Dru Posted October 19, 2004 Share Posted October 19, 2004 If you've got a lighter, you won't be fasting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoran Posted October 20, 2004 Share Posted October 20, 2004 (edited) Buy a really small pack. It's hard to go too heavy when your pack is only 20L. Â Possibly the best advice! To understand value of Drew's advice do this exercise: After next trip separate ONLY STUFF YOU USED and try to fit that in 30 lit pack. Bring only that stuff to next trip and keep track what you missing. Adjust stuff acordingly for next trip. Keep track of that. You can go to 20 lit target if you like, but I think is to much. I personally stopped at 30 lit level. My friend have different view. He is close to 20 lit volume pack for overnight trip (for example, for Spearhead Traverse). I am very uncomfortable with that. Edited October 20, 2004 by Zoran Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted October 20, 2004 Share Posted October 20, 2004 One sneaky way YOU can go light and fast is by getting some other people to go slow and heavy and run support for you. Say you want to do NR Stuart in a day. Well you could have one party camping at the base with your rack. Another party at base of Great Gendarme with large cams fixed ready for you, and some snacks and water. Another party waiting at top with more snacks and water, that you hand off the no-longer-needed gear and ropes to. Etc. Â To get this many stooges you'd need one of those Evil Genius hypno-rays or something. Mind control strawberry Koolaid. Or you'd have to be seriously HOTTT with a bunch of desperate guys on your string. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedi Posted October 20, 2004 Share Posted October 20, 2004 (edited) I left my pack in the car today. We were 40 minutes "out". I was thinking how nice it was going light. A lot less hassle and i could move more freely. Then my one year old started to grunt. I thought "shit, I committed and I'm gonna be screwed. I shoulda just brought the pack". Luckily, the "storm" passed and I didn't need any "gear". Â This post made me go over a couple of my "gear lists" for some of the peaks I have been on. I would like to watch some seasoned Pro's pack their packs before a technical multiday route. One day push is one thing, but once you start biving in sub freezing temp's, there is just so much you need. I make the lists before climbing something. Then I look it over when i get down and see if there anything I did not use. The shovel I like is from Backcountry Access. Alum blade and handle weigh in at 16oz (I shortened the blade). takes up little room in my Andinista. Â With tents weighing in at 2 1/2 lbs, why not take one. They are lighter than most bivy sacks (unless your in a area where it rains. Â Sleeping bag & synthetic parka take up the most room. Then there are the rarely used goggles and mitts. But if you need them, damn sure need them. Â Food: geeze, i wish I could get by with less. But unlike Jon, if I lost 10lbs, I would be in a pinch at 9% body fat. I do think I am gonna try taking 32oz of H20 in my Dromedary (sp?) and brewing up halfway through the day, if the route allows it. Seems silly to have the extra 2lbs on your back. I have always just hated the idea of stopping and taking the time to brew or hoping the weather allowed it. Then there is the chance of dropping something. But I would probably move just a little quicker without the 2 pounds and feel fresher when we stopped. Â Hope to try my next 3 1/2 day AK route with a 29lb pack (not including ropes, rack, pons & one axe. Â O-yeah, I forget one little thing to shave a couple oz. I use my 3/4 length Z-rest. I replaced my Andinista pad with 2 pieces of a grey RidgeRest. The 2 pieces have velco that match veclo on the Z Rest. This is in the shoulder blade area and hip area (pressure point area's that get colder, more easily, sleeping on snow). Edited October 20, 2004 by Jedi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texplorer Posted October 20, 2004 Share Posted October 20, 2004 so far this thread is all light. where is the fast?  In my experience the best way to be fast and light is to just hone your climbing skills and be in shape. It doesn't matter if you can get your pack down to an ounce if you still can't get you ass up and down.  Case in point, when I go cragging with my girlfriend I take the rope, rack, my gear, food, and sometimes even both of our water yet I still have to wait for her. Granted, I am a bit more genetically gifted in the cardiovascular realm but my point is the same. WORK OUT, IMPROVE TECHNIQUE, and speed will follow. This is why:  1) You'll simply go faster cause your in shape 2) Since your going faster you need less food, water, bivy stuff 3) If your a better climber you can run it out more which means less time placing gear and need less gear  Also I agree heartily with Layton post about thinking about what your REALLY need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill_Simpkins Posted October 20, 2004 Author Share Posted October 20, 2004 I have a friend who NEVER carries more than a liter of water. How much water does everyone USUALLY leave the car with for alpine or long hikes? (just on average, I know that situations can call for more or less). I average about 2 liters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marylou Posted October 20, 2004 Share Posted October 20, 2004 Depends totally on available water. If it's