Went to the Wilson Creek area by myself this weekend. It was my first time using the hammock, and I wish I would've reviewed the detailed directions on how to hang it and how to tie the appropriate knots before I left The hammock will take some getting used to because I'm not a back-sleeper at all, but it was so nice not to have to hike my tent in&out.

Any chance anybody knows why a section of trail #263 had a "Trail closed - due to fire" sign on it? There was no smoke or fire damage anywhere on the ~1/2 mi section of tail, and there's nothing on Forest Service website about it.

6/27/2011 12:03:24 AM

There's a meth lab back there and they don't want anyone coming through.

6/27/2011 12:26:09 AM

Maroon Bells this weekend.

6/28/2011 11:05:58 AM

went a couple of weeks ago to this really remote area up near sunburst. Nearest hiking trail was about 8 miles away, we went straight up the creek for about 2 miles, took a few hours and was the hardest I've ever worked to get to a camping spot but it was well worth it. Wish I had some pictures.

we built a little shelter out of a tarp we carried with us and some branches and cordage, I helped dig and tweak our dakota fire hole and worked on recognizing good plants for cordage and practiced splicing some ends together

6/28/2011 11:30:23 AM

^^oh snap, take some pics

bells - snowmass is on my short list for some day soon

6/28/2011 11:43:01 AM

leaving Arlington first thing to hit Dolly Sods for two nights - pretty excited, place is gorgeous

7/2/2011 12:15:16 AM

Prospero, what trail(s) are you going on? we're heading to CO in a few weeks & still haven't decided on a trail. the best we've narrowed it down to is somewhere in the areas of white river national forest, gunnison national forest, or maybe even maroon bells. i've ordered a few different trails illustrated maps to try to pick one. i plan to start looking them over this weekend. open to any & all suggestions. no national parks though.

7/2/2011 9:11:19 AM

^just a quick aside, take altitude into consideration, don't plan on hiking the same distances you hike out east unless your an ironman triathlete. once you get above 9,000-10,000 feet, you just can't hike as fast. i'm acclimated at Denver a bit and I still struggle over 12,000 feet to hike faster than 2mph. also hydrate, hydrate, hydrate until you pee clear before you hike and take some ibuprofen just in case you experience altitude sickness. if you hike any peaks or above treeline, PLAN on getting to the summit or getting below treeline by 12noon as Colorado is known for lighting storms in the afternoons, this is a rule-of-thumb safety measure taken by Coloradans as there are multiple deaths each year due to lightning strikes.

Maroon Bells is wilderness, so you can technically pitch a tent (almost) anywhere, it's like $10 per vehicle to enter the wilderness, but they have overnight parking and a host that watches the vehicles. My wife and I did a pretty laid back hike in/out, probably only ~8 miles round-trip a bit past Crater Lake on #1970 (West Maroon Creek) trail.

We were going to go to Crested Butte, it's a 12 mile hike over Schofield pass, but didn't want the hassle of figuring out the taxi into town (apparently you just need to call the Crested Butte Chamber of Commerce) so we just stuck to the Bells side. There was quite a bit of snow left on the pass as well... but apparently the trail opens up to Crested Butte late July once the snow melts.

Then we thought about doing the Four Peak Trail (#1970-#1974-#1973-#1975)
http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/recreation/map/vis_maps/wrnf/white-river-nf-east/index.shtml but thought it was too much to bite off in a 2-day backpacking trip, but could be great for a longer 3-day trip or so.

Anyhow, great place, and Aspen is fun to visit as well.














[Edited on July 5, 2011 at 3:55 PM. Reason : .]

[Edited on July 5, 2011 at 3:58 PM. Reason : /]

7/5/2011 3:45:20 PM

awesome pics, how crowded was it?

7/5/2011 4:37:47 PM

awesome pics. did you take them?

7/5/2011 4:49:22 PM

Not as crowded as I thought it'd be on a holiday weekend. It was all first-come-first-serve and we got there Saturday morning, hiked up, probably 1/2 of the 11 designated campsites around Crater Lake were open at 12 noon or so when we got there. As the day went on some more backpackers showed up late, like around 6pm or so and all the 11 campsites were full. It's pretty crowded between Maroon Lake & Crater Lake with dayhikers, but not many people past Crater Lake (maybe 30 people all day?)

