Trip Report: Yellowstone Nat. Park - Old Faithful to Lewis Lake; Day 1 of 3

Where we stopped for lunch on our first day

For about six months now my friend Geoff and I have been planning a trip to Yellowstone National Park. Originally we wanted to head back to the Tetons to experience another amazing trip as I reported on previously, but decided to hit a backcountry neither of us had experienced before. Geoff took the reins and planned a three day trip, scheduled just before we both start another semester at school.

Above is a map of the terrain we covered. We started at the Old Faithful area (tourist central), and ended up wrapping around the Shoshone Lake, and ended at the road next to Lewis Lake. In all we covered approximately 26 miles over three days. I'll be giving this trip report in three segments, one for each day on the trail.

Day 1: Mishaps and learning experiences
The first day started out simple enough. We spent the night before in a campsite inside the park in order to have an early start the next morning, and were able to get to the Ranger's office for our backcountry permit just after 8:00 a.m. Car camping the night before kind of messed with my head as we were still using our backpacks, yet enjoying the comforts (Elk steak cooked over a fire) of camping within a campground. It felt good to finally get on the trail and slowly start the 9 mile hike to our first backcountry site.

Geoff and Jordan pictured where we stopped for lunch the first day.

We ate lunch next to the river pictured at the top of this post, and enjoyed the solitude as we took our time eating and replenishing our water supply. The breeze felt great while sitting next to the water, and Geoff and I were tempted to get our fishing gear out in order to try catching something, but wanted to push forward since we still had plenty of miles to cover.

Geoff invited his brother in-law, Jordan, along with us, and I'm so glad he did. Geoff and I always have a blast, and Jordan only made it that much better. While I'm focused on keeping my pace up with both Jordan and Geoff, Jordan was actually reading and hiking at the same time! That guy cracked me up constantly as he has the type of personality where he is just naturally a funny guy.

Only about a mile into the hike I decided that I was done with my trekking poles (I've actually decided to only use them when snowshoeing from now on) as they seemed more annoying than useful. I think that I've tried to convince myself that I like them more than I do, and was happy to put them on my pack. At some point following lunch, one of the locks on my poles came loose and two of the three sections on one of my poles fell off. Since I was in back most of the hike, there is really no way of knowing when the poles came apart. This was the first mishap of the day...

By the time we got to Shoshone Lake all three of us were ready to be done for the day. We had to backtrack a little as we thought our campsite was on the opposite side of the cove, and when we did find our campsite we were a little surprised to find out that it was a good 200 yards from the actual trail itself. We were happy to see that we would be fairly secluded at our site instead of being right off of the trail (as it was in the Tetons), and appreciated that this is how backcountry sites are in Yellowstone.

We camped at 8R5 this first night after hiking past the OA's campsites.

When we got to our site I volunteered to filter enough water for all of our bottles, and was excited to use my filter again as it had been a couple of years since the last (and first) time I used it. I began pumping and pumping, thinking that it was taking longer than expected to fill up the six liter bladder I bought just for the trip. Frustrated, I screwed the filter on my Nalgene bottle so that I could see how fast it was filtering. I discovered that something serious was wrong with my filter, as it was only filtering a small trickle for every pump, and pushing the rest of the water back down the tube. After spending close to an hour trying to figure out what was wrong with it, I gave up and told Geoff that we would need to use his SteriPen until I could figure out what was wrong with my filter. Geoff whipped out his SteriPen, only to discover that the lithium batteries had failed him, and the pen was not working. Mishaps two and three...

We decided that we would just have to boil our water, even though doing so is inefficient on so many different levels.

Another section of the stream we hiked next to at various times

By the time we started to get our dinners ready the mosquitos were out on the hunt. It didn't take long before hundreds upon hundreds of mosquitos found our campsite, and were determined to make us as miserable as possible as we made dinner. Although I was smart enough to buy a bug net just before the trip, I thought that the little bottle of insect repellant (deet-free so it doesn't ruin your gear) I've had for a couple of years would do the trick. This is when I realized that deet substitutes just don't cut it. Mishap number four...

