What’s in my bag?

 Often I am asked, what am I taking and how much is everything going to weigh? 

It is said a picture is worth 1000 words…. 

This is all of my gear laid out. 

Next I will break down each category and it’s weight with a picture and description for each category.

My big four consists of my backpack (44.1 oz), tent (28 oz + 5.7oz for stakes ground cover and pole) sleeping pad (22.2 oz) and sleep system consisting of a sleeping quilt (27.6 oz),  under pad 3oz, down booties 2.2oz and pillow .02oz.

The big four total is 8.58 pounds. This is almost half of my base weight! (base weight is all gear carried not counting food and water.)

My Cook system is 2.4 pounds. It consist of my stove, pot and all its components, a long handled Spork (to reach the bottom of my cooking bags), 1 plastic Telinte jar, a cleaning rag, and water carrying system. (2 collapsible bags 2 Liters each, 2 Smart water bottles 1 liter each, one with a drink tube), and a water filter.

My carried clothing will total 4.7 pounds.  It consists of 2 pairs wool socks, 1 pair of waterproof socks, 1 set of light weight merino wool thermals (for sleeping), 1 medium weight Merino wool thermal pants, 1 fleece sweatshirt, 1 puffy jacket, 1 wind block jacket, 1 pair lightweight hiking gloves, 1 pair insulated snow gloves, 1 baklava head covering and 1 change of underwear. One item I did not have pictured that I am waiting on is a down hood to be used while sleeping and breaking down camp.

My rain gear is .98 pounds consisting of 1 pack, cover, 1 rain pant and 1 rain jacket. 

Hygiene kit: a trowel, a back country bidet and bottle (better than toilet paper, because all toilet paper needs to be carried out, additionally, washing salt off reduces Chaffing), a small, wipe off rag, medium body towel for sponge baths, and a few dried baby wipes. All stored in an easy to find zippered bag. Total 1.35 lbs

My electronics are also quite heavy @ 2.18 pounds. This category includes my phone, 2 power banks (10k each), all necessary charging cords, Garmin mini 2 satellite device, one headlamp, and a storage sack.

My first aid/emergency kit weighs in at .84 lbs. containing various medication’s, a few bandages, superglue, blister pads, small pocket knife, whistle, signal mirror, compass, snow basket for trekking poles, bug head net, permits, a map of the area I am in, and an emergency flashlight, all kept in an easy to find red medical bag.

Finishing off my every day carry is 1.5 ounce sunglasses. This brings my total base weight 19.4 pounds. A couple pounds heavier than I would like, but the backpack, sleeping pad and cooking system along with some of the warmer clothing are all comforts I’m willing to increase my weight to carry. In the desert, I will add a sun umbrella (7.1 oz). For San Jacinto mountain, and the Sierras, I will add micro spikes (11oz) and an ice axe (7.1oz) and, for Sierra’s only, the beloved bear can (2.56 lbs!) 

Depending on the desert with a heavy water carry, or for the Sierras with a heavy food carry, my weight will increase up to 20 pounds.  Each day of food is about 2 pounds, and each liter of water is also 2.2 pounds.

As for my daily hiking clothes, I will be in a pair of Ultra trail runners with dust gators, lightweight convertible pants, normally with the legs off, and a lightweight Merino wool sun hoodie.

Come March 17 everything I have will be contained in this set up and carried on my back for the next 4-5 months. Sounds crazy but then again, I’m “All In”!

Who Am I? It’s All in a Name

 Thru hikers often are given a trail name. Trail names come from other hikers, and they refer to an event, personality, or observation. Although I have not yet started the trail, I have had another hiker give me a trail name. It is based off an introduction post I did on a PCT Facebook group. In that introduction post I used the following paragraph: (which I also posted here on my January 28 entry)

“This section of trail is where my PCT plan began. I hiked a lot as a kid in scouts, but then life... 30 years later, in March 2022, I started back up with a hiking group some friends invited me to. I first learned about the PCT when I encountered thru hikers on a summer hike at this same Echo lake in July. I usually jump all in, this is no exception. I went home and looked up the PCT,  a month later decided I was going to do it and started buying gear. I start in Campo on March 17th and if I am blessed (as I have been) I will finish at the Northern terminus 4-5 months later“.