7/5/2011 4:50:45 PM

^thanks! we're choosing to do in&out so that we can turn around at the halfway point time-wise for that specific reason (altitude). we have no clue how fast we can move so we'll just take it as it comes. we'll be getting there saturday night, staying w/ a friend, hiking storm king mountain on sunday, then heading out monday morning backpacking for 4ish days. i'm hoping the couple of days before backpacking, plus the 3-4 hour day hike will help us be a little more prepared/acclimated. i'll check out those trails. AWESOME pics!!!! I CANNOT WAIT!!!!!

oh! rental cars. this may be a stupid question, but how necessary is an SUV and/or 4wd?

[Edited on July 5, 2011 at 11:30 PM. Reason : ]

7/5/2011 11:24:15 PM

depends entirely on how remote the trail is. maroon bells has a paved road all the way to the trailhead, but i've been on plenty of roads where i've had to turnaround or park and hike up the road because my car couldn't make it over the ruts.

best idea is to call the nearest ranger station and ask about road conditions and if you need 4wd/awd.

Quote :

"awesome pics. did you take them?"

yes, i took them.

[Edited on July 6, 2011 at 9:15 AM. Reason : .]

7/6/2011 9:15:25 AM

What camera/lens setup do you have?

I've been debating on getting a wide angle lens.

7/6/2011 12:54:20 PM

^ exif viewer says it's a canon xsi, 1/200s shutter speed, ISO 100, 18mm f/9

for the last one, at least

7/6/2011 1:16:54 PM

yea, XSi w/ the kit 18-55mm lens, I also took a Canon 75-300mm telephoto, no fancy lenses yet. circular polarizer filter helps in Colorado though I can tell you that.

7/6/2011 4:44:46 PM

It's pretty there. I can't wait

7/6/2011 5:19:25 PM

nothing special, but this was my first hammock setup...worked out well enough, but i had to use a tent fly since i didn't have a lightweight tarp...woke up in the middle of the night when it started to pour so that i could move it down a bit so the rain wouldn't blow in as badly

i've since bought (4) 4-5 person tent footprints from REI ($10-20/each) and i'm going to try them...cheaper than any other option (including buying silnylon and making one myself) and they range from 11-16oz, so they're not too heavy

7/7/2011 1:04:27 PM

we finally made a decision on a trail! Four Pass Loop trail http://www.summitpost.org/four-pass-loop/327228 yayayayayayayyyy!!!!

we will have a free night (as in nothing planned) on friday. we are either going to go back to our friend's house in parachute, or stay a night in a hotel in aspen, denver, somewhere. our flight isn't until 5:20pm on saturday. is there something awesome we should go check out? anything within a couple hours radius of the airport is fine.

7/12/2011 1:44:45 PM

^if you have a chance and you're in the denver area, check out Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison. It's west Denver and pretty damn amazing. Great views of Denver from there.

Hope you enjoy your trip out here. Aspen is awesome and that hike looks great. I might have to try it later this summer.

7/16/2011 5:52:46 PM

^^nice! you'll love it! one of the most scenic areas in Colorado.

Things to do: you'll drive through Glenwood Springs when you exit off I-70 towards Aspen, there's a pretty big hot springs there that is fun after hiking along a brewpub across the street. You may also want to stop in the town of Breckenridge on the way back, it's about 30-min off the highway, Red Rocks near Denver is about 5-minutes off I-70 right before you start driving up the mountains. I would also recommend just hanging out downtown Denver, see if the Rockies are playing, or rent a bike (bcycle.com, like $5/day) and bike around downtown near the river, check out the flagship REI, spend time in the parks, check out all the breweries and brewpubs, walk up/down 16th street mall. You can't really go wrong.

[Edited on July 17, 2011 at 12:49 AM. Reason : .]

7/17/2011 12:47:48 AM

i don't drink so that kind throw some of that out unfortunately. we definitely want to hit up REI and any other cool shops we might come across. any ideas there?

