"Section Hiking" anyone?

[sussamb]

Rest and drink some of our great local craft beers. In the US we are now enjoying a wonderful craft beer era.

Very true, I worked in the US in the early 90s, very difficult then to find a good beer, and was amazed when we went on holiday there a few years ago, what a difference.  Fantastic craft beers pretty much everywhere we went along the East coast 

[mananddog]

Very true, I worked in the US in the early 90s, very difficult then to find a good beer, and was amazed when we went on holiday there a few years ago, what a difference.  Fantastic craft beers pretty much everywhere we went along the East coast 

There were always great beers if you knew where to find them. The Pacific northwest spearheaded much of the beer improvement in the 90s. There were also great beers in New England at that time. Most of the big improvements in hops have happened in The hop research centre in the USA which I think is in Oregon where Amarillo, Citra, Cascade, Mosaic, Simcoe hops which are now very popular in UK beers were originally developed. The development of Lupulin extract from hops in the Boston Brewery now extract the floral flavours with reduced bitterness. Can you tell I am a brewer and a beer lover?

[mananddog]

I've walked about 1/4 of the Appalachian Trail in three different years, hiking sections. Then I realized the AT was just too populated for my taste and quit backpacking there.


This summer I'm attempting the 500 mile Colorado Trail. I say "attempting" B/C I'm 75 and those 12,000 ft. sections may be too difficult. Or I'll just rent a d@mn llama! 

Eric B.

I did a section of the AT from the Vermont border through to the end of the Presidentials into Maine in the early 90s. It was pretty quiet even in September. The main problem I had was the damned trees!!!!! There was only a view on the Presidentials when you got above the tree line. The rest of the time you were walking in trees, looking at trees all day everyday. I went stir crazy.[/color]  

[Snowman]

Thanks for that information Eric.   I'll certainly consider it, and now you've pointed out the Craft Beer situation I'm even more keen.   


However I note that you mentioned some sections of 12,000 feet.   I've walked at over 10,000 and did feel some effects so would have to consider how to acclimatise to 12,000.   I don't suppose there are any bars at 12,000 feet where you can stay a few days to get used to the altitude?   If not, there's a good business opportunity.


S.

[Slogger]

Slogger,


You should not be carrying more than 30 lbs./14 kg. on the long trails of North America if you were using UL gear. My own gear is not excessively light but it is durable and comfortable.

For a 4 day November Grand Canyon North rim-to-South Rim backpack in 2017 I carried 28 lbs. with some cold weather clothing and 5 days of food and fuel.


MY BIG  THREE:
TENT-> Tarptent Moment DW - 2.5 lbs.
PACK->  Osprey EXOS 58 - 2 lbs. 11 oz.
SLEEP SYSTEM-> Western Mountaineering Megalite down bag - 1 lb. 7 oz.  ~  REI FLASH Insulated 3 season Air mattress - 15 oz.

My stove is usually a light Trail Designs Caldera Cone stove, 3 cup aluminum pot and ESBIT fuel tablets

Eric B.

I don't carry 30ilbs these day that was quite a number of years ago, I was just giving an idea of mileage when/if carrying that weight. Some on multi days routes over here do carry quite a bit more than 30ibs though. being an island we are always affected by seaward weather systems and so you have to go prepared for anything. Indeed we have have sun, rain, sleet and snow and back to sun all within a few hours on occasions. Our mountains are not high in comparrison with the Rocky mountains or European Alps but conditions in Winter can be Arctic. I too have the Osprey sacks in various sizes.

[Litehiker]

Slogger,


Were I backpacking (wild camping?) in the UK I would add my lightweight eVent rain pants to my gear as well as my Merrill GTX lined mid boots. "Mid" refers  to barely over-the-ankle boots. And if I knew there was the possibility of snow I'd add my GTX gaiters (and 3mm closed cell divers' socks as VBLs for added warmth). I do have a fondness for camping in snow. No bugs anon people.


Of course with rain, and being forced to cook in my tent's vestibule, I would have to leave my caldera cone stove at home and take my canister top Brunton CRUX (like an MSR Pocket Rocket) so the canister(s) would add more weight than 5 days worth of ESBIT tabs. However it has been shown that after 3 days taking a canister stove is the lighter option over an alcohol stove due to less fuel weight.


So yeah, I can see that backpacking in the UK can call for taking more and different gear than a stroll in the Mojave desert where I live.


Eric B.

[richardh1905]

So yeah, I can see that backpacking in the UK can call for taking more and different gear than a stroll in the Mojave desert where I live.

Eric B.

I imagine that carrying enough water can be quite a challenge!


Interesting your comment about the weight of alcohol - it does have a lot lower calorific value than gas or kerosene.

[Owen]

Slogger,


You should not be carrying more than 30 lbs./14 kg. on the long trails of North America if you were using UL gear. My own gear is not excessively light but it is durable and comfortable.

It really depends on how much food and fuel you're carrying. My gear is more or less the same whether I'm walking for a weekend or a long trip. What changes is the consumable. I like to get far away from the madding crowds for my holidays so I try and avoid stopping and going into towns to go shopping. I can generally get two weeks plus a couple of extra days off work at a time. This gives me fifteen days walking plus travel time. I can get the weight of everything down to about 20kg (45lbs). That's about as much as I can handle these days. The good news is it goes down by 650 - 700g (23 - 25oz) every day.