Cuben Fiber Hybrid Backpack with Removable Internal Frame

After seeing some of the cuben hybrid material used on the Zpacks Exo backpacks, I decided to try some on my own version of a cuben pack. 

The idea with this pack is to make something big enough to hold a Bearikade Weekender or Expedition bear canister plus some winter gear, but still keep it around 8 ozs. I made one out of just cuben and used it on the JMT last summer, but calling it a 'prototype' would be pushing it. People usually passed me and said, "hey, homemade pack heh?". To make things worse it was made out of some bright blue cuben I got on sale on gearswap. 

I also wanted something that would hold up to 35 - 40 lbs if I needed to carry extra stuff for a few miles to our favorite Sierra waterslides this summer. I added channels for a removeable internal frame (taken from a GG Gorilla) to handle heavier loads. 

Plus, I wanted something that could take some serious abuse on the Sierra High Route this summer. 

The material is all available at Zpacks.com. The cuben hybrid is made from 1.43 oz black cuben on the inside and 50 denier polyester on the outside. It feels strong and tear resistent. 

For the pack design I borrowed generously from the Blast and Gorilla packs. For the shape of the shoulder straps I traced a North Face daypack. Some of the more original things added are adjustable elastic cords at the top of all the exterior pockets and adjustable pad straps. I like having two medium sized rear pockets instead of one large pocket. It makes it easier to find stuff after a long day.

The cuben hybrid material is attached to the bottom 3" of the pack and side pockets using a triple stitched flat felled seam. All of the attachment places are reinforced with cuben bonded to the main material at a 45 degree angle. The area where the shoulder straps attach to the main pack is triple reinforced. The internal channel for the removeable frame is made from the heavier cuben hybrid material. I noticed that the ends of the frame cut through the channel made from 1.43 oz cuben in the earlier prototype, but the hybrid doesn't rip. 

The total pack size is about 3,250 c/i. The main pack bag is 2,500 c/i, side pockets 300 c/i, rear pockets 450 c/i. The main pack is 6" deep, 12" wide and about 34" tall.

The total weight is 9 ozs (without the internal frame). The heavier cuben hyrid material added about 2.5 ozs compared to a similar pack I made with just cuben. The removeable internal frame adds 3 ozs. 

Side view (with internal frame and Gossamer Gear sitpad for back padding). 

The bottom 3" are made with the more durable cuben/nylon hybrid from Zpacks.com. 

Interior detail of the internal frame channels (without the frame)

Interior detail of the frame channels (with the frame)

Adjustable front pocket (open)

Adjustable front pocket (closed)

Adjustable side pocket (open)

Adjustable side pocket (closed)

Shoulder strap attachment detail. There is a third layer bonded at a 45 degree angle inside the pack. 

Ultralight Backpacking Essentials

Some of my backpacking buddies have been asking about a list of UL gear as a place to start lightening their pack weight. This is a brief list of some Ultralight Backpacking Essentials that have worked for me . . ,

What is Ultralight?

Ultralight simply means having a base weight under 10 lbs. Base weight is the weight of all your gear not counting consumables (food, water and fuel). 

Ultralight Backpacking Essentials:

A good place to save weight is with “The Big Three”: Your Pack, Shelter and Sleeping gear.

Using the lightest items below it is possible to stay around 3 - 4 lbs for “The Big Three”. . .
I am simply a humble amateur and although there are some experts I am not one of them. That being said here are some ultralight essentials that have worked for me:

Pack:

Zpacks Zero: http://zpacks.com/backpacks/zero.shtml

I have one of these (but with a detachable hipbelt) and it’s great. This pack weighs 7.4 oz for 2,600 c/i’s, which is plenty of room for whatever kind of trip you want. Joe Valesko makes these by hand and did his 2,600+ mile thru hikes using this pack. It is made from super strong cuben fiber, it has a built-in padded hipbelt and carries 20lbs just fine. It looks a little strange, cut it’s cutting edge. The material is very strong for the weight. Frameless, so you just use your sleeping pad inside the pack to create structure. There are lots of options to customize as you wish. Current wait is about 4 weeks.

OR

Zpacks Arc Blast: http://zpacks.com/backpacks/arc_blast.shtml

Comfortable for up to 20 lbs and the new carbon fiber external frame means a more comfortable fit and no sweaty back.