7/17/2011 11:17:36 AM

Well right around REI there's the Wilderness Exchange and Proto's Pizza, across the river there's LoDo (Lower Downtown) with Patagonia and tons of stores and restaurants, again I'd go watch a Rockies game if they are playing, tickets are super cheap ($4-$12 for outfield/upper deck) it's a fun atmosphere with a great view. Also walk up and down 16th street mall there's about a gazillion shops to walk into. And I'd highly suggest renting a bike like I said earlier to go up and down the bike paths. MCA (Museum of Contemporary Art) is pretty cool that's near LoDo, and I'd check out the place called "The Market" on Larimer for a great place to get ice cream and/or cake, the Spring Fling cake is amazing! Aside from that just enjoy the beautiful weather, maybe just picnic in Commons Park by the river. Tattered Cover bookstore is pretty amazing if you're into books, and Snooze is an epic breakfast place. All of these places are within 5-10 blocks of each other.

[Edited on July 17, 2011 at 6:46 PM. Reason : ,]

7/17/2011 6:44:36 PM

leaving in the morning!!!!

7/22/2011 11:13:57 PM

Hope you enjoyed your trip!!

Went camping up near Piney Lake, just north of Vail. Along with some Disc Golf at Beaver Creek.

7/25/2011 12:51:12 PM

Those sandwich things are AWESOME. They make the best grilled cheese sandwiches and pies.

7/25/2011 12:52:52 PM

Indeed.

I also got these grilling baskets for like $2-$3, great for burgers & steaks over the campfire:
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Bargain-Cave/Rock-Bottom-Deals/Home-Gifts-Pet%7C/pc/105591780/c/105642180/sc/105648480/Grilling-Baskets/747285.uts

A friend of mine also brought this awesome setup:
http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Tripod-Grill-Lantern-Hanger/dp/B000MPOKRW

And another friend got this for his wedding and was incredibly useful:
http://www.rei.com/product/765279/rei-camp-kitchen

7/25/2011 1:05:39 PM

This needs to be added to the list for camping kitchen tools:

7/25/2011 1:12:48 PM

and we're back! which sucks. north carolina is too damn humid.

here are some of our pics. chris has better ones, taken with a dslr, but he's not awake yet lol.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10100234972051039.2567736.11805098&l=d5c6bc06d9&type=1

we made it almost to the first pass & turned back. the altitude was too much for chris & we just couldn't complete the loop at the pace we were going. we were soaking wet too. it worked out really well though. we went back to our friend's house in Parachute, went to Grand Mesa National Forest, Cedaredge & its pioneer town, and Grand Junction. on friday we got a super nice hotel room thru hotwire in downtown denver. right on the 16th street mall. ate street food, went to the nature/science museum, then came home. awesome trip

7/31/2011 12:19:18 PM

awesome! glad you had a good time and a safe trip. looks like some afternoon storms?

7/31/2011 2:34:30 PM

it rained like a bitch most of our 2nd day, but didn't get really heavy until the afternoon. then it POURED overnight. we stayed dry in the tent, but were soaked otherwise from walking through the bushes all day long. not fun when it's cold & there's not enough oxygen lol. it was a great trip though. i'm so glad we went.

7/31/2011 3:34:41 PM

i'm looking to plan a trip for a large group, around 10 people. what is a good place to go with in a 4 hour drive that has group camping. We did Uwharrie last year and had fun but I wanted to look into something new.

8/1/2011 10:31:50 AM

^ hanging rock is my go-to, but you're not supposed to drink

i've never used the group camping at stone mountain, but i like the park

8/1/2011 11:54:08 AM

I wish camping in the summer in NC wasn't such a miserable experience. It probably won't be until October that we break out our tent

8/1/2011 11:58:00 AM

it's not too bad in the mountains...muggier and warmer than some places, but usually not nearly as muggy/hot as raleigh

we're doing mount mitchell in a couple of weeks

[Edited on August 1, 2011 at 12:15 PM. Reason : .]

8/1/2011 12:14:55 PM

^^I had a rule of thumb when I lived in NC, never camp between Memorial Day & Labor Day, it just plain sucked. Now in CO, it's about opposite, about the only time I can camp is between Memorial Day and October 1st.

8/1/2011 12:28:10 PM

^ That's pretty much my rule of thumb as well. I remember one miserable 4th of July up near Boone when my tent might as well have been a sauna. Now I can't bring myself to do it

8/1/2011 12:31:41 PM

If anyone wants some cool temperatures do some hiking around Mount Mitchell. The high over the last week hasn't gotten above 73 with a daily average of around 63 and nightly lows in the upper 50's .

