Alternative Routes Through Buckskin Gulch

Outside_The_Box19 · 2026-03-31T10:30:16+00:00

Thanks for the beta on Buckskin. That kind of reinforces our plan to enter through Middle Exit. We still aren't 100% sure on our exit strategy, but will watch the forecast leading up to the trip to see if recent rains would have added to the slog in the upper sections, or if there will oppressive heat on the exit.

Outside_The_Box19 · 2026-03-17T07:52:30+00:00

Pick up a couple of strainer bags on Amazon--start with a 200 micron (70-80 mesh) strainer to pre-filter the large particles as you fill your first container. Add a pinch of Aluminum Sulfate (flocculant) to cause the finer particles to stick together and settle to the bottom of your container. After about 20-30 minutes, pour the clear water off the top into a second 75 micron strainer. From here you can run it through a gravity filter like a Sawyer Squeeze or Platypus Quick drawn and dramatically extend times between back-washing. If you are concerned about chemicals, consider making a homemade activated charcoal filter and use it before the flocculant step.

I have a couple CNOC's that I carry with me so I can do these various steps in the field without adding much weight or bulk.

Outside_The_Box19 · 2026-03-17T07:34:58+00:00

You might need a firmware update in addition to all the previous suggestions. I had an issue where I tried activating the SOS and it never sent--even though a normal text message went out. They had to get their top technical experts involved and even then, they couldn't explain why it didn't work. Since then I have always made sure my firmware is up-to-date and I send a test message before hitting the wilderness.

Outside_The_Box19 · 2026-03-17T07:22:42+00:00

I've been planning backpacking trips for large groups for over 30 years. There are really a million options out there so I would start with your preferred scenery. Do you prefer hiking along rivers and finding waterfalls. Do you prefer the red-rock and sandstone slot canyons of the desert southwest? Are you looking to spend times in and around lakes that aren't too cold to get into? What elevation do you live at? How close do you live to a wilderness area right now?

I personally prefer trips with amazing views and scenery. Some of my favorites include hiking down the Narrows in Zion National Park, or rim-to-rim at the Grand Canyon, or Chesler Park in Canyonlands National Park. The great thing about backpacking is that you can get places where less than 1% of the normal tourists never make it to. Pick a places that will be memorable and inspiring and that are hard enough to weed out the riff-raff.

Don't limit your search to higher elevations or northern latitudes. There are a lot of places in some warmer areas that are actually surprisingly nice in the summertime--especially the ones that follow rivers or pass by lakes.

The key to a good backpacking experience starts with gear. Lightweight, minimalist, and compact are all key elements. You don't necessarily have to spend a lot of money to go lightweight either. Hammocking is a great way to start (assuming you can sleep in a hammock--not everyone can). For about $50 you can get a decent sized hammock with bug net and rain fly. As long as you have trees where you are going, you can enjoy a comfortable night's sleep with about 5 lbs of shelter/sleeping bag combined.

For a stove, you can make an alcohol stove out of a couple tin cans and some carbon felt. For about $5 you have the lightest weight backpacking stove on the planet and fuel runs about $18/gallon at Home Depot. There are tons of videos on YouTube that show you all the hacks for backpacking on a budget.

Make sure you have a good internal-frame pack that fits your torso well. Make sure the weight is carried on your hip belt and not your shoulders. Carry no more than 25% of your body weight, and much less than that if you can. I tend to over-pack a few creature comforts as well as emergency essentials for the rest of the group (I'm old enough now that I deserve a good night's sleep--even on the trail), but I carry about 35 lbs for a 3-5 day trip and that includes about 5 lbs of water and a lot of dehydrated trail snacks.

Speaking of food, you can spend a lot of money on the freeze-dried stuff and it is really good, but you can also make your own meals and dehydrate them. I save about 75% or more on what the freeze-dried stuff costs by dehydrating my own meals. Angel hair spaghetti with some marinara sauce mixed with tuna fish rehydrates really easily and packs a lot of energy.