OR

Gossamer Gear Gorilla: http://gossamergear.com/packs/backpacks/gorilla-ultralight-backpack-all.html

I have one of these. It weighs 24 ozs. It’s great if you want to carry a little more gear and weight. I used this one at Dinkey Dome when carrying gear for both Candy and I. It has an internal frame and it’s a good way to ease into the ultralight deal. Carries up to 35 lbs comfortably. Ready immediately.

.

OR

Gossamer Gear Murmur: http://gossamergear.com/murmur-hyperlight-backpack.html

I have one of these and it is Candy’s main pack. It weighs 8.1 ozs!. Great for loads up to 12 lbs total. It is delicate but extremely light.

OR

Zpacks Arc Haul: http://zpacks.com/backpacks/arc_haul.shtml

Good for loads over 30 lbs. I just ordered one of these (as of 05/05/2015) and although there is a six week waiting list I was able to order it with several custom options. Sometimes on trips over 8 days I need a heavier pack to carry extra food or heavier winter gear. Review to follow!

Shelter:

Zpacks Hexamid Solo Tent: http://zpacks.com/shelter/hexamid.shtml

Zpacks Hexamid Twin Tent: http://zpacks.com/shelter/hexamidtwin.shtml

Zpacks Duplex Tent: http://zpacks.com/shelter/duplex.shtml

I have one of the solo tents, it’s amazing. At 8 oz it’s the lightest fully enclosed tent available (10 oz for the twin). It uses a somewhat strange technique of putting your ground sheet on top of the netting. He also used this for his 2,600+ mile thru hikes. I got it without the optional “beak”.

Six Moon Designs Haven Tarp and Inner Net Tent: http://sixmoondesigns.com/tarps/69-haven-tarp-cuben.html

I use this modular setup when camping with my wife Candy. At 26 ozs it is the lightest two person/two door/two vestibule fully enclosed double wall tent available. It uses two trekking poles to setup. It's possible to use just the net tent on warm nights, just the tarp for 360 degree rain protection or both at the same time for a full double wall shelter. The tarp only weighs 10 ozs which is less than most one person shaped tarps with 360 degree protection (like the MLD solomid).

Six Moon Designs Skyscape X: http://sixmoondesigns.com/tents/ssX.html

This is a hybrid double wall shelter for one person. It is 80% double wall with only a small area that is single wall. There is an attached inner net, a bathtub floor, two vestibules and 360 degree protection. This is a very stable shelter as it uses two trekking poles in a V shape inside. The one I received weighs 14.5 ozs. I have used this in the High Sierras during all night storms for several nights in a row at 11,000 feet with no problems. Slept like a baby.

Mountain Laurel Designs Solomid: http://www.mountainlaureldesigns.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=47&products_id=137

This is the shelter that professional adventurer Andrew Skurka (see http://andrewskurka.com/ ) used on his 4,800 mile Alaska trip. Although it is advertised as weighing 11 ozs for the cuben version I custom ordered one with the lighter cuben fiber (0.51 oz/sqyd) and it only weighs 8.6 ozs. This is an amazing shelter. I used it during a five day snowshoeing trip last winter in the High Sierra and slept like a baby. It is a floorless shelter that provides 360 degree protection from wind, snow, rain etc. It does not provide bug protection and it does not have a floor so it is not appropriate for the early season when bugs are a problem. I use a poncho/ground sheet for the floor. If you are interested in photos of this shelter check out my trip report: Glacier Divide Winter 2013

Six Moon Designs Gatewood Cape:   http://sixmoondesigns.com/tarps/GatewoodCape.html

11 oz solo tarp tent and rain gear and backpack rain cover. This thing provides full 360 degree coverage as a shelter AND it’s a poncho for full coverage rain gear AND it’s a pack cover in case of rain AND it can be used as a bivy/sleeping bag cover. This is a great multi-use item. I have one of these, and they are currently available. You can also get the Serenity Net Tent, an inner net tent to protect from bugs, or also to use alone to sleep under the stars. The inner net tent is about 8 ozs.

OR

Another option is to use a tarp and a bivy. As a modular setup the good thing with this setup is that you can sleep under the stars but still protected from bugs etc by just using the bivy. . . or just the tarp for basic weather protection. . . or both for full protection. While on a JMT thru hike in 2010 I used a tarp and bivy setup that only weighed 7.1 ozs for both!

