Base camping and Day hiking

[kurtq]

For the most part I'm a day-hiker, but a friend and I are planning to back pack into Lake Colden in mid-July for a few days and setup base camp, then do some day hikes to some surrounding peaks, like Colden, Algonquin and Wright, etc.

We'll be lugging in large back packs with a tent, sleeping bag, equipment and provisions for a few days. We certainly don't want to carry this pack for our day-excursions to the peaks, so my quandry is what to do about a day pack? My typical day pack setup is good sized, allowing me to comfortably carry adequate water, food, clothing/rain gear... you know, the usual stuff. But my day pack is heavy and would be bulky to pack. My large backpack has a removable top lid which can be used as a waist pack, but this just doesn't seem up to the task.

What are some strategies other folks use for day hikes while base camping? Do you stuff a day-pack into your backpack? Do you suffer with the skimpy waist pack? Do you forego your usual day hike gear?

Kurt

 

[Jay H]

I have used the top shelf pack of my Gregory reality as a somewhat daypack. Very marginal and in fact, I would pack some good weight in it to see if it was comfy. To me, it wasn't really that comfy and I didn't have that much stuff with me. Frankly, I've come to just prefer to slackpack, which would be just throw whatever you need and have a lot of unused space. The reality isn't that big a pack anyway (4000ci). I have used a small Golite Dawn which is a small frameless pack on Mt Shasta as a summit pack which is what I would do if I was to pack a daypack along with my backpack but typically, I will just slackpack. I find the top shelf as fanny pack isn't too comfortable for me.

Jay

 

[cbcbd]

How big is your backpack? Why not just use that for the day hikes and leave all the extra gear at camp?

FYI, remember the required bear canister - takes up a lot of space in your pack.

 

[blacknblue]

Do you stuff a day-pack into your backpack? Do you suffer with the skimpy waist pack? Do you forego your usual day hike gear?

A combo of all three, depending on the situation. If my daytime forays are going to be relative short and safe, then I will go with a waist pack (mine's decent sized). If I know I'm going to take longer daytime hikes, or hikes above treeline, then I will stuff a daypack into the big backpack (or clip it to the outside or whatever).

Base-camping in the Wild River in an example of the former; the Great Gulf an example of the latter.

The main thing is not to skimp and get caught in bad weather on a long hike without all your usual day hiking gear because you only have a small waist pack. It is rare that I can't fit another 2 pounds (about my daypack's weight) into my overnight pack, especially in summer.

 

[dvbl]

Clip your (empty) daypack to the outside of your overnight pack.

oops, just noticed blacknblue said it first. Consider my reply an endorsement of his idea

 

[dug]

I've done it three different ways.

1) Hang an empty daypack off my backpack on the hike in. Load that up with typical dayhike stuff for the day trips.

2) Use the lid top and a Camelback daypack for the day trips.

3) Use the now relatively emptied backpack. It will be mostly empty, and therefore much lighter.

 

[giggy]

agree with all - clip it with biner, etc...

what I have been doing in the cascades is simply cinching the hell out of my 5000 cu pack for the summit day portion. its a bit sloppy, but its an option when you want to skimp on as much weight as possible, like we do in the cascades, or any bigger peak. - but I probably bring more on a cascade summit day then you will in the dacks, but not much more, becuase I go recklessly light.

not all packs do this the same though.

 

[AOC-1]

Higher end daypacks with removable pads can be cinched down pretty small and carried in a backpack. You can replace the pad with the extra fleece layer you'd otherwise be carrying in your daypack.

 

[kurtq]

Thanks all for the thoughts and suggestions. As blacknblue says, I don't want to skimp on my usual gear and be caught unprepared on a summit with winds and rain, so I'll probably strap on my day pack (older model Mountainsmith Approach) and use it for summit excursions. My backpack is the EMS Summit 5500, which is a bit large to be lugging around for a day trip, even if I leave most of the gear at base camp.

Kurt

 

[GNR]

Try this...

REI Flash. I have never used it as a stuff sack, but I really like it as a day pack. I roll my thermarest in it, stuff what I need in the tube that is created, and voila, a legit day pack.

http://www.rei.com/product/747522

$25 doesn't hurt and 9oz doesn't either

 

[woodstrider]

Base camping

You have a fine idea of how to go about it. I have done this amny times when I was not going through from one point to another. And, especially in the winter. Here are some of my suggestions

The areas most logical to you to set up a base camp are also logical to many others. These areas get so much use that the bears have the addresses memorized. Since it is actually difficult to do a proper job of bear-bagging one's food (due to lack of skill on most of our parts and lack of the perfect trees) this becomes a huge problem. I would recommend not staying at the designated camping sites/ leantos- but camp a little bit off the "beaten path", 1/2 a mile should do. You will have a lot less problems. That or carry all your food with you on the day hike- but at night what to do?

Camping at large also will usually assure that none of your stuff will get stolen.

As for a day pack- Use your backpack and pull in the compression straps to cinch it in. If the top comes off- leave that behind- you'll have lots of room in the main compartment anyway.

Have a great trip.

 

[Grumpy]

Once upon a time – when I still did a little backpacking -- Lake Colden was a favorite base camping spot of mine. I’ve taken many trips there to do exactly the sort of thing you propose. I did similar trips in other parts of the High Peaks.

As for what to do about the daypack …

Over the years, I tried just about every imaginable solution.

The stuff sack with pack straps (like the REI Flash, referenced above) was the most efficient solution if all I was going to carry was a wool shirt, water bottle, lunch and 10 essentials. (The one I used was a Camp Trails sack for my sleeping bag, which was set up so I could attach the shoulder straps from my Kelty frame pack to it.)

On several trips I just used my Kelty frame and bag. I got stuck carrying Mrs. Grumpy’s day kit as well as my own with that arrangement. But the real disadvantage was its bulk, which made it an awkward solution. Today’s internal frame packs are more adjustable and streamlined, to overcome that difficulty.

Finally, I tried adding a regular daypack to my kit. Mine happened to be an elegant, early 1970s vintage, Alpine Designs Euro-style rucksack, with leather shoulder straps and bottom, and aluminum backstays. It added pounds of extra weight to my backpack in and out, but carried everything I needed or wanted for day trips from base camp very comfortably. This is the solution I would be inclined to recommend today, since the hikes in to and out from good base camp spots in the High Peaks generally are not terribly long or difficult.

Don’t forget or neglect to take and use bear canisters!

G.

 

[Mike P.]

I've done all three, I would say it would depend on weather. I'm a very warm hiker so in summer I wopuld not want a large pack, even an empty one on my back while climbing.

Depending on terrain weather, might want more than you can carry in a lip that converts to a fanny pack.

For me getting to ADK's is 1x or 2x a year at best event while I'm in the Whites almost monthly so I'd take a chance I'd have to turn around in NH, in NY I want more gear because I may not be back until 08 or 09 . So for ADK's, I'd strap a day pack to my big pack.

 

[percious]

1) Get a smaller backpacking pack and then slack-pack.
2) Remove internal stays and pannier to lighten the load of above lighter pack while slacking.

Seriously, you should not need more than 4300 cu. in. even with a bear container.

When I carried a large pack I would eat the 1 lb of a smaller daypack and carry that inside. My buddy used the fanny pack pannier from his summit 55 Thousand. Carrying a pack on the outside of your pack can lead to snags, and if it rains your daypack can get all wet. Put it inside.

-percious