Author Topic: Plan SB's Elite Vision Quest Through Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho  (Read 109902 times)

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Offline asava

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Re: Plan SB's Elite Vision Quest Through Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho
« Reply #675 on: May 31, 2017, 03:11:37 PM »
Are you carrying all your gear with you?   Car camping?

All self supported bike-packing. All of my gear, food, and water was split between myself and another rider. 150ish miles, 14,000 ft of elevation gain, in about 2 days 5 hours.

Offline Emo EMAW

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Re: Plan SB's Elite Vision Quest Through Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho
« Reply #676 on: May 31, 2017, 03:13:09 PM »
Are you carrying all your gear with you?   Car camping?

All self supported bike-packing. All of my gear, food, and water was split between myself and another rider. 150ish miles, 14,000 ft of elevation gain, in about 2 days 5 hours.

Do you have a pic of your rig all loaded up?  Paniers or backpack?

Offline asava

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Re: Plan SB's Elite Vision Quest Through Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho
« Reply #677 on: May 31, 2017, 03:16:58 PM »
Are you carrying all your gear with you?   Car camping?

All self supported bike-packing. All of my gear, food, and water was split between myself and another rider. 150ish miles, 14,000 ft of elevation gain, in about 2 days 5 hours.

Do you have a pic of your rig all loaded up?  Paniers or backpack?



My bike is on the right, friends on the left. Both had advantages. Will continue bike specs in the bike thread!

Offline Emo EMAW

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Re: Plan SB's Elite Vision Quest Through Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho
« Reply #678 on: May 31, 2017, 03:19:21 PM »
That is kinda sexy.  What's your sleep system?  Like, that looks significantly leaner than what I pack for an overnighter. 

Offline asava

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Re: Plan SB's Elite Vision Quest Through Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho
« Reply #679 on: May 31, 2017, 03:28:43 PM »
That is kinda sexy.  What's your sleep system?  Like, that looks significantly leaner than what I pack for an overnighter. 

Carrying a two man mountain hardware skylite 2.1 on the front of my bike, mountain hardware 800 fill down mummy (30 degree), exped synmat hl sleeping pad, then as much food and water as we could carry, with like one change of clothes, some tools, msr pocket rocket, and misc cooking utensils, 1 pot.

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Re: Plan SB's Elite Vision Quest Through Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho
« Reply #680 on: May 31, 2017, 03:49:39 PM »
How many PED's?  Looks fun :thumbs:

Offline Emo EMAW

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Re: Plan SB's Elite Vision Quest Through Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho
« Reply #681 on: May 31, 2017, 04:23:42 PM »
Filter water along the way? 

Offline asava

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Re: Plan SB's Elite Vision Quest Through Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho
« Reply #682 on: May 31, 2017, 04:43:26 PM »
Filter water along the way? 

where we could. water was most definitely the crux of the problem. the first 40 or so miles didn't have any viable options, and there were some times where things got real sparse. trail angels helped out a lot and got us through quite a bit.

Offline mocat

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Re: Plan SB's Elite Vision Quest Through Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho
« Reply #683 on: May 31, 2017, 05:21:13 PM »
Asava what is a trail angel?

Offline tdaver

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Re: Plan SB's Elite Vision Quest Through Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho
« Reply #684 on: May 31, 2017, 05:50:03 PM »
Oh yeah, drinking water is scarce out there. That was my first question as well.  I guess if you were really desperate you could try drinking the Colorado but that's sure to plug a filter quick.

How high up into the La Sals does the trail go?

Offline Emo EMAW

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Re: Plan SB's Elite Vision Quest Through Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho
« Reply #685 on: May 31, 2017, 09:05:13 PM »
Question for the asava and tdavers of the world...have floorless shelters caught on much with the granola (non killing stuff) crowd?  Do either of you run them ever? 

Offline tdaver

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Re: Plan SB's Elite Vision Quest Through Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho
« Reply #686 on: May 31, 2017, 09:44:52 PM »
Lots of people use just a tarp and/or bivy.  I'm not worried too much about cutting weight until it's time to replace current gear. Would seriously consider it if I could get away from work/fam for a several day trek instead of just a night or two.  I've thought about a test run with just the tent fly sometime to see how I like it, but haven't done it yet.

Disclaimer: I don't think I qualify as granola crowd, so can't speak for them.
« Last Edit: May 31, 2017, 10:03:09 PM by tdaver »

Offline Emo EMAW

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Re: Plan SB's Elite Vision Quest Through Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho
« Reply #687 on: June 01, 2017, 06:27:40 AM »
Granola / REI same thing.  No offense intended or anything.

Offline SkinnyBenny

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Re: Plan SB's Elite Vision Quest Through Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho
« Reply #688 on: June 01, 2017, 07:58:39 AM »
OFFENSE TAKEN :curse:
"walking around mhk and crying in the rain because of love lost is the absolute purest and best thing in the world.  i hope i fall in love during the next few weeks and get my heart broken and it starts raining just to experience it one last time."   --Dlew12

Offline Emo EMAW

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Re: Plan SB's Elite Vision Quest Through Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho
« Reply #689 on: June 01, 2017, 08:19:05 AM »
OFFENSE TAKEN :curse:

Well answer the question hippie!

