Advice for 1000 Island hike

[rlown]

If your dog isn't responsive to calls, a good idea to keep her on leash.

um, dogs are dogs. they're actually happier off leash. critters are, yes, a problem, but not for other hikers. For me, i keep the dog on leash until it's "safe." that's my choice based on my dog. Leash just makes the dog crazy, and you won't have any fun.

[Jedi5150]

so, just curious. What pack does she have?

None yet actually, but I do have one picked out. I'll order it next payday. It is a MOLLE style nylon harness from Signature K9. Here is a link to it:

http://www.signaturek9.com/Store/Nylon- ... ty-Harness" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The advantage of MOLLE systems (I've been using them on my tactical vests and backpacks for years) is that you can pick the right sized and shaped pouches for the mission. This harness is not too heavy, and doesn't cover a large surface area or have too much padding (all of which can make her hotter). My wife has a big, thickly padded harness for her with big pouches on it. She doesn't care for it. I have a tracking harness that is very similar in size and fit to this Signature K9 harness and she doesn't pay any attention to it...she's very comfortable with it and used to the feel. So this new harness will be basically the same thing but with removable pouches.

Duane, thanks for the tips. I think I am going to try for a hotel the night before I start just to get a good shower and sleep and start off freash for day 1.

[maverick]

Iceberg Lake is pretty when it has iceberg's floating in it though by September who
knows, but then again it is a mid to high snow year.
To me the prettiest lakes in the region are 1000 Is, Ediza, Minaret Lakes, and Ashley Lake.

1000 Is Lake: http://maverick.zenfolio.com/img/s1/v0/p668504855-5.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Lake Ediza: http://maverick.zenfolio.com/img/s4/v3/p70134455-5.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Minaret Lakes: http://maverick.zenfolio.com/img/s1/v0/p837364968-5.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[hikerduane]

My dogs have been great on bp trips while I had them, I have bped a few times with folks whose dogs were uncontrollable, those dogs are the ones that should never be out there or off leash, enjoy your dog, I have lost alot of interest the last few years without a dog along. Dogs being dogs is nice up to a point.

[rlown]

My dogs have been great on bp trips while I had them, I have bped a few times with folks whose dogs were uncontrollable, those dogs are the ones that should never be out there or off leash, enjoy your dog, I have lost alot of interest the last few years without a dog along. Dogs being dogs is nice up to a point.

Yeah. It's pretty true. Samantha is always better off leash. I would take her on a BP trip in a minute, other than the overhead of keeping her away from a thrashing trout. Bubba, a jack russell, we would never see again after taken off leash. He doesn't listen, hence he doesn't go.. Sam does.

So, from this discussion, It's probably best to keep your dog in your tent so it can't react to everything that happens outside at night. During the day, the dog will have to stay under voice command, as it would be really tough to keep a dog on leash when hiking. I only compare this to my first time taking Sam out on a duck hunt in the north central valley, and her desire to bolt while i pushed the decoy cart.

I hate constant barking, hence i employ a discretionary dog bark collar. I generally just carry it.. If she sees me take it out, she calms down.

Dogs are very cool on the trail if they're nice and under control. I agree, totally, Duane. Still, they're gonna chase the squirrel, pika, or marmot. just be ready for it.

[hikerduane]

Yeah, I try to minimize behavior others would not understand, dogs doing what they naturally do. Most places I go to are not crowded or see a rare sole now and then. That's N CA. The Desolation's, Shasta's, Yosemite's are popular because they have something to offer, I go there if able, then go where few others go and can be freer.

[Jedi5150]

She'll definitely be staying inside my tent with me. I don't mean to make it sound like Vixen is uncontrollable, she's actually a very highly trained dog (dual certified in both patrol and narcotics detection), and her obedience is pretty good as well. But the same thing that makes her so trainable (high play and prey drives), also make her take off after small wildlife like a heat seaking missile.

I ordered her harness today and will get her started on it as soon as possible to get her accustomed to it. I also ordered a set of booties for emergency use but I plan on working her on rough ground to strengthen the pads as much as possible before the trip.

Incidentally, the guy who I spoke with at Signature K9 told me a great trick for emergency use if dogs develop a cut pad in a remote area. He said you carry a small tube of superglue and a small piece of 500 or 1000 denier cordura nylon (like a pack is made of). If they get a torn pad you hold the pad closed, put superglue on the outside of it, and cut a small section of nylon to "patch" on top of the pad. He said this trick was invented by guys running dogs in the Iditarod.

[kpeter]

I'm not a dog owner, but was looking into superglue for human cuts and abrasions, and found this interesting information:

http://www.straightdope.com/columns/rea ... in-vietnam" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I would buy the first aid version rather than superglue--since it is closely related but less irritating to the skin. But it sounds like an ingenious solution for dogs with cut pads.

[Jedi5150]

Very cool article Kpeter, thanks for the link. I agree, the medical version sounds better. It does, however, seem like in a pinch you could get away with the ordinary kind if that's all you had available.

Well, I took the family on a "shakedown hike" this morning. This was my first hike in a while (been a busy year) and my first in preparation for the Sierras. Here was the result...Total time hiking was almost exactly 4 hours (it could have gone quite a bit faster but my 9 and 11 year-old daughters were with us as well). It was an out and back hike, with 80 degree heat, sea level elevation to begin (170' ASL), and total mileage was 4.92. So not a long hike mileage-wise, but we did gain 1550' in elevation in 2.46 miles and then obviously lost the same on the way back down. Highest elevation was 1720' ASL.

I need to weigh my pack but I did carry 1.5 gallons of water (mainly to add weight), small misc. items, a 3 lb sleeping bag, almost 6 lb tent (not the same gear I'll be using for my Sierra trip), etc. The pack itself is 1000 D cordura nylon and not a super light pack. As I said, I'll have to weigh the whole set-up and see how much weight I'll be adding for the trip. All in all, it went well, particularly for a first time out practice. Vixen did get a little pooped towards the end and she and I will both benefit from a summer of hiking in preparation. Of course we were also at <2,000' elevation the entire time which will make a huge difference. At least now we have an idea what we need to work towards.

Vixen (laying in the foreground), Ari (standing) and me:

[hikerduane]

Get that doggy out and in shape. I took a 10 week old Dobie on a week long trip with her dad, she did great, kept heading for shade at ever op though and got numerous yellow jacket stings one day going under a log, ahead of me. Poor girl. Great that Vixen is trained. My late Yellow Lab X, Pooch was partially trained for SAR, fun working with dogs then when they alert for the first time is a very neat feeling.