Bye Bozeman!

I’m leaving in a couple of hours to board a plane to San Diego!

I’ve gone back and forth today between being really, really excited and then really, really nervous.  Thoughts of “what the heck am I doing” have definitely gone through my head, but then I’m excited again.  Right now I’m excited.

I just mailed off my first resupply box to Warner Springs.  I repacked it to include full crampons and an ice axe.  There are rumors of hairy conditions in the San Jacintos.  I haven’t yet decided if I am going to walk around this portion or attempt it.  It will definitely be weather based and based on information of people who have gone through already.  It is Spring so I’m sure conditions change quickly like they do here in Montana, for better or for worse.  So that seems like it will be the first challenge and I’ll be hitting that obstacle in about 2 weeks.

Some people have been asking about my gear, I don’t have very much.  The basic run down:

-Feathered Friends Egret 20 degree down bag, I love love love this bag

-TarpTent

-ULA Equipment Circuit Pack

-Evernew Titanium Pot

-Alcohol Stove

-OR 10 oz warm jacket, this thing is so light, but really warm

-Rain coat

-Sierra Design Rain/wind pants

-Sunshirt

-Trekking Poles

-Some long underware

-Katadyn Hiker Pro water filter that hopefully won’t break and some aquamira for backup

-First Aide

-Compass and a GPS, at least for awhile, it soothes some peoples fears and I guess mine too, although I minimally know how to use it.  I’ve got the waypoint thing figured out though so I guess that’s good.

-Lots o’ water.

-Probably some other stuff I’m leaving out.

-A sweet tiny knife from Columbia River Knife and Tool, it weights 0.3 oz and is really cute.

The base weight of my pack, meaning no food and water, is 17.5 pounds, not too bad.  I’m little so hopefully that won’t be too heavy, but I don’t think it will be, the pack fits like a dream.

Well, ready or not, I’m off to California and the border.  I start hiking on Thursday and will spend the weekend at the kickoff.  Then I will trek to Warner Springs and hopefully arrive there next Thursday, then into the excitement that is the San Jacintos will begin in some form or another.

Thanks for reading! Catch you on the flip side!