Here are links for the lightest tarp and bivy:

Cuben Fiber Tarps:

http://zpacks.com/shelter/tarps.shtml.

I used one of his 5.5’ x 8.5' cuben tarps on the JMT in 2010, it’s 3.2 ozs and very good quality).

Mountain Laurel Designs Superlight Bivy:

http://www.mountainlaureldesigns.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=22&products_id=30.

At 5.5 ozs this is the lightest commercially available fully functional bivy I have found. I made my own bivy and used it on the JMT in 2010. It weighs only 3.9 ozs. For details check out my: Ultralight Bivy.

Sleeping:

Think ‘Sleeping System’ and you can use a much lighter sleeping bag along with silk long johns to extend the warmth range by another 10 degrees without adding any weight (I bring silk long johns anyway). May PCT thru hikers use these 40 degree bags. So even with this ultralight 40 degree bag, it’s possible to stay warm at below freezing temps. Nice.

Sleeping quilt:

Basically a sleeping bag without a bottom, quilts are really popular with ultralighters. The benefit is that you don’t waste down on the bottom where it will just be compressed and not useful. Also, you can totally spread out without the claustrophobic feeling of a bag. All of the down is on the top and sides. My next project is to make one myself using the Thru-hiker pattern. Quilts typically weigh about 16-18 ozs for a 30 degree temp rating. I’m not sure this is something you’re interested in, but here’s a few links:

Katabatic quilts: http://katabaticgear.com/shop/category/sleeping-bags/ . I like these best and they consistently receive the highest ratings. 

Nunatak quilts: http://www.nunatakusa.com/site07/arc_products/arc_specialist.htm . High quality, expensive.

Jacks-R-Better wearable quilts: http://www.jacksrbetter.com/Wearable%20Quilts.htm . No need to bring a jacket.

My own custom made 12.5 oz summer quilt:

http://seatosummitultralight.blogspot.com/2012/04/lightweight-summer-quilt.html

My own custom made 17 oz wearable three season quilt: 

http://seatosummitultralight.blogspot.com/2012/04/wearable-quilt.html

My own custom made 23 ozs winter quilt: 

http://seatosummitultralight.blogspot.com/2013/11/winter-quilt-with-custom-trapezoidal.html


OR

Sleeping Bag:

Mont-bell UL Super Spiral Down Hugger #3 (30 degree sleeping bag) with 800 fill power down.

http://www.montbell.us/products/disp.php?cat_id=3211&p_id=2321188

24 oz sleeping bag for the long size. It features a diagonal stitching design that stretches from 57” to 81” for the inside shoulder girth. You can sit up cross legged while still inside. You can order directly from the Mont-Bell website or campmore.com and other online retailers. I have one of these in the ‘long’ size, although now I use a quilt. They are much more comfortable and lightweight.

Sleeping Pads:

Therm-a-Rest NeoAir X-Lite:

http://www.rei.com/product/829851/therm-a-rest-neoair-xlite-sleeping-pad

12 oz full length inflatable sleeping pad. This is a luxury item, but it is amazingly light weight and totally comfortable. This link is for the ‘regular’ size, its 20” wide, 6’ long and seems like it may be a little longer. 

Gossamer Gear Nightlight:

http://gossamergear.com/sleeping/nightlight-sleeping-pad-torso-length.html

Torso length foam pad. It doesn’t get much lighter than this.

Klymit Inertia X-Lite Inflatable Torso Pad: 

http://klymit.com/index.php/products-1/sleeping-pads/inertia-x-lite-orange-short.html

Inflatable torso length sleeping pad. At 5.5 ozs this is the lightest inflatable sleeping pad I have found. It looks strange, but provides comfortable sleep. I use it with a Gossamer Gear 1/8" insulation pad.

Therm-a-Rest Neo-Air X-Therm: 

http://www.rei.com/product/829850/therm-a-rest-neoair-xtherm-sleeping-pad

This is the lightest pad for serious winter/snow conditions. It is very warm and basically reflects your own body head back at your while insulating from the cold below. 

Misc. Items:

Ground cloth:

Gossamer Gear Polycryo:  

http://www.gossamergear.com/cgi-bin/gossamergear/polycryo_ground_cloth.html

1.5 oz ground cloth. 40” x 96” is more than enough room for a solo ground cloth, and it’s a deal for $8.00 you get two.

