Donner Party- A Movie Review

This 2009 movie is incredibly depressing. I imagine it's supposed to be. We get survival lessons all along the way, namely know who is your guide and that they can actually pull off what they promise.

The rich dude, Mr. Foster, is about useless, and I guess we're not supposed to like him. The women are the survivors, and we do carry a lot more body fat then men, a reason, plus we need fewer calories to maintain our energy. Just nature's way of keeping the species going.

The movie shows them drawing sticks, the short end got murdered, and eaten. I thought they ate the ones that died of starvation. Reports vary. I looked it up in Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donner_Party

Now, I'd never fault a person for eating another if they had already died. Shooting someone to eat them is a whole nother thing.

I went through Donner Pass on the Pacific Crest Trail. It would be a very difficult place if a person was snowed in. Seriously cold and rugged.

There were days hiking in the Northern Cascades when the weather turned bad. We hiked over the pass and into the valley with the admonition: Remember the Donner Party.

Do I recommend the movie, humm. Not unless its sunny and cheery. I'm depressed now.

I took a couple days off from blogging to get my taxes done, get a check up at the dentist, complete my job application for this summer, and just finish up some domestic tasks.

I've been writing a lot about thru hiking at my other blog, Brawnyview.

We watched a movie called South bounders. This was a very accurate portrayal of trail life, heading south on the Appalachian Trail. A person starts out fairly awkwardly, then by trails end, it is home. Hard to readjust to "real life". At least that's been my experience.

After five months on the trail, Rainmaker and I crossed into Canada on the Pacific Crest Trail. Hardened and joyful, the trip home is a sobering event adjusting to all the noise and confusion of civilization.


One of the many photos of me on the trail, sitting in my sleeping bag while cooking supper.


I met Lightingbolt after not seeing him for awhile. It was a sad hike in this section of burnt over trail on the PCT. A person didn't want to set anything down on the ground because it would get full of soot. The only solution was to keep hiking until you passed through it.

A lesson to all hikers to watch their stoves, especially in a desert or high mountain environment.

I miss the long distance hiking experience. This summer, I'll be working in the Grand Teton National Park. I'm a cook who loves the outdoors. On my days off, I'll explore, take photos and share on my blogs.

Stop Obsession Now

One of the first questions I'd hear upon entering a trail shelter, setting up camp, or even going into a chat room is:

What's your base weight?

another version of this is

How much does your pack weigh? or Whats your big three weigh?

Some people know how annoying this can be. Or, they don't have a light pack, just hike monstrous miles, so they'll ask

How many miles did you do today?

Now, I am an ultra lighter. I love paring grams and minimizing baggage. I'm five foot two, weigh about 115 . So, I'm trying to keep it down for my health and safety. I can hike away from trouble, get into town when needed, not suffer stress fractures in feet, prevent knee damage, and have more room for food in the pack.
And I understand why older folks would want to be ultralight. It feels good.
Plus I'm fascinated with alternative gear and methods. I've done my big mile days: Getting into a cruise mode and just keep going.

But I'm sick of the obsession: numbers that just don't belong in the wilderness experience.
I don't care what some one is carrying. Just have enough so you don't have to beg borrow or steal from someone else.

I'd like to suggest a totally ridiculous idea. How about we ask, with real concern for the answer:

What did you see today?

How was your hike today?

Then, how about we listen to the amazing description, the descriptions that light up the eyes, spark the enthusiasm, and restore the passion for our land?

Sounds crazy, I know. A low carbon way of hiking. Peaceful and sharing.

How about anyone talking stupid numbers gets thrown into a lake, yes a real, bona fide lake.

One of my favorite quotes, found in a trail register at a water cache on the Pacific Crest Trail:
In the end you find, no one wins, and the race was only with yourself.

and this I started adding to it. I don't even know where it came from:

So, take the path of your own chosing, and be not dismayed if no one leads, or follows.

Thru Hiking Pages

A group of hikers met Cobweb and Me near Muir Pass on the Pacific Crest Trail and took this photo. They recognized my trail name, Brawny. I had my packless system, complete with ice ax strapped to the outside. This stretch was 192 miles without a resupply because I left Kennedy Meadows, summitted Mt. Whitney, returned to Crab Tree Meadows, and lived off the supplies in my pack until I reached Vermilion Valley Resort.