The camp sites at the summit have to be reserved in advance but it's SO nice up there this time of year. One of the only cool places to hike in the state.

8/1/2011 12:37:27 PM

last year I went to mt mitchell in july and the temp at night got into the 30s!!

^^^ thanks for the suggestions. i'll check into it.

8/1/2011 12:46:17 PM

Although I'm on their reservation site and there's nothing for the next month (weekend) haha. Unless I'm doing something wrong.

http://www.nc.reserveworld.com/

8/1/2011 12:50:26 PM

Quote :

"i'm looking to plan a trip for a large group, around 10 people. what is a good place to go with in a 4 hour drive that has group camping. We did Uwharrie last year and had fun but I wanted to look into something new."

car camping or primitive camping?

If you want car camping you can do that along Linville Gorge. There's a number of somewhat-secluded spots along the road on the western side of the gorge.

For primitive camping I always recommend the Wilson Creek area of Pisgah. There are trails with varying difficulty and length that lead to some nice, large open areas where groups can camp.

8/1/2011 7:23:59 PM

Just got back from Colorado! Went to Silverton/Ouray/Lake City. Climbed Handie's Peak (14,048), did the Ice Lake Basin Trail, 2 days on the Continental Divide, and Island Lake. Def the best trip ever!

8/1/2011 9:35:13 PM

Great pictures! Glad you enjoyed your trip, I love CO!

8/1/2011 11:06:11 PM

heading up to Lolo Pass, MT / Powell, ID this weekend. i. can't. wait.

8/2/2011 12:16:22 AM

Colorado is amazing. Everything looks so perfect it seems fake.
The altitude definitely took its toll on me though
I had a constant headache, felt like puking, and couldn't sleep. My wife, who has an office job (vs me being a forester) handled the altitude better and was overall faster.

The view from Independence Pass

8/2/2011 12:40:37 AM

Kifaru Tipis: http://www.kifaru.net/TIPI2009.html

Been thinking about getting one for a long time, either a 6 or 8 man. Anyone had any experience? Everything else I've bought from Kifaru has been awesome, so no complaints there but the Tipi is venturing into an area I don't have any real experience with.

8/8/2011 4:42:27 AM

i've thought about getting a tipi a couple of times...they're comparatively light and compact, and arguably more durable than a tent

i keep coming back to it until i check out prices and realize that $500+ is just ridiculous for a floorless shelter...and in the case of the kifarus, $1000 for the 6-man is outrageous

i've thought about the black diamond mega light shelters (about $250), but they're only big enough for 4 people (which realistically means 2-3 and gear)...my 3-man with dual vestibules already serves that purpose (but it's 2x the weight of the mega light, which is just shy of 3lbs but comes with a carbon fiber center pole)

http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/mountain/shelters/mega-light-tent



for individual or couple backpackers, they make the 2lb betamid for $100 (requires your own trekking poles) and the 1lb beta light for $180 (again, requires your own poles)...but these aren't really tipis, just lightweight shelters

the golite shangri-la 5 is just over 2.5lbs (with pole) and is $350 if one wanted something larger: http://www.golite.com/Product/ProdDetail.aspx?p=370005110

[Edited on August 8, 2011 at 8:42 AM. Reason : pic]

8/8/2011 8:21:03 AM

Quote :

"in the case of the kifarus, $1000 for the 6-man is outrageous"

No doubt, Kifaru is proud of their equipment, but there are few companies who have the customer service and quality reputation that Kifaru has and, like I said, everything I've owned by them has been top notch.

I'm also not looking for an ultralight. I'm mostly angling for something to use during winter camping and when I camp while hunting. The idea of getting up to a warm tipi when it is 20F outside is pretty enticing.

8/8/2011 11:38:22 AM

black diamond has a great reputation for putting out quality products with great customer service...i don't know much about golite

really, it sounds like you're set on what you want...if you're comfortable spending $1300+ on a 6-man tipi and small stove, why not just go ahead and get it?

8/8/2011 1:41:52 PM

Simmer down. I'm not set on it at all, that is still a LOT of money. I know I'd like a Kifaru Tipi, I like the stove option etc . . . I just don't know that I want it $1500 worth, which is why I'm looking for opinions.

8/8/2011 1:49:09 PM