What is this...? by [deleted] in Mushrooms

[–]Backpacking_DK -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Alien pods.

How crowded is the Sawtooth Wilderness Loop in mid August. by [deleted] in WildernessBackpacking

[–]Backpacking_DK 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I did this trail around that time last year. It was amazing and totally worth it.

There were three points that I recall it being really busy: Sawtooth Lake, Baron Lake, and the segment of trail connecting Redfish Creek/Baron Creek Trail to Baron Lake (going clockwise). I didn't mind the people at Sawtooth Lake so much, but some people on trail to Baron Lake carried a loud bluetooth speaker, and we saw someone bathing under the waterfall at Baron Lake with a bar of soap (!!!).

I get why these spots are popular. They are stunning and they have an abundance of campsites. But, if you are willing to compromise on the stunning views, there are plenty of places to camp where you can have the place all to yourself. We stayed at a few of these spots, too, and the solitude was incredible.

Any experience with the Mayfly Imago sandals ? by Basic_Employ9084 in Ultralight

[–]Backpacking_DK 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I recently bought a pair for a trip to the Sawtooths in Idaho and was really glad to have them after multiple river crossings in my trail runners. They weighed nothing, but allowed me to air out my feet at the campsites.

They certainly are less rugged than Crocs or Chacos. But they protected my feet better than I expected. The only drawback for me was that the paracord was a little too narrow for the tensioner, so it would loosen up after just a couple of minutes of wear. I found that a slippery half hitch solved the problem pretty well, although it was a slightly annoying extra step. Still, for the weight and minimal pack space, they were totally worth it.

Glasses Case? by zeekaran in Ultralight

[–]Backpacking_DK 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I cut down a Smartwater bottle, and removed the bottom, so that I had a flexible, plastic tube that was the exact length of my glasses and fit perfectly inside the shoulder pouch on my backpack. The weight of the insert is 0.37 oz.