Mini review posted. Click to read.
Category Archives: Backpacking Gear
Caldera Cone Stove System
Caldera Cone Stove System Review – Highly Recommended
The Caldera Cone Stove System by Trail Designs (http://www.traildesigns.com) is probably the most used system by backpackers looking for the lightest, most efficient cooking kit. Trail Designs offers many systems for various pots and fuels.
I bought my first Caldera Cone in 2008. Since then I have used a Caldera Cone on almost every backpacking trip over the past 4 plus years.
Why is the Caldera Cone so Popular?
- Ultralight.
- The cone completely surrounds the cooking pot and stove, which makes cooking extremely efficient,
- Excellent performance in windy conditions.
- Can use denatured alcohol or solid fuel tablets like Esbit brand fuel.
- Some models also burn wood.
I will review two different Caldera Cones I have used:
- The Original Caldera Cone
- The Caldera Cone GVP (named after Glen Van Peski founder of Gossamer Gear)
Limitations
The cone system is really designed to boil water. Many backpackers prepare instant meals that just require adding water to their food (instant, dehydrated, or freeze dried). Some folks have actually cooked in their cone systems, but I have never tried to do this. What I do is place my meal in a freezer bag or microwave bag and then add the boiling water to the bag. The meal is usually cooked and ready in 10 minutes. Doesn’t get any simpler than this.
Common Fuels I Use
- Esbit
- Denatured Alcohol
- HEET
Esbit is light wight (one cube weighs about 14 grams or .49 ounces) and can easily boil 16 ounces of water. You can’t spill it. It does leave a sticky residue on the pot and smells like fish. However it is my favorite fuel for most trips. It can be difficult to find in small towns.
Denatured Alcohol is readily available in hardware stores and other outlets. 1 fluid ounce easily boils 16 ounces of water. However the flame is difficult to see in daylight and if the stove is tipped over it can cause a fire. Make sure you purchase denatured, not rubbing alcohol!
HEET brand gasoline anti-freeze (in the yellow bottle, not orange) can be found in most automotive supply stores. Most backpackers report that its performance is about the same as denatured alcohol. My use of both verifies this.
Stoves
Trail Designs includes two stoves with each cone. One is an alcohol stove recycled from 12 ounce soft drink cans. These stoves are designed especially to match and work best with their Caldera Cone. You can’t just use any alcohol stove with their cones.
The second stove is called a Graham Cracker and is designed to be used with Esbit tabs or other similar solid fuel.
Above: Soda Can Stove (left); Esbit Graham Cracker (right)
The Cone
The cone is used as a combination pot support and windscreen.
Above: (left) the cone is rolled for storage. Each edge has a dovetail joint that allows the quick connection to create the cone shape (left).
Cook Pot
You can purchase a cone with a matching pot, or Trail Designs sells a cone kit without a pot to match many popular pots available today. But the cone must be ordered to match your specific pot; every cone is different. Cones are available for popular pots in the .5 to 1.3 liter capacity. Normally you will get the best performance from a short wide pot. Trail Designs also sells cone systems with Heineken or Foster beer cans that are used as a pot.
Standard Cone System
My first two Caldera Cones were the basic model. One was sized to match my Snow Peak Mini-solo cook set, and the second was a complete system with a Fosters beer can that is used as a pot. Both systems work fantastic, but the cone was taller than both pots, so it could not be fitted completely inside the pot, which could cause damage to the cone when carried in my pack. It is crucial that the dovetail joint that is used to set-up the cone does not get bent or damaged. To solve this problem, Trail Designs includes a food grade plastic caddy to protect the cone and can be used as a cup or bowl. Unfortunately the caddy weighs more than the cook-set.
Above: (left) Snow Peak Mini-solo. I only used the top part of the caddy to save weight. (right) Complete caddy with a Fosters Cone kit. Note that the rolled up cone is taller than the Fosters can.
Snow Peak Mini-Solo and Caldera Cone System in Use
Above: The complete package. Note that the bottom is the plastic caddy.
Above: Everything is stored in the cone.
Above: Cook-set components. Instead of using the Snow Peak’s pot lid, I use a piece of aluminum foil to save weight.
Above: Soda can alcohol stove.
