In earlier posts, I mentioned that I have three ground pads: a 3/4 Thermarest, a full-size Thermarest and a down-filled Exped Downmat 7. The D7 is heaviest, but is thick and ground-insulating with an ultralight sleeping bag. In a Yahoo discussion group a guy was inquiring about the Gossamer Gear 1/4 inch pad. A reader responded saying: Keep reading →
In mid-October, wearing bright orange vests to avoid being killed by deer hunters on horseback, backpacking companion Wild Bill and I ventured into the Snow Mountain Wilderness. Parking at the Summit Trail (30 miles from Upper Lake, California, we hiked 1,000 feet over 2 miles and ended up at a meadow surrounded by spruce trees. A short distance away was a notch that led to a killer view of the mountains toward the setting sun. Only two miles from the Snow Mountain Wilderness Peaks (about 7,000 feet each), we were amazed at how few miles we had to pack to be totally away from just about every other individual (except four hunters at the beginning). See for yourself. Truly, a wild place for old men who want to carry less, see more, and have total solitude.
Be light. Be safe. Be one with the pack.
PS - This is my first amateur video. I’m using the $125 Flip Digital Technology web camera, which holds 1 hour video and weighs just 5.5 ounces with batteries.
When I say go wild, I mean get out where no one else goes. I’ll soon be heading out to the Snow Mountain Wilderness, which even at around 6,500 feet, feels like the Sierra and has views to the ocean on the west. It’s located north of California Highway 20 and is sandwiched between Interstate 5 and Highway 101. My first trip there was June of 1997 — my second backpack. With beautiful fall weather (70’s in day and 40’s at night) predicted — an 50+ backpacks under my belt, I can wait to go back. Most backpackers have mothballed their gear for the winter. But October and sometimes even November in Northern California can have perfect backpacking weather. Back to going wild: we expect to see no one else on this trip. Some other wilderness suggestions: Yolla Bolly, Cache Creek, Marble Mountains and Canyon Creek Trail in the Trinity Alps (look out for hunters). Evem in peak season, you’ll see few if any backpackers on the trails.
Be light. Be safe. Be one with the pack.
