Maildrops Done!

Ah. So, I believe I have my maildrops set up. Thank the Lord. It's been so stressful thinking about this; how to plan for situations I've never been in, when half the variables are unknown (how fast will I be hiking? Will this or that store be open yet? How willing will I be to take extra time off in towns?). I hate planning, especially on a thru-hike, which is so much about freedom, being in the moment, and living simply, day to day.

Anyway, Here's the list:

• Agua Dulce (maps only)
• Kennedy Meadows
• South Lake Tahoe (maps only)
• Belden (maps only)
• Ashland (maps only)
• Crater Lake at Mazama Village
• Cascade Locks (maps only)

I had planned a drop at Vermillion Valley Resort, but figure I'll hope the store and hiker boxes are stocked enough for a couple days, at which point I will be able to get into Mammoth Lakes for full resupply. When I scrapped that idea, I had all this food sitting in my room, and figured I'd box it up and send it to Crater Lake, where I planned a drop anyways, but one to be sent from the trail.

I was also going to send a drop to Tuolumne Meadows, at least maps, but with the crazy heavy snow year (near record) it may not be open in time, at least not in enough time to get a package sent there. I hope it will be open and I can grab some food from their store. If it opens early and I hear about it, it's likely I will send a small drop there from the trail

And that's exactly my plan for the rest of my maildrops. Much of the Trail in Oregon, and Washington for that matter, doesn't go by towns much. Instead "resupply" points are at ski resorts and the like, and the resupply is pretty iffy. So I'll probably send a big batch of drops from Ashland, OR to the Oregon resorts, and do the same from Cascade Locks, OR for the Washington section. No sense mailing it all the way across the country, and anyways I don't really have a resupply person as such. My sister said she or my bro-in-law would send out the few drops I do have. But I don't want to leave a ton of stuff for them to do.

The boxes for Kennedy Meadows (the 2 on the right) are rather funny. I may or may not be oversupplied for it, but I do know those boxes feel heavy. Two large Flat Rate Priority Mail boxes stuffed with food and warm clothing. Those, plus my ice axe, which is a mess of cardboard and tape. Looks kinda scary, I hope the PO will ship it!

Gear List

For all you gearheads, here's what I'm taking. I don't have all the brand names, and this isn't quite finalized, especially the clothing. There's probably some odds and ends I'm forgetting, but this gives the gist of it.

Big Three:

• ULA Catalyst internal frame pack
• Etowah standard 8 x 10 nylon tarp, camo print
• Marmot Helium 15 degree down sleeping bag

Kitchen:

• Snowpeak titanium mini solo cookset
• hobo stove
• pop can alcohol stove
• fuel bottle (aquafina 16.7 oz bottle)
• spoon
• bandana
• lighters (2)
• REI stuff sack for food bag

Water:

• two 1L Gatorade bottles, and a gallon milk jug (may substitute a 2L pop bottle)
• Aquamira

Clothing:

• polypro long johns, top and bottom
• convertable pants
• swimming shorts (may get some running shorts instead)
• short sleeve shirt from REI (nylon?)
• Colombia long sleeve button down shirt
• fleece sweater
• rain jacket (may replace with a lighter one)
• Dri Clime windshirt (maybe)
• socks: 2 pair wool ankle socks, 2 pair liner type socks (not for use as liners,  though) and one pair heavy wool sleeping socks. Probably too many socks.
• floppy wide brim hat from Target
• $20 sunglasses from Walmart (polarized)
• warm knit hat
• La Sportiva trail runners
• homemade sandals for camp

Other:

• Opinel knife
• cheap blue sleeping pad
• Black Diamond headlamp
• Photon II mini-light
• MP3 player
• Phone and charger
• Nikon Coolpix s500 digital camera (mine is stylish, in black)
• camera battery charger
• Leki Malaku Tour trekking poles
• journal and pen
• rope
• toiletries
• first aid kit (minimal)

For the Sierras:

• Black Diamond ice axe
• bear canister
• REI down vest
• mosquito head net
• gloves (with the mitten covers that pull on and off)
• even heavier wool sleep socks

Half of this stuff I either found (headlamp, foam pad, warm hat), made (stoves, sandals), or already had, which explains why the swimming shorts. I'm pretty good at getting by with what I've got, making do, and am not afraid. Compared to what heavy, clunky gear I hiked with on the Appalachian Trail, like my 5 or 6 pound $50 external frame pack, I think this time around is going to be better no matter what.

Tarp Camping

I mentioned before that I've decided to tarp camp on the PCT. Anyone who knows me, hiked with me, or followed my AT blog knows I did this out on the Appalachian Trail as well, for part of the way. They also know that it was a rather miserable experience for me. So at this point, you might be thinking, "geez, this guy really is a masochist."

Well, I'm not. Really I'm not. But I like simplicity, and philosophically speaking, I go out to nature to experience it, to not be cut off from it. I don't even like zipping up my tent at night, so I can feel closer to the night and the world. There's nothing wrong with a few mosquito bites, the body does in fact become acclimated to it and they stop itching and swelling. The first couple weeks may suck, though...

But I've learned about tarp tenting since then. I now have an Etowah tarp, camo print, much lighter than the standard blue tarp I bought at the Walmart in Franklin, NC. It is more handy for various set up shapes as well, isn't visually obtrusive, and isn't as noisy in wind. Here's a great video on a pretty slick configuration using an Etowah tarp. Just one of several new pitches I've learned.

With this and other set up shapes (Flying Diamond, A-Frame and modified A-frames), I shouldn't have any problems with getting wet in rain. And I now know not to set up over a slight depression on ground that doesn't absorb water... Site selection is everything.

I won't be using any DEET this time around, either. On the AT, it eventually got to the point that I'd lather myself up with the stuff, so I could sleep, since I couldn't hide in my 20 degree sleeping bag in the summer heat. No more of that poison is going on my skin, unless I'm seriously going batshit. I may end up getting a piece of mosquito netting to drape over the open end of the tarp, or I'll just have to let myself get used to the histamine or whatever it is in mosquito spit. I did this in New Jersey last year, and it worked; and it almost seems that most of the benefit came after I changed my mind about it, and accepted them. A mind over matter thing.

I hear the nights out there are cold enough that it isn't a big deal anyways. The only issue is when one is hanging around camp, and I don't mind swatting at bugs for that. I also have a headnet, my one concession to the skeeters I hear live in the High Sierra.

Hobo Stove

Ready for use

I thought I would add some pictures of my stove set up, or part of it. I have a penny stove that burns denatured alcohol, but plan to build a new one that's slightly more complex to make but easier to use. I have the hobo stove here because I like the idea of not having to carry fuel, though I plan to use a hybrid approach on the trail. (click photos for full size).

I used a juice can, pineapple if I remember right (mmm...), with holes punched around one side of the bottom with a church key (visible in the pics if you look closely), and four at the top with a hole punch or drill. To cut the large hole, I just scored it repeatedly with a box cutter and pressed until it split. I cut up a coat hanger for the pot supports (though will probably switch to tent stakes).

I cut a piece of 1/2" hardware cloth into a square, folded the corners down, and rammed it into the can (using another, smaller can to push). This supports the fire, allowing air to come in from underneath for a chimney effect.

My pot (Snowpeak 700) nests inside of the can. I specifically purchaced this pot for its dimensions for just this purpose.

Thanks to my uncle Gordie's love of fine liquor, I have a nice carrying sack to contain the soot (a minor issue anyways).