Hiking, backpacking, trekking, mountaineering...
- Thread starter Col_M
- Start date
We summit Mount Whitney while on the PCT last summer. Great mountain and amazing views from the top. We set off from the old ranger station (The Crabtree Meadows side) at midnight so we could watch the sun rise from the summit. Was something that will stay with me for the rest of my life! Was very very cold though!
What side are you planning to summit it from? The Whitney Portal side? It was funny when we came down, as we had been up there through the night so were freezing cold. So I was wearing everything I had (As you can see from the photo) including down trousers! On the way down, the dayhikers from the portal side started coming up, all wearing shorts and t-shirts etc. They all gave me funny looks as I looked like I had just come down from Everest!
Nice! I haven't really planned anything yet, just a few of us are interested as I'm in the area for a year and it appears to be a good climb
The MSR filters are rubbish tbh. On the Pacific Crest Trail, our MSR failed and several other people had theirs fail. We ended up using the Katadyn Hiker Pro which worked fairly well. A lot of people also used the Sawer Squeeze which looks like a really good (and cheap) option, especially for occasional use. There is some complaints that the Sawer Squeeze bags aren't very durable, but you can adapt it to fit Platypus or Evernew bags.
Out of interest why didn't you use chemical? We used Bleach on the AT. Chemical would be much lighter than a filter and quicker as well.
I'm still planning my trips but depending on where I go skiing may do a day hike or two around. I have southern Africa in April although it's a tour so not a huge amount of hiking unfortunately. If I have time I may try and get up to Fort William for a week and walk from there to Mallaig cross country and get the train back. Other than that perhaps a day on Dartmoor and I'm currently looking in to Western Australia for a few weeks at the end of the year which as I'm organising it will definitely include many walks!
I want to get into finishing the SWCP some time soonish, just need to find some days, perhaps easter may be a good time as I won't need to take time off work to do a few days... Need to get myself a nice tent (probably the TN Lazer) as I'm bored of trying to set up a tarp without any trees (using a monopod and v.small tripod...!)
This is what I thought, I guess no one is really going to know if. If you're setting up your stuff after most people have left the parks and you're probably going to be up before the majority of people have come in in the morning.
I guess the only major issue is with fires.
I've wild camped along the Cornish coast a few times on my travels on the SWCP and always waited til after dark in a remote spot (normally a beach) before setting up camp, had a quick dinner on the pocket rocket and then packed up just after sun rise. Doesn't help tiredness levels though if you do that in june...!
Could argue expanding the on the water to "Alternative and outdoor sports"
That would cover the things like sailing and Kayaking in the on the water section as well as allow walking and other outdoor pursuits.
Soldato
We carried Aqua Mira as a backup to the filter, and used it a number of times. We didn't like the idea of drinking chemicals for nearly half a year as it can't be good for you. It also doesn't taste too nice, especially when the water itself was the best tasting water you could ever imagine! Finally, chemicals kill bacteria etc, but not all 'swimmers'! One one lot of water we ended up with a tiny green beetle thing swimming around in the water bottle. We tried to get it out, but it refused to come out. So we double dosed the Aqua Mira. "4 hours later, it was still swimming in circles!
For your shelter, how about something like the MLD Trailstar and use ither the monopod or use a trekking pole.
Planning to get a few more munros out of the way this year, got 6 or 7 in the bag last year which just leaves 276 or so to do! Looking to do the Inaccessible Pinnacle next year as long as we can get some good climbing practice in this summer.
Plan for this year is 3 Lochs Way in early April and a slight variation on the West Highland way way early October with numerous wild camps on Dartmoor during the summer (assuming the place has a chance to dry out to some degree!!).
Nothing massively ambitious as I'm still easing the oh into the whole sleeping away from civilization thing
Agree on the sub forum idea else I can see this thread turning into a mini OM
Nothing massively ambitious as I'm still easing the oh into the whole sleeping away from civilization thing
Agree on the sub forum idea else I can see this thread turning into a mini OM
We carried Aqua Mira as a backup to the filter, and used it a number of times. We didn't like the idea of drinking chemicals for nearly half a year as it can't be good for you. It also doesn't taste too nice, especially when the water itself was the best tasting water you could ever imagine! Finally, chemicals kill bacteria etc, but not all 'swimmers'! One one lot of water we ended up with a tiny green beetle thing swimming around in the water bottle. We tried to get it out, but it refused to come out. So we double dosed the Aqua Mira. "4 hours later, it was still swimming in circles!
For your shelter, how about something like the MLD Trailstar and use ither the monopod or use a trekking pole.
I have to say a drop of bleach per litre really didn't taste at all, especially when you put some of that powdered flavouring they have in. The only person that got ill when I was there (out of about 20 of us - although I was only there a month) was someone who got a waterborne illness from a kitchen tap at basecamp...! Bleach is just chlorine and we have chlorine inserted into the UK water system anyway so...
Having said that a filter would have been nice at some points, for a couple of weeks I was drinking water from a spring that was about 2 inches deep. Floating black bits in your water does put you off a little.
Shelter wise that's basically what I'm doing at the moment. The two big issues I have with a tarp is you still need a bivvy (which I find makes it difficult to regulate temperature) and you can still wake up with someone peering in at you.
I'm actually thinking of making a tarp shelter, something along the lines of a trailstar or a "mid" style shelter out of sil-nylon and a corresponding inner nest, I haven't decided exactly which type yet, still just doing research. I may have to ask for dimensions from owners at some pointFor your shelter, how about something like the MLD Trailstar and use ither the monopod or use a trekking pole.
Soldato
How do you get into this or find someone like-minded to do it with? Is there groups to join? I live right on Dartmoor at the moment and moving to the Yorkshire dales shortly and up to Scotland pretty frequently as it's home... so I really should have explored the outdoors more and want to start now.
I do it mostly with family members however I do have a couple of friends that like the quazi outdoors (not "hardcore" hiking) from my undergrad course (earth science course). It is quite difficult to find others though but a club may be the best place to start. Otherwise start simple and do it on your own, for example start walking the south west coast path and then onto Dartmoor itself (or just straight to camping on dartmoor if you have an idea how to use GPS a map and compass). Dartmoor is easy to navigate if you do the southern half, no steep drops and east-west roads straight through the middle of it. Then go from there.
I know on Dartmoor there are guided walks you can go on, it should give you a taster and give you an idea of what it's all about. You shouldn't need much kit for the shorter walks and could probably get away with not having boots if it's on paths.
What is the best way to find out about walks and good locations?
I'm interested in just some basic walking fairly local to start with, just a case of buying an OS map and picking a route? Or any good sources to start from? I'd like start making local walks a regular thing.
I did some basic walks in the Lakes last summer and hope to go back again and also a trip to the Peaks on weekend this year.
Would love to do some mountains in the future or some camping.
I'm interested in just some basic walking fairly local to start with, just a case of buying an OS map and picking a route? Or any good sources to start from? I'd like start making local walks a regular thing.
I did some basic walks in the Lakes last summer and hope to go back again and also a trip to the Peaks on weekend this year.
Would love to do some mountains in the future or some camping.
Yeah, picking up a map and compas is a great way to plan routes, map reading and route planning is pretty simple but it could be handy to buy a guide book too, there are plenty available and if you're geting started they'll take you to places you wouldn't have known about otherwise and give you an idea of difficulty. Most national parks should have a good bit of info on their websites too, or pop into a visitor centre. Also like Amp34 said, there are lots of ideas on the internet too
Soldato