By the time we crawled into our sleeping bags I was pretty discouraged, and realized that I wasn't thinking right. Why would I get so worked up about my filter when I knew that we would be hiking fairly close to fresh water a few times each day of our trip? Why would I let a few small things mess up my head? This is when I realized a couple of important lessons: one - being with at least one other person in the backcountry will help you get a better perspective when things may go wrong (which Geoff did for me), and two - when fatigued from a long day's hike, it becomes much easier to become discouraged and to stop thinking straight.

What did I learn on this first day? When packing away trekking poles, make sure that all locks are tightly secured, and pack the poles upside down so that even if the locks aren't tight, there is no way that they will come apart. Also, bring a back-up filter cartridge and/or batteries for water - you can go weeks without food, but water is essential. Finally, when wanting to lighten the amount of weight you will be carrying on a backpacking trip, better forget leaving essential items at home, assuming that you wont need them (extra bug spray and, again, a way to filter your water).

I didn't take too many photos on this first day. Plenty more photos to come for days 2 and 3 though!

Meals for Day One:
Breakfast - Powdered Milk with Granola
Lunch - Mountain House Chicken Salad with tortillas
Dinner - Homemade spaghetti sauce (frozen, then thawed while on the trail) with Ramen Noodles.
Snacks - Snickers, dehydrated fruit rolls (actually yogurt that I dehydrated at home)
**As a side note, there is a quick fix to my filter, I was just too dumb to pay attention to the instructions when at home...and chose to foolishly leave the instructions behind.

Website Review: Gear Junkie

I've been following Gear Junkie's blog for several months now, and recently "Like'd" them on Facebook. Soon after adding them on Facebook I saw that they were having a contest to win these awesome camp shoes pictured below. What are camp shoes? When backpacking for miles and miles, it feels good to get out of your hiking boots to let your feet dry out, air out, and just take a break while walking around your campsite. Camp shoes don't need to be constructed like regular shoes because they are only worn for short distances around your campsite, so it would make sense for them to weigh close to nothing right? It may seem that way, but with the exception of wearing (in my opinion) some hideous Crocs or flip-flops, lightweight camp shoes are hard to come by. I digress...this post is about Gear Junkie....

How did I win these awesome camp shoes that actually zip up, making the shoe small AND compact? Below is my answer to how Chuck Norris would use this shoe.

Needless to say, I was pretty excited that my Chuck Norris knowledge finally paid off after all of these years:)

Go to Gear Junkie and check out the website. These guys have a very impressive list of gear reviews for biking, running, camping, climbing/mountaineering, food/hydration, women's gear, footwear, clothing, skiing/winter, biking, technology, ultra-sports, backpacks, boat/water, and misc. Seems like a lot of those categories overlap a little, but it makes more sense as you browse through each category.

"Like" them on facebook here and check out their blog here. I am a supporter of any site which makes finding quality outdoors gear easier, and can tell that these guys know what they are talking about. 

In closing, I have a few questions. Have I ever won ANYTHING in my life? No. Was I excited to win this contest? Yes. Have I received the shoes yet? Nope... I sent them an e-mail a couple of weeks ago, asking if I would have the shoes in time for my trip to Yellowstone which is now only a week away, but haven't heard back yet...

In a couple of weeks I should have a trip review of me backpacking in Yellowstone. Can't wait!!!!

TV Show Review: Expedition Impossible

When I first heard of Expedition Impossible I thought "oh great, another 'reality' TV show that tries to imitate how to rough-it," but after a good friend told me that I should try-out to be on this show next season, I figured that I should probably give it a shot.