Trudging through snow, cooking on a soda can stove, and layering all my clothing, I learned many things. My journal can be read at

http://trailquest.net/BRindex.html

I've been writing a lot about planning a long trail lately at my

http://brawnyview.blogspot.com

January is the month many hikers start getting serious about gear, itineraries, money and partners.

I've spent many months living out of a backpack, learning stuff from others, keeping my eyes and ears open. Mostly keeping my mind open to new ideas.

With every thing you see, with every story you hear, there are potential lessons to be learned.

Many things I've learned the hard way, sometimes creating personal hardships that next time around, I could avoid.

Writing about long distance hiking allows me to share these lessons.

My purpose is to share with those who can read with an open mind and file away useful information. The greatest piece of gear is your brain. It will hold gigabytes of useful information, but it must be loaded onto your hard drive first.

Happy Trails.

A Sleeping Bag Trail Story

All this talk about sleeping bags brings to mind a couple of stories.

Preparing to hike the Pacific Crest Trail, I bought a Junior, or youth synthetic bag, rated 20 degrees. It fit, a snug fit. I would get in it, bend my knees, zip it up and stretch out. Tight. It fit my newly divorced-budget at the time, and I determined not to let that stop me.

The first season, 825 miles from Sonora Pass to Crater Lake, the bag did wonderful. Wonderful enough to take this bag, weighing just two pounds out in the spring to finish up the Pacific Crest Trail. I would be out for 5 months, and it never occurred to me that it was fairly trashed, and had lost most of its loft already.
While hiking through the desert I didn't notice any issues. But once into the High Sierras, I was freezing every night. This was early June, there was still snow banks at 10,000 feet.
I was using my Packless system, so determined to buy something at the next trail town, Kennedy Meadows, and strap it to the pack.
Within a few days we arrived at Kennedy Meadows, and I bought an old army blanket from the owner of the store there. I cut it down with my razor (5 gram) knife, sewed it into a mummy bag liner and carried it along with the sleeping bag.
The moral of the story? One way or another you will get a good sleeping bag.
My hiking partner sent me my fleece liner so that I could ditch the heavy, over 2 pound army blanket. With this combination, I finished in Canada on September 17th.
You can read my trail journals which are linked on my home page at:
http://www.trailquest.net/BRindex.html

I have all my gear lists for the trails as well, too numerous to list here.

Happy shopping.

First Influences-Tom Brown the Tracker

I can remember growing up reading Tom Brown's The Tracker.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Brown_(naturalist)

His influence is still felt today when I'm breaking new trail, trying to retrace my steps, or watching for trail sign. I take deep breaths and recognize the human smells of feces before I even near the trail head. A human camped here a day or two ago. The smell would dissipate in this dry air quickly.

I remember reading how he would get into the mind of the creature he was tracking, would watch for variations in depth or spacing of tracks. When I hiked the Pacific Crest Trail we could tell by the tracks how heavy the load must be of the person ahead of us. A small deep footprint would indicate a heavy load. A long stride would indicate in a hurry. Long thin lines would indicate they are letting the poles drag and drinking water, or perhaps, reading their guide book.

Sometimes, at trail intersections, the meandering prints would indicate the same bewilderment I was feeling when the guide book was nebulous in its description of the way forward.

I loved reading about Tom Browns early adventures with his boyhood friend who also learned not to fear the elements. It is important to adapt with alertness to our invironment, avoiding fear and panic.

Tom wrote about stalking deer, moving only when they were feeding. This is a long painstaking adventure. One must never be in a hurry to achieve such skills. Its easy to give up when things don't go well. Our society teaches immediate gratification and one must look at the big picture often to avoid discouragement.

Tom Brown has written other books and has an outdoor skills school. I've met folks who attended his schools and find that fascinating.

This last week I have been bushwacking and connecting two favorite spots in this corner of my neck of the forest. Its interesting because of all the ridges and "hallars", abandoned logging roads, creeks and blowdowns. At one point I came upon a rock duct I'd built weeks ago which showed I'd emerged from the gully much further east than I'd expected to. I pulled out my pensil and paper, made notes, drew references on the map, then continued. The trail made a horseshoe, mission accomplished. I now have a loop trail which connects the points I love to visit.