Poncho/Groundsheet/Pack Cover: 

http://zpacks.com/accessories/groundsheet_poncho.shtml

I made one of these with light material and it weighs 2.5 ozs (with sleeves). Amazing triple use item. If you consider the typical weight of even the lightest options for a groundsheet (1.5 oz), pack cover (1.1 oz) and rain jacket (5 ozs)  the Poncho/Groundsheet/Pack Cover saves over 5 ozs. 

Stakes:

Gossamer Gear Tite Lite Stakes:

http://gossamergear.com/tite-lite-tent-stakes.html

0.2 oz 6.5” titanium stakes. The lightest stakes available.

Vargo 6.5" Orange Shepher Hook Titanium Stakes: 

http://zpacks.com/accessories/stakes.shtml

0.28 ozs 6.5" titanium stakes with orange color. Although these are slightly heavier they are much easier to keep track of.

Carbon Fiber Rutalocura Stakes: 

http://www.rutalocura.com/Tent_Stakes.html

0.2 oz 6" carbon fiber stakes. Better holding power as they are thicker.

Easton Aluminum Stakes: 

http://www.backcountry.com/easton-mountain-products-nano-tent-stakes-4-pack

Cooking:

Caldera Keg:  

http://www.antigravitygear.com/trail-designs-caldera-keg-f.html

Although this is sold as a 6.3 oz complete cook set I just use the parts I need. I just use the Fosters can, lid, ‘cozy’ and a gramcracker esbit stove. With these options my entire cookset weighs under 3 ozs. Just use the Foster can as a cookpot/mug/bowl or whatever.

Winter Stove System: 

http://seatosummitultralight.blogspot.com/2013/05/winter-stove-system-2012.html

The extra weight of my winter stove system is due to the need to melt snow for water. Although the stove system weighs 5.4 ozs it is also heavier due to the canister fuel.

Eating utensil: 

The GSI Telescoping Foon is a spoon/fork combo that folds into half the size that can easily fit into your cookpot. These are delicate and most of mine have broken after a few years. 

http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/GSI-Outdoors-Ultralight-Telescoping-Foon/GSI0107M.html?CMP_SKU=GSI0133&MER=0406&CMP_ID=SH_FRO001&mv_pc=r126&mr:trackingCode=474F82DB-F061-DF11-9DA0-002219319097&mr:referralID=NA


Now I use a simple long plastic spoon (0.5 oz):

http://www.rei.com/product/830761/rei-campware-long-spoon


Or a Sea to Summit long titanium spoon (0.4 oz):

http://www.rei.com/product/782241/sea-to-summit-alpha-light-spoon-long

Water treatment:

Aqua Mira is THE lightest and most convenient way to safely treat water. I repackage the A and B solution into smaller dropper bottles. By mixing the solution into a small mix bottle each morning I have everything I need for the day. All this for under 2 ozs.

http://zpacks.com/accessories/aquamira.shtml

¼ oz Dropper Bottles:

These are priceless, never carry more than you really need of all misc stuff. Superlight ¼ oz small bottles (they only weight 0.2 oz). I use these to repackage and carry everything from sun screen, bug repellant, campsuds, aqua mira etc. Here’s a link:

http://gossamergear.com/etc/accessories/mini-dropper-bottles.html

Stuff sacks:

Cuben stuff sacks are the lightest. I just make my own and I can hook you up with some good ones to start. Zpacks also has a great selection. A nylon stuff sack weighs 3 ozs. The same size cuben stuff sack weighs 0.20 oz.

http://zpacks.com/accessories/stuff_sacks.shtml

Clothing ‘system’:

With these layers you’re good down to well below freezing, rain or shine for around 24 ozs. Multi-use as they are also part of the sleep system.

Base layer(s):

Smartwool merino wool microweight t-shirt. I can wear one of these for a week without washing and it does not get funky. Better than synthetic, amazing, 4 ozs. Cool in the summer/warm in the winter. Pricey but worth it:

http://www.rei.com/product/844121/rei-tech-t-shirt-mens

Icebreaker also makes a quality merino wool microweight t-shirt. I took one of these on the JMT last summer and it lasted 11 days just fine with just a few rinses.

http://us.icebreaker.com/Tech-T-Lite/IBQ231,en,pd.html?dwvar_IBQ231_color=D34&start=7&cgid=mens-tops-short-sleeve

Silk long johns.