The first comment I received on my introduction post was “way to go all in”.  

The second comment was “I opt for the trail name 'All in'. “ 

The third comment on my post was ”I second the trail name suggestion, "All in" is fitting!”

The name “All In” does bring a smile to my face, and I agree it is a fitting description for how I have lived my life. My love for Jesus, my commitment to relationships, the pursuit and advancement of my career, building our own home, passion for mission trips, degree with which I approach tasks, and this latest adventure of the PCT. All of these I have jumped “All In”. 

One of the things I look forward to experiencing on my hike is Trail magic. Trail magic is a random act of generosity, given by a stranger to a thru hiker. A hiker named “Slim Jim” is paying forward trail magic he has received through a free patch giveaway. He provides a free PCT patch with your hiking year.

Slim Jim also held a contest in which he made matching, custom, trail name patches. I am blessed enough to be the recipient of one of these patches, and I am thrilled to be able to attach it to my pack for my start day. From this point forward, on the trail, I will officially be known as……

Peter Grubb Hut Snow Hike

The Peter Grubb Hut sits along side the PCT about 3 miles north of Hwy 80.

The hut is a two story cabin that is almost covered in snow this season. There is an impressive dig out to the first floor entrance, and the second floor access door was slightly lower than the top of the snow pack. 

The amount of snow we have received this year is astounding. The trail map sign is completely buried and PCT blazes normally 8 feet in the tree are below foot level.

(The trail map sign is actually down in this hole)

Notice the PCT blaze on this tree

Todays hike was 7.3 miles on hard packed snow with minimal postholeing. I hiked the full trip with micro spikes. We took a side trip up to Andeside Peak which gave incredible 360 degree views.  

Our elevation gain for this hike was about 1320 feet The morning temperature when we started was 17 degrees F. With clear skies. I was comfortable in my single layer, hiking pants and lightweight sun hoodie with a thin pair of gloves. I wore my ultra trail runners with waterproof socks, and inner lightweight wool sock.

With each one of these hikes, I am becoming more comfortable and increasingly excited about the start of my trip. It’s coming quick, and I couldn’t be happier. I fly out to San Diego in 24 days as of this writing and I’ll step foot on the trail in 26.

Practice Hike along the American River

 It’s been about two months, since I have done any hikes of distance, greater than about 6 miles, and boy, can I tell!

I went out today on a very spur of the moment impromptu hike. I started at a place called Acorn creek trail head and hiked along the American River to Cronin Ranch, and then returned. Basically from Salmon Falls Road along the river to Highway 49 and back. I put in about 16.4 miles had fairly steady rain the last four. I had a chance to try out my pack cover. It performed great. There were actually two periods of rain. The first small storm was about 30 minutes. I actually put my rain jacket on for that, but was so overheated my shirt was getting wet from sweat, so I took the rain jacket off. For the second storm it dumped pretty steady for an hour and a half. When I got to the car I was soaked, but still warm.

My PCT hiking plan will be 10 to 12 miles for the first two weeks before increasing to 15 for a week and then moving into the range of 20 miles a day. Today I really felt it around mile 10 definitely need to condition a little more on the trail. At mile 13 I hit a second wind and was able to Clip along at a good pace to finish it off.

The scenery and river  views were spectacular! Every time I go out, I continue to be amazed at God’s creation. 

If you go down to the bottom of this page (if you’re looking at it in mobile view) you will see an arrow next to a bar with the word “home” click on that arrow and you’ll have the opportunity to see my satellite tracking. If you’re on the web browser view, it is on the right column. 

Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed some of the pictures. Feel free to leave a comment with other topics you would like to see, and don't forget to subscribe.