Each day I walk this brand new loop trail, I see slight impressions from my bushwacking, and think again of Tom Brown, the Tracker. It would take a dedicated survivalist to see my trail signs, which is my goal as well. Never walk over the same place too many times unless you want to be easy to follow.

Preparing the Peanut Butter Jar for Trail

I heated water in my coffee pot just to pour into these two plastic jars. Once the near boiling water was in the container, I screwed on the lids so that they would maintain their shapes.

The plastic will shrink, and deform if the lid is not used in this process.

I allow the water to completely cool before dumping it.

This plastic container is very useful in an ultralight cook set. The lid can become a spoon holder, the plastic a mixer, coffee cup, or solar cooker.

I used a plastic peanut butter jar extensively when I hiked the Pacific Crest Trail.

In the desert, I discovered solar cooking with my empty peanut butter jar. Ramen noodles were broken into bite size pieces, placed in the jar and covered with water. This filled jar was placed in the sun for about an hour, and became the perfect afternoon lunch. Many days when the temperatures soared over 100 degrees, resting during the heat of the day, and hiking til near sunset became the method of operation, allowing us to make good miles while carrying only 5 quarts of water for the long stretches. During this resting and waiting period a person could solar cook and take a nap.

Later in the Sierras, a couple friends and I crested a snow covered Forester Pass. At 13,000 plus-feet it is the highest point on the PCT. As we began our decent down its slope, we stopped in the snow for a home made ice cream break. We each pulled out our trusty empty peanut butter jars and each a package of hot coco powder mix. We filled our containers with snow, each emptied a package of hot coco mix into it. Stirring with the trail spoon, our ice cream was complete.

This larger plastic container is from instant coffee. Either one could be used in a hobo cook set. Because they contained dry goods, not liquids, they can't be considered leak proof, but will make a great powdered pudding shaker, too.

Packless Systems Explained

My Packless System was first tested and streamline for my Pacific Crest Trail hike in 2001. Testing, results and conclusions can be read at the link above.

My homepage at http://trailquest.net/BRindex.html

is full of trail journals, gear designs, links and stuff.

Hard to describe it all.

Starting next week, I will show you how to strip your external frame pack and create a packless system. All you need is an external frame, fabric, and sewing machine. If you want to use some larger stuff sacks you have on hand, and a few hand sewing moves, that will work too.

I posted this information at http://www.brawnyview.blogspot.com/

Included at Brawnyview are links where to get fabric, hardware and ideas where to find inexpensive, used external frames.

It should be a fun project and very cost effective.

People have asked me for years to demonstrate this. Our end goal is a workable system for my readers as well as a complete How To video for YouTube .

An external frame pack can be updated, modified and customized to fit the specific needs of the owner. Because external frames last forever, you can share your pack with family and friends, adapting it to each trail as needed.

Each day next week we'll post until the video is completed and uploaded. Join me here next week as we delve into this project.

It's All About the Food

It is good to journey towards an end, but in the end it's all about the food.

The original saying is "It is good to journey towards an end, but in the end its all about the journey".

I think the food is more accurate. Hikers get so bored with their food they start doing drastic things.
Some thru hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail told me their last resupply in Stehican, for 89 miles (about 4-5 days) was 50 candy bars and one package of ramen noodles.

I've seen guys ditch the stove and go cold food. This meant hiking out of town with a 3 pound sausage, several pounds of cheese, some bagels, some dried fruit and nuts. Lots of snickers. Very heavy, very bulky.
Then there's the guy that bought 3 cans of chunk pineapple for an evening treat. He didn't care about the weight, it was so worth it.
I've carried out a can of black olives, a birthday treat for my hiking partner. Sodas, a few beers, pressed upon us by trail angels. Then carried the crushed cans to the next town to recycle.
I've cooked my granola, eaten ramen raw like pretzels, added wild onions to the rice. Never get instant rice, or pop tarts without frosting. Just not worth the weight. A trail mix of pretzels, box of raisins and 12 ounce bag of chocolate chips in a gallon zip lock bag wasn't too shabby. When the chocolate chips melted it was more like eating chunks. It worked.

