Overnight: Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park
First Test
A camping trip with two friends to Tuolumne Meadows inside of Yosemite National Park was my first real Pacific Crest Trail test. With a backpack full of gear, food, water, and a bear canister, I walked into the woods with the hopes of leaving with a better understanding of my gear choices. By the end of a long three-day weekend, I hoped to know which of my choices were spot on and what gear would need to be exchanged for something else.
Pack Weight
Right away, I felt great about my pack weight. While I can’t quote the exact weight like an obsessed ultralight hiker, it felt good on my back. On the PCT, I am going to make some adjustments to the hip belts and watch a few more videos on properly packing my bag. Beyond that, I felt pretty great about my choices, though there were a couple of pieces of gear I am going to switch out in an effort to achieve a lower base weight.
Tent
One of those pieces of gear was my tent. Coming in at a whopping four lbs., my REI branded tent was far from ideal, but I purchased it anyway. Now that I have had my first journey into the wild with it, I knew I had to get something else. In its place, I am now using a Big Agnes HV UL; which weighs 1.5 lbs. and packs nearly flat. Here in a couple of weeks, I am taking this bad boy out when we attempt a section of the California Trail inside of Joshua Tree
The Cold
We were in Yosemite in early October and camped at an elevation of 8,600+ feet. Needless to say, both nights were pretty cold as temperatures dipped into the 20’s. My sleeping bag did a great job retaining heat, as did my puffy jacket. The piece of gear that failed me was my inflatable sleeping pad. It just didn’t do enough to block the cold ground. Before my trip to Joshua Tree, I am planning to switch to something else, but the research continues.
Big Miles
Overall, I am pretty proud of this trip. I learned a lot about myself, my gear, and how to successfully accomplish big miles. With some minor changes, a couple of pieces of new gear, and figuring out how to properly pack my bag, I am feeling confident in my ability to conquer big miles. On March 13th, I will not arrive at the Southern Terminus of the Pacific Crest Trail with the smallest pack in the world, but I will arrive knowing that I did my homework, and these are the right tools for me.
Be good to each other,
Nathan
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