Above: Light the stove, place the cone (windscreen and pot support) over the stove, insert pot into the cone.
Above: Waiting for the water to boil. Took about 6 minutes or so.
Caldear Cone GVP
This is a great set-up. A Fosters can for a pot and the cone fits completely inside the pot. It comes with a caddy, but I never used it. Everything fits neatly into a super light cuben fiber stuff sack. I have cooked hundreds of meals in this system, always using the Esbit option. Total weight is only 3.08 ounces! Below is the kit.
Above: Caldera Cone GVP next to a 12 ounce Pepsi can. This has the Esbit Graham Cracker set-up with a total weight of 3.08 ounces for stove, ground sheet, cone, lid, and cuben stuff sack.
Step 1 Above: Place the base on the ground (to protect the ground)
Step 2 Above: Place the Graham Cracker on the base.
Step 3 Above: Place Esbit on Graham Cracker and light it.
Step 4 Above: Place the Cone over the stove.
Step 5 Above: Insert the Fosters can into the cone. Wait about 6 minutes to boil 16 ounces of water.
Step 6 Above: Add instant coffee or hot chocolate for a tasting drink. Drink right out of the pot. No extra drinking cup or mug needs to be carried. Notice the bottom of the pot is discolored from hundreds of boils.
A Nostalgia Hike to Carey’s Castle
Last Thursday night I arrived home at the airport just before midnight. At the exit booth to pay my parking fee, I rolled down the window to the sound of grinding noise. The window motor was dead, and the window was stuck in the down position.
First thing Friday morning I took it to the shop. Later in the day the shop called and said it could not be repaired until Saturday. That eliminated any hiking for the weekend. Earlier in the week my friend, Ojas, had contacted me about doing some hiking in the next few weeks. After the bad news about the vehicle repair, Ojas inquired about us going hiking this weekend. Told him I would have to bow out – Joyce was gone for the weekend and I needed to stay at home and retrieve the vehicle when it was ready.
Saturday morning; 9 AM. Shop calls and says the vehicle is ready. Good news indeed – there would be time for a weekend backpacking trip. Since Ojas had probably already made plans, I decided to put a loop together that would include a trip to Carey’s Castle in Joshua Tree National Park. It has been over 30 years since I had visited the castle.
1981 Trip to Carey’s Castle
When I first located Carey’s Castle, I wasn’t looking for it. I had never heard of it.
I was spending some time near a spring in the vicinity observing a herd of Big Horn Sheep. When it was time to move on, I continued on my trip looking for a well, I found on my topographical map. As I trudged up a sandy wash, I came to an ancient road track that veered away from my planned route. Being sure it probably led to an old mine, I followed it for a few miles where it made a sharp turn in front of a small hill. To the left of this turn was Carey’s Castle – I almost missed it. Very little is known about Carey. During my visit I found many, many of Carey’s artifacts inside and around the vicinity. Also found some Native American artifacts. Of course, I left everything in place.
Curious about the house built under a boulder, I drove to the main ranger station and inquired. I was told it was Carey’s Castle, and the NPS discourages people from divulging information as they did not have the resources to protect it. Good enough for me. I have never told anyone how to get there.
This Trip
Just like my trip last year to Chuckawalla Bill’s rock house, I decided to take the same gear I used when I hiked to Carey’s Castle in 1981. The only exception is that I no longer have the sleeping bag, and I used Aqua Mira tablets instead of iodine. Since I have extensively explored the area where the castle is located, for this trip I wanted to put together a two day loop, with the availability of water along my route. A quick look at some maps showed I could do a loop of around 30 miles and find water along the way. Perfect. There were a couple sections along my route I had not hiked before, so that would add some interest
The Route
Many of us who hike in this area are hesitant to share information, especially for sites of historical value. So I have no map to share with you. If you are diligent you could probably create the same trip. There is enough information on the Web to point you to the castle. That ticks me off. A place that was protected for decades by the hiking community has been over-run by the Internet hoodlums.
Here is an interesting quote from a twit who posted information on how to find it,
“Carey’s Castle is not the sort of site that needs to be hidden from the public. It’s not an especially sensitive environmental area (not a bighorn birthing place, for example), not especially dangerous (no crashed WW2 aircraft leaking fuel, for example), and it’s not private property. The hike in is hard enough it should serve well enough to screen out the casual, beer-swilling, fire-starting idiot.”
Really? Well… I think the author might be the idiot. What about all the artifacts that used to be there? I can now confirm that most are gone, probably snagged by souvenir hunters. And what about all the trash I picked up along the popular section of this route? Oh, Mr. Author, your Internet posting helped create this carnage! Luckily most of the rest of the route I hiked had little damage, so I shall not share that either.
Now to the next idiot – I shall not publish his name, because I do not anyone to buy his book and line his pockets with money. He is the same moron who published a hike to Chuckawalla’s rock house. Oh, and he could not find that hike, this hike, or the Desert Skyline trail on his own. He asked local hikers to take him, without revealing that he was going to publish a trail guide. And those folks who were tricked by him, have publicly stated they would not have shown him these hikes had they know he was going to publish them.
If you want to hike to Carey’s, see if you can construct a loop. I find traveling over the same real estate twice (out and back) to be boring. Go do the hike for the hiking opportunities, not some check box on a bucket list.
General Warnings
Usual disclaimer: Be prepared for earthquakes, boulder avalanches, landslides, flash floods, freezing temperatures, triple-digit temperatures, rabid rodents and mammals, poisonous snakes, poisonous insects and spiders, predatory packs of coyotes, man-eating tarantulas, nasty large biting lizards, no marked trails, probably no water, and GPS failures from activities at nearby Twenty-nine Palms Marine base.
Include maneuvering through boulder fields in the canyons to your hike route. You cannot avoid them unless you create a route north of Carey’s Castle, and no one that I know of has posted anything like that on the Web – but that is what I did in 1981.
The bouldering above was a little more difficult than it needed to be, since I was using an external frame pack. Would have been much easier with an internal frame pack.
Carey’s Castle
There is an ammo box with a couple journals dating back to 2005 on the lower shelf. Amazing how many people said it took them 2 or 3 tries to find the place. Lots of artifacts are now missing.
Other Stuff along the Way
Gear
I was glad I brought this pyramid tent; it shed the high winds that blew most of the night.
Hiking staff doubles as tent pole.
The tent is large. Ample space to cook inside (vent tent of course).
Left to right, top to bottom (sort of):
Traditional blue foam pad
Kelty Serac backpack with Mountaineering frame
Western Mountaineering Ultralite
Gaz Globe Trotter Stove kit
(4) Nalgene 1 quart bottles
Food with spoon on top, plastic trowel, toilet paper, Duracell Durabeam flashlight
Chouinard Pyramid Tent
Stuff sack for down jackets
First Aid Kit and Personnel Care items in Zip Lock
Chouinard Expedition Sewing Kit
Compass and Knife on top of Topo Map
Clothing Carried in Pack
Sierra Designs Wind Jacket, REI Down Jacket
Poncho, military wool glove liners, military wool watch cap, polypro underwear
Worn
Ex Officio nylon trousers with built-in brief
Ex Officio long sleeve nylon shirt
Swiss Army Watch
Tracks Hiking Staff
Danner Mountain Light boots
Liner Socks
Wool Socks
Generic hat
Gear Summary
Itemized Gear List
A Gentleman’s Guide to Fitting Trousers
Let’s face it, most men don’t know how to buy or fit their trousers.
Properly fitted trousers will allow you to sit, stand, and walk without the material falling down, shifting, or becoming uncomfortable.
When purchasing ready-made off the rack trousers in a store, there are two measurements, the waist and the inseam.
It seems that many men don’t know where their waist is, or how to measure it.
Great Expectations
A lot of buzz lately about Brian Frankle joining Six Moon Designs as the Director of Pack Designs (link to the website).
For those who don’t know, Brian is the founder of Ultralight Adventure Equipment (ULA). As an accomplished long distance hiker, Brian started designing and building is own packs for his own use and this eventually morphed into ULA.
After 9 years, Brian tired of the day-to-day operation of running his own company and sold ULA to Chris and Sally McMaster in 2009.
New Gallery Pictures Uploaded
Click Here to view new gallery pictures of 2006 Niagara and Backpacking Gear.
New Gear mini-reviews posted
Just uploaded some mini-reviews. Some are old and were originally posted on Backpackinglight.com
New posts include:
- Tarptent Scarp 1
- Winter Footwear
- zPacks Hexamid
- zPacks Poncho/Groundsheet
- zPacks Zero Packback
Winter Footwear
I hate cold. But every year I do one or more winter trips in the snow. I started doing this in the 1980’s. On those early trips I used heavy leather boots, always freshly covered in Snow Seal. Also I usually brought a pair of ancient Sherpa brand snow shoes, and crampons. Until a couple years ago, my crampons were Black Diamond Contact Crampons. All of this was heavy and bulky.
After I lightened my 3 season footwear, my thoughts turned to doing the same for my winter footwear. After reading a 3-part series on lightweight winter footwear, I decided to try it out, and am happy to report that is has worked out well. I have used this system for the past two years.
Basic Winter Footwear
The trail running shoes are breathable, not waterproof. They are the same model I sometimes use for non-winter hiking, only 1.5 sizes large to accommodate the extra socks. More and more, I am wearing a pair of Salomon XA Pro 4D Comp Gore-Tex shoes in combination with the socks.
I wear the socks in this order:
- Liner Socks
- Wool Socks
- Rocky GoreTex Socks
The Rocky socks are hard to locate and tend to run small. Also there is a “right” and a “left” sock.
This system has worked well for daytime temperatures below freezing. I haven’t taken them below 25 degrees Fahrenheit. When I stop for rest breaks, my feet don’t get cold, although I do have to add a puffy jacket to keep my torso warm.
Accessories
When hiking in snow traction and/or flotation devices are needed. The 3 items I use are:
- Kahtoola Microspikes
- Kahtoola KTS Aluminum Crampons
- MSR Lightening Ascent Snowshoes
If I am sure I will need to deal with ice, I take the Crampons, they only weight 3.3 ounces each more than the microspikes, and there is no comparisons about how they work. The crampons are vastly superior. Aluminum crampons are subject to easy dulling of the points on rocks, so care must be taken. But they weight about 20 ounces less (pair) than my Black Diamond Contact Crampons. They also are easier to strap on, and they stay secure.
Left: Kahtoola KTS Aluminum Crampons. Right: Kahtoola Microspikes. Note that the shoe on the left is a Salomon XA Pro 4D Comp Gore-Tex model and the right is a non-waterproof breathable Salomon XA Pro 3D Ultra Trail.
The MSR snowshoes are lighter than my old Sherpa’s (top) and work better too. I bought “tails” for additional flotation which would make them as long as the Sherpa shoes. But have not had to use them. Not the wire bar crossing the MSR shoe near the right hand side of the picture. These are called “Televators.” Flip them up and it increases traction going uphill and really reduce fatigue.
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Tarptent Scarp 1
Wednesday, January 23, 2012
I’ve owned this tent for over two years now. It works so well, I really don’t give it much thought. When I am backpacking in windy, wet, cold weather this is the tent I take. It isn’t super light at 3 lbs, plus another 12 ounces for the optional crossing poles. But when I am sleeping in wind-blown rain or snow, I am thankful I brought it. And it isn’t my go-to tent for 3 season use. It is my winter tent. It is made by a company named Tarptent.
The optional crossing poles are meant for more severe weather. But, without the optional crossing poles, and adding to guy lines to the single crossing pole on each side of the tent, this shelter is super stable. I have pitched it this way in winds of approximately 30-40 mph.
Above is the Scarp 1 without the crossing poles, and side guy lines attached to the single hoop pole.
The Scarp 1 does a decent job shedding snow, so in moderate snow it is a 4 season tent. I wouldn’t want to be in it in a severe snow storm. There are more appropriate shelters available.
Tarptent lists it features as:
- Four season protection
- Double wall, dual entry, and dual vestibules
- Free-standing with optional 12-ounce pole set
- Separate living compartment clips up to fly and is completely removable.
- Interior never gets wet during entry, exit, setup or takedown in storms.
- Roomy with excellent gear storage space
- Small packed size
- Taut pitch with PitchLoc foldable corners
- Reflective spectra cord guylines
Specifications from the Tarptent website:
The pictures below were taken when I set-up the tent to seal the seams. The workmanship & material quality, and design elements are top notch. The tent is delivered with with the inner attached to the fly.
