As far as gear in August
- Soulo is bomb proof, I witnessed two brand new Kuiu carbon pole tents snap on a ridge line. With that said, I think the Niak would have done just as well. Soulo (26.9sq/ft 5lbs 5oz Soulo) vs Niak (36.1sq/ft 3lb 12oz) ... lose space on the ridge but gain it in the flatter areas and save 25oz? Most likely something I'll go for.
- I wasn’t a fan of the Exo, sold it and bought a Kifaru Duplex Lite for my 14-day moose and elk hunt. Night and day with 70lbs. I love the Exo though sub 40lbs, the Kifaru is stiff.
- The FHF bear spray harness did not last, I lost my bear spray 25 miles deep. I don’t think I’m bringing spray anymore. The Kifaru gun bearer gave me a lot more confidence.
- All the Sitka gear crushed. I loved the synthetics. The cotton ball cap though sucked, I ended up grabbing a Sitka cap for my elk hunt. The sweat management and breathability were huge.
- I may go with a synthetic sleeping bag next trip. It was so wet for the first week due to rain and river crossings.
- In regards to river crossings, I would have paid thousands for a pair of crocs by my 20th crossing.
- I tore my Scarpa Ribelle HDs apart with a 70lb pack, trying La Sportiva Aequilibrium LT's right now and they're trucking
- Around day 4 or 5 of glassing I would have done a lot for a chair to sit in, I'm definitely bringing one next year. I know I'll glass longer with it.
Here's the journal I took on my phone, random thoughts, I hope it helps someone. I'll have to see if I can find some time to do a proper write-up with pictures.
::edit:: I added some notes to my journal (Note) to give context
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Random Thoughts
- You need a lot of back strength for this
- Ruck ruck ruck with intended weight fully stacked
- Need to get rid of wart on bottom of right foot
- Sitting in tent contemplating a synthetic sleeping bag, I’m so wet i want to heat up but I don’t wana soak my bag. I’m too tired to make heat with push-ups. The next day I washed my pants in the stream. I went into the sleeping bag and soaked the bottom. I left it in the tent and it magically dried up! (Talked about going in the sleeping bag with soaked clothing to dry off, a synthetic bag would have done well)
- That beaver dam was on the map too!
- The weather is real. You should be able to move to where you need to go from morning until the afternoon when the weather picks up again. 3 days to hike in? I don’t think it’s a good plan of leaving takes 3 days.
- Really need to work the small glute muscles and hips, the pack tears them apart
- you can slightly control the weather variable with work, record heat? Leave next week. Tons of moisture? Leave next week (Talked about making my time off dates flexible, I'm lucky with work that I could push my vacation around)
- soaked boots are wearing on me. There’s only so many times before I just can’t keep putting them on. (My Ribelle's wetted out within 2 hours of starting an 18 hour trek)
- how to manage spotter and binos from fogging? Is a good system sleeping with them in tent? (It was just so wet from rain)
- anyway to tell if morning will be socked in or not?
- theory, if you can see the blanket coming the whether is going to be too nasty, if it’s just cloudy and crappy in spots then stay out. (This was alluding to a wall of rain coming at you)
- e-scouting posisitioned me bad on the saddle as I’m looking at north facing slopes
- never open a pro bar again to vac seal, so much oil m
- so worth it to pay a bit extra for the good jerky
- olive oil packets? Try with dinner first. Coconut oil was a disaster!
- sheep love to sit above little cliffs, the winds swoop up to cool and push away the bugs
- may want to split the spotter up for next time
Questions to ask
- best way to run ridges? You don’t want to sky line. Are you always dropping down?
- what are you doing with weather?
* super hot
* rainy … the variables of rain from light mist, to rain, to heavily coming down
* when do you make the decision to go in a tent vs stay out in tarp
- how you are figuring camp spots?
- are you ever dropping camp to go out further? Or are you always running with camp? Changing spots from sky lining
- absolutely socked in, would now be a good time to move?
