3 day / 2 night Backpacking for beginners.

Backpacking and camping basics and other general trip planning discussion for the uninitiated. Use this forum to learn where to look for the information you need, and to ask questions, related to the beginner basics of backpacking and camping, including technique and best practices.
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thepreciselife
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Re: 3 day / 2 night Backpacking for beginners.

Post by thepreciselife »

I wish I could re-schedule but besides it being my birthday, its the only
3 day weekend my gf will have anytime soon since she just started a new job so
we wanted to take advantage of it.
Not until you take that first breathe of fresh air surrounded by nature, will you realize this is where you were meant to be.
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maverick
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Re: 3 day / 2 night Backpacking for beginners.

Post by maverick »

If you want to go backpacking for you birthday and not donating blood in the Sierra,
go backpacking on Catalina Island. Closer to you, good weather, lots of fun(romantic),
and a non stressful intro to backpacking.

PS. Found this cool backpacking TR, check it out: http://150mph.planetrambler.com/100413- ... index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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I don't give out specific route information, my belief is that it takes away from the whole adventure spirit of a trip, if you need every inch planned out, you'll have to get that from someone else.

Have a safer backcountry experience by using the HST ReConn Form 2.0, named after Larry Conn, a HST member: http://reconn.org
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thepreciselife
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Re: 3 day / 2 night Backpacking for beginners.

Post by thepreciselife »

maverick wrote:If you want to go backpacking for you birthday and not donating blood in the Sierra,
go backpacking on Catalina Island. Closer to you, good weather, lots of fun(romantic),
and a non stressful intro to backpacking.

PS. Found this cool TR, check it out: http://150mph.planetrambler.com/100413- ... index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
So no matter where I set up camp or go to in the Sierras, I will be swarmed by mosquitoes ALL DAY?
Not until you take that first breathe of fresh air surrounded by nature, will you realize this is where you were meant to be.
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maverick
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Re: 3 day / 2 night Backpacking for beginners.

Post by maverick »

The mountains are weird, you can be on one side of a ridge and have a Level 1
grading and go to the other and have level 5. Staying away from marshy/swampy
areas, and certain lakes that have a reputation as being mosquito factories help.
Wind is you best friend, and setting up in an open area, or near a ridge where the
wind can be constant can keep them at bay. Reading the Mosquito Avoidance
Techniques thread posted earlier can get you prepared in dealing with the situation,
if you encounter them, and make your stay much more enjoyable. No one can
tell you exactly what you will encounter in any particular area, the conditions can
change on a daily basis.
Professional Sierra Landscape Photographer

I don't give out specific route information, my belief is that it takes away from the whole adventure spirit of a trip, if you need every inch planned out, you'll have to get that from someone else.

Have a safer backcountry experience by using the HST ReConn Form 2.0, named after Larry Conn, a HST member: http://reconn.org
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AlmostThere
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Re: 3 day / 2 night Backpacking for beginners.

Post by AlmostThere »

The bottom line is - you don't get 100% what you want every time. The mountains, the weather, the rocks, the animals, the bugs - they all do what they want and sometimes you just get what you get.

This is why you will talk to backpackers who carry first aid stuff til it expires, rain gear they hardly use, and have a plan of how they will get through a night low 30 degrees lower than the NOAA forecast led them to believe would happen. Sometimes they will use the gauze and tape. Sometimes they will use the rain gear - and it will be the best thing they ever packed, because it's miserable to be soaked to the bone and no way to get dry. Sometimes knowing that wearing all your clothes in your bag will get you to 10F helps you stay calm and comfortable. (This has happened to me before - forecast 44F, actual lows turned out to be 10-15F and with looming dark clouds all over the horizon. Due to a friend being unprepared it turned a six day trip into four days. I would have been fine.)

For your purposes - be prepared for bugs, have something for rain (a poncho works especially if there is none in the forecast), and be pleasantly surprised if you use neither. Check forecasts but expect that if it's colder than you think it will be, you'll put on your layers and wear your jacket to bed. That's normal.

Things being unpredictable is part of the fun. Certainty doesn't have any adventure. Just do enough prep and research that it is not too adventurous - that it's safe. Don't forget to leave a trip plan with someone - there is a handy form in Maverick's sig.
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thepreciselife
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Re: 3 day / 2 night Backpacking for beginners.

Post by thepreciselife »

Yea thats what I figured and what I was willing to risk.
I figured if I set up camp in an open area, prob up on a ridge around the granite areas,
and away from the water then I'll prob just deal with them at dusk and dawn.

theres no *fingers crossed* icon so Ill just use this one :notworthy: to pray to the mosquito gods. haha
Not until you take that first breathe of fresh air surrounded by nature, will you realize this is where you were meant to be.
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Re: 3 day / 2 night Backpacking for beginners.

Post by tim »

Check out last year's reports (viewtopic.php?f=34&t=9131&start=48" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) for some indications of conditions around that time of year. You will probably want to look at places that dry out early. Maybe Cottonwood Lakes as that's pretty convenient from LA?

Alternatively I've never had big problems at Pika Lake in July (although the trail up may be more buggy). Both are pretty easy trips.
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macchiolives
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Re: 3 day / 2 night Backpacking for beginners.

Post by macchiolives »

I'll second Cottonwood Lakes. Just put in my two cents on another thread. Not to sound off-topic but you're from West Covina?!?! I haven't lived there in 12+ years but went to high school in South Hills. Graduated in '98. Here's a trip report from Cottonwood Lakes last year:

http://www.trailspace.com/forums/trip-r ... 47785.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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thepreciselife
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Re: 3 day / 2 night Backpacking for beginners.

Post by thepreciselife »

Im guessing you guys are suggesting somewhere that dries up faster because of the mosquitoes?
I appreciate that, but I am not trying to pass up wet areas because of mosquitoes.

macchiolives: awesome, I just moved here almost 2 years ago and already want to leave haha.

By the looks of all the photos/reports online of LLV I don't think I can pass up that scenery, especially when I will be attempting some night sky photography.

ALSO, I have a called the ranger station for the LLV area and asked what time permits are available for same day stuff, and they keep answering with "walk in permits are available at 11am the day before starting the trail"...I want to know what time on FRI I can walk in there, and get the permit for the same day, IF theyre still available?

EDIT:
Found the answer to my question
http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/inyo/pass ... rdb5356869" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Permit Issuing Times
8:00 am – The following permits can be issued anytime after 8:00 am.
Walk in permits for same day entry.
Reserved permits for same day entry, or up to 2 days before entry date.
Mt Whitney overnight for same day entry, or next day entry.
Day Use Mt Whitney for same day entry.
Non quota permits for same day, or up to 2 days before entry date.
Not until you take that first breathe of fresh air surrounded by nature, will you realize this is where you were meant to be.
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AlmostThere
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3 day / 2 night Backpacking for beginners.

Post by AlmostThere »

They are telling you the earliest time permits are available. if there are permits left the following morning you can get them when the doors open. The Inyo NF is not going to tell you when wilderness offices in the parks open...


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