deluxestogie

81 reviewer rep
5 forum posts
joined Aug 8, 2004
Location: Near Blacksburg, VA
Occupation: retired
Activities
Hiking Backpacking |
Backcountry skiing |
Vitals
Height | 5'8" |
Weight | 145 |
Boot/Shoe Size | 10 |
Jacket/Shirt Size | 40 |
Pant Size | 33 |
I have been backpacking for well over a half century. When I started, my first packframe was an olive drab, molded wood, military (Korean War) surplus item with a heavy canvas front. The gear "pack" itself consisted of my bag of gear attached to the wood frame using a diamond hitch (the same way you would tie cargo to a mule pack).
Ah, the glory of an external frame pack! It was quite a step up from the pack mule thing. It was dandy for a 100 pound load. I gradually drifted toward ultra-light backpacking (duh!), finally aiming for 25 pounds max, without the water, for a 10 day trek. Only in old age did I finally go to an internal frame pack, and only because it was a gift from my even older brother.
I have camped in temperatures between -10°F and 100°+, rain or shine, snow or daisies. For years, my preference was for 7 to 10 day hikes, nothing longer.
My son (then 19) and I spent 8 days of solitude descending the Grand Canyon on the South Bass Trail, following the Tonto Trail to Hermit Canyon, then climbing out on the Hermit Trail--done in early November. Christmas of the following year, a group of 5 of us descended the Tanner Trail, followed the Escalante Route westward, then onto the Tonto, to climb out the Bright Angel. I've also enjoyed a Rim-to-Rim-to Rim hike (S. Kaibab to North Rim, then back down, and out the Bright Angel (6 days in June), as well as a 4 day Christmas excursion down Hermit, east on the Tonto, and out Bright Angel. My last trip into the Canyon was a codger hike down the S. Kaibab to Phantom Ranch, the out the Bright Angel.
Gear Reviews (3)
![]() |
GSI Outdoors Cascadian Mug | 4/03/2019 |
![]() |
UCO Clarus | 2/09/2013 |
![]() |
Kelty Dart 2 | 8/08/2004 |
Forum Posts
Folding vs rolled camp pads | February 22, 2018 |
how is a backpack supposed to fit over the shoulder? | August 17, 2017 |
What era was this compass made? | January 17, 2016 |
A Peek Back, Inside Jeff Lowe's Pack | January 17, 2012 |
The 10 Essentials: Fire | June 2, 2008 |