Gear
- Want taller gaiters, kuiu keeps falling down also don’t like the button when putting tight
- Need to use water shoes on these hike in, practice in these and in water
- alumina covers or scope coat or both
- I always want a 0 stop now for a gun. The scope gets absolutely bashed. Ideal scope is FFP, mil, floating dot, Christmas tree with dots, 0 stop
- Need to figure new boots
- Can get rid of a few stakes
- kestrel would be nice but not needed, just extra weight
- Arca attachment clamp for gun
- side baffle brake
- Do not bring a cotton hat ever again. It is so wet
- Scarpa wetted out unfortunately, need a new boot
- decision on a synthetic or down sleeping bag. I don’t like the smell and the down keeps worrying me when it’s wet
- no more down pillow, does anyone have a taller one?
- maybe not bring spiked feet for tripod, they’re a liability
- do I need a kifaru or SG for this? I don’t know. Exo just doesn’t seem the pack meant for this.
- will probably be able to bring 2 or 3 canisters of gas next time. I’m just not boiling like I did with the reactor. More mindful of usage. Never throwing away hot water. Ran out of gas on morning of day 7, 3 canisters would definitely last. 2 is pushing it with wind.
- non rusting screws on Talley rings
- put orange reflective rope around Bino post
- how to not lose InReach mini?
- don’t think I’d bring the knee pads,
- with the 95, experiment with two sections of the spotter to keep weight up top
Lose weight
- Can probably roll with one pair of boxers, maybe…
- Get rid of cords on the hille stake, can draw them out with coordage. Ground is so soft here … note took them out then lost a few staked too deep
- can remove a few stakes
- new boots and new sleeping bag, think of weight
- Get rid of platypus, just use Nalgene, easier to mix. Can then remove platypus attachment. Add one more Evernew? See how trip goes
- sunglasses? Didn’t use
- protective cloth for GoPro? Didn’t use
- both Bino blocker adapters can go
- if you bring extra contacts there’s no point in eye solution. It’s humid and they don’t dry out. You’re also good at putting them in now.
- too much gas. Day 5 I’m still using the 4oz. No more ramen. Using only as much water to boil as needed.
- just two ear plugs for gun
- phone case, use phoneskope or metal back plate
Stoked I have the soulo on day 4, the rain came in super hard. Windy on the ridge. It helped keep Me warm and safe. Still haven’t staked it fully down yet. Only 6 stakes!!!
What’s a tarp good for?
- shelter, in so many ways though. Added space to your tent, ability to stay out glassing, quick shelter for unexpected storm. Rain water collection. surface for cleaning a ram.
Staying efficient solo
- when it’s raining, what to do? Do people tent up or use a tarp? Depend on how severe?
- if it’s not raining and it’s nice and warm, it’s too warm and the heat waves will kill you
- how does the cadence of the day go? Going to bed at 11pm and getting up at 3:30am is grueling. Later in month?
Day 1
- hiking in, terrain is massive
- luckily found my first horse trail
Day 2
- cruising
- caught in the most terrifying lightning storm
- fell into a beaver damn
Day 3
- drying out from the beaver incident, didn’t realize how soaked everything got
- did some glassing on the first hill that looked sheepy
- heavy rain at 1:45 still going at 6
Day 4
- topped out on the ridge, just figuring this out as I go
- saw mountain caribou and elk, small herd of caribou male female and calf
- saw bull elk later
- rain came in pretty hard around 2, passed out, woke up at 6:30, raining harder. Put out the tarp to catch rain.
- bathed in the rain!
Day 5
- slept in till 7, happy I did as it’s socked in!
You can’t ever expect to get out in one day. The weather will tell you if you can or not.
Missteps
- trying to dry out socks and boot stuff on gloves and pants, they stink, had to wash in river
Wish I learned more
- rucking at weight
- using my boots in rain storms and busting through Dewey grass and shrubs. Does any boot hold up to the dry test?
- not setting my tarp up every time my camp went up
- bears and problems, reading first hand accounts etc..
