Post 2: Snow and Gear

Note: Future blogs will be more pictures and less words. Thanks for hanging in there and reading a huge wall of text

Welcome to the second and what I think will be the most interesting entry of this blog! I’ve been looking forward to diving deep into the gear I’m taking with me and the nitty gritty details of my personal thru-hike. There are some unique elements this year that will be a little scary but mostly exciting.

Whether or not you believe in climate change, there is no debating that the weather in Southern California this year is abnormal. This winter, SoCal has been bombarded with several cold and wet storms, dumping snow throughout the area, including areas that have not seen snow in decades - even the border! In the Sierra, snowpack levels are over 200% more than “normal” conditions. Sections of the trail around the San Bernardino National Forest have been closed due to snow, and areas around Mt. San Jacinto (the highest point in the first leg of the trail) have been closed as well.

The risks that come with a high snowpack should not be understated. Besides the colder temperatures and the difficulty of traversal, there are a few other wrenches to be thrown into an otherwise straightforward hike in the mountains. A freak snowstorm dumping powder makes it really hard to hike. Food carries in the Sierra are long, maybe up to seven days, so hikers are on a timer. Later in the season when temperatures begin to rise, the rivers and streams will be engorged with the additional snowmelt and will be extremely difficult to cross.

On the contrary, there are a few boons to a high snowpack year. Water carries in the desert will be shorter, as the added snowmelt will be feeding streams for weeks to come. When the snow does melt, there will be a huge blooming event in the desert, as the area usually doesn't see levels of precipitation this high and of this volume. Temperatures will also be much lower in the desert section, which in past years has been one of the hardest elements of the trail.

 Within the Sierra, a high snow pack is not necessarily a bad thing. Hiking on 5 ft of snow is essentially the same as hiking on 50 ft of snow, right? A phenomenon known as the “secret season” is when the snow has consolidated but not yet melted, making a sweet spot of sorts where the snow is relatively easy to hike on. Usually this event occurs in early May, so the jury is out when it will be this year. 

 As a result of the unusual weather this winter, I’ve invested in gear that is a lot warmer, namely my sleeping bag and pad. Additionally, I will be carrying microspikes and an ice axe from the beginning - usually these are picked up at Kennedy Meadows South, the beginning of the Sierra around mile 700. 

So what does one bring with them on a 2,650 mile hike? Not that much actually. In fact, as little as possible. There is a recent trend in the hiking world (so I’ve learned) in minimizing the amount of gear taken so as to lower one’s baseweight (the weight of one’s pack without consumables such as water and food or other items that may only be used in parts of the hike). In recent years I’ve gone a few overnight and multi-day backpacking trips, and having a light pack was very much enjoyable when trudging up steep trails. On another note, carrying less things overall will in all practicality lead to a more minimal lifestyle - since I moved out for college and have lamented the slow and insidious accumulation of crap over the past five years. So without further ado, here is what I am bringing with me for the next five to six months from left to right, top to bottom: 

Editor’s note: I like many, like pictures more than text so I won’t be offended if you skip this next section of me nerding out on the gear that I have. 

Shoes: Salomon S-Lab Cross

I’ve been using these trail runners for the past few years and have gotten used to them. They have an aggressive tread meant for muddy conditions, perfect for hiking in Washington. There is kind of a built in sock so rocks and dirt don’t get in the shoe. 

Sleeping Bag: Enlightened Equipment Enigma Quilt

I am using a quilt rather than a sleeping bag for the first time. A quilt is basically an open backed sleeping bag that straps underneath the pad, meaning I sleep directly on the pad itself. With the quilt attached this way, I will be able to roll around in the quilt without the risk of falling off of the pad. This quilt is popular among thru-hikers for being warm, compact, and lightweight. My particular model has a comfort rating down to 20 degrees fahrenheit.

Backpack: ZPacks Arc Blast 55L

This pack is super light, weighing in at just over one pound. It is made of a special nylon material that is very durable and water resistant.

Featuring a “trampoline” system similar to Osprey packs, it doesn’t sit directly on my back which will hopefully mitigate some sweating. 

Tent: REI Quarter Dome SL1

My previous tent was the “budget” version of this new one, but I upgraded to save a few pounds. I also chose this one for its weather resistant features - it is double walled and uses its own poles to set up. Most PCT thru-hikers use more lightweight, single walled tents that use trekking poles to set up, but I wanted one that could survive high winds and heavy rain since I will likely be using in Washington weather after I’m done with the trail.

 (Not Pictured) Sleeping Pad: Therm-A-Rest NeoAir XTherm

This is the warmest pad that one can buy. With an r-value of 6.9, it can be used in temperatures as low as -26 F. I foresee myself sleeping on snow some nights and this sleeping pad will hopefully make for a good night’s sleep.

Bear Can: BV450

A bear canister is required upon entry to the Sierra, so my mom will be shipping this guy to me then. It is super heavy and bulky, but for a good reason.

Rain/Wind Pants: Frogg Toggs

An optional item that my mom will maybe ship to me likely at the same I need my bear can. The material they are made from resembles something like a tarp. They’re pretty loose, so they are able to be put on while wearing shoes.

Rain Shell: Frogg Toggs UL

This jacket is 20 bucks, lightweight, and extremely waterproof. Although it is apparently not that durable. I’m taking bets on whether it not it will make it to the end.