Then there's the hiker-box, trail-mix find. An assortment of unlikely stuff and god knows how many bacteria, it can be eaten while hiking, and has enough distraction for miles of guessing games (was that a dried cranberry??) I've seen gorp bags containing goldfish crackers, captain crunch, dried strawberries, m&ms, dried peas, pretzels, raisins, coconut, Cheerios, jelly beans and even taco chips.
Just throw it all into one bag, it ends up in the same place anyways.

One of my strangest resupplies was the last one the Colorado Trail by Silverton. Assured that the camp store had supplies, we were determined to not go into town, just buy some food and head out.
All they had was snacks.
So, 5 grandma cookies equaled breakfast.
Cashews, candy, chips, jerky, for lunches. A previous hiker had abandoned a drop box, so tortillas and instant black beans from said box were offered by store keeper. That became supper. Memorable.

I've learned the hard way not to have all sweets, or all salty, or all spicy. I make sure to mix it up, especially if its going to be a week before getting to town again for a resupply.

There are hikers who carry a good assortment of spices along. My favorite is cinnamon for oatmeal, garlic for suppers. Salt is not even optional. Unless all your food is already salted, you're going to need and want it. A little salt goes a long ways in making a big difference.

No matter what food you decide to survive on for a week, don't forget the water. All this has to be washed down some way.

Found Objects

While hiking back to the Court of the Patriarchs in Zion National Park, I found this camera lens cap. My whole intention was to turn it into the front desk for the lost and found box.

You can always tell when you're near a road or civilization by the trash you find. This lens cap was on the trail used by guests who've booked a horse ride, and a few adventurous hikers.

On the Pacific Crest Trail I would always know when I was nearing a road because bottles, cans, wrappers and other trash would appear. In the back country there is very little garbage because if anyone is back there they haven't hauled in bottles and cans. They seem to respect the land and pack out the wrappers they may have carried in.


An unusual exception to this is the fire rings on the Appalachian Trail. You will find the packaging for instant/dehydrated preportioned meals like Mountain House in fire rings. These expensive meal options are used by inexperienced backpackers. Used by novices, they seem to be the only ones that actually expect this packaging to burn.

I used to maintain a portion of the Appalachian Trail, the last section in Georgia, just before you get to Bly Gap. I'd hike the sections before it as a walk through, and report back to the district manager. Many times I'd pack out garbage from fire rings, and things abandoned in the Plum Orchard Trail shelter. These were items hikers decided (or simply forgot ) were not worth carrying any further. One of the biggest items was a full size fluffy bath towel. I found a black leather jacket laying beside a rock and a 9 x 12 piece of Tyvek neatly folded and laying on the famous tree at the Junction past Bly Gap.

As a survivalist, I pick up some items knowing it could come in handy later. A good piece of cordage or line, a tent stake or ditty bag, perhaps some plastic sheeting. This lens cap, if needed could be put into use as a survival tool if necessary.

Being able to improvise with found objects is a skill one can develop. It takes imagination and experience that can be drawn upon in times of need.

Regardless of what is on your body or in your pack, the most important tool you have is your brain. By getting outdoors often and playing a person can build skills and add to the knowledge.

Deer and the Common Man

I wrote about stalking deer (watching them closely) in my more philosophical blog

http://brawnyview.blogspot.com/



It reminded me of the story Hawkeye told Rainmaker and me when we shared an evening campsite on the Pacific Crest Trail.


We had climbed high onto the crest where there was no water. Below, a lovely river wound its way through the valley. As is the custom of
this 2, 658 mile trail from Mexico to Canada, one may cross water but very very seldom actually hike near it. "Always seeking the Crest" is it's motto.


Anyways, after scrounging for water from some intermittent drip on the side of a mountain while looking for a campsite, we finally cleared a spot of rocks and set up the tent. Rainmaker cooking by one tree, me by another, suddenly we hear profanity of interesting proportions. Coming up the trail, just out of view, a fellow long distance hiker.

Seeing us, he looked shocked, then happy. We all burst out laughing, and he set up camp.

Now Hawkeye is a tarp man. Lay down the tarp, set the gear around it, cover with tarp if it rains, much like a tortilla.