Offline Emo EMAW

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Re: Plan SB's Elite Vision Quest Through Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho
« Reply #690 on: June 01, 2017, 08:23:47 AM »
tdaver I've been thinking about putting a stove jack in the fly to my MSR Fury 2 and using that as a 4th season floorless.  I have one of those mini kegs of Newcastle that someday I will make a stove out of.

Offline tdaver

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Re: Plan SB's Elite Vision Quest Through Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho
« Reply #691 on: June 01, 2017, 08:47:53 AM »
None taken.  Just screwing around. 

Sounds like a cool idea.  Would love to see some pics if if you go through with it.  Is that your main tent or an extra?  I'd be worried about messing it up, but maybe you're more crafty than me.

Offline tdaver

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Re: Plan SB's Elite Vision Quest Through Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho
« Reply #692 on: June 01, 2017, 08:48:42 AM »
Hey SkiBe - you questing out here or what?

Offline asava

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Re: Plan SB's Elite Vision Quest Through Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho
« Reply #693 on: June 01, 2017, 10:02:39 AM »
Lots of people use just a tarp and/or bivy.  I'm not worried too much about cutting weight until it's time to replace current gear. Would seriously consider it if I could get away from work/fam for a several day trek instead of just a night or two.  I've thought about a test run with just the tent fly sometime to see how I like it, but haven't done it yet.

Disclaimer: I don't think I qualify as granola crowd, so can't speak for them.

Bivy is what i'm seriously considering switching to. My tent is pretty great, but I know I can save a ton of space with a good bivy. There is an option to just run the rain fly with my footprint, but really the packability of the poles etc is what is more of a concern. I don't think floorless shelters make a ton of sense if you are gonna be sleeping on the ground. Inclimate weather would be one reason, warmth would be another. Unless you are packing an ultralight cot or something, which seems like it would defeat the purpose.

Oh yeah, drinking water is scarce out there. That was my first question as well.  I guess if you were really desperate you could try drinking the Colorado but that's sure to plug a filter quick.

How high up into the La Sals does the trail go?

You can filter out of the Colorado, just need a silt capable filter. Even then we used a shirt to strain prior to the filter intake. Seemed to work pretty well. I think we topped out at like 8000 some odd feet in the La Sals, so we weren't getting above treeline or anything. It was wild to have been in the bottom of a canyon surrounded by desert and red rocks on Sunday morning and then be in an aspen grove later that afternoon.

Asava what is a trail angel?

A trail angel is just someone you meet along the way who gives you water or food, or someone who places stashes of water along the trail for whoever needs it. We ran into both while out there. If you've got trails that people frequently travel, it's a really awesome idea to just drop off gallons of water a spots around the way. It's an amazing feeling when you are out there and you come across something like that.

Offline Emo EMAW

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Plan SB's Elite Vision Quest Through Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho
« Reply #694 on: June 01, 2017, 10:25:36 AM »
Why do you think floorless doesn't make sense asava?  The pad keeps you warm just the same as if there was a layer of 20D silnylon underneath it or not.  My tarp used appropriately keeps me warm and dry no problem.  Also keeps me cool if needed.  If it's a clear starry night I usually go without a shelter, like don't set it up.  I have been considering a bivy because I can get one for not much weight compared to my groundsheet.  But I wouldn't count on it keeping me dry, just bugs off, and protect the pad.
« Last Edit: June 01, 2017, 10:28:51 AM by Emo EMAW »

Offline asava

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Re: Plan SB's Elite Vision Quest Through Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho
« Reply #695 on: June 01, 2017, 12:17:02 PM »
Why do you think floorless doesn't make sense asava?  The pad keeps you warm just the same as if there was a layer of 20D silnylon underneath it or not.  My tarp used appropriately keeps me warm and dry no problem.  Also keeps me cool if needed.  If it's a clear starry night I usually go without a shelter, like don't set it up.  I have been considering a bivy because I can get one for not much weight compared to my groundsheet.  But I wouldn't count on it keeping me dry, just bugs off, and protect the pad.

I guess it depends on what you mean by "floorless". If i'm going out into high country, where weather and microclimates are unpredictable at times, I don't want to rely on just my pad to keep me warm and dry. The last thing I'd want in any situation is to be unprepared for rain or moisture.

Offline Emo EMAW

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Re: Plan SB's Elite Vision Quest Through Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho
« Reply #696 on: June 01, 2017, 12:25:31 PM »
I still run a groundsheet.  Polycro if I'm being a weenie or Tyvek if I need it to last.  Just gotta be cognizant when picking a site, which you already do with a tent.  A few stray raindrops aren't going to kill you. 

Offline Emo EMAW

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Re: Plan SB's Elite Vision Quest Through Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho
« Reply #697 on: June 01, 2017, 12:54:26 PM »
I am going to pick up a TarpTent for areas with creepy crawlies or lots of skeeters.  Floorless def is a no go for those.

Offline schreds21

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Re: Plan SB's Elite Vision Quest Through Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho
« Reply #698 on: July 09, 2017, 09:24:25 AM »
Less than a week until the annual Wyoming VQ, guys!   :excited:

Offline tdaver

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Re: Plan SB's Elite Vision Quest Through Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho
« Reply #699 on: July 15, 2017, 09:34:24 PM »
My morning run turned into more of a vision quest.  Slowed the pace and enjoyed the views.  All this in a 9.5 mile loop 20 minutes from home.