Good in the summer. These are multi-use. Worn at night or early morning under a wind shirt/pants to hike and they can also be used as part of your sleep system to warm up your ultralight sleeping bag another 9-10 degrees warmer. They only weigh 3.3 ozs each and are plenty warm for around a campfire in the summer. Amazing. The weight of these with wind shell pants is under 6 ozs, they are warmer than just jeans alone which are 24  ozs. . . dude!

http://www.rei.com/product/802212

http://www.rei.com/product/802210

Merino wool long johns.

Good in the fall/winter for colder weather. Smartwool makes microweight merino wool long johns. Amazing warmth for very light weight. These things weigh under 6 ozs each and I was sweating in the store trying them on. Good if you’re expecting very cold weather at high elevation etc.

http://www.rei.com/product/785027

http://www.rei.com/product/731997

Puffy Down Jacket:

Mont-Bell Ex Light Down Jacket:

http://www.montbell.us/products/disp.php?p_id=2301344

5.7 oz ultralight, compressable and warm down jacket. I have one of these in large, it’s 6.1 oz for the large size. 900 fill goose down, super light, and super warm. A must have for UL packing.

Black Rock Gear Ultralight Down Vest:

http://www.blackrockgear.com/vest.html

4.9 oz ultralight down vest with 2.5 ozs of 900 f/p down!! I returned my size Large as it was a little too snug around the chest and neck. I'm 6' 200 lbs in the off season and down to 185 lbs after a long thru hike. I got an XL and it fits great. 

Wind shell/shirt:

I just made one of these using the Thru-Hiker.com pattern, it’s 2 ozs. The whole windshirt thing is big with ultralighters. Basically a windbreaker, it’s a great way to get an amazing amount of warmth/wind protection with very little weight. It’s also rain resistant, so you can wear it until/if the rain gets bad enough to get out your ‘serious’ rain gear.

If you’re interested in making one I already have the pattern, but it’s probably easier to just buy one. Mont-Bell makes a good 2.3 oz windshirt (with a hood!). It was recently very well reviewed on Backpackinglight:

http://www.montbell.us/products/disp.php?cat_id=61&p_id=2303218

Also Patagonia makes the classic Houdini Windshirt:

http://www.patagonia.com/us/product/mens-houdini-jacket-windbreaker?p=24140-0-514

Shell pants:

I also got the pattern to make my own from Thru-hiker.com for UL nylon shell pants, 1.9 ozs. I used to use those shorts with zip on pants legs which work fine, but the shorts were uncomfortable to hike in. Now I just use lightweight nylon Nike shorts to hike in and change into these shell pants if it gets windy/cold. This is just a preference thing. . .but bringing a separate pair of jeans and cotton shorts is out. My jeans weigh 1.5 lbs. Dude. Here’s a link to lightweight wind shell pants:

http://www.montbell.us/products/disp.php?cat_id=63&p_id=2305297

Rain gear:

DriDucks is the lightest, most breathable and cheapest way to go. They are a little delicate (especially the pants), but how often do you really need them anyway. $25 for the top and bottoms:

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/driducks_rain_gear.html

OR

The TNF Triumph Anorak rain jacket: A 5.9 oz fully waterproof rain jacket and wind jacket outer shell. I have one of these in large. This is THE lightest rain/wind shell I could find. Expensive and sometimes hard to find in stock.

http://www.thenorthface.com/catalog/sc-gear/mens-triumph-anorak_3.html

Shoes:

Trail runners are the UL shoe of choice. No need for boots if you’re just on a trail. I have put several hundred miles on my Montrail Sabino trail runners and they are just as light as my Nike running shoes. I like the non-gortex kind because they are lighter, breath better and if they get wet they just dry while hiking anyway. 

http://www.montrail.com/running-shoes/men,default,sc.html

Another brand that is very popular with ultralight hikers in Inov-8:

http://www.inov-8.com/New/Global/product-select-US.asp?L=27&A=Trail

Gloves and balaclavas:

UL gloves and warm hats for 1oz or less each: I like Smartwool balaclavas and gloves available at REI etc or:

http://www.rei.com/product/835651/smartwool-liner-gloves

http://www.rei.com/product/784560/smartwool-balaclava

Down Beanie: 

This beanie is like a sleeping bag for your head. I use it while sleeping under the stars with a quilt down to 20 degrees and stay warm and comfortable. 

http://www.blackrockgear.com/buy.html

Down Booties: 

I used these down booties until I finally made my own. I bought a pair for my wife and she loves them. In the winter they are an absolute necessity after a long day:

https://goosefeetgear.com/products/1-down-socks

In conclusion: 

There are an infinite number of possible gear options, but these seem to work for me right now. You will probably notice that much of my gear choices are made by small custom "Cottage Manufactures". I like the quality and of course it always feels good to buy from people who are dedicated to lightweight backpacking. 