Here is the tent with everything. Optional crossing poles, tie outs on the main hoop and optional canopy support using trekking poles. The side tie outs really made the tent much more secure. I don’t think the optional canopy support with the trekking poles, might help during snow for snow load, but really does not help stabilize the tent.
Each corner has sewn in “V Struts” and each end an attached strut. Also all guy line attachments have an effective built-in tensioner.
Shown are the crossing poles and one of the two vents at the top. Vents can be adjusted from inside, or closed entirely with Velcro.
Side view with rain fly door open. The bottom bathtub floor is the black stripe, center of the nest is nylon and the top section is mesh. As you can see, the vestibule is fairly large and there is one on each side. Normally I store gear on one side and cook on the other.
Side view with both rain fly door opened. The middle left of the picture shows the Velcro tie-back. Below that is the tie-back strap for the inner door to be rolled up. This strap is a piece of elastic, not Velcro At first I thought Velcro would be better, but it would stick to the mesh.
Fly and inner ties.
Interior view. Notice how the mesh goes all the way to the end of the inner. The 3 dots are patches that hold the inner clips for attaching to the fly. It is not easily visible, but the black bottom is the bathtub floor with extends up a few inches from the ground.
At the very center is a clip to hang something like a lamp.
Along the same seam as the hanging clip is a hook on each side/top of the inner. You could run a length or cord across the top of the inner to hang something also.
Shown is the stationary part of the fly with the doors opened. In the center is a clip. Not sure what it is for.
The yellow sleeve holds the hoop pole. The cord on the ground is a tensioner that pulls the sleeve taunt, otherwise it will bunch up an not be as low to the ground as need. Also there is a strap with connects the hoop on both sides of the tent and it runs underneath the nest.
Corner tie-out. The cross pole connects to a grommet in the upper cord. Both the bottom cord and the upper cord have an adjuster sewn into the fly material. After using the tent several times without the crossing poles, I found the corner guys a little too short causing the corners to lift up. I have since installed longer pieces of cord.
This is where the cross-over poles are secured above the corner “V-strut.” It is a d-ring and Velcro strap. The yellow cord is the tie-out and you can see the built-in cord adjuster.
Lower corner tie-out adjuster.
The black strap goes under the nest and connects to each end of the hoop pole. Also notice there is a loop on the bottom of the floor. I assume it is for a stake if you wanted to stake out the bottom of the nest.
Regular size NeoAir inside. It is centered on the floor. Has about 6″ of space at the top and bottom and a little more on each side. I did not measure it, but there is plenty of interior room for the solo hiker. In use there is plenty of room for sleeping and keeping odds and ends inside the tent for easy access at night. Also, at 5’11” I find it easy to sit up inside, but I have to scoot a little bit towards the center.
There is one small mesh pocket on each side of the tent. Here is a pair of sunglasses to give you an idea of the size.
View from the “rear” of the tent show each of the vestibules (fly doors are rolled up).
Some stuff in the vestibule. That is a 64oz Gatoraide bottle, a stuff sack, XC flats and a Caldera-F cone.
Everything stuffed into the sack. This includes the optional cross over poles, 2 extra stakes and two extra guy lines. Total weight after seam sealing is 4 lbs, O oz.
Anza Borrego (Feb 2009)
Butler and Coyote Canyon Loop
Feb 28 – Mar 01 2009
Note & Warning: this trip entails a lot of cross country travel. A good map, compass, and navigation skills are required, especially when traveling between Butler and Box Canyons.
The Plan
This was a 1-½ day, 1 night backpacking trip in the Anza Borrego Desert State Park. The loop is 20 miles. Day one would be around 15 miles, and a return to my vehicle at the trail head at around noon March 1, 2009.
Elevation ranged from 984 feet to 2,809 feet. In addition, I wanted to test several items of lightweight backpacking equipment. Of particular interest was a quilt, instead of using a traditional sleeping bag. The other was a ‘soda can’ alcohol stove.
The trip starts at the trail head taking a trail up to Alcoholic Pass. The trail ends at the pass, and the rest of the trip is cross country and washers in the canyons.
Coyote Mountain separates Clark Valley from Coyote Canyon. To the south of Coyote Canyon is the sleepy village of Borrego Springs. Alcolhlic Pass is the only easy way through Coyote Mountain. In the 1800’s cattlemen would hike through Alcoholic Pass to get to Borrego Springs to drink at the bars, and hence the name Alcoholic Pass.
The picture above is a Google Earth picture of area, and the red line represents the route I hiked. Below is another Google Earth picture of the hike, but I turned it on its axis to provide a representation of the elevation of the hike. There is no water available on the loop, except for Coyote Creek, a perennial stream in Coyote Canyon. The water in this creek is hard to get to at the junction of the Box Canyon wash, due to thick reeds and is usually rather silty. It is best to hike up Coyote Creek, where the water quality improves. To avoid the extra mileage, I carried enough water to complete the hike, which was 3 liters.
Temperatures were in the mid 80’s during the day, and my camp at 2,300 feet got down to the high 40’s.
Flowers in the lower elevations where justing beginning their spring bloom. It will another month before things really bloom in the higher elevations, and it should be a good year for flowers, as there was quite a bit of rain and snow this winter. Joe and I experienced a lot of both in Butler Canyon last December.
Walking the Loop
Starting at 8:00 am, the hike immediately begins with a route up the slope to Alcoholic Pass. It is a good way to get the blood flowing and keep warm. The trail follows a rocky ridge with a quick gain of 600 feet. The Google Earth photos below provide a perspective of the elevation gain.
‘Real’ pictures of the flora and fauna at the start of the trail provide a realistic feel of the hike. Keep in mind that Google Earth is not a live feed of the earth, but archived satellite pictures. This accounts for the differences in color. Spring in the desert is often green, unlike the Google pictures. Also the satellite pictures look straight down at the earth’s surface from space, the the visual representations of terrain are computer generated models.
Above (top to bottom) Cholla cactus, Red Barrel cactus, Ocotillo, Ocotillo bloom, Arizona Lupine.
Alcoholic Pass
The pass connects Coyote Canyon to Clark Valley. It is the only easy way to cross Coyote Mountain. Originally, the Cahuilla Indians who traveled from the canyon to Clark Valley to harvest beans from Mesquite trees in the valley, which was a staple food item, used this trail.
In the 1800’s ranch hands would take the trail to Borrego Springs, which was shorter than traveling south through Clark Valley and around Coyote Mountain. Obviously, their activities in Borrego Springs were reflected in the naming of this trail.
Today Alcoholic Pass is all about the views.
Above: View of Clark Valley from Alcoholic Pass (top) and a cactus garden in Alcoholic Pass (bottom).
Google Earth pictures of Alcoholic Pass.
Clark Valley to Butler Canyon
Descending Alcoholic pass into Clark Valley the hike becomes a leisurely cross-country walk down the western slope heading northeast. Eventually I took a wash down to the floor of Clark Valley and then turned left behind a small ridge which would lead to the mouth of Butler Canyon.
Google Earth view of route to the bottom of Clark Valley Google Earth view of route to Butler canyon on the left of picture.
Some of the wild flowers on this section of the hike:
Desert Dandelion
Chuperosa
Forget-me-nots
Butler Canyon
This section provided the only challenges of the trip. First was navigating the boulder fields at the beginning of the canyon, the second was finding a relatively easy route to the playa above the canyon. Both were of little concern.
Google Earth view of Butler Canyon and the Playa.
The mouth of the canyon requires some boulder hopping, but soon it is easy hiking.
The Playa
Hiking through Butler Canyon, I needed to locate way to climb out and over the side to a plateau that separated Butler and the Box Canyon watershed. The canyon walls are steep with loose rocks and talus. Finally, a possibility was spotted. A small side canyon with a reasonable slope would bring me just north of the playa. I was able to hike diagonally across the left slope of this side canyon, and slowly work my way around a small hill, which overlooked the plateau. It would be an easy walk down the hill to the plateau and the playa.
A playa is a dry lake bed. During the rainy season, they are wet and soggy or even become a small lake. It is uncommon to find a playa in a mountainous area like this one.
