Two Recent Gatherings in the Misty Mountains
Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2017 6:02 am
So I've been a bit quiet lately, as far as adding new content around here, but I wanted to post a quick update on the most recent Ranger outings we have had here in the Misty Mountains! The first was a day hike on October 1st, with the aim of taking in as much autumnal beauty as our mountain home has to offer! Unfortunately, because it's Colorado in the fall, the trailhead was absolutely clogged full of muggles. Still, once we got a ways up the trail it thinned out a bit, and the scenery was absolutely to die for! We had a few new folks come along for the hike, including my old friend Leah and her mom, Joyce! The hike itself was largely uneventful, except for the occasional bumping-in-to-normal-hikers, which was generally amusing - although I believe my hiking companions quickly tired of the two rather lame jokes I recycled every time we passed by someone (either "WE'RE GOING ON AN ADVENTURE!!!" or "Have you seen any goblins about? No? WELL YOU'RE WELCOME."). My one heroic moment came at the end of the trek, on our way back to the trailhead, when Joyce accidentally dropped her rather cherished walking stick down a very large, steep slope, under some barbed wire, and into some private property with a small cabin on it. Once I realized what had happened, I descended the hill, ducked under the barbed wire, crept VERY SNEAKILY (read: NOT AT ALL SNEAKILY UNLESS YOU ARE A CARTOON CHARATER) into the bush by the cabin, and then high-tailed it back up the slope, under the fence, and thus returned the precious stick. I felt very accomplished!
Anyway, here is a link to the full album on Facebook (it should be public so everyone can see it):
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 591&type=3
And here is a selection of the highlights from that trek:
So here's a picture showing my pack set-up for the day! I have to say, I've become exceedingly fond of this particular arrangement. It's essentially based on rigs that others around here have talked of in the past, most notably Greg and Elleth, I believe. I used to try to sling my bedroll and quiver side-by-side, but the weight was not distributed well at all, and caused me a lot of shoulder pain. This time, however, I chose to sling the bedroll the opposite direction of the quiver, laying the pack over the quiver in the back, and passing the strap in the front between my two chest-mounted pouches. Then the snapsack is slung from the bedroll strap, to nestle comfortably under my right arm. Incidentally, I've started referring to my snapsack (which, by the way, is AMAZING, and made for me by the ever-fantastic Elleth back in '15 for the Yule gift-exchange) as my SNACK-SACK, because I have taken to filling it with all my basic trail rations that I may choose to nibble on as I walk. I have found this set-up to be absolutely WONDERFUL, because I can simply untie the mouth of the snapsack at my chest, reach right in, grab a bite to eat, and then tie it back up, all right as I'm walking. Anyway, I now return you to your regularly scheduled picspam!
Here's a shot of me utilizing one of my favorite pieces of modern gear: my Sawyer Micro Filter!
And here is the ONE picture Leah snapped of me during OPERATION STICK-RESCUE, haha.
Here I am after the hike proper. Leah led me up the road a bit to some falls further up the pass, and they were incredible. I want to explore the whole Guanella Pass area in more depth soon, but it will likely have to wait until the spring, because the road shuts down for the winter in mid-November.
Anyway, here is a link to the full album on Facebook (it should be public so everyone can see it):
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 591&type=3
And here is a selection of the highlights from that trek:
So here's a picture showing my pack set-up for the day! I have to say, I've become exceedingly fond of this particular arrangement. It's essