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Burning wood for backcountry stove- initial preparations

Posted in backpacking, mountaineering, Photography, Reviews, Travel, ultralight techniques with tags , , , , , on December 16, 2014 by William Hooks

I’ve chosen the 17.5 oz M Tech Survivor hatchet and the Utah-made, Emberlit Ultralight titanium stove to begin burning wood for fuel in selected, legal areas. No plans to use these to any extent in southern CA where fire risk is usually so high, unless restricted to particular situations where I feel very confident that risk can be managed.

These are paired with a True Temper axe sharpener and Petzl leather belay/rappel gloves, encouraging safety using the hatchet and avoiding burns while handling stoves and cookware.

Why do it at all?

First- it’s a skill I find to be fundamental (as in emergencies) and valuable.

Second- free, virtually unlimited, ‘green’ fuel especially for longer trips.

Third- fun.

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MTech Survival hatchet_Emberlit UL Ti stove_Esbit tinder

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Snow trip with HMG tarp

Posted in backpacking, mountaineering, Photography, Reviews, ultralight techniques with tags , , , , , , , , , on December 13, 2014 by William Hooks

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At 7400 ft in the San Gabriel mountains, I finally got a chance to experience snow with this new shelter and it was all too brief, but great fun.

Used the ULA Catalyst pack, snow anchors instead of regular stakes, and 20 deg F Western Mtg Alpinlite 850 down sleeping bag/Vapor jacket.

Stayed on a torso length TR Neo Air pad atop Gossamer Gear groundsheet. This pack seems to be the winter ticket for my use- enough carrying capacity for what I usually use, and very light, well built. Setup was very easy, for both the shelter and the packup.

Light winds, clear with patchy clouds, about 30 deg air temperature…. sweet. If I didn’t have to work this evening……and I ‘ll be sure to bring bright wands to mark the location of this tarp in winter, since it blends with snow environments.

I’m finding that using trees at one or both ridgeline points as anchors yields very strong, versatile attachments for a wide variety of tarp rigs (especially more complex setups also using poles) and sticks easily exceed the heights of my trekking poles where I want to pitch a flying diamond, for example.DSCN1715

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Tri City Park_2014_12_14

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Newest images from 8000 ft with HMG flat tarp

Posted in backpacking, Photography, Reviews, Travel with tags , , , , , , on December 11, 2014 by William Hooks

A significant storm is predicted to head this way tomorrow evening. If we had 2,356 more storms like this we ‘d be caught up for water…..

Here are some shots I did with the Hyperlight Mountain Gear square tarp this afternoon above Wrightwood, CA:DSCN1666

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Had some hot food in low 40 deg F temps and explored the area before returning to ‘civilization’. Saw no ostensible Republicans.

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Followup review: HMG Square Flat Tarp

Posted in Captain's Personal Log with tags , , , , , , on December 8, 2014 by William Hooks

DSCN1658 DSCN1659 DSCN1660 DSCN1661 DSCN1664 DSCN1665These shots demo my default tarp setup: storm mode, with 2 long guylines on the rear panel anchors staked through the back trekking pole.

I ‘m using 14 stakes as a standard: 8 MSR Carbon Core stakes for the corners, each ridgeline, and 2 additional points as needed; a single MSR mini-Groundhog stake which can take a great deal of pounding; and 5 aluminum stakes with similar form factor to the CC stakes and large pounding heads.

A nice bonus is that when using the REI clothesline as shown, there’s enough spare cord to use for rigging my vertical hoist to raise the netting of the biv sack off my face.

Today I was using both the ULA Catalyst and HMG Windrider 2400 packs, which are in the foreground.This setup allows cooking safely from within the tarp, with even better ventilation if opting for the A frame setup.

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Initial review: Hyperlight Mountain Gear 8.5 ft Square Cuben Fiber Tarp

Posted in backpacking, mountaineering, Photography, Reviews, Travel, ultralight techniques with tags , , , , , , on December 6, 2014 by William Hooks

IMG_0747storm mode_front viewstorm mode_entry view

sm file_storm mode_rear view

sm file_detail view_ line onto trek pole

sm file_detail view_ hitches on line

sm file_ storm mode_ entry view

sm file_ shoes and poles in tarp

sm file_ interior view with sl bag

sm file_ HMG logo

sm file_ FD mode_ side view

sm file_ FD mode_ rear view

sm file_ FD mode_ oblique view

sm file_ FD mode_ front view

sm file_ detail of flying diamond peak line to tree

sm file_ detail int hang loop

sm file_ detail corner attachment

Specifications: area=72 sq ft; weight with all guylines=c 10 oz incl 10 pre-cut 3mm lines and 50 ft of added 2.75mm Sterling Glo-Cord; shelter for 1-2 persons;2 internal, metal ring-hang loops; 16 dedicated perimeter guypoints; minimal fabric stretch; 100% waterproof and windproof

I’ve shown 2 of the 3 main rigging setups I plan to use: the ‘storm ‘ mode and ‘flying diamond’ mode. The other usual setup would be standard, ‘A frame’ mode.