The conversation drifted around until we got to most feared creatures on the trail. Then Hawkeye told of the night he and a friend were camped just as we all were now: a couple in a tent, those two guys on their respective tarps. His friend had eaten supper, washed the pot, set it to the side.


Darkness fell, all slept. Until. Until a strange snorting, a pot being kicked, then a creature, turns out it was a deer, startled kicked back. The head of Hawkeye's friend was in the path of lashing hooves. Blood poured out, and the man was in grave danger.
Hawkeye asked the other people on site to watch over the injured man while he quickly hiked 6 miles for help. Rangers eventually came, and the man was evacuated.

After the story was told silence fell as we pondered the implications. Maybe the feds should require a Head Canister to protect us from deer.

Packless Pack

This is a photo of me and my Packless Pack. I designed this configuration for my Pacific Crest Trail hike in 2001. The details for the whys and hows can be found at my website homepage. Scroll down until you see the appropriate link.

http://trailquest.net/BRindex.html

I hiked over 800 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail with Rainmaker July -September in 2000. This hike began at Sonora Pass and finished at Crater Lake. It was Rainmaker's second section, having completed the first thousand miles the previous year. He invited me to come along for the mid section. I was given my trail name during the winter while in a chat room, but it was during this hike I really earned it. Brawny was born.

I love trail life. In order to complete the PCT with Rainmaker the following year, I needed to complete the first 1000 miles first.

So, the next spring in April I got on a plane, armed with my Whitney Permit, trail guide and data book, a host of other things, and began at the Mexican border. I did the first thousand miles, re hiked another 80 or so miles up to Echo Lake, hitch hiked into South Lake Tahoe where I caught a bus to Reno, Nevada.

Rainmaker flew in to Reno, we rented a car, and eventually got back on trail at our tag point at Crater Lake. Brenda and Ralph, wonderful people we'd met the year before, were instrumental in these logistics working out.

Trail people have trail angels, a wonderful group of selfless people who have a vision for the quest. Sometimes we quest for the unknown . They help us in unexpected gifts. Perhaps they are missives for the trail gods themselves. I haven't figured that out yet.

Anyways, once back on the trail from Crater Lake, we spent a couple more months crossing Oregon and Washington state, until finally just 89 miles from the Canadian border, September 11, 2001 happened. We were in Stehican at the time. The border was closed, all flights suspended.

At any rate, we continued onward, crossed the border and completed our Pacific Crest Trail hikes, the entire 2,658 mile National Scenic Trail.

My journals for that hike can also be found on the website address listed above. I have a gear list there as well.

My ultralight systems, gear choices and ultralight philosphy can be directly traced to these experiences on the Pacific Crest Trail, a truly life changing experience.

A Dedicated Ultralighter

This is a photo of a cutting tool. It's the only knife I carry on backpacking trips: razor sharp with a retractable blade capable of cutting fabric, cardboard, shoes and most packaging.

I do use a larger, one blade knife for survival adventures. It comes in handy for striking flint, or building shelters.

But, I'm a dedicated ultralight backpacker. Lots of gear choices I make depend on size and weight. I started this compulsion while hiking the Pacific Crest Trail in 2000 with Rainmaker. Before we hit the trail, he taught me that if I watch the ounces the pounds will take care of themselves.

Back in the 90's, Ray Jardine wrote a book about light weight backpacking. He introduced ideas few had even considered: making your own gear, using unusual equipment, stealth camping, and short fast seasons.

More importantly these ideas set the stage for individuals to reevaluate their needs, adopt a new mind set, and challenge accepted back country concepts.

When packing for a trip, I think about my comfort level and the goals of each adventure.

Hiking a long trail is about the miles, the traveling. There are no base camps, and time spent in the shelter is minimal.

How, and why would I need a knife?

I needed one for gear repair or refitting. I needed one for opening packages in towns.

I might need one for basic self defence. But seriously, would I be likely to find myself in hand to hand combat? This small one could be hidden in my hand, and brought to play for quick swipe. Then I would run. My goal would be escape.

For my backpacking needs, I found this small, retractable razor knife suited me perfectly. I carry it on a key chain with other tools in my pocket. Very accessible, it weighs 5 grams (there are 28 grams in an ounce).

It is about a person's mindset. What works for me may not work for anyone else.