Need advice for JMT this early July

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Wandering Daisy
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Re: Need advice for JMT this early July

Post by Wandering Daisy »

I do not see that it has to be all or nothing with cooking. My stove weighs 3 oz. Fuel cannisters come in three sizes and weigh from half a pound to pound and half. I can choose to use fuel only for hot drinks, cook only 1 meal, cook 2 meals, "cook" by boiling water only, or real cooking. I find that the more I cook from scratch, the more compact I can keep my rations. Ready-to-eat food is bulkier and you may end up with having to take a larger bear can or heaven forbid, two bear cans. A lot of ready-to-eat food also weighs more per calorie than dry food. The key is simply not to take too much food. I can cram 2,400 calories per day into 1.3 pounds per day of food and fit it all in a Bearikade Weekender for a 9-day trip. It is not the stove and fuel, but the food that is the majority of the weight. With today's light stoves, there little reason to elimiate hot food alltogether.
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Nepal
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Re: Need advice for JMT this early July

Post by Nepal »

fishmonger wrote:
Brent Maune ate this on his JMT record run (this is all he ate from Whitney Portal to Happy Isles)
This guy does look like crazy to me. :)
What I normally do is dehydrate my own food (beef, chicken, fish, rice, noodle, veg, fruits, etc) and vacuum seal them into one meal size. At the camp I just boil some water in my titanium 1.3 liter pot and open 1 bag mix with hot water for 5 minutes and I am happy! The weight is not that bad.
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Nepal
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Re: Need advice for JMT this early July

Post by Nepal »

Peter:

another question I want to ask you is from your website gear list, it seems you just have 2 lithium batteries for your GPS for the whole trip? How often you normally turn on your GPS?
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Re: Need advice for JMT this early July

Post by Nepal »

Thanks for everybody's suggestion for later trip this year! I successfully changed my starting date to July 25th, moved back for 23 days compared with my original plan. Not exact one month but close enough.

I really appreciate your kind help and suggestions, especially from Peter, and Maverick, almostthere, Gary C, etc.

Peter, if I see a guy with twin boys on the JMT this summer, I know who they are!!! :p
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fishmonger
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Re: Need advice for JMT this early July

Post by fishmonger »

Nepal wrote:
fishmonger wrote:
Brent Maune ate this on his JMT record run (this is all he ate from Whitney Portal to Happy Isles)
This guy does look like crazy to me. :)
anyone who moves like he does qualifies as crazy - he did the entire JMT in 3 day, 9 hr, 58 minutes, unsupported, starting at the Portal heading north, carrying 28 pounds (including the above menu). I think he slept less than 9 hours on that entire trip.
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Re: Need advice for JMT this early July

Post by fishmonger »

Nepal wrote:Peter:

another question I want to ask you is from your website gear list, it seems you just have 2 lithium batteries for your GPS for the whole trip? How often you normally turn on your GPS?
the rest is in the resupplies. The lithiums last longer than the regulars, about 3 days before you have to replace them. They do die without warning (full charge indicated, 10 minutes later you look at it and it is dead).

I run the thing all day long, but only to record progress. I rarely ever look at the map on it - too small to have any real overview, plus I've been there so many times, I don't need a map. So only if you're not really sure where you are, or if you want to see something nearby on the map is it useful.
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Re: Need advice for JMT this early July

Post by Nepal »

After a lot of homework, I think I found the ideal backpacking tripod.

Benro C0681TB00

Product Highlights
Supports 13.2 lbs (6 kg)
Extends to 5.08' (1.55 m)
Folds Down to 17.15" (44.5 cm)
Weighs 2.5 lb (1.1 kg)
Detachable Leg Functions as 4' Monopod
4 Leg Sections
180° Folding Mechanism
Small, Lightweight Ballhead Included

Load 6Kg at a weight of 2.5 lbs including ballhead and quick release plate? I bet you can't find a better choice!

This thing unfortunately is not cheap, though.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/7 ... el_CF.html
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Jewel
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Re: Need advice for JMT this early July

Post by Jewel »

We also have a permit to enter Bishop Pass on July 19 then exit Whitney (11-day trek). Any updates on trail conditions to Le Conte? I'm worried about the footbridge between Dusy Basin and Le Conte if it would be passable by then. I read lots of snow going south. This is our last leg of the JMT and don't want to postpone if all possible. Thank you!!!!
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