TR: Great Western Divide ~ July 2014.

[alpinemike]

I definitely wish I could carry less camera gear but I'm a photographer and that's what gives me the shots that I love. I will say that next year I will have a slightly lower base weight so that will help overall. And Bluewater I definitely learned through Rogue that when you're out there for over a month at a time like I was this summer adding in a few luxuries makes all the difference in the world. There are few things worse than wishing you had brought that extra piece of gear (that honestly weighs very little in the grand scheme of things) in the middle of a 14 day section. I learned my lesson this year in that I'll be carrying a real tent with a vestibule next summer. I spent far too many cramped nights and evenings cooking my food outside the tent while a storm was bearing down on us. Granted this was the epic summer of rain, rain and then some more (We totaled something like 22 in a 35 day period)! But it only takes 1 or 2 times in a 2 week period for it to get really old to try and cook dinner half inside and half outside your tent. Rogue brings an entire collapsable bucket to do laundry, which honestly after being out there for that long I can completely see the merit in. And yeah sliding down the Enchanted Gorge was absolutely horrendous... It's safe to say I'll never be back there (certainly not with a full pack). I think the trip's crux though was a Class 5 crack with full pack to get out of that lake on the Ragged Spur. And to that I can very safely say I will never come back to!

[Bluewater]

After seeing some of your photos it looks like the few extra pounds of camera gear is worth every ounce aplinemike! I dream about taking a month+ off and hitting the backcountry but right now 10 days is my max. I'm sure after a few weeks a good tent and ability to do some laundry would make a real difference. After finishing the JMT I could hardly stand to wear any of my clothes. That was after just 10 days.

I had an experience in the snow last year with a small group that made me consider a larger winter shelter. I brought a MLD Solomid, which provided enough shelter for one and I stayed warm and dry. . . but my buddies were sharing a Supermid and had breakfast in bed. There just wasn't enough room in the Solomid to cook. I see solo hikers cooking in a Duomid, so that might be a good option.