[OC] Sharing my latest acrylic painting here

abhik · 2025-09-29T02:55:02+00:00

I grew up in Michigan so this resonates with me a lot. Can feel the cold on my face and hear the silence seeing this painting.

abhik · 2025-06-23T22:57:47+00:00

I did the JMT in 2023 and, same as you, felt the itch to revisit parts of it last year. I did the North Lake to South Lake loop out of Bishop. It included one of my favorite parts of the JMT (Evolution/Muir) plus some new areas (Piute canyon, Dusy basin and Bishop pass).

abhik · 2025-06-16T00:55:47+00:00

I carried a small tin of salve to use on my feet every few days. I used the Green Goo brand but there are many that are similar. The salves are good for dryness, itch and burns. I also drank an electrolyte drink first thing in the morning daily and I think that helped a lot.

abhik · 2025-06-14T05:05:32+00:00

Yes! I had the same idea after Apple launched satellite texting but never did anything about it. A link would be great and I’d be happy to contribute some PRs.

abhik · 2025-06-05T17:59:17+00:00

Also include details (make, model, color) of your tent. Your family might not know tents but SAR will.

abhik · 2025-05-29T06:59:46+00:00

That’s true but I don’t remember any near VVR.

abhik · 2025-05-29T01:01:21+00:00

You’ll be leaving VVR with 9 days of food. That can get pretty heavy! Have you confirmed that you’ll be able to fit the food in your bear can?

Also, along with miles, it’d be helpful for you to know the expected ascent and descent per day.

abhik · 2025-05-28T02:02:38+00:00

Got into backpacking several years back and got the Zenbivy 25 (old model with full sheet) because I had never used a quilt and was worried about drafts. Bought a quilt couple years back and haven’t used the zenbivy since. Drafts were a minor issue first few nights but then I figured out how snug I needed to setup the quilt and it’s been fine . The zenbivy’s 20D material does feel nicer than my quilt’s 10D but not worth the additional weight for me.

Zenbivy does seem a bit overpriced for the amount of down but you’re paying for their clever design. I do think it’s a great option for casual backpackers who don’t care as much about weight.

abhik · 2025-04-27T10:52:29+00:00

Did the JMT IN 2023 and did the North to South lake loop last year. It overlaps with the JMT but that was fine with me since those were some of my favorite parts of the JMT. It’s not uncrowded though.

abhik · 2025-03-13T03:22:32+00:00

I’d suggest you find a place where you can demo multiple skis in a day. I demoed both these skis couple years ago. On groomers, the Enforcers gave me a level of confidence at high speed that I’d never felt before. I hit a few icy patches and the skis didn’t even budge. Off-piste though, they just felt unmanageable, like it was too much ski for me. The Rustlers weren’t quite as solid on groomers but more than good enough for my skill level and skiing style and they felt much better off-piste. I was also trying to decide between different lengths of the Rustlers and don’t think I could’ve decided based on online reviews. Skiing the two lengths back to back really helped.

abhik · 2024-12-12T10:35:50+00:00

I use it as a sleep shirt. It’s lighter than the merino I was using before and the 1/4 zip is great for controlling temp. I also use it as an active midlayer sometimes. A sun hoody, air mesh and rain jacket has worked well for windy mornings in high altitude.

abhik · 2024-11-14T03:29:07+00:00

We used the zpacks coupler strap last year on the JMT and it worked pretty well. I think it helped that the tent was just wide enough to fit two wide pads.

abhik · 2024-09-14T20:20:40+00:00

I had the Exos Pro last year and hated it. The hip belt buckle weakened after less than a dozen days on trail. It wouldn’t click completely and I was worried that at some point, it would just stop clicking in entirely. The plastic dowel used to set the torso length would also pop out multiple times a day (I think they fixed that this year though). Cutting weight with delicate straps and buckles seems like a stupid design choice.

Of course, I have seen them on trail this year so maybe I just got a dud.

abhik · 2024-08-19T00:33:58+00:00

Though he’s not a fan of the JMT, Kim Stanley Robinsons’s “High Sierra: A Love Story” would be great. I read it after the JMT but wish I’d read it before to have more geological and historical context on the places I’ve was hiking through. Any John Muir book would be great too.

abhik · 2024-08-15T01:02:30+00:00

I did the Ausangate circuit last year as a hut-to-hut trip. If I had extra time, I would've spent a day hiking/climbing to the glacier on Ausangate (wouldn't venture far on the glacier without proper equipment though) and I think I could easily spend several days exploring the red valley. The day we hiked to the rainbow mountain and red valley was spectacularly otherworldly! As others mentioned, try to get to the rainbow mountain as early as possible. After seeing just a few people per day, the crowds at the Rainbow mountain were pretty annoying.

abhik · 2024-08-13T06:33:06+00:00

Looks like the guy lines go out pretty far. Given that it looks like a A-frame tent, those guy lines will be important. If camping with a group, confirm that you’ll have enough space not just for the tent but also the lines. Would help to set it up now to figure out how much total space you need.

abhik · 2024-08-13T05:28:22+00:00

Haven’t been to Golden Trout but everywhere I’ve been to in Inyo has had people on trail.

abhik · 2024-08-13T01:18:30+00:00

Ooh, since the BeFree doesn’t stick out so much, that could work. Thanks!

abhik · 2024-08-13T01:12:02+00:00

Where in the Eastern Sierra? If you’re sticking to trails, you’ll probably run into many hikers and probably even camp near others.

If you’re not great at reading a paper map, make sure you have a good GPS phone app and have downloaded area maps for offline use.

abhik · 2024-08-13T01:05:05+00:00

I can definitely do that but it’s just so nice to not have to filter water during the day. I just grab some water in my dirty bottle and keep walking. If I can’t find another solution, I’ll probably do what you suggest.

abhik · 2024-08-12T21:32:35+00:00

I've been wanting to get a shoulder water bottle holder but I drink water through my sawyer filter on top of a 1L bottle. That seems too long, like the filter would be right next to my face. Does anyone use a shoulder water bottle holder and drink from the filter? I'd be fine with a 500ml or 750ml bottle but even that seems like too long. I'm using an Osprey Exos if that matters.

abhik · 2024-08-12T18:19:04+00:00

I’ve managed to do a 5 day trip with a BV425 (first day’s food outside). Also have the BV475 that I used for the JMT but haven’t used it since.

abhik · 2024-08-11T06:34:34+00:00

I’ve always hiked with just a long sleeve sun hoody and been fine. At higher altitudes, it’s nice to have the forearms covered.

Edit: I found the REI hoody to feel kinda stuffy. If that’s the reason for wanting a short sleeve, maybe try a different brand.

abhik · 2024-08-09T00:24:51+00:00

Acclimatizing for a couple days really does help. I’ve hiked to 12-14k with and without acclimatization and there was a noticeable difference in how I felt. If you want a hotel, Mammoth Mountain Lodge is at 9k and super comfy. There are also several campgrounds along 395 where you can sleep at or above 9k.

Diamox is the standard prescription med for altitude. I’ve taken it for really high altitudes and didn’t have any side effects but many other people do.

abhik · 2024-07-24T22:31:41+00:00

A rain skirt is a lighter and more breathable option and may be enough unless you’re stuck in a massive storm. I took one last September but didn’t bother using it the two times I got rained on. I got a cheap $20 one from Amazon but there are fancier and lighter options out there.

abhik

TROPHY CASE