"The Doubler"

[Cledus]

Super cool story to follow along, thanks for sharing! Dream hunt.


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[jherald]

Always enjoy these write ups of the northern range adventures. Awesome hunt, congratulations.

 

[Stid2677]

I don't blame you for packing a "heavy" shelter. My Hilleberg Tarra weighs 8.5lbs but it's 8.5 lbs of bombproof bliss on the mtn and it doesn't have a heater! So a little over 4lbs each. But, my partner wanted to use his Black Diamond TiPi so we did. About 3lbs, plus we each packed visqueen ground sheets and I put my down BA Zirkle bag/pad in a 8oz cover/bivi. I don't know what all that weighed (tipi, visqueen, bivi) maybe 5lbs total? It was a wet, drafty shelter. On this years wet, wet hunt I really missed my dry, warm, Hilly. For another 2lbs each we could have had a much better shelter. I've never been climbing up an mountain and thinking.... "ug, I wish my pack was 2lbs lighter..." Heck, I probably lost 2 lbs the first 2 days!

I also pack a little heavy on food, I need it. Gotta feed the machine! Optics, hey..... if you got it flaunt it ... you can't hunt what you can't see!

I think the "golite or go home" mentality has become a "lightweight" obsession. At some point saving 2 or 3 lbs can come at too big of a cost. If a guy is wet, cold, tired and hungry he's not up to his game and could be headed to bad situation. The better shelter, bag, clothes, food or whatever at 3lbs can be worth it's weight in gold, as you just proved on this hunt. Nice job Steve. Good to see your still at it.

I agree, a few pounds of the right gear makes all the difference.

I lost 7lbs during the trip and Chris lost 9,, This is about normal for me and one reason I struggle with my Kifaru pack belts, they fit on day one, but I run out of belt to tighten on the way out and I get pack slip. The SG Xkurve really stayed put, very happy with the new pack. I did miss my EMRII bag,, love that bag setup.

Another trick in my bag, is to pack pieces of duraflame logs. These small pieces burn very hot and are key to getting wet willow and evergreens to burn. That and my thermarest pad blower, it was used to inflate our sleeping pads, rafts and the stoke the fire. The little blower helps keep moist lung air out of your pad too.

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[BRWNBR]

Congrats guys! I'd go with you just to pack sheep and shoot bears!

 

[akrdkill]

wonderful again steve...love reading your stories..

 

[Medic77]

What an amazing adventure. Congrats to both of you

 

[Stid2677]

Yes,, they are as good as they look. Off to look for a moose.......

 

[BRWNBR]

Better hurry Steve, I think Luke got a solid head start on ya!

 

[AK Troutbum]

I just finely got around to clicking on this thread and wish I did it sooner. Great write up and photos Steve! Congratulations to you both on a fantastic hunt and rams. Good luck with the moose this year and don't forget your lucky hat.

 

[dhoftiezer]

Awesome story Stid, congrats on a great hunt!

 

[Daniel_M]

"The Doubler"

Awesome write up Steve. I passed by yesterday for my fix of Mongolian Beef, Crab Rangoons and Lettice wraps. Wished you were available. Next time bro.


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[FishfinderAK]

Thank you for the awesome write up Steve !
Only 1 lb of food per day?! That's awesome. This is where I feel like I struggle. Mind sharing some of your lightweight food ideas?

 

[PA 5-0]

Epic trip Boys!! Congrats!!

 

[realunlucky]

Excellent write up Steve. Man loved your pictures and story telling thanks

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[targetpanic]

Fantastic story and hunt! Congratulations!

 

[luke moffat]

Finally got around to have enough time to read this all word for word. I knew it'd be a good write up and I didn't wanna rush and skim read.

Thanks for the great write and congrats to both you and Chris...way to get it done!!!

Thanks again for taking the time to put this story together.

I like forward to next springs bear hunt!

 

[Nick Muche]

Nice write up Steve, looks like a fun time! Congrats on the rams!

 

[Stid2677]

Thank you for the awesome write up Steve !
Only 1 lb of food per day?! That's awesome. This is where I feel like I struggle. Mind sharing some of your lightweight food ideas?

After bringing food back time after time, I now plan for 1 Mountain House per day. I like to pack a few like biscuits and gravy, that I can eat in the morning or at night. For the mornings, I bring grits and oatmeal, I slit the bag and pour hot water in the bag so no sticky bowl. I bring precooked bacon crumbled up and add that to my grits and other meals. I pack nuts and nut mixes, hard cheeses, dried meats, snickers and lara bars. Simple Ramen,, amazing what a warm broth and a few carbs can do, quick and easy when exhausted and cold. A hungry hunter hunts harder, I bring a MH mac and cheese and hope to add some camp meat, some mashed dried taters too.

I try to leave a few MHs at the strip in a bag with some extra fuel, book, bullets, stuff like that. Plus I don't mind helping my hunting partner lighten their load for the flight out.

Sorry for the late reply was out helping a buddy get an archery moose.

 

[Stid2677]

Nice write up Steve, looks like a fun time! Congrats on the rams!

Thanks Sir, and congrats yourself on a great ram and even better taken with a family heirloom.

 

[adventure907]

Thanks for the write up Steve! I always enjoying reading about places I haven't had the opportunity to hunt much. I've spent some time in the Brooks, but never chasing sheep. One day I will, but until then I'll live vicariously through you and the other folks that hunt the Brooks Range.