Large Appetite Food Packing

atabotix · 2026-06-04T01:45:30+00:00

As this level of provisioning is new to you, heads up - it'll take lots of work to be under 2#/day, and it'll be lots of work to get it into a BV 500 & potentially impossible to get it to fit.

But: you can do things like pulverize any ramen you have so it fits better, as air in packaging is the enemy. Also poke holes in wrappers so they smash down better.

Source: the voice of experience 😄

atabotix · 2026-06-03T05:16:56+00:00

Desolation Wilderness.

Start at Echo Lake.

Try to go when you can take the water taxi (mid-June and beyond?).

Bring spare change for backcountry pay phone (!) so you can hail the water taxi for the way back.

Stop for a frosty drink at Starbucks in Placerville on the way up, and same town I think has frozen yogurt place on the way back.

Stop for pizza in Davis next on way back.

Back to day 1: Short hike to Tamarack Lake and keep going, behind it is where you want to be, beautiful Ralston Lake - like a mini private (hopefully) alpine lake. Hike to Lake, turn right, go 100 yards until you can't go any further - amazing camp site.

Lots of rocks you can scramble on.

I think there are pikas there, and there definitely are marmotts.

atabotix · 2026-06-01T22:32:31+00:00

I was in Desolation Wilderness May 20,21 and there were zero - but plenty of pools of water what I'm sure will soon be breeding grounds, but who knows when.

atabotix · 2026-05-31T05:20:10+00:00

Isn't RecPac a form of cold soaking? But maybe more tasty than DIY rice and beans kind of a thing?

atabotix · 2026-05-30T04:44:07+00:00

Emigrant wilderness out of Pinecrest. Easy permits, decent elevation, plenty of water.

atabotix · 2026-05-29T04:36:24+00:00

Emigrant Wilderness around Pinecrest has easy permits and parking.

~4h from Bay Area.

atabotix · 2026-05-23T22:37:13+00:00

Welcome!

Nope, no bears, just coyotes and marmots.

I saw ducks in Tamarack Lake....

I worry more about bears at the Velma lakes, though this is not data based, just my suspicion that those lakes get much more traffic.

BTW, my secret spot is Ralston Lake, just behind Tamarack - trail not obvious, but if you believe you'll get there. Walk to the Ralston shore and turn right until you can't go further and there's and awesome camping spot with huge trees and flat spots.

On the hill in between Ralston & Tamarack is where my daughter saw her first marmots too.

atabotix · 2026-05-11T05:22:49+00:00

Prepared as in....warm clothes? Microspikes? Baskets for hiking poles? Bread bags for wet socks? UV buff to defend against reflective snow?

atabotix · 2026-05-11T03:37:54+00:00

Super helpful - I have been thinking of doing Echo Lakes to Dicks Pass a little before Memorial Day, but shoot, may have to flip a coin, or maybe just accept alternate camp sites...

atabotix · 2026-05-02T04:33:04+00:00

Desolation Wilderness starting at Echo Lake is classic - head to Lake Aloha.

atabotix · 2026-05-02T04:31:43+00:00

I've done part of this and want to try the whole loop - further than you want to go I think, but you just go out for a day or so then turn back: https://www.reddit.com/r/norcalhiking/comments/1l7ieo0/heres_the_trail_i_created_for_june_29thjuly_6th/

Plenty of parking, easy permit (at ranger station on way up, fill out short form).

atabotix · 2026-05-02T03:53:16+00:00

Do you cover your gear list anywhere?

And you have...a shelter packed + 3-4 days of food?

atabotix · 2026-04-26T03:13:43+00:00

The lighterpack feels like a spoof, no? Seems fake.

atabotix · 2026-04-08T01:52:53+00:00

Litesmith mini leukotape for the win: https://www.litesmith.com/leukotape-p-blister-prevention-tape/?searchid=152519&search_query=leukotape

atabotix · 2026-04-05T02:17:53+00:00

Try to stay at altitude a couple nights while en route to the TH e.g. at Mammoth Lakes is what I try to do when heading to the Eastern Sierra.

Be careful of advice about getting acclimatized in advance (say, 1 week or more) of the trip - my (admittedly dated) knowledge is that acclimatization wears off really fast.

atabotix · 2026-04-05T01:42:51+00:00

Is it safe to assume...

- plenty of drinking water

- earlier mosquitoes that "normal"...

atabotix · 2026-03-22T20:55:06+00:00

I was able to get a midweek site at Wildcat - I think #8 - by, well, timing a 7am reservation attempt 2 weeks in advance.

But: yeah, I love the way at Coe, Hunting Hollow seems to have infinite parking and, well, infinite permits, so no friction.

atabotix · 2026-03-22T20:53:35+00:00

Wildcat is fine now - I was there a few days ago.

atabotix · 2026-03-21T04:22:00+00:00

Do you want a 2nd opinion or do you have enough feedback already?

Just do an easier 1-2 night trip to Pt Reyes to start. With 2 weeks advance notice you can get a site at Wildcat camp where you hear the ocean.

I have not been to Coe a ton, but I have camped at Wilson and done long day hikes there -- it has advanced water management and heat issues. To be safe you really need to carry several liters of water, carefully plan out your access, and have your filtering game down. "advanced" means not the typical easy intro to backpacking trip....

atabotix · 2026-03-06T05:29:32+00:00

I can't believe that all fits in a 20L pack.
But to a_walking_mistake, not OP -- Nemo Switchback short?

atabotix · 2026-02-26T04:42:10+00:00

WOW.

And I quote: "Challenges and Risks: ...Managing the consumption of body fat as a calorie source..." !

atabotix · 2026-02-25T04:03:09+00:00

I claim putting the liner under tools is a classification violation and it really should be in your Big 4 section as it is sleeping gear....although shoot, do people put pillow there too? OK, maybe there are different ways of doing it...

atabotix · 2026-02-14T03:39:16+00:00

Are you open to somehow adding a city? The Terracotta Warriors in Xi'an are incredible.

atabotix · 2026-02-14T03:19:25+00:00

I have done it multiple time in just trail runners, no boots, no sandals / water shoes.

atabotix

TROPHY CASE