An Update and Moving Forward

I wanted to post an update.  It has been a while.  Photos from two recent camera purchases will make their way here as a featured showcase.  The latest videos (in 4K resolution) from my YouTube Channel will give you a sense of what Cooper and I have been up to.  Thanks for stopping by.

Rucksacking and Foil Stew

We took full advantage of a sun-break to get "out there" to have a camp fired stew along a rain-swollen river. Brought along the L.L.Bean Continental Rucksack, wearing Fjallraven outerwear - Fjallraven Vidda Pro Trouser, Fjallraven Forest Fleece Jacket, Fjallraven Byron Hat and enjoying all the moments with my Backpacking Cocker Spaniel Cooper.

SnowTrekker Minimalist Expedition Hot Tent Full On First Overnight

A snowshoe and toboggan pull to a snowy riverside setting allowed us to pitch the SnowTrekker Minimalist Expedition Hot Tent for a Full On First Overnight.

L.L. Bean Continental Rucksack with Bob Dustrude's Quick Buck Saw

and Gransfors Bruk Small Forest Axe

Wawhiker Rucksacking

Got out to the Mount Baker Snoqualmie National Forest for some bushwhacking and campfire making with all my gear loaded in a rucksack. This is the first in a series of "Rucksacking", with more to follow on Wawhiker Backpacking. This video also includes a bonus - make your own DIY Bottle Holder (Fish Spreader) made from an inexpensive and very common / easy to find welding flint striker.

SnowTrekker Minimalist Expedition Hot Tent Winter Snow Camping - First Test Overnight

Cooper and I did a first pitch, first burn, hot tent winter snow camping overnight with the Snowtrekker Minimalist Expedition Hot Tent and Seek Outside Larger Titanium Wood Stove.

All Titanium Backpacking Grill and Stove Cook Kit

It's another backpacking gear post - featuring a cook kit that could cover all my trail cooking needs.

It's not the lightest cook kit on the trail, but it's all titanium, and I know it will do steak and potatoes with all the sides.  I'll show you the steak and potatoes in a bit.

 The components of this cook kit are as follows;

- Snow Peak Titanium Mini Solo Cookset

- Snow Peak 450 Titanium Mug

- Evernew Titanium Alcohol Stove

- Four Dog Stoves Titanium Wind Screen for the Snow Peak Trek 700

- Vargo Titanium Hexagon Wood Stove

- Lawson Outdoor Equipment Titanium Tent Stakes

Here is the whole kit and kaboodle weighing in at 15 and 3/4 ounces (448 grams).

Using the Evernew Titanium Alcohol Stove, Four Dog Stoves Titanium Wind Screen and Lawson Outdoor Equipment Titanium Tent Stakes, I boiled two cups of water in 5 minutes 44 seconds, with one ounce of Heet denatured alcohol. (Total burn time was 6 minutes and 40 seconds - indoors - garage).

Sometime this backpacking season, I'll use the Four Dog Stoves Wind Screen and Vargo Titanium Hexagon Wood Stove as a grill.

As stated earlier, the Vargo Titanium Hexagon Wood Stove will grill steak...

...you can see for yourself on this Wawhiker Backpacking YouTube video.

 

I Made Two Pot Stands for the Trangia Backpacking Alcohol Stove

Sitting inside watching the rain, backpacking plans foiled, all geared-up and no place to go, I can still make the best of a rainy situation.

Some of my best gear improvement ideas have come to me on restless rainy days.    

     

The Trangia alcohol stove is hard to beat as a favorite backpacking stove. The Trangia is one of my favorites too, with one minor drawback, no pot stand. There are many nice pot stands made for the Trangia. I've never seen a pot stand I really liked, and made do without one, until now. Restless times call for rainy desperate do-it-yourself gear improvements.  Here are my two DIY pot stands for the Trangia.

Using a left-over section from a tent pole project, (see the Wawhiker YouTube video "REI Tent Poles for the Warbonnet SuperFly Tarp"), I made three 5 1/2 inch aluminum ground stakes. The stakes are stuck into the ground equally around the Trangia stove.  

Three cross members 3 1/2 inches long were cut from a stainless steel rod.  Each end of the rods were bent at 90 degrees.  These cross members form a triangle when placed into top of the ground stakes. The triangle should be 1 1/4 inches high from the jets of the Trangia alcohol stove. 

   

The flower pot imitated dry ground on this rainy day.

A wind screen is needed for this setup.  I found ground stake stability was an issue.

