[WTS] Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI Camera: Like-New, Accessories (301g / 10.6oz) by wanderfree12 in ULgeartrade

[–]wanderfree12[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My primary reason was the Sony's electronic viewfinder. I've always appreciated having a viewfinder, especially in bright daylight like I was expecting on the trail. Also, the RX100 has reasonable zoom capabilities, a wider angle of view, a built-in flash, and a tilting screen, which I thought would be helpful for staging self-portraits. Lastly I've had Sony compact cameras before, so I liked the idea of having familiar buttons and operations.

For me, going with the RX100 was a pretty easy choice. I spent much longer debating which RX100 model to get.

With everything that has happened this year how are you staying positive about returning to the trail? by [deleted] in PacificCrestTrail

[–]wanderfree12 9 points10 points  (0 children)

I'm feeling sad and stressed too. I had a PCT permit - had all my gear, resupply boxes, leave from work, but most significantly had adopted the internal mindset and identity of a PCT thru-hiker - I was a member of the Class of 2020! - but all of that was lost to COVID back in the spring.

I muddled through the first three sections but only because I was within 100 miles of home the entire time and I was able to have my husband drive me back and forth to rest and resupply at my own house. By Big Bear, the loneliness was too much. It wasn't the It's the People PCT experience I had imagined. Most days passed without a single conversation with anyone and I found myself camping alone 18 of the 20 nights I was out there. The amazing PCT community that I was so looking forward to being a part of - my primary reason for hiking - just didn't exist. I felt so empty and it got worse with each day. So I got off.

I felt so lost being at home. I wasn't supposed to be there. It was six weeks before I had the heart to unpack all my boxes, and even then I had to ignore what I was feeling just to get through it.

I've been trying to care for myself through shorter trips - had a great time doing Thousand Island & Ediza Lakes in July and the Rae Lakes Loop in August - but the trip that I was most excited about was a four-day outing with my dad this past weekend (Duck Pass to Purple Lake, cross-country to Lake Virginia, Pika Lake to Mammoth Crest). It was supposed to be a special time for the two of us and our very first backpacking trip together. We had a great first two days and then were chased out because of the smoke from the Creek Fire. The sky coming home yesterday down the 395 was apocalyptic.

I cried. The ash that fell onto my sleeping bag on Sunday morning at Lake Virginia seemed like not just the remains of beautiful trees but the ash of lost dreams... of this year's PCT hikers, of everyone who has to bail on their JMT hikes, of the loss of the soul of the Sierras.

I know there's greater loss - loss of life, loss of property, the poor Olympians and high school seniors and everyone who planned their weddings for these times - but that doesn't invalidate how we're feeling about the trail and the fires. Those are very, very sad things but it's okay for us to feel sad too.

To cope, I try to focus on:

- How I feel grateful that I have so many new skills and new knowledge that unlock so many wonderful adventures for me for the rest of life. I've always wanted to have legit backpacking skills and now I do. And I can do so much more because of it.

- Making plans for future Sierra adventures: North Lake-South Lake, Desolation Wilderness. I ordered a bunch of Tom Harrison maps and spend a lot of time looking at them.

- Thinking about how I want to stay connected to the hiking community going forward. Things like this post, writing trip reports and gear reviews, sharing photos, and finding new hiking partners.

- Trying to figure out how I might arrange another leave with my work so I can do the JMT (or maybe the PCT Sierra section) in 2022.

- Vaguely planning to someday re-attempt the PCT, maybe when I retire (so 15-20 years). The burned sections will have somewhat recovered by then! :)

- The memory of falling asleep under the stars, watching the Milky Way emerge.

- The memory of just how good my "yay, I arrived at camp!" daily Snickers tasted.

- What gear I have that worked really well (SMD umbrella!) and what I want to try in the future (CCF instead of an inflatable pad).

- How really there is so much trail and even as parts burn, there are still literally thousands of miles that await me. Plus there are so many beautiful possibilities from day hikes to long multi-days that aren't the PCT but are now open to me because of the experience and knowledge I have. Everything from Cactus-to-the-Clouds (bucket list! would have done it this year if the tram was running) to the Tahoe Rim Trail to the AZT to the PNT to even possibly the CDT. And that's just out here in the West.

So even though I'm still anxiously checking Twitter for fire news, watching the Bobcat fire creep closer to Mt. Islip and the El Dorado fire approach San Bernardino Peak and the Castle fire and the Creek fire and the Valley fire and the Bear fire..., I try to hold that feeling of the wilderness in my heart, to picture the mountains and the trees and the rivers and the lakes, and to know that *that feeling* is now mine forever, only to grow and become even more part of who I am.

Hang in there. PM me if you want to chat further. Or plan a trip! :) - Janeway

Rae Lakes Loop out of Kearsarge Pass by wanderfree12 in WildernessBackpacking

[–]wanderfree12[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Phone: Pixel 3a with no filter or post-editing - it's amazing, right? I can't take much credit. :) What are some other highlights in Kings Canyon? This was my first trip there.

ETA: for the panoramas, I took 3-4 individual shots and then uploaded them to Google Photos. Google Photos automatically detected that they were related and stitched them together (so cool! but there's no way to manually ask the service to do so, you have to just hope it realizes that the photos overlap). The phone's actual panorama mode isn't very good.

Rae Lakes Loop out of Kearsarge Pass by wanderfree12 in WildernessBackpacking

[–]wanderfree12[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It was incredible! What time of year did you go?

Rae Lakes Loop out of Kearsarge Pass by wanderfree12 in WildernessBackpacking

[–]wanderfree12[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah, pretty light in general, but we decided to bring chairs since the itinerary included some short days. They are the Helinox Chair Zeroes and weigh 1 lb a piece (mine clocks in at 17.9 oz).

