Page 81 of 98

Re: Lurkers Please Introduce Yourself =)

Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2020 8:25 pm
by OutdoorRandy
I always had a pretty good down bag. I think I only did 1 trip using a tube tent. I initially used my dad’s Stevenson Warmlite tent. It was ahead of its time as I recall. Back in the 70’s Stevenson made the tents about a mile from were I grew up in Woodland Hills, CA. The Stevenson catalogs back then were modeled in the nude. As a giggling high schooler I remember going over to the house where they were made. As I recall they’d test the tents in the back yard with the sprinklers. The yard also had goats. The inside of the house was full of sailing trophy’s. Very entertaining for a 17 year old.

Re: Lurkers Please Introduce Yourself =)

Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 4:04 pm
by Harlen
Hey "ORandy"

I had to do a quick check on those catalogs full of naked hikers, and I had no luck at all.
https://www.warmlite.com/clothing/
As you can see, the nearest thing to a nude is the half-naked, shaved head of a guy with a ponytail. All the other models are well dressed in raingear :angry:
It's still a great story you tell about the neighborhood gear store; and we always need more storytellers around here. Cheers.

Re: Lurkers Please Introduce Yourself =)

Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 8:25 pm
by OutdoorRandy
Perhaps my high school memory has embellished the story a bit but ... https://www.outinunder.com/sites/defaul ... 201974.pdf

Re: Lurkers Please Introduce Yourself =)

Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 9:34 pm
by Harlen
I am really glad you posted this catalog Randy. Another HST member also sent it to me as a PM, wondering whether it would be appropriate for general consumption, and after reading and looking through it I was gratified to find that it was done in such good taste. And if you take the time to read to page 4, and check out the section titled "no sweat shirt," you will find a very interesting, and perhaps useful discussion of "the breathability myth," and some thoughts on vapor barriers. What an interesting and fine company- just as OutdoorRandy seemed to imply. I reckon you were very lucky to run into such interesting folks at a young age Randy. I sure hope no one is offended, and instead, see this as a window into a more open and free-spirited time. Someone is sure to suggest that this topic be moved over to the Campfire area to be further discussed; I'll try to do that now.

Re: Lurkers Please Introduce Yourself =)

Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2020 6:19 am
by OutdoorRandy
I certainly hope my post did not offend. The catalog is pretty informative. I used what I think was their first generation tent. It was single wall and condensation was a problem. It was very light (<3 Lbs) and sturdy however. I spent an extremely windy night on Mt. San Jacinto in the winter of 74/75 and was amazed the tent survived. Eventually my hiking buddy Mike purchased one of the drop front tents. I think it has a double wall and it was much better. The drop front was pretty cool. You could sort of sleep out but if the weather turned bad you could buckle and zip it up in less then 1 minute.

I may be a little off but I think that the founder, Jack Stevenson, was originally an aerospace engineer and was maybe one of the first to use high-tech materials in outdoor gear.

Re: Lurkers Please Introduce Yourself =)

Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2020 9:03 am
by maverick
Please limit this thread to introductions, thanks.

Re: Lurkers Please Introduce Yourself =)

Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2020 9:56 am
by Djefr
Greetings-just finished a book received as a gift from my son. The Last Season by Eric Blehm. This may not have been my son’s intent, but the overall effect of reading it was a deeply personal reconnection to places and experiences from long ago. At 14, in 1972, a friend and I headed south on the JMT from Tuolumne Meadows with the intention of reaching Mt. Whitney. Our packs were probably 60-70 lbs. We didn’t get along, and ultimately hiked out at the halfway point with no food left. Found Florence Lake and a road to hitch hike home to Sacramento on. I loved it. Many more trips in the High Sierras afterward, than settling in to domestic life and responsibilities took my thoughts away from the idea of spending time in the back country. Now I’m old and retired, and found this group after reading the aforementioned book. Looking for inspiration and at lighter equipment to do some of those hiking trips before my legs don’t allow it. Hoping I will find the pristine beauty that so captivated me as a youngster. Looking forward to enjoying posts here.

Ps. My favorite memory of that trip was hiking alone down the gradual approach to Thousand Island Lake.

Re: Lurkers Please Introduce Yourself =)

Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2020 11:26 am
by maverick
Hi Djefr,

Welcome to HST! :)

Re: Lurkers Please Introduce Yourself =)

Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2020 5:05 pm
by goddard's will
Long time lurker posting for first time.
Hello all. I grew up during the fifties in Burbank, Ca. just across the road from the Verdugo foothills, and spent much of my after school time hiking and adventuring there with my neighborhood pals. My first real backpacking trips were as a Boy Scout, doing trips through the Angeles National Forest (silver moccasin trail) and Sespe Wilderness area, equiped with army surplus backpacks and too short and too thin cotton sleeping bags. I don't think we used sleeping pads then, but definitely remember the plastic tube tents.
I continued backpacking through my 20's and early thirties throughout Yosemite, Tahoe, and the Canadian rockies (specifically Jasper National Park, where one of my Burbank pals lived and worked as a backcountry ranger).
In 1985 I settled down in the San Luis Obispo area, and concentrated more on ocean activities until about 10 years ago when I started re- exploring the Sierra via Mineral King, Seki, and Ansel Adams and John Muir wilderness areas. My first trip into the Sierra from an eastern approach was last september, and I really enjoyed that terrain (Taboose to Lake Basin). I mostly plodded up to Taboose pass in granny gear, but well worth the effort.
I'm a level 3 backpacker comfortable with. class two routes (but not King Col), some class 3 without a pack, and I prefer off-trail lake destinations with layover days to soak in the details.
I lespecially like late season trips.
The appreciation that the HST members have for the backcountry, and this website, really comes across in the forums and trip reports. I look forward to contributing in kind.
THANKS

Re: Lurkers Please Introduce Yourself =)

Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2020 6:19 pm
by maverick
Hi Goddard's Will,

Welcome to HST! :)