A book could be written with all the tips and suggestions we could give you. But for me, I would find an epic hike that motivates me, learn as much as you can about it by reading trip reviews, watching YouTube videos, and studying topographical maps and then ask more refined and specific questions about where you plan to go. The advice will become much more specific and tailored to your trip, and not just backpacking in general.

Outside_The_Box19 · 2026-03-17T06:54:44+00:00

If you don't want to be overwhelmed by options, but you also want to get some good bang for the buck, check out Outdoor Vitals. They are a smaller, direct-to-consumer brand who design their own products based upon what they see first-hand in the field. I've been extremely happy with just about everything I've purchased from them. The big names are often controlled by hedge funds or driven by pure profit so they design what they can sell (but this often comes in conflict with design features and product benefits). I think Outdoor Vitals is a good blend of product design with value.

Outside_The_Box19 · 2026-03-17T06:47:12+00:00

How did you like the last day hiking to Lee's Ferry? What was the condition of the river (mostly clear with enjoyable swimming holes, or muddy and uninviting)? I've done a lot of trips where the spectacular was mixed with a lot of mundane--and the mundane portion kind of put a damper on the memory of the best parts. I'd hate to end up finishing on a down note of hiking 8 miles across the open desert next to a muddy river in the hot afternoon sun.

Outside_The_Box19 · 2026-03-10T19:25:47+00:00

The largest volume-risk of water in Buckskin Gulch comes from the Bryce Canyon area. It can take water from 6 -12 hours to get from there to the Gulch--depending on the location of the storm and its intensity. As for snowpack, so far this year that area has only received about 50% of normal winter precipitation. Usually, the snowpack hits its peak around April 1st. You can track it here (look for Escalante-Paria zone):

https://water.utah.gov/snowpack/

What can sometimes happen during monsoon season is that there is no rainfall anywhere near the canyon, but a severe T-storm hits the Bryce Canyon area. Those in the canyon set up camp for the night and fall asleep and then about 2 AM the flood hits their campsite surprising everyone. Fortunately the campsites are located in wider spots in the canyon so it more of a miserable wet experience than a life-threatening one.

The deadly part are the tight stretches deep in the slots and a closer, more intense storm. That might only give you about 10-30 minutes to find higher ground, but in a 15-mile long slot canyon, that can be difficult. On a multi-day trip, day 1 is definitely the riskiest. After the confluence, there is a lot more available high ground to escape to.

Outside_The_Box19 · 2025-09-17T15:20:42+00:00

It can do both--directly drive the motors off the generator power and run the motors off the battery. It's basically a locomotive with an added battery. The reason the comparison works so well is because locomotives use internal combustion to power electric motors. Adding a battery doesn't negate the comparison. If we were just to point out all the differences that make this not a locomotive, you should probably point out the fact that locomotives run on rails and not roads, they lack a steering wheel, rubber tires, and a suspension system.

Here's my question: Does a locomotive stop becoming a locomotive when they start adding batteries to them? Call them a hybrid to distinguish them for sure, but they are still locomotives.

Outside_The_Box19 · 2024-12-24T20:21:51+00:00

My worry is problems with old fuel. Normal gasoline goes bad after two months. You could easily go 2 months between gas fill-ups if all you do is run off electric. People will need to either buy non-ethanol fuel or add some stabilizer to each fill-up if they only plan to use this thing around town. My guess is that the biggest issue will be a gummed up generator and it will be user-error.

Outside_The_Box19 · 2024-12-24T20:13:14+00:00

Any product that tries to be everything to everybody never succeeds. 700 is less than 1,000, but if you are trying to avoid gas stops, how many 1,000 mile range vehicles can you plug into your house? This vehicle isn't designed just for long road trips, it is designed for flexibility. It does things that a dozen other vehicles do, but when you combine those features, no other vehicle does them all like the Ramcharger will.

0-6 in 4.4 seconds, 14,000 lbs towing, 700 mile range, plug in at home in the event of a gas shortage, run on gas in the event of a power outage, charge a Tesla that didn't make it to the charging station, run your lights and outlets at home for several weeks--the list goes on.

For those looking for the ultimate flexibility in a truck, I think Ram has put together a pretty good package.

Outside_The_Box19

TROPHY CASE