Descriptions of above pictures (top to bottom):
(1) This is the side canyon that would lead out of Butler canyon. I did not travel this canyon, but immediately headed up the slope on the left. Gradually, I worked my way up and around the slope to a hill, which overlooked the completed portion of the route and the plateau.
(2) Butler Canyon. Straight below the Ocotillo is the spot where the side canyon intersects Butler. The large open area in the center of the picture is Jackass Flat.
(3) View of the plateau with Clark Valley in the background. I had already passed through that area.
(4) View the playa in the center, with the San Ysidro Mountains in the background. The hike would continue between the two small peaks beyond the playa, into the Coyote Creek watershed and the ridge I would follow which runs parallel to Box Canyon.
Above: route out of Butler Canyon to the top of the hill.
Plateau Plants
Above Box Canyon and Night Camp
After leaving walking through the playa and entering the Coyote Canyon watershed above Box Canyon, one must stay on the ridges above the canyon, until your are close to the mouth of the canyon. There are remnants of an ancient Native American trail, but it is more work to try to find the trail, than just hiking cross-country. As the picture shows, the area is rolling and rocky. However, I made excellent time, and before 3:00PM, I had already hiked around 15 miles. I decided to head away from the ridge of Box Canyon and locate a campsite with a view. About one mile south of the canyon, I found this spot. It would provide me ample time to test a couple pieces of new gear.
Trekking Poles
I have walked for decades using a single hiking staff, which weighs close to a pound. Today trekking poles have become popular, and a couple friends convinced me to try them. Supposedly, they help climb the steepest hills, are useful on descents, and steam crossings. What interested me the most were the multiple uses for setting up a shelter and hiking. I found a pair made from carbon fiber that weighed less than 4 ounces each. I suppose the jury is still out on their usefulness in hiking, but then 40 years of hiking with a single staff is a hard habit to break.
Self-portrait with the trekking poles.
Trekking poles used as tent poles for my poncho.
Camp.
Cola Can Stove Kit
My friend John Oldford, who works at MSX, suggested I try an alcohol stove made from a cat food or cola can. John has a lot of ultralight backpacking experience, as he hiked the entire 2,600+ miles of the Pacific Crest Trail in 2003. Extremely light and they use just about any kind of alcohol, but denatured alcohol works best. This set up will boil 16 ounces of water in less than 7 minutes. A nifty windscreen, called a Caldera Cone helps the efficiency of the can stove.
Above: Stove kit in sack; Stove Kit; Titanium pot/mug, alcohol fuel
bottle, stove, cone, titanium spoon, foil; close up of my Dr. Pepper can stove; Stove is in the cone and the pot slides in; and Tin foil pot cover, to save weight.
Ultralight Sleeping Set-up
I bought a light polycro piece of plastic to use as a groundsheet. Wanted to see how it would hold up, and it did well. Only weighs 1.7 ounce. The sleeping pad is folded into thirds, and it becomes the ‘frame’ and back rest when in my pack. I also used a light quilt for this trip, instead of a sleeping bag. The quilt is open on the bottom to save weight, and the sleeping pad provides insulation where the quilt is open. Last is the bivy to protect from any moisture that gets past the poncho, should it rain or snow. The bivy weighs 7.9 ounces.
Folded pad on the polycro sheet.
The pad is only 30” long, to fit under my torso. I put my Pack under my legs for insulation/padding.
Here the quilt is upside down, to show the construction.
Quilt in sleep mode.
Finished set-up, with the quilt and pad in the bivy.
The Rest of the Gear
These are a pair of Solomon trail running shoes, which weigh 29.4 ounces.
Total weight of pack and gear was just over 6 pounds.
Box Canyon
Last day of trip. I headed down a side canyon into Box Canyon, which drains into Coyote Creek. From there, it was a pleasant walk along the creek, up to Ocotillo Flats and then to my truck. Finished the hike at noon, and then drove to the Salton Sea to get a well-deserved beer!
Google Earth picture of the hike down into Canyon. You can see where I zig-zagged on that flat spot. I was following an old Indian path, and the map does not show the obstacles, which needed to be circled.
Junction of the side canyon and Box Canyon. The top of the picture shows the ridgeline above the canyon.
From junction, looking down Box Canyon.
Looking back after exiting Box Canyon.
Gear List