Long Underwear: Pearl Izumi

Another piece of snow gear, these tights are bike riding bibs but without the chamois. They have a fleece lining so I would be wearing these on the coldest of days. I’ve worn these on some wet and cold bike rides already so I know that they work.

Long Underwear: Patagonia Capilene

These are a more lightweight pair of tights that I will be bringing with me from the beginning for sleeping or chilly mornings.

Pullover: North Face

Made of a synthetic material, this pullover is a bit heavy and fits a bit loose, so I envision sending this to myself once I reach the Sierra for an additional upper layer.

(Not Pictured) Puffy Jacket: Patagonia Micropuff

The puffy jacket will be my warmest layer. Since this one is synthetic, I will avoid using it in wet or sweaty conditions. I envision myself putting it on once I get to camp to retain some heat. When it gets cold at night, I will likely be wearing this as well.

Windbreaker: Rapha Commuter rain Jacket

Although marketed as a rain jacket, it soaks through in about half an hour of heavy precipitation. Since it’s super lightweight, I’m bringing it as a windbreaker to wear as my outer layer, as my puffy jacket lets some wind through the stitching.

Trekking Poles: REI Flash Carbon

I’ve actually never used trekking poles before! I’m excited to complete the hiker look with these guys.

Buff

An essential piece of clothing; it has so many uses. It will often live on my neck to keep me warm but can be adjusted to cover my ears or face if it gets colder.

Underwear

Two pairs for hygiene’s sake. Both are synthetic.

Baselayer: Rapha Merino

If things get real chilly I can put this on in the morning. It fits fairly tightly around my core, so it will keep me warm. Being made of merino wool will hopefully keep it odor free

Sleep/ Town Short: Rapha Active

I’m not sure if you noticed but most of my clothing will be black. I wanted to bring something with a bit of color. I’ll be wearing this when my clothes are in the wash in towns, and when I am camped for the night.

Sit Pad: Therm-a-rest Z-Seat

In the past I have used a lightweight camping chair that weighs a single pound. However, a pound is a lot of weight in terms of total pack weight. This thing weighs next to nothing and is actually quite nice. I wish I had gotten a longer pad so I can lay down on demand, so I may get one down the trail.

Cook Kit: MSR Pocket Rocket and Toaks 450mL pot

I will be using a canister stove on my hike to boil water. I don’t plan on necessarily cooking food in my pot, just adding boiling water to stuff that rehydrates quickly.

Shades: Oakley Sutro

I use these sunglasses for cycling. They look like ski goggles but they work real well so I don’t care. They have a huge viewing area and are polarized.

Towel: Packtowl Microfiber

A little towel that dries quickly. It has a little loop so I can attach it to the back of my pack to dry. 

Filtration: Sawyer Mini and Cnoc Vecto 3L

This combo is fast and lightweight. The vecto bladder has an opening on the top so I can scoop up a bunch of water at a time instead of a little water bottle opening. The sawyer squeeze is a little filter that effectively lasts a lifetime.

Book: The Fellowship of the Ring

Haven’t read this infamous series yet despite being a fan of fantasy stories. Apparently there is a lot of downtime while out on a hike like this, so I hope I can get some good reading done then.

Journal

A special one to track my mileage, how I’m feeling, and what I saw during the day.

Poop Kit: Roll of TP, Trowel, Wet Wipes

Part of the leave no trace principle is correctly disposing of your own waste, meaning that one has to dig a hole at least 6 inches deep.

(Cut off slightly) Gloves: North Face Synthetic

These ones are long and have little grippers on the hands to help hold trekking poles.

More underwear…

Beanie: Wool

A nice wool beanie to wear on cold days and nights. I will probably be using this one a lot when I go to bed, as my quilt doesn’t have a hood to cover my head.

Microspikes: Kahtoola 

Since this year is and has been a snowy one, I will be bringing microspikes from the beginning. Microspikes are basically chains for your shoes so as to improve traction on icy snow. They are not crampons, which are the heavy duty spikes used for more mountaineering.

Alright I’m getting a little weary of this format so the rest will be a freeform wall of text. The clear thing is a Talenti jar that I will be using as my bowl. It has a screw top lid so I can let things marinate in my pack without worry. Below that is a stick of bodyglide for answering my anti-chafing needs. I have a sharpie and pens (not pictured) for writing in my journal or anywhere else I may need to. The clear thing is a Platypus water bottle that can roll up to take up into space. I may ditch it but want to have the extra security of additional water storage. Next I have a lifestraw as a backup water filter should my Sawyer filter break or get misplaced. I’ve got two pairs of headphones I’m bringing: Audio-Technicas that have great sound quality and are my daily driver while at home, and a pair of apple earbuds that I’ll be using while I’m hiking. Next to those is my titanium spork that will be my sole eating utensil for the whole hike. I have some paracord that I will likely ditch soon after starting, but I plan on stringing some up in my tent for hanging my clothes and also making a strap for my ice axe. Below that is my headlamp, which can be recharged via usb. Finally is a little pad inflator that also doubles as a light that I can hang in my tent. 

I am getting a few more things when I get to San Diego:

• Ice Axe

• Bug Net

• Fuel Canister

• Hand Sanitizer

• Sunscreen

• Physical Maps for the Sierra

Thanks for reading my second post! Please leave a comment on this one if you have any questions, and I will answer them in the next one. Speaking of which, that will be after I have started and when I get to the first town, Mt. Laguna. And lastly thank you all for the kind words and encouragement that I have received! See ya in the next one

-Adriaan