Pack list revisions (after the hunt)

[John Scifres]

Great report.  I love the lessons learned format.

Your trip sounds very similar to my first one out there.  We went to the Flattops.  Drove 25 hours and hiked straight up to 9500'.  I was done for 3 days.  Sick to my stomach, headache, and miserable.  My pack alone weighed 45#.

The thing that most helps me now is to take at least a couple days between 5000' and 8000'.

I have the Pur/Katahdin hiker filter.  I have used it for multiple trips and not had it clog.  I wonder if mine is different than yours???  But, I now use water treatment tabs with neutralizer for weight reasons.

I used to have a really bad appetite in the mountains too.  It was my 3rd or 4th trip before I could eat normally.  Now I am always starving out there.  I take 1-3/4" pounds of food per day and always run out the last couple days.

I use a compass all the time.  I take at least 3 with me.  But I love my Garmin Oregon 450.  It will not fail you in the mountains.

I use cordage a lot but I also have a tarp instead of a tent so it is required.

My pack weighs about 40# for a 7 day hunt.

[Supercracker]

Yeah, we were well north of 40# with our packs. lol

Seems like our camp was right at 10,500.

[Archie]

Rob, I purchased and downloaded the Backcountry Navigator Pro app after you mentioned it in your other thread, but haven't had time to figure it out yet.  

How did it work for you out there?

[robtattoo]

Shane, it was 11,500!

Archie, the BCN app worked flawlessly. With gps turned on all day to keep a track & in airplane mode, we were getting around 48 hour battery life. Only using the gps to drop waypoints & locate ourselves, I could get 5 full days.
The topos were accurate & it allowed us to discount areas we thought previously would be worth checking out.
All in all, I'd give it a solid 90/100. I'd give it a full 100, but self location was a little slow. That said, the GPS antenna in my phone is about the size of a lentil. An addon antenna would VASTLY improve functionality.

[charles suttles]

Rob, if the altitude is bothering you this much try getting a prescription of cialis. I have a Dr. friend that hikes high altitude around the world and swears by it.


 SEE YA in Florida

[Supercracker]

NO WAY I'm going into a remote camp with Rob if he's been taking Cialis for days.

[4dogs]

[Matty]

Originally posted by Supercracker:
NO WAY I'm going into a remote camp with Rob if he's been taking Cialis for days.

OMG that's too funny. I think the blood goes out of the big head into the little one.  Leaving room for more oxygen in the big one. Too funny!   :rolleyes:

[Doc Nock]

Lordy...what a crew that must have been!

Dealt with altitude sickness first time thru Casper WY at a Conoco picnic on MT Casper at 10K feet.

Sucks!

Few weeks in Helena living and hiking MT HELENA (not MT ST.Helens) really gave me an edge.. but not when you drive and then start! Gracious!

The banter had to have been superb with this crew!

I'm still laughin at the comments... Mr Suttles is no slaggert in camp either with his antics and wit!   :rolleyes:

[robtattoo]

Just as an idea of the banter: The Quote Of The Week goes to Mr. Supercracker.....

"It's such a nice change to sit next to a campfire that doesn't have a ****ing tire in it."

You can take the boy outta the South.....  :rolleyes:

[Supercracker]

You can take the boy outta the South.....   :rolleyes:  [/QB]

[ChuckC]

Awesome.  

Rob, the paracord is more for when you kill the elk.  That didn't happen this trip so it wasn't needed.  But just you wait !

Also,  I am a compass guy.  I carry two and use one all the time.  Yup, most places I don't need it, but on nearly every trip I take a shortcut that screws me up and i need to find my way.  I do it much more quickly with a compass.

Yeah, those fire tires get old.

ChuckC

[MnFn]

Thanks for the update, Rob.  I returned last night from CO as well.  I think I was a few miles south of you.  We used the SteriPen for purifying water, and that worked well , but we took tablets as a back-up.

Interesting comment about lack of appetite because I find the same thing happening to me, although we were mostly at 8500 feet.  After a few days it did get better. One evening I ate two mountain house meals!

I basically ate one MH granola(my favorite) and blueberries in the morning.  For lunch and during the day I carried trail mix, a piece of jerky, and a Cliff bar, plus a liter of water.

As far as walking, at age 62, anytime I am going uphill, I can go about 50 yards and then take a break.  I tried the breathing method of really forcing the exhale and that did seem to help. For lateral moving I did well at the altitude we were at, it was just the climbing that kicked my butt.

I can't tell you how happy I was to not have the problems with my leg/knee that I encountered last year.  I am positive the pt and yoga that I did this past year really, really helped me.

Hopefully we have another year to try it again.  One of these years it is all going to come together.  As long as my son is willing to put up with the old man, that is.
Gary

[KSdan]

SO- been around TG for a number of years now. Mentioned before.  I would still LOVE to see a Gear Category where guys share these packing lists and tips for ongoing archives.  We don't need a lot of thread responses- just hunt parameters, lists of gear (with perhaps edits.) Would love the resource.  

Just my 2C

Dan in KS

[Roadkill]

great write up.
altitude kills
hydration is seemingly more important than food-only until week 2.  Then you will need to replace calories.Did you measure how much weight you lost?

[fisherick]

Unbelievable that three different water filters plugged up in clear water. Maybe a coffee filter or a bandana on the input side would have helped. I have mostly used pota aqua tablets to treat water on most BP trips.
How cold where the morning temps?

[skilonbw]

I also keep the paracord with not only for success but also if I need to make an emergency shelter in bad weather. A food for thought.

[CyrilG]

copied, pasted, printed! Thanks Rob! Congratulations on a successful trip, even Elkless!

[J-dog]

Thanks for taking the time to post - still a "wanna be" - or should I say "wanna try" the out west run- Got two years to wait though trying to listen to you crowd and learn as much as possible.

J

[Steve Chappell]

Great thread! Thanks for sharing the updated gear list. I like the concept of not bringing duplicates where one can be shared between all hunters is so logical yet we all have to bring our own. I have been going to CO DIY Elk hunting for the last 4 years and leave on the 18th for my 5th year. I am Zero for 4. I find by day two I can get around very well but when I start taking elevation at a steep incline, regardless of how many days I've been there, it's humbling...got to stop a lot to catch my breath and let my heart slow down. I have the SteriPen too and brought it on one bivy trip only to find the batteries were too low to work...had no alternative so we boiled the water and prayed...which worked thank god! I now make sure I have new batteries along with back up set. I have also bought the pills as added safety measure. I have been using Hammer Nutrition HEED High Energy Electrolyte Sports Drink in Lemon/lime in my hydration unit and love it...it is not sweet just a slight lemon lime taste so you do not get sick of it. It is very important to stay hydrated. After the hunt I also use Hammer Recoverite which works wonders to eliminate cramping and sore muscles from climbing mountain or just hunting in terrain where you are going up and down. The first 4 days is crucial as sore muscles can really slow one down. Elk hunting in the MTs is by far the most physically demanding hunting I do and it does pay to get in shape and do a lot of walking long distances in the boots you will wear...5 miles plus a day before going. Getting your feet used to very long walks will help you stay hunting. I just bought the TAG game bags, they are lighter, more compact and reusable. Pricy but worth it IMO. If I get dehydrated I find my appetite is impacted even more than normal.