The second pot stand for the Trangia alcohol stove is the one I really like. But all of the credit for the construction of it has to go to Four Dog Stoves. It's based on their titanium wind screen for a Snow Peak 700 cook pot. I've had the wind screen for almost a year, (see the Wawhiker YouTube video "Zpacks Blast Slim Cuben Hybrid Backpack Gear Carry for a Hammock Overnight" for the wind screen first use), and thought of modding it for a pot stand for quite a while.

Using the Four Dog Stoves titanium wood screen as a pot stand meant I would have to drill holes through the titanium wall.  I was always hesitant because I had heard titanium was very difficult to cut.  After some research online, I discovered using a high speed drill and a good quality bit would make drilling holes through this titanium wind screen an easy task - and it was.

Once this rain lets up we will show you both pot stands on Wawhiker's YouTube Channel during our next backpacking adventure. 

ZPacks Blast Slim Backpack Gets A Light Weight Internal Frame

You read it right - my ZPacks Blast Slim Backpack is sporting an internal frame.

The removable frame gives great support, yet it's flexible from side-to-side.  Initial support tests have been positive. 

The aluminum and mesh frame adds 5 1/4 ounces to the already ultralight Zpacks Blast Slim's total weight.

 

The curves on the frame follow the spine and lumbar contours along the back.

  

The frame makes an already great backpack even better.  The added benefits of an internal frame can be felt as stability between the shoulders, down the lower back and from the hips.

You can't order this internal frame from ZPacks. 

 

It's a standard feature on another backpack made by Patagonia.

The Patagonia Ascensionist 45L Pack

When Patagonia recently released the Ascensionist 45L Pack I was all over it.  Weighing in at just under 2.5 pounds, the minimalist look and build appealed to me immediately. It reminded me of my Zpacks Blast Slim - in Beast Mode.  (The color options were a plus too).  I was on the look out for a light weight, rugged, bushwhacking version of the Blast Slim.

The Patagonia Ascensionist 45L Pack is the perfect fit.  I really like this backpack and all the features that come with it.  Stay tuned to my Wawhiker YouTube Channel for a review.

Did I mention - the Patagonia Ascensionist 45L Pack comes with a removable internal frame.

 

Both the ZPacks Blast Slim Backpack and the Patagonia Ascensionist 45L Pack benefit from light weight internal frame.

Low Weight Low Volume Backpacking Overnight

This post introduces a new look and a different direction for this site.

We will continue to post our backpacking adventures in Washington State here. But this site will now become an extension of my YouTube channel videos. 

Think of these posts as detailed description of my videos - with an additional bonus - the best photos from my adventures will also appear here. 

This backpack overnight started with a hike to Lake Ann on the Esmeralda Basin and County Line trail in the Wenatchee National Forest, northeast of town of Cle Elum, off Interstate 90.  The weather was gorgeous with temperatures in the mid-80s.

This hike was to be a test of the weight I shed by carrying lighter, lower volume backpacking gear. The Esmeralda Basin / County Line trail offered enough elevation and switchbacks for the load test.

As for the gear I packed, and the weight I carried, here is a partial list - a list of the "Big 3"

• REI Flash 22 pack (16 oz)
• Thermarest NeoAir pad (19 oz)
• Thermarest blanket (28 oz)
• Equinox 8 x 10 Siltarp (14 oz)
• Bug net (9 oz)

*Big 3 weight - 86 ounces / 5.3 pounds.  *(For shelter, sleeping gear and backpack).  Additional gear - cook kit, Cooper's gear and food, Sawyer Squeeze, LED light, food, water and Leatherman Juice S2 weighed an additional 11 lbs.  *Total weight 16 lbs.

Even at this weight - I can tell you I've never packed this light for any backpacking overnight before.

Same can be said for volume. All this gear fit into a 22 l / 1343 ci backpack.

This load-out test opened my eyes in many ways.

1. Why have I resisted carrying a lighter gear load for so long?
2. No pains during and after this hike - knees, hips and back.
3. Felt completely protected and prepared by the gear carried.
4. Cooper was warm and comfortable.
5. I could have packed less and carried lighter gear.

Stayed tuned as I address these issues and this subject in more detail in the coming weeks here and on my YouTube channel.

A Gray Whale of a Tail

We had a gorgeous day in every way to watch Gray whales migrating north along the Washington coast.  Several come into to the Puget Sound each year.  See them as they feed at Wawhiker Backpacking on YouTube.

Hot Tenting with Wood Stove Winter Camping Sure Is Fun!

You can watch how much Cooper and I enjoy Hot Tenting with an installed titanium wood stove at Wawhiker's YouTube channel.