A great place to get unlimited information and opinions about gear is Backpacklight.com. Check out their site for the most extensive collection of Ultralight information I have found:

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/index.html

Half Ounce Cuben Pack Cover

While searching for the lightest pack cover possible I finally decided to try making one myself. Of course it had to be lightweight while also providing protection for my pack and not blow off in the wind. This one is made from 0.34 oz/sqyd cuben fiber from Zpacks. Some manufacturers use tape or adhesive when working with this material as it is the lightest cuben fiber available, but I wanted to try sewing to create the channel for the elastic cord used to tighten it up around my pack. By folding the material over onto itself three times the sewing seems to work out fine. I reinforced the area where the tiny cord lock connects the two ends of the elastic cord to create some extra strength. Finally, I made a mini stuff sack out of 0.51 oz/sqyd to hold the cover when it's in my pack.

The result is an extremely light full sized pack cover that fits a large Zpacks Zero (2,600 c/i) or other large pack when fully loaded. There are no seams to seal. The final weight is just 0.5 ounce with the stuff sack.

I used this pack cover on an 11 day JMT thru-hike last summer. It rained the first four days and the cover kept everything dry. Here's a few photos ~

Waterproof Cuben cover packs down into a small stuff sack. 

Cover on a large fully loaded 50 liter pack with an extra large 24" torso size. 

Half Ounce Cuben Pack Cover.

John Muir Trail Thru Hike: Day Nine

Rae Lakes to Tyndall Creek: 19.5 Miles

Sept. 20th, 2011.

Today was a big day, I wanted to make it over Glen Pass and Forester Pass so I hit the trail by 6:30. The water in Rae Lake was perfectly flat and the view of the Painted Lady was crystal clear. I crossed the outlet of the lake and headed up the switchbacks toward Glen Pass.

Morning on Rae Lakes.

Soon I was at the first plateau on the way up the pass. There were a few beautiful alpine lakes on the right and I could see the trail along the north side of the pass, carved into the mountain. The views on the way up were amazing.

View from Glen Pass.

Video on the way up Glen Pass.

After taking a quick break at the top I headed down toward the tarn on the south side.

Switchbacks on the south side of Glen Pass.

Eventually I descended to Charlotte Lake and started to see groups of people camping along the trail. There are several trail junctions in this mostly flat dusty area and I had read that it was easy to get disoriented here. I was surprised to see one group that was camped right next to the trail with music blasting and some laundry drying on top of a trail sign, covering the sign. After days in the pristine wilderness it was disheartening to see such a lack of common courtesy. Was I becoming a trail snob? Probably, but it really didn't matter, . . . soon I was back in nature.

I made it through the many trail junctions and down the switchbacks to lower Vidette Meadow. I was making good time and before long I was back out of the trees and at the base of Forester Pass. I was chasing the afternoon storm clouds up the pass, but fortunately there was no rain.

Looking back towards Vidette Meadow on the way to Forester Pass. 

The trail on the way to Forester Pass.

Almost at the top of Forester Pass. Junction Peak in the background.

The view north from Forester Pass, looking back from where I started. 

The view south from Forester Pass, looking south toward Mt. Whitney.

Forester Pass (13,200 feet).

The trail on the south side of Forester Pass.

Video looking down the cliff on the south side of Forester Pass.

The trail through the huge flat area below the pass was another amazing plateau, a welcome change after climbing Forester.

Looking back at Forester Pass. 

There are beautiful lakes just below Diamond Mesa where I had planned on camping, but I just kept going while feeling great at the end of the day.

I hiked well into the evening while looking for a spot to camp, but I just didn't want to stop. I knew if I stopped I would actually feel the soreness in my legs. I was ok if I just kept moving. Eventually I made it to a designated camp area (with bear boxes) by Tyndall Creek (just before the Shepherd Pass junction). I was hiking by headlamp and a nice couple helped me find a place to camp.