I have been pleasantly surprised so far. The season starts out with thirteen teams of three's ranging from sisters to co-workers and friends, each making an attempt at winning $50K and a new Ford Explorer. If a team crosses the finish line last, then they are eliminated. The team to cross the tenth finish line first will win the money and SUV.

While at first glance it looks like another "Amazing Race," it is geared towards outdoor adventure instead of just racing through busy cities. So far teams have faced hiking up sand dunes, riding camels, paddling inflatable canoes, riding arabian horses, building and paddling rafts, using para-cord from survival bracelets, sleeping at an alpine base camp in freezing temps, rappelling, and miles upon miles of hiking. Although they don't hike more than 10 miles in one day, the challenges are enough to take seriously.

Although everyone competing are from everyday walks of life, on Team - No Limits is the famous mountaineer Erik Weihenmayer - the blind guy who summited Everest in 2001. I would be surprised if the producers didn't approach him to be on the show instead of the other way around. Seeing him on the commercials for the show is also another push I had to actually watch. Yes, he does have two companions helping him along the way, but he definitely has a disadvantage (ever tried riding a camel or horse blind?). In addition, this team brings real experience to the show. Erik was the only one I saw wearing gaiters during the trek through the sand dunes, and you can tell that these guys know what they are doing.

Will I try-out? I think that it would be a fun month-long adventure, but am not sure that splitting $50K and a new Expedition would be worth the hassel of rearranging my grad school schedule and finals. If the winnings were to be more like $50K for each team member I would really consider it.

The bottom line - I definitely recommend that anyone who enjoys the outdoors watch this show. There are several mistakes made that everyone can learn from if they are looking for them: one girl gets in a hurry and decides to not put her socks on for the last couple of miles and ends up with blisters painful enough for her to get some extra attention from the host; Eriks companions get rushed and leave him at the top of a winding staircase, thinking that they can do the challenge while he waits; one of the "Country Boys" has real difficulty hiking up hills - completely hindering his teams ability to push for first place; and several teams struggle in the cold to effectively use their para-cord to hook when all they needed to do was warm up their hands, think for a second, and take their time throwing the cord.

Check it out anytime on Hulu or watch it every Thursday at 9/8c on ABC.

 

Gear Review: SPOT Connect

A specific piece of equipment has been catching my eye for at least the last three issues of Backpacker Magazine (funny/pathetic how their advertising gets me every time...). I have wanted a SPOT locator beacon for a couple of years now, but due to my current financial situation as a student, it is one of those many pieces of technology that will need to wait until after I'm done with school. When I saw the advertisement for the SPOT Connect I thought that I had found a better alternative that would give me an even greater justification to purchase such a devise following my graduation, but I'll let you decide which of these two devices is superior.

SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger
For a basic overview of what the SPOT beacon does, check out this post I wrote several months ago. The SPOT beacon is a small hand-held device which allows you to "check in" anywhere in the world (as long as the beacon has a signal from the satellite - caves and many slot-canyons don't). You pay for the device (about $80-150 according to the search I just did on-line), and then pay for the yearly service plan (basic is $100, and goes up from there). You have the ability to check in with loved ones through the SPOT tracker website, send "custom" messages via e-mail (have to set this up with a computer before your trip), inform your contacts at home that you need non-emergency assistance, and then you can also use the SOS button in case of a real emergency.

The Cost: Unit + yearly subscription = two charges. Depending on how many features you want to have access to, the subscription cost goes up. Only one-way communication if this is the only form of communication you have. Even if you are where you would have a cell signal, you won't be able to talk to anyone or text anyone unless you have your cell phone with you.

The Benefit: A peace of mind for your loved ones while you are in no-mans land, and a peace of mind for yourself if you were to be in a sticky situation.

SOS x 2: Cell phone has the SOS button, but the Connect has a button on the side as well, meaning that even if you lose your smart phone or it's charge dies, you still have a way out of whatever dire situation you find yourself in.

