I would have gone the soda can route, but wanted to carry 10-15 days worth of fuel at a time and the dry fuel was light weight (but a bit more costly-- I ended up paying $22 for fuel for the trip). I would suggest you stick with the soda can stove because that is definitely a good choice.

-I made a groundsheet out of sil-nylon and it held up the whole way and is still in great shape.

-Let’s see, a lot of my gear I used on the CT was homemade. My pack was homemade and based on an original design, my sil-nylon poncho-tarp I used as shelter and rain gear was homemade and based off of the Roy Robinson design (http://royrobinson.homestead.com/PonchoPlans.html), I also made a “door” for the tarp to block out the elements. My stove, stuffsacks, and some clothing was homemade. Yeah, the supplex pants worked great, I started by making a pattern for shorts identical to a pair of running shorts I really liked, I then added the legs and used velcro to attach the legs, which works really well! Just be sure to have the felt side as opposed to the hook side of the velcro on the shorts so it does not rub on your leg

-That pic was of the poncho-tarp in action. It worked well, but is about as minimalist as I’d go. If you have a sil-shelter, you’re already set, that shelter is awesome. I hope you find a partner because I can relate at how lonely it is out on the CT. I never really got used to going solo out there. Taking side trips and climbing solo is always a bit of a headtrip. I’d go with you, but unfortunately I’ll be stuck in summer school. Oh well! Happy trails Scott.

Sweeper

#3

sweeper-

thanks for the info. good to hear that you didn’t drink the fuel! this time around i will not be carrying as much. i carried way too much fuel and was amazed on how little that stove used!

like you i am in school as well, but i will only have summer classes until july 3rd, and i plan to head out immediately after that. i hoping it isn’t too late. july will be a bit warmer, less water, but not so bad. i’m going to do the entire thing again, not pick up where i left off!

thanks again!

scott

scott

#4

thanks for all your help responding to my posts! i’ve decided to make my own synthetic quilt/bag. way cheaper than the down. all said and done it will weigh 20.5 oz. because i plan on putting a liitle more insulation in it.

what did you take as far as shirts go? i saw your down jacket and a windshirt. was this it, or were there other shirts you took?

just curious - what were the solar panel and charger for, and did it end up working?

thanks again!

scott

scott

#5

SCott-
I took two Patagonia midweight long sleeve zip layers, a North Face (I’m ashamed) Gor-tex shell, and my trusty Royal Robbins shirt that I’m convinced is the best shirt I’ve ever had.
Yes, Sweeper, what were those solar cells for? Recharging flashlight batteries? Or was it for your cell phone?:wink: Just messin with you.

Peace

THA WOOKIE

#6

heck, if you’re embarassed of owning a TNF jacket you probably wouldn’t like me! all of my stuff is from them - but hey, i used to work for them so at the least you got 50% off EVERYTHING, and that discount also applied to sale items. scored some incredible deals, so that’s how i justify it. i am not rich!!!

i’ve been trying different combinations of 100w fleece, polypro, synthetic vest, and i have a synthetic jacket (TNF of course - $150 retail, scored it for $40!) and the lightest combo seems to be a short sleeve power-dry t-shirt and the TNF jacket. the total weight of the jacket is less than a mid-weight capelline shirt and a synthetic vest, and the jacket is WAY warmer. leaves little to be desired for flexibility in layering, but when i was on the trail last year (and from my climbing experience in the rockies) it was eiither pretty cold, or really hot! most of the time i was hiking in the short sleeve shirt. the jacket would be worn at night and in the morning. i will also have a rain/wind anorak i’m going to make.

i’m being so picky about all of this because i am trying to get my packweight sub 10lbs. minus food and water!

scott

scott

#7

another idea i’ve been pondering is to make a shirt out of 200wt. fleece and leave the synthetic jacket at home, but i still have vivid memories of starting to go hypothermic on long’s 2 years ago while descending zumie’s thumb in august. temps went into the low 30’s with a lovely mix of snow, hail, and rain. went TOO light that day and paid the price! also sliced on of our ropes from a massive rock slide and my partner sliced his hand as well! but we did summit zumie’s thumb!

scott

scott

#8

Scott, I wore my supplex shorts and a synthetic t-shirt the entire way, it was one of those terramar ones. It’s the same one I wore the whole way on the AT too, sure it’s a little ratty looking, but it’s still in my wardrobe. I also had packed a change of socks, a duofold thermax zip t-neck and my montane wind-shirt that I love and the supplex leggins. The down poncho was my final resort incase a blizzard struck, but I never had to bust it out except around camp. My packed clothing weight not including down poncho and rain poncho was something like just over a pound. Your list sounds good.

Ahh, those solar cells: they work great for my titanium cell phone!!! You would not believe the reception I got on top of Mt. Princeton. I worked up an appetite, so I called Dominoes in Buena Vista and had them drive me up a super meat-lovers pizza made from every animal carcass known to man to the summit in a ford expedition. It was so cool!

No, seriously here’s the story, I installed them hoping they’d power my headlamp at night for as little as I use it in the summer. I was not using the most battery efficient headlamp, so the juice I got out of the batteries I charged on a given day was at most 30 minutes. I built a simple light which is basically the equivalent of one of those yellow photons except it runs on my two ni-mh AAs, the light can last much longer. I did not take it because I was afraid I might get stuck on a 14er at night and that would not cut-it. I ended up getting overstocked with lithium AAs for my camera in my maildrops, so I did not rely on the solar cells much after that…

Wow all this hiking prep talk and the wonderful weather we had today is given me a bad case of springer fever!

Sweeper