I setup camp and made dinner in the dark. It was a great day, having hiked over Glen Pass and Forester Pass. I slept like a baby.

Click for full size. 

Click for full size.

Click here for John Muir Trail Thru Hike Day Ten

John Muir Trail Thru Hike: Day Eight

Marjorie Lake to Rae Lakes: 16 Miles


Sept. 19th, 2011.

In the morning the storm from yesterday was long gone and the view back toward Upper Basin and Mather Pass was crystal clear.

Upper Basin and Mather Pass from camp. 

It was a clear morning and soon I was at the top of Pinchot Pass. The views to the north of Marjorie Lake were amazing. Like the views from many of the passes on the JMT, the vast scale of the area is hard to express or capture in photos.

Looking north from Pinchot Pass.

To the south of Pinchot Pass is a beautiful alpine area with meandering streams and wide open views of the red colored mountain peaks to the west. The view from below the pass of the gigantic southwest face of Mt. Wynne highlights the stripes of light colored granite. The trail is easy and I made good time to the Sawmill Pass trail junction.

The view of Mt. Wynne and Pinchot Pass (on the left) from the south side of Pinchot Pass.

The trail on the south side of Pinchot Pass.

The section of trail from Sawmill Pass to Woods Creek suspension bridge was probably my least favorite part of the JMT. It follows mainly granite stairs up and down along the creek for almost 4 miles. It may be that not eating enough was starting to tap my energy with some lagging at this point in the day. Sometimes I just didn't want to stop and eat, but by the time I reached the bridge I forced myself to stop for lunch. Feeling a little better I crossed the Woods Creek bridge. The suspension bridge was a big landmark for me. After reading so many trip reports about the bridge I was excited to see it in person.

Woods Creek Bridge.

I took a video while crossing the bridge. There are many camp sites on the opposite side, but as usual the entire area was vacant this late in the season. I saw one couple that looked like they were having a disagreement which made me extra stoked to be solo on the JMT. Just me and nature. Sweet!

Crossing the Woods Creek bridge. 

The trail up to Rae Lakes from Woods Creek is steeper than I had anticipated and I just kept my slow and steady pace up the switchbacks and rocky trail. It started to rain lightly as I passed through some of the forested area. I passed a good large camp site littered with downed trees about half way up to the lakes. Later a small group would ask if there was a good camp for them nearby and I recommended the area.

Soon I reached the Dollar Lake and missed the classic photo opportunity of the lake with Fin Dome in the background. More time for photos later.

For the first time on the entire JMT I started to see large groups of people camping along the trail. At Arrowhead Lake there were a few groups of people wearing full rain gear taking photos along the lake. Full size free standing double wall tents, guys standing around in boots and warm jackets talking about the 'real world'. It all seemed so strange. I was warm as long as I kept moving along in shorts, t-shirt and trail runners. The light rain was keeping me at a nice comfortable temperature and I was hitting my late afternoon second wind. It felt like all of the less picturesque parts of the trail earlier in the day were a small price to pay to enjoy these late afternoons.

First view of Glen Pass under cloudy skies. 

I could hear a group of people hanging out at the ranger station as I passed by but I just kept moving. After being on the trail solo for so long I wasn't anxious to break the mesmerizing feeling of being 'with' nature. The view of the first Rae Lake was beautiful and the storm clouds still hadn't produced much rain. I picked up the pace and started looking for good camp sites. I remember seeing a trip report where someone had camped right above the southern Rae Lake with good views of the Painted Lady. I just kept going and figured at worst I would find something just below Glen Pass.

Finally I reached the last Rae Lake and the views matched the pictures I had seen before. I hiked up a bluff up to a plateau and found several flat camp sites with great views of the lake and Painted Lady. After setting up camp I was a little startled by a man who came out of nowhere to say hi. He was camping nearby at the lakes outlet and was in the middle of a week long stay. After chatting for a while I made dinner (in the dark) and got to be early. The plan was to get up early and make it over Glenn Pass and Forester Pass to set up for the final stretch toward Whitney.

Camp on bluff overlooking Rae Lake and the Painted Lady.

Click for full size.

Click for full size.

Click here for John Muir Trail Thru Hike: Day Nine