SPOT Connect
The biggest difference between the Connect and the Messenger above is an ability to customize your e-mails that you are sending home (also send a customized message along with your SOS so the authorities know what they are dealing with), as well as an ability to send text messages and to update your Twitter/Facebook status. Due to the fact that you are using a secondary device, you have more options and abilities. At this point you can use an iPhone, iPod Touch (HUGE surprise to me when I found out about this), or an Android with a 2.0 or newer platform. You have the ability to use every feature that the Messenger has, but much more. Right now the Connect device is roughly $150, and, just like the Messenger, you have a yearly subscription fee ($99) which will cost more depending on how many texts/e-mails you would like to send.

The video below is very informative, and quite amusing. I don't know who the guys are doing the interview, but the SPOT rep knows what he is talking about (for the most part). Be sure to pay attention to what he says about sending a customized SOS message. I'm not sure if he is being serious or ironic, but it's entertaining nonetheless.



Costs: Instead of only taking one device to use as an SOS when the poop hits the fan, you have to have the Connect AND your iPod/iPhone. If one of the batteries dies on either of these devices, there is no point in having the second one - unless, of course, you have a cell phone signal and can just call out. In addition to having to care for two devices, you are also taking more weight (a minimal 4.5 oz for the Connect) and more space being taken up in your pack. The pictures on-line are deceiving in my opinion. At first glance I thought it was a flat device, but it's not. It is still smaller than a smart phone, but is probably two or three times thicker.

Benefits: All the same features as the Messenger, only much better. If you are able to send a customized message along with your SOS ping, the authorities will know if they are dealing with a broken leg, someone who has fallen in a tough to reach location, or you are being eaten by a bear (which is what the rep said in the video...hahaha, "help me, the bear is almost to my organs as he has already exposed my rips and is working his way through my gluteus maximus"). Having two devices means you have twice the opportunity to get help and send status updates. If you have a cell phone signal on the trail then you can call whoever you want, if you don't then you can just use the Connect features. Almost like having a security blanket on the trail:)

Here is the promo video from SPOT. Although a little cheesy, it's still pretty informative. Does a good job of showing that this device is not just for your backcountry adventures.



The Bottom Line: Although the main purpose for me purchasing either the Connect or the Messenger is for my backcountry activities, they would both be very useful for road trips and really any possible situation. I feel that the Connect offers much more than the Messenger, and will hopefully be an owner of the Connect one day. The up-front cost of the device is a little steep (as with the Messenger), but the yearly subscription ends up costing less than most data plans for smart phones when divided between twelve months.

Here are a few reviews to read if you are interested: One, Two, and Three.
  

Outdoors Essentials??? Multi-Function Watches

For couple of years now I have lusted after an image found in every issue of Backpacker magazine. Every time I would open my latest issue, I knew that I would eventually come across the same advertisement for the same watch that fascinated my adventerous side, and this is what I would see...

The latest Casio Pathfinder is solar powered (which will last 5 months after being fully charged), includes an altimeter, barometer, thermometer, digital compass, and every other typical digital watch feature (alarms, timers, ect) only done better. For an MSRP of $450, this is a watch that any outdoorsman would lust after. Here is the point of this post though: Should a multifunction watch be included on the "outdoors essentials" list?

My logic in even wanting a watch such as the Pathfinder is the pure convenience of having so much useful information strapped to my wrist when in the backcountry. An altimeter (when correctly and frequently calibrated correctly) would give more accurate directions/locations when using a topo map, a barometer can be useful when trying to predict the weather (if you know how to use it), the digital compass would be convenient when wanting a quick reference for the direction you are traveling (although not the most accurate when compared to a mirrored compass like the one I use), and the solar power charge means that you are set when it comes to power (no having to worry about your battery losing its life in the middle of a trip [you should switch out your battery more frequently than required for this exact reason]).

