Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Light weekend + pack list.

Rather than clutter up n2's thread any further, here is a list as requested, for a three day weekend. This assumes the following conditions.

Any time from now to late September in the Sierras. Altitudes 6K-9K. Daytime temps = 60's-80's Nights = (typically mid 30's - mid 40's) Assumes no major weather front forcast for the duration of trip.

Clothes worn summer.
-Supplex Nylon zip off pants
-Nylon Fishing shirt
-S/S cool max t-shirt
-under armor briefs
-Colombia Trekker cargo vest

Pack Summer (M.S. 'Ghost').........................2lb.0oz
Pack Hunting (Kifaru Late Season)............................................4.6
Camp Basics...............................................1lb.5oz
-hygiene
-fire kit
-first aid
-map,compass
Kitchen........................................................1.6
-MSR pocket R
-MSR Ti kettle
-fuel canister
-spoon scrubbie etc.
Food (3 full days)..........................................5.8
Water (1 liter)...............................................2.0
Clothes in pack.............................................2.14
-minimalist shell
-heavier shell if weather in the forcast................................+0.10
-socks 1 pr.
-capilene top
-capiline bottom
-leather work gloves
-warm upper body garment
Bedroom......................................................3.4
-WM caribou or BA horsetheif
-Kifaru para tarp
-Bibler winter bivvy
-Foam slp pad
-Self inflater pad.................................................................+0.8

------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 day Summer/Early fall trip (good water avail)......18lb.5 oz.
Add filter, hydration bladder (sketchy water avail).....1lb.2 oz


Add to above for a hunting trip

-extra weight for Kifaru pack.............................2.6
-rifle...............................................................5.8
-cartridges, saw, bags etc.................................1.2
-binos........................................range from....0.10-1.9
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hunting Trip total (sketchy water avail).............28lb. 4 oz.

JimF

I would add an ACE bandage or an air splint.
Broke my leg backpacking over the 4th and I sure could have used 1 of those items. Broke leg 3.25 miles into a 4.5 mile
trip.

Agreed 100%.......My aid bag contains a heavy duty ace, some duct tape, and cloth tape.

JimF

Gotta have my pistol and ipod <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

kkalaska, I'm one of those frequent AK tourists mentioned in your signature line, and I for one appreciated you and many others tolerating my little visits, they mean the world to me.
Don <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I do carry a handgun occasionally, depending upon the area traveled.

What's an ipod???????????????

JimF

Jim, Jim, Jim <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Please describe exactly what an Ipod is and can one actually watch movies on this as well as listen to music? What is the BEST brand/model and what accessories should one get? What is the weight of such an item plus it's cassettes or whatever?

I am still "lost in the Fifties" where digital/electronic gear is concerned.

Cassettes!....................... Kute that made my day. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

That was the funniest post I've ever seen you type. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Movies?.....Music?.........heck, I figgered it was something to rest your spotting scope on.

JimF

"I figgered it was something to rest your spotting scope on."

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Heck, my 77 year old Dad has an iPod. He loves it.

On the other hand I hate bringing that sort of stuff into the backcountry experience.

Kute,
I've got one of those 60GB Ipods. I'm no techie, but it's basically a hard drive with small video display. One can take all his digital photos, music, and movies and with a modicum of effort get them on the Ipod. I have purchased a separate program off the internet to convert DVD content into the Ipod format (much less memory needed). You can get the music into the ipod from your own CDs or you can download them from the web (for a fee), and there are many services that give you endless choices of music to download. Your photos you can scan them into the computer, or you can start out with digital photos, or you can have a service digitize your photos. Once all the data is on your home PC, or Apple, you "sync" the ipod and it just "grabs" all your stuff. I have found that the battery will peter out on an extended trip so I have an attachment that hold AA batteries, and works like a snap. Check it out ipod
I carry it often, but it's definitely a novelty item that helps pass the time after dark falls, to wind down the noggin. I do think about the survival disadvantage one accepts with his ears plugged up in some of the rougher environments. I think that if I had scenery like Brad or JimF, I'd likely leave it at home (in favor of an oxygen bottle) <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />
Don

Ipod?...LOL you guys NEED to get out of the woods. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Well, I was actually being serious, I have not clue one about ipods, GPSes, PLBs or any of this stuff, my compass is a 1969 Leupold Sportsman with the case worn silver from use. I have hiked through some of the most isolated wilderness in western Canada without all this "gack' and am just not a "techie", BUT, I have NEVER gotten lost, injured or even threatened when alone in the bush.

