Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Packing for the Sierras

Finally, I'm almost ready to leave for my "summer finale" The trip is planned for 7 days starting @ 7,500' then following a fork of the San Joaquin river to it's source @ 11,200' Once there, there are options of several high country basins to explore and dozens of unnamed lakes. This won't likely be a great fishing trip due to the heavy snow, but the gear is going anyway.............Golden Trout!!

This trek may cover as little as 50 trail miles or as many as 70 depending upon what I feel like. Anyway, I'm leaving for the trailhead near Kings Canyon NP tomorrow evening and will be hiking by Monday noon(ish).

The load looks like near 40 lbs all up incl water. This is more than I normally carry, but I'm indulging this trip with both spin and fly gear, a couple of books, and some experimental clothing (hence a little duplication)

A few gear highlights................

Bedroom 3:14 oz/all up
All items fit in Granite Gear x/s compression sack (except pad)
Bag...........WM Caribou
Cover........Bibler winter bivvy
Tent..........Kifaru para tarp
Pad...........REI lite core 3/4

Clothing 4:0 oz some experiments here.

Patagonia Dragonfly as rain shell (4 oz.)
May not work so I'm taking my "real" rain shell too.

Marmot Wind Pro l/s fleece as warm upper body layer.
May not work, so, I'm taking my Patagonia PB vest as insurance.

Socks, experimenting with Patagonia Capiline, Wigwam Merinos, Smartwools.

Underwear, trying out Patagonia Capiline Briefs, Capiline Boxers, Brooks mid thigh running tights, Underarmor long briefs.

Food.........

7 days is hitting 16 lbs, but a big chunk is an 890 Cu In Bear Canister. Plus, I'm carrying "foil and oil" (fish ya know)

Experimenting with a whole grain "Logan Bread"
Experimenting w/jerky, fruit, & PB "Pemmican" (calorie bomb)
Experimenting w/freezer bag cooking for brekky & dinner.

Bear canister is sooooo bulky that I'm having to take my "big" pack. Kifaru Longhunter. My smaller "Late Season" would handle the weight, but couldn't take the bulk without festooning all kinds of pockets all over it.

I'm about packed. Gotta charge the camera battery, seam seal my bag cover........uhhhhh.......hmmmmm.....I know there's somethin'..................... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

Oh well, I broke training tonight. No beer for the past 45 days while I've been running. Now, I'm on my third "Scape Goat" pale ale..............yahoo!!

Gotta be something I can dump outta this load........................ <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

JimF

Nice to see your list, hope everything works out. Am hoping that Dragonfly serves you well, as I've been thinking of getting it.

Enjoy the ale, and the trail..........luck to you.....

do regs require the bearcanister Jim? Seems like one of your rifles wouldn't way much more and be far more utilitarian.

way= weigh at least phoenitically, jeez it's late

Yeah, the majority is in a fairly remote portion of the National Park and the ritso-fracken' regs require it. The canister is close to 3 lbs empty.

If I were to shoot a bear here in the N.P..............well, I'd probably just be better off if I let the bear kill me.

Pic shows the canister next to a basketball for scale. The stuff bag on the right contains my bag, tarp tent, and bivvy cover (2lbs 12 oz)

uhhhh..............no, the basketball is not going along........ <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

I envy you Jim. Which bear can are you using, the Garcia or BearVault? I think you'll find the fishing better than you think.
1akhunter, yes bear cans are mandatory in many places. I know they are in the national parks with some minor exceptions. It's a good idea to use them in the Sierras. The bears have no problem getting food that has been counterweighted and suspended in trees-- they use the kamikaze method of climbing the tree and jumping out to the food or branch it's hanging on and crashing to the ground with the food. I had the pleasure of one such bear over 20yrs ago in Kings Canyon NP. If you really enjoy getting pissed off, you can have an overzealous ranger have you dump the contents of your pack so he can see that all food items fit into the bear can, this includes toothpaste. I've had that done on the east end of Kings Canyon near Kearsarge Pass about 12yrs ago. Bear cans blow because they really reduce the amount of food you can carry, but it's better than losing it to Yogi. All Yogi can do is play a little soccer with it.

Those bear canisters are only required in the NPs, right Jim? Take some pics of those golden trout, they are a pretty fish though small most of the time. I used to catch trout with my bare hands in the alpine meadow creeks, they try to hide in the plant roots of the undercut banks.

Take plenty of pics, looking forward to 'em.

MtnHtr

That is the Bear Vault. ($80 for an overgrown Nalgene Bottle) and it is only required within the Park boundaries. Oh well....it is what it is.

I have a 1G memory card and I plan to fill it........ <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

The strain of goldens in this region may not be real pure in most of the waters. For the best colors, I want to hit the Kern plataeu and find a real Volcano Creek golden...but not this year. I chose this trip b/c of the remote nature of the upper reaches of the river. Also, from the basecamp @ 11,200 I can access the Ionian basin lakes and possibly the Blackcap basin as well (depending upon conditions) Mt Goddard (13,568) is doable, but there are some class 3 stretches and I don't think I'd tackle it while soloing.

JimF

Wonder if any of the Pelican type boxes can be locked, seems to me if a guy has to pack a bear proof food holder that a rectangle would be far easier to pack.

But I'll admit to not having much experience with the things. We've used some 30 gallon steel drums to store stuff in the bush, but I've never actually even held a bear canister.

Anyhoo never sweat the small stuff, have a great trip Jim.

JimF

Looks good to me.

I carry a can when up high in the Wilderness area's just north of your trip. Rangers are much easier to deal with when you have all your ducks in a row.

Also remember no fires over 10k

I'll be up in the John Muir Wilderness over labor day doing a bit of scouting and high country fishing myself, good times.

FT

I'd bet you've gone already. Best of luck, my friend.
I've found the Dragonfly, now called the Houdini, doesn't work very well to keep out rain. It will keep you fairly dry if you are moving and generating heat, but if you stop, it will soak through. No way would I depend on it for an over nighter. E

Have fun. I just got back from a great overnighter. Crammed in too many miles but I always do.

I've found I can't test more than 2 types of similar gear on a trip. If I brought 4 pair of underwear I'd only use 2 so I dump the rest.

I've got to have a book on trips. I probably only read 3 pages last night but they were a good 3. "The Saga of Hugh Glass".

That's a goooood story.............

I am heading to the Colorado high country next Friday......... a little scouting and trying out a bunch of new gear for this fall............. Can't wait!

Jim,

It sounds like you�ve got quite a trip planned. Good luck on the fishing and morning sunrises!

There will certainly be plenty of alpine Sierra scenery to fill up that 1gig card <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> )


have a great trip,
-Dan

P.S. -

Here's a timely link for you, but ya probably already got this covered!!!

Hey Jim, please push some deer to over the crest to the East....just in time for the archery opener! Thanks.

E:

I didn't depend upon the DF but I wanted to try it. No rain....dang!!

OTH, the DF was a great addition to the closet as it boosted the warmth of the wind pro fleece while sitting around reading after dark.

JimF

Funny you should mention that. I had a nice conversation with a packer from the east side. He said that the deer from Kings, Evolution, Kern and Piute drainages migrate east when the weather turns. Until then they hang in the high valleys. Sure enough, the upper canyon was loaded. I saw three nice bucks without trying and one walked past my camp less than 25' away.

I'm thinkin' there is a drop camp in my future by next year. I've got a nice potential spot picked out about 14 mi. in, right on a remote edge to the NP. Have to scout it next year.

JimF

Jim, welcome back... good report on the other thread.

Let's see some pic's!