Pacific Crest TrailComet walks from Mexico to Canada

My Annual Day Zero Pacific Crest Trail Kick Off (ADZPCTKO) name tag from 2009.

Final preparations are in full swing. Test and clear spare memory cards for the camera, put together a rough idea of resupply points, fill dropper bottles with Dr. Bronners, review journals of current year hikers to see what snow conditions are like, and print re-route maps for areas of trail closed due to last years Station Fire.

random desk stuff

Pictured above is the guide book I will use, the PCT Atlas. Actually it is one of five in the series broken down by section. It looks great so far but I’ll know if I really like it in a couple weeks.

Also pictured is my luxury item. A 2nd generation iPod shuffle (the purple thing in the mess of small things). 1GB of sonic company for the trail. The white thing sticking out of it allows me to plug it into the black rectangle thing to charge. The black rectangle thing is a USB rechargeable battery pack, so it also charges my phone.

Breaking in my first pair of shoes now. I’ve worn out at least a dozen of the exact same pair, so I know what to expect in terms of break in. There isn’t much needed at all. I do however make a modification as seen below. Usually I only do this when using them to run as hiking doesn’t produce the same degree of friction.

mark with a sharpie the area to cut

this is where my heels dig into the shoe, these are 400 miles or so into the pair (yes they changed the color scheme, but they are the same model shoe)

I know it looks like it would be painful, but it’s not.

Anyway, apologies to those who have emailed me and not received a reply. I’ve been busy with final preparation. Back to it…

All the photos for this post appear above in a gallery format. Click on the first one and then navigate through by clicking on other pictures. This is probably how photos from the trail will be posted when I send memory cards home to Nicole, so I though I would test it here first.

Time to talk shelter. I am going to start from Mexico with the Gatewood Cape (GC) by Six Moon Designs. The GC is a multi-function tarp, rain poncho, and pack cover. After the Sierra’s (Northern California) I plan to use my backpacking hammock. I am not starting with the hammock because suitable trees to hang from in Southern California are few and far between.

When bug protection is needed with the GC I’ll rig netting inside to have my head and mid section protected. My legs will be covered by my quilt or wind pants tucked into socks depending on the temperature. I’ll use sticks, trees, and rocks to help get a tight pitch of the tarp. When I switch out the umbrella for trekking poles before the Sierra, I’ll be able to use the poles to assist with setup.

I should mention that in all of the GC photos one side of the “door” is open. A flap zips down and completes the 360 degree protection of the tarp.

The Hennessy Hammock (HH) Hyperlite Backpacker A-Sym model has built in bug protection. From AT experience, New Jersey to Maine I always found a place to hang my hammock. One of the more interesting places I hung it was to support beams under the deck of an off season a ski lift on top of a mountain. The sunrise the next morning was incredible.

In the HH a-sym model of hammock you sleep with your head and feet off center of the ridgeline. Picture the way you relax in a typical backyard hammock, then put your head off to you left a bit and your feet off to the right. The HH is designed sleep asymmetrical like this which straightens your back. It may not be for everyone, but trust me, it works.

A fact of hammocks is that you may be in a situation where no matter how creative you are it is not practical or possible to hang. In these situations it is good to know how to “go to the ground”. It is possible to set up the hammock like a big bivy sack. A photo appears above of a hammock ground setup accomplished using two trekking poles. Remember that the idea here is that you are on the ground, not suspended.

Some pros and cons and other points of the GC and HH…

The GC is a lighter shelter system than the HH and is multifunctional as a rain poncho and pack cover.

The HH has built in crawling and flying bug protection and is much more comfortable for sleeping.

Because the hammock bottom is exposed to cold night air an insulating pad or underquilt is needed when it gets cold out. A green underquilt can be seen in the pictures below. For this trip I am using a wide 1/4 inch insulating pad which can also be folded in half used as a 1/2 inch pad if I need to setup on the ground.

The bottom line is I have used each of these systems successfully, and like anything, they have strong and weak areas.

I could go on much longer about the sleep systems but will stop here so that I can continue to prep for my departure. Please leave any questions in the comments and I’ll do my best to answer them.

A detailed spreadsheet of my Pacific Crest Trail gear is now available by clicking on PCT 2010 gear list under “links” on the right hand side of your screen. Changes that I make as I tweak this list are updated in real time, but there won’t be many made at this point. Once on the trail, however, flexibility is essential. If a piece of gear or system isn’t working it will be swapped out or changed.

The spreadsheet represents years of trial and error as well as research. My goal is to get the pack weight down without sacrificing safety and while actively experimenting with comfort level. Among other benefits, a lighter pack makes for a more enjoyable hike and decreases the chance of injury.

A few other notes about the gear list… The weight measurements are made to the tenth of an ounce using a digital postal scale. The spreadsheet does not reflect water or food weight as these are consumables and vary depending on distance from the last source. The weight listed under the “pack” heading is also known as the base weight. For example, my base weight at the start of the hike will be just under 8 pounds.

Lastly, I do not recommend using this or any other gear on an outing without first testing it for yourself. That said, enjoy!

Comet's PCT pack

I am posting about different pieces of gear that I am taking with me on the Pacific Crest Trail. The first piece of gear I’ll talk about is my pack. It is one of the traditional “big three” when it comes to backpacking gear. The other two components are the shelter and sleeping bag/quilt. I will highlight the other two pieces in future posts. Typically these are the three heaviest pieces of gear you will carry and for an extended trip.

out for a test hike

I am using a homemade pack. Yes, this means I sewed the pack I will carry. The pack kit (which includes materials and instructions) can be purchased from Ray Jardine’s site. Check out the resources page for more information on Jardine and his gear kits.

laying out material to mark and cut

The pack weighs in at 9.3 ounces. This weight may sound unreal, and for many the durability of something so light comes into question. I assure you this pack is reliable, and I saw many of them make their way thousands of miles up the Appalachian Trail with no issue.

"frontpacking" on the AT with Chopsticks' Ray-Way pack

One of the ways in which the pack weight is able to remain minimal is due to the fact that this is a frameless pack. There are no aluminum stays, no back padding, not even a hip belt. My sleeping pad (pictured below) will curl inside the pack to create structure and provide back padding, and with a lightweight load there is no need for a hip belt.

an empty pack with the ground pad rolled inside to create structure and provide padding for the back

There will, of course, be times when a heavy load must be carried. Examples are: in the desert of southern California where extra water must be carried, in the Sierra’s where a bear canister is required by law, and when freshly resupplied with more than 3-4 days of food. In these cases, the extension collar of the pack will be used. It is the silver/grey area of the pack in the picture below.

Benton helps show the extended capacity of the pack

There are three outer mesh pockets. Two on the sides and one large one pocket the back. The two side pockets will most often be used for carrying water and fuel for my stove. The back pocket will likely carry my section guide book and is useful to stow wet gear such as a tarp after a storm.

getting ready to sew the mesh pockets

Lastly, there are double black straps on the sides of the pack near the top. The straps can be used to hang socks to dry or any other variety of uses. They can also be used to help secure longer items that will be in the side pockets, such as my umbrella. Yes, I said umbrella. More on that in a future post.

the packstraps are easily adjusted while hiking

approx. 2,150 cubic inch pack body, plus outer mesh and extension collar.

Please ask further questions in the comments and I’ll update the post or add the q&a into the faq section. Thanks!