In addition to the expensive features are the typical alarms and stopwatch - both would be very useful when on the trail. I still remember camping with a bunch of neighborhood friends a couple of years ago. They all had to leave right after breakfast the next morning, so I knew that I would need to get up at a decent hour in order to see them before they all took off. I woke up to the sun hitting the corner of my tent, and had an eery feeling that I was all alone although I went to bed with five tents surrounding me the night before. It was only 8 in the morning, but everyone was already gone! I felt like the crazy drunk uncle who everyone wants to avoid the morning after a night in the woods. I thought that I was getting up early enough, but only had the sun to wake me up. For this reason (and the fact that I typically want to get an early start on the trail when backpacking) an alarm on my watch would be perfect. No extra weight, very small, and conveniently located on your wrist whenever you need it.

The thermometer would also be very useful when backpacking/camping. I can't recall how many times I have woken up to a freezing face in the middle of the night, wondering if it was really below freezing, or if I was just a wimp. Having this feature on my watch would allow me to see how cold it really is at night so that I can see if my sleeping bag's temperature rating is more liberal than it should be (although I'll admit that there are small thermometers that are dirt cheap and very light/small which would be just as effective).

The downside? Price. How could a starving grad-student possibly afford a wrist watch that costs more than $300? Although there are other Pathfinder watches that are much cheaper to be found ($200 on REI), it's still an expensive watch. The solution? I was walking through REI when I saw a watch for $60. It was also a Casio brand, also had an altimeter/barometer/thermometer, and was pretty good looking. I don't know whether I will really use all the extra/expensive features on the Pathfinder, so why not buy a cheaper watch to see if the Pathfinder is really worth the money or not? Here is the watch that I found and later bought.

The bottom line: I wouldn't put multi-function watches on the "outdoors essentials" list. It is a fun and convenient extra gadget to wear around, but not necessary by any means. I will say, however, that any type of watch DOES belong on the list. Remember 127 Hours? Each and every one of those hours were counted by Aron Ralston while stuck in the slot canyon. Knowing what time it is may very well be the one thing that makes the difference between keeping one's sanity, and losing one's mind. Aron rationed out his water in order to make it last as long as possible. There was no way he could have kept track of time if he wouldn't have had a watch on him (high canyon walls and only a small window of direct sunlight would have made it impossible to tell the time). Some in hostage situations have also said that knowing what time it was made a huge difference (knowing the time of day gives one a small sense of being in control).

I know that I focused on the Pathfinder by Casio, but Suunto is also a very good watch, and may be more used by professional mountaineers than the Pathfinder is. As a side note, both the Suunto and the Pathfinder are BIG watches. If you prefer the more conservative, low-profile watch, these multi-watches may not be fore you.

    

A Few Amazing Videos

Yes, I'm taking the easy route by sharing a few videos instead of writing a real post. My finals are coming to an end, and I should, in theory, be able to get back to my regular "weekly" posting within the next couple of weeks.

I saw this first video a couple of weeks ago. It took place all the way back in 2008, so I'm obviously not a rock climber. Seeing this video, in addition to the other videos in this post, makes me want to lose the 20 lbs I put on after getting married so that I can take on this physically demanding sport (although my love for backpacking will always be #1).



This second video features Ueli Steck and the same climber from the first video. Ueli (again, only recently discovered this video) is AMAZING. I had no idea that speed climbers even existed! What this guy does impresses me more than I can express. Hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people world-wide train for marathons each year, thousands also train for long bike rides, triathlons, swim meets, and many other sports which require absolute dedication, but what Ueli does is, by far, the most dangerous sport by far. Running up a mountain without ropes??? Crazy...



This last video shows Ueli breaking his own speed climbing record on the north face of Eiger. Don't know what Eiger is? Check it out here. Why the north face? The north face of mountains in the northern hemisphere is usually known as being the most difficult to summit (which is also probably why "The North Face" clothing line is called what it is). Watch this last video and be amazed.