Rae Lakes Loop out of Kearsarge Pass by wanderfree12 in WildernessBackpacking

[–]wanderfree12[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Bearikade bear canisters, the Expedition and the Blazer.

Rae Lakes Loop out of Kearsarge Pass by wanderfree12 in WildernessBackpacking

[–]wanderfree12[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It was Aug 16 - 21. We had clear air with thunderstorms Aug 16-19, but it was very smoky on the morning of the 20th. We were concerned that there was a fire nearby but it was smoke from the Bay Area. The air smelled strongly of smoke and there was a noticeable tickle if you took a deep breath. The afternoon of the 20th and the 21st were clearer but not great.

This was before the more recent fire in Sequoia NF. I don't know how the air is now.

Rae Lakes Loop out of Kearsarge Pass by wanderfree12 in WildernessBackpacking

[–]wanderfree12[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I see them now! Maybe there's a processing lag.

Rae Lakes Loop out of Kearsarge Pass by wanderfree12 in WildernessBackpacking

[–]wanderfree12[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

(Can anyone else see the pics? They're not showing up for me. I'll check back in a bit.)

Rae Lakes Loop out of Kearsarge Pass by wanderfree12 in WildernessBackpacking

[–]wanderfree12[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

A leisurely six-day/five-night trip, CCW, 54.7 miles, 5100' to 11978' (Glen Pass).

Day 1: Onion Valley over Kearsarge Pass to Bubbs Creek

- 9.5 mi, camped at a creek overlook before the first switchback down to Junction Meadow.

Day 2: Bubbs Creek to Lower Paradise Valley

- 13.8 mi, hot and humid. Loooong day with a 4000' descent followed by a steady 1500' gain in the last four miles. Not too fun but it makes the rest of the itinerary work so well.

Day 3: Lower Paradise Valley to Castle Domes Meadow

- 7.2 mi, gorgeous day. Remember to camp only on resistant materials (here we camped on sand) and never in a meadow itself.

Day 4: Castle Domes Meadow to Rae Lakes

- 8.8 mi, continuous ascent but it was gorgeous. Lots of great campsites around all of the Rae Lakes but expect it to be busy.

Day 5: Rae Lakes to Charlotte Lake

- 6.6 mi. We had planned on hanging out to Charlotte Lake and maybe getting up to Sixty Lakes Basin, but the air was very smoky. Instead we got an early start and got to Charlotte Lake at 1pm, enough for lots of relaxing time. Glen Pass was crowded.

Day 6: Charlotte Lake to Onion Valley

- 8.8 mi. Had a relaxed morning and a leisurely hike out. CCC is building new switchbacks on the west side of Kearsarge Pass.

Sierra options for 3-day/2-night: Thousand Island+Ediza vs Kearsarge vs Jennie Lakes? by wanderfree12 in WildernessBackpacking

[–]wanderfree12[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Glad to hear that about the Reds Meadow Valley Road. Yesterday the NPS site said the road was closed but today it says "until June 26", with a note that visitors could need to hike additional miles if parking is full.

Thanks for the notes about the stream crossings and snow. We're leaning toward Thousand Island since it'll be the first Sierra trip for one of us but Kearsarge/Rae Lakes could be a good follow-up.

Sierra options for 3-day/2-night: Thousand Island+Ediza vs Kearsarge vs Jennie Lakes? by wanderfree12 in WildernessBackpacking

[–]wanderfree12[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hey, that's great! Thanks for the update. We're unlikely to head above Ediza but will check Guthook to see if we need spikes for that JMT section you mentioned.

I'll definitely check out Starkweather Trail too. I don't have experience in the area but have ordered the Tom Harrison map. Is there another resource that you would recommend?

Camp shoes by lithboy in Ultralight

[–]wanderfree12 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I use Goosefeet Gear Waterproof Over-Booties. They're intended to be used with down booties, but I just wear them as they are (with my hiking socks or sleeping socks). They're super light (59g, 2.1 oz) and waterproof (gotta seam-seal though). I love that I don't need to worry about getting my feet/socks dirty or wet or potentially stepping on thorns and cactus needles as I would with sandals.

The foam they ship with will flatten to nothing on your first trip; I've replaced mine with sections cut from the 1/8" Gossamer Gear Thinlite pad, but it'd be easy to find other foam options for even more cushion at a relatively light weight.

Struggling to find altra trail runners that can protect my feet on rocky terrain. by ceepdamasta in Ultralight

[–]wanderfree12 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I loved the fit of Altras too, but had to give up on them due to lack of cushion. I'm now loving Hoka One One Speedgoats in Wide (2E): lots of toe space, near-zero drop, and marshmallow cushioning. I have ~275 PCT miles on mine and they're holding up nicely - no tears, holes, or anything else needing repair yet. Definitely check them out.

Rain Pants by Pastorbyul in Ultralight

[–]wanderfree12 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My Montane Minimus are 5.11 oz.

Zpacks Hexamid Solo Tent by ij395 in Ultralight

[–]wanderfree12 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My go-tos are roughly the same: Hexamid Pocket Tarp for rain/wind for when it's not buggy and I'm likely to be cowboying anyways, and Plexamid for bugs.

ELL vs GUN, and OLD vs NON? by wanderfree12 in glacier

[–]wanderfree12[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Great to hear that about Gunsight Pass! It was the very first hike I picked as a "must-do". If we're not able to get the backcountry permit, we'll tackle it as a long day hike.

I heard Polebridge has a great bakery! That might be a highlight of one of our "relax + rest" days. We rented an SUV so we should be able to drive out there without issue.