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Updates to my equipment list for 3 season UL backpacking

Posted in Captain's Personal Log, Photography, Reviews, Travel with tags , , , , , , on December 6, 2014 by William Hooks

I’m finding that rather than super UL (SUL) style, I seem to gravitate toward UL setups.

My most recent estimate of base carried pack weight is approximately 8 pounds, including the new addition of a Hyperlight Mountain Gear 8.5 oz  8.5×8.5 ft square cuben fiber tarp. I plan to post a comprehensive review of this shelter later this month.

Given this foundation, I ‘m usually taking about 12-13 pounds total weight including fuel, food and water.

In 2015, I may begin to explore packrafting to exploit river and lake travel as well as cooking over open fires. That way, no fuel to take…. but need to be very cautious in California about fire control and regulations these days. The same caution is justified regarding alcohol fuels in my opinion.

Happy holiday season, and here’s to many more.

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First thoughts about the ULA Catalyst pack

Posted in Photography, Reviews, Video with tags , , , , , on November 13, 2014 by William Hooks

This is the largest offering from the Logan, UT cottage firm, Ultralight Adventures and I plan to use it mainly for winter backpacking, glacier travel, carrying video and audio gear, and when food loads exceed what I can put into my Hyperlight Mountain Gear Windrider 2400 (ie, probably over 3 days out).

It easily allows use of a large bear canister, my Western Mountaineering +5F Antelope down bag in transverse position, and provides some capability which I plan to enjoy: removable swing-type bilateral hand loops and water bottle carriers on the shoulder straps, S-curve shoulder strap option, excellent ooverall water carrying capacity with option of hydration system,and what appears so far to be unusually good fit and weight transfer. The belt pockets are large enough to carry my Nikon Coolpix and I ‘ve already modified them by attaching grab loops.ULA Catalyst pack DSCN1506 - Copy DSCN1505

Not certain yet as to how much I will use the 2 interior, removable pockets.

This pack will allow me to cut almost 5 pounds from my longer/ winter trips ,DSCN1514compared with a traditional expedition pack.

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Just posted recently updated gear list for 3 1/2 season backpacking on a new page

Posted in Photography, Reviews, Travel, Video with tags , , , , , , , , , , on October 27, 2014 by William Hooks

I hope that this information will be of help to those who ‘d like to get in the ultralight backpacking game, and even stimulate discussion of other’s experiences and lists.

I didn’t include detailed discussion of options such as UL canister stoves from Soto and Snowpeak which I use as substitutes for alcohol stoves whe n they are prohibited by regulations (as is happening in some CA locales due to extreme drought conditions), and some other alternative gear I use at times. I didn’t include equipment for more comprehensive video in the backcountry, as much of that is mentioned incidentally in my separate gear list for alpine mountaineering.

Have fun out there- and vote anything but Republican (I mean, stay safe)!

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The Hyperlight Mountain Gear Windrider 2400 cuben fiber pack

Posted in Photography, Reviews, Travel, Video with tags , , , , , on October 27, 2014 by William Hooks

This 1 pound, 10 oz friend has become my default carrier for many wilderness trips. The total weight of my setup for a 3 day outing as shown, including solo BearVault canister with Nikon Coolpix camera, food and  c 1.5L water is approx 18 pounds.Windrider 2400 w bear canister (1) Windrider 2400 w bear canister (2) Windrider 2400 w bear canister (3)I find that the belt pockets are not the easiest to open while hiking, and are smaller in capacity than I like- my clear preference is those on my Golite Jam 70- but this is a completely different category of pack.

It has 2 real, aluminum stays which are removable, but weighs about the same as the Jam 70 making it a great choice for using a bear canister—> wonderful for destinations such as the Sierra Nevada, CA where these are often mandatory. The canister can go inside or atop the pack, I really like the Y- yoke at the top which gives good stability. I find that this system is the most comfortable way I have ever seen, so far, for transporting my gear in the backcountry. The side pockets allow replacement of the Smartwater bottle without removing the pack. There is provision for both a mesh hydration reservoir holder and a covered hose port on one side.

Use of cuben fiber makes the pack very usable without a rain cover in many scenarios, especially if using good stuff sacks for internal down items.The price I paid at Nomad Ventures, Temecula, CA was $265. That’s nothing compared to a dialysis machine….

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Point Fermin/ San Pedro, CA- Bug Hut under an E-Wing

Posted in Captain's Personal Log, Photography, Travel with tags , , , , , , on October 24, 2014 by William Hooks

DSCN1424 E-Wing_Bug Hut_Pt Fermin CA (1) E-Wing_Bug Hut_Pt Fermin CA (2) E-Wing_Bug Hut_Pt Fermin CA (3) E-Wing_Bug Hut_Pt Fermin CA (6) HMG Windrider 2400 Upon arriving here, I recalled the words of William Clark as he and Meriweather Lewis’ 1805 expedition encountered the western terminus of their journey:

Ocean in view

Oh! the joy!

We are in view of the ocean

That great Pacific Ocean which we have so long been anxious to see

And the sound of the waves breaking on the rocky shores

Can be heard distinctly-

I wondered what the other William might say to me if he were here today…….my guess is that he’d wonder what kind of thing I was carrying on my back (Hyperlight Mountain Gear Windrider 2400, made of cuben fiber)

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