If those videos aren't enough to inspire you, I have no idea what would:)

Book Review: Between a Rock and a Hard Place

A few years ago I flipped through this book too see if it was something that I would enjoy reading. After I realized that it was filled with Aron Ralston's "adventures," I lost interest and felt that he probably used his accident in Southern Utah as an excuse to shot (what he considered were) his amazing accomplishments, and to talk himself up. I'll admit that it was probably my own pride that I was using as a filter, and didn't really want to hear about a kid my age achieving more within one year of his life (by way of outdoors accomplishments) than I accumulated as a whole up to that point in my life.

As soon as I was done watching 127 Hours for the first time, I decided that it would be a good idea to give the book a chance. About two weeks after this decision, I found my thoughts constantly going back to different parts of the movie, wanting to watch it more and more, and being driven to the bookstore. Being in graduate school and on a very tight budget, making extra purchases are very rare for me, but I felt that this book would be a good investment for my bookshelf.

From the start of this book I decided to ask myself whether Aron was really at fault for the predicament he found himself in - caught between a slot canyon wall and chock stone he dislodge while hiking the Blue John Canyon within The Canyonlands National Park. Although the many different adventures found within the book annoyed me several years ago, and kept me from taking the book seriously, I found that these all gave me a great deal of insight into his personality, his mental preparedness, and his ability to accurately (or better, inaccurately) weigh the consequences of his actions.

There is a common theme I found throughout the book: Aron likes to be alone. He took (and continues to take) pride in his ability to summit Colorado's 14,000+ feet-high peaks by himself. When he isn't alone, he ends up making poor choices, such as: the time he was with his sister at Havasupai Falls and fell on a cactus; or the time he was with a couple other guys and almost drowned in the Colorado River; or when he pressured his friends to drop down into a steep bowl of deep powder when skiing, only to trigger a massive avalanche which almost claimed their lives. Even when he was at The Canyonlands, he chose to follow through with his plan to hike Blue John Canyon, despite the fact that two girls he thought were attractive tried to convince him to go with them on their hike. It is my own personal opinion that he felt that it would be more impressive to the girls he met, if he were to continue his solo journey. He didn't say it, but it was his pride in doing things by himself which ultimately lead to his demise.

I can dissect the entire book, but feel that doing so would take away from the enjoyable parts which left me wanting to stay up late to read every evening.

I didn't see how Aron could possibly grab my attention with his writing to the point where I wait in anticipation for him to finally cut his arm off (hope this isn't a spoiler for any those reading this). He did such an excellent job of writing with great detail, that you honestly felt like you were with him each night as he struggles to fight through the hypothermic conditions - all while unable to give his legs enough rest to finally fall asleep. As he goes through his routine of wrapping his legs with his climbing rope, as he puts his head in his rope bag, and as he tries with all of his might to get a few minutes of sleep before his next designated time to take a sip of water - all of these moments you feel as though you right there with Aron, each step of the way.

I got to the point where I asked myself if the next page would be when he would have his "epiphany" or not. Although it is easy for me to say that I would have cut my arm off a lot sooner than he did, I understood through his writing that I, too, would probably need to get to that extreme point of desperation where I realized that I was left with no other option then to take that final plunge. 

Hopefully none of this takes away from the experience to be had when reading the book for yourself. Yes, he was a hot-headed kid who took unnecessary risks, but at the end you come to realize that the previous risks he took gave him the courage to take that final risk which ultimately saved his life. Although I found myself asking why Aron made so many poor choices up to that point in his life, by the end of his story I understood that those poor experiences may very well have prepared him for that final pinnacle moment where he found himself stuck, "Between a Rock and a Hard Place."

(A short clip from Aron's original tapes while in the slot canyon)

*As an interesting side-note, Aron's book is no longer titled "Between a Rock and a Hard Place." The new edition which came out after the movie, and which I ended up purchasing (only because this was all that could be found on the shelves), is titled "127 Hours Between a Rock and a Hard Place."