I checked the link to iPod and found I could actually take "Disney" into the mountains......I just howled at that. But, each to his own, if someone enjoys it, do it as this is all about what is fun for each person and is not about re-living the 19th Century or seeing who is the "toughest" re-incarnation of "Natty Bumpo".

I might get one of those and get language-training materials to study while in severe storm conditions, it would be a valuable use of otherwise oftimes dreary time. Boy, there is just NO end to the stuff they dream up these days to take our $$$$$!!!

I've got to jump in on this one. I have 21 years in the military 6 as an instructor. I teach survival and land nav, etc. I agree with Kutenay on the fact that some stuff is not necessary. I love my GPS. About 15 years ago (before GPS really became affordable) I told someone that the greatest invention they could come up with is a compass like device that would show you the correct direction to one point (such as camp, truck, home, safety,etc.). GPS has done that. I do emphasize to all my students and my kids (15 & 11) that a GPS should be secondary to land nav skills using, map, compass, dead reckoning, terrain orientation, etc., etc., etc.

Having said all of that, the reason I jumped in is because of the following quote from Kutenay:


It reminded me of one of the funniest dialogues I've every heard in a movie. The movie: The Mountain Men. The actors: Charleton Heston and Brian Keith. I'm paraphrasing here. Heston's character says to Keith's character, "Ain't ya ever been lost before?" Keith's character responds, "I've been a mite confused for a week or two but I ain't never been lost".

This thread took me right there.

A beautiful quote and we would be hardpressed to find anyone fit the quote better than "the ole Vike"! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

That truly is a classic quote!

I don't see much point to carrying a GPS, Cell Phone, Sat Phone, PLB, electric battery-powered toothbrush or any other item that WILL fail you when you really need it. Learning how to safely travel through remote wilderness and having the skills to do so in relaxed comfort takes some time, but, being able to find your way and reach your objective this way seems practical to me and it has worked for me for over 50 years.

I used to do the odd seminar with the Canadian Forces Survival School at Hinton, AB., circa 1990-91. The instructors there are the guys who regularly train in northern Canada, which is the single, largest real wilderness left on Earth and they may not have the latest gear, but, these guys live for weeks in such conditions as I also have. The crucial aspect of this is to learn mental discipline, self-control and caution as these qualities serve one far better in the bush than any techno device ever will.

Also, just because the trail is lost, does not mean that I am.

kutenay, I agree with every single thing you've said in this thread. I can find nothing with which to argue. I'm not lucky enough to train in the single, largest "real" wilderness on earth. I'll just have to satisfy myself with doing so in the lesser and safer wilderness areas of MT. Tamp'm solid my friend.

I am not trying to imply that my or Canadian experience is somehow superior to other people's; it is my opinion that a lot of military style survival training is not totally suited for many civilians due to the possession/use of techno-gear by military folks. Most civilians don't have this equipment and many of us don't want/need it.

The major issue with northern Canada, relative to other rugged, cold, damp regions is the emptiness and lack of rescue resources. The Canforce SAR people are just superb, but, they are spread SO thin on the ground that they can't always get to you when you are really in the [bleep]. The RCMP are so understaffed that they can barely deal with traditional policing issues and just do not have the ability to mount large-scale, long-term searches, typical of Canada during the past 30 years.

So, you are oftimes more on your own that you might be in Alaska, much of Asia or anywhere I can think of except Antartica, this means, to me, that "brain skills" plus carefully selected gear is what REALLY counts; I do not depend on "the Mounted" to come snowshowing along, as they simply cannot always do it.

I always plan for being stranded, alone with a broken leg and a radio/phone that is FUBAR. So, I tend to be more of a "house on my back" kinda survivor than a member of an elite military unit that work in concert. Doing this in the empty spaces of western Canada is my particular interest/experience and I certainly do not mean any disrespect to anyone's differing methods/skill sets.

The other thing I notice is that even quite experienced bush guys are beginning to ignore emerg. camps in your pack to depend on GPS, etc. technology. I think this is a serious error. I would enjoy meeting you and learning some of your skills, first-hand.