plentiful, a liter and a filter is fine by me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blake Posted October 20, 2004 Share Posted October 20, 2004 I have a friend who NEVER carries more than a liter of water. How much water does everyone USUALLY leave the car with for alpine or long hikes? (just on average, I know that situations can call for more or less). I average about 2 liters. Â If I'm on trail, and I know there are some creeks, I'll carry a few ounces or none. If off trail I keep a minimum of one quart in reserve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flatland Posted October 21, 2004 Share Posted October 21, 2004 The dana design kompressor is 10oz and 1000 cu. in. and works as a compression sack. Hip packs also work really well and free up your shoulders(I used a 500 cu. in. + bottle holder hip pack for serpintine arete). I've used my granite gear alpine lite for 4 day technical alpine trips with only 14lbs total including pack and food (not rope or rack). For going really fast and long set the countdown timer on your watch for fifteen minutes. Each time it goes off drink a predetermined amount (depending on conditions - i drink 4 oz usually) and every other time eat 100 calories (gel is best). This way six hours into your trip you are still going fast and your mind will still be sharp. You need to start taking care of yourself right from the car - don't save weight by not drinking enough!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bogen Posted October 21, 2004 Share Posted October 21, 2004 Drink water where you find it. Learned from my dad, supported in theory by what I learned in parasitology and immunology, done it all my life. I never miss an opportunity to drink water in the outdoors, to keep my immunity up. Haven't ever had a parasite I noticed. Very silty glacial run-off can give you mild cramps if you drink too much, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJScott Posted October 22, 2004 Share Posted October 22, 2004 How many people here carry a filter? I have drank straight from da source my whole life. I carry a couple Iodine pills for the super gnar stagnet water. Seems like filters are useless weight. I believe it takes a week or so to come down with Giardia, so for most instances you can be out of the hills by the time the shit hits the fan. Â I have had Giardia once when I was younger...it aint that bad. What are some other parasites, etc... that can be contracted from drinking unfiltered water up high? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cj001f Posted October 22, 2004 Share Posted October 22, 2004 How many people here carry a filter? I have drank straight from da source my whole life. I carry a couple Iodine pills for the super gnar stagnet water. Seems like filters are useless weight. I believe it takes a week or so to come down with Giardia, so for most instances you can be out of the hills by the time the shit hits the fan. That's right, intestinal parasites are fun  Iodine Tablets are lightweight and cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPS Posted October 22, 2004 Share Posted October 22, 2004 What are some other parasites, etc... that can be contracted from drinking unfiltered water up high? Â Cryptopsporidium. It has been known to kill people. No shit. Any number of bacteria: campylobacter, shigella, cholera etc. That is not to say these are up high in high abundance, but it is definitely possible to catch one of these bugs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted October 22, 2004 Share Posted October 22, 2004 Crypto won't kill you unless you have a compromised immune system. I don't own a filter either, have drunk from thousands of high-altitude creeks in BC with no ill effects. That said, I am a hydrologist and I couldn't officially recommend the practice to anyone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johndavidjr Posted October 23, 2004 Share Posted October 23, 2004 No to filters. There is really little to say about carrying very little. Nelson has succinct write-up on his store Web site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJScott Posted October 23, 2004 Share Posted October 23, 2004 Down with filters, and I really hate the taste of Iodine. Â "Dont believe the hype!" Â Im going to die of infexti0nz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chucK Posted October 23, 2004 Share Posted October 23, 2004 Put a pinch of Vitamin C in the iodine water. It reacts with and gets rid of the iodine. It's fun to watch the brown iodine water turn instantly clear. Â Of course, unless you dose it perfectly, then you get the taste of vit C instead, but that's not near as bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ade Posted October 25, 2004 Share Posted October 25, 2004 Â The best bit of fast n light gear I bought this year was a bicycle. Yes really, saved me nearly 10lbs. Â Layton's right. It's the stuff you leave behind that'll really save you weight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iain Posted October 25, 2004 Share Posted October 25, 2004 Some people use grapeseed extract as an alternative to iodine. Â A full-on case of giardia will make you treat anything anywhere. You literally can't keep anything in your stomach. Borderline cholera. Â That said, I rarely treat water up high, but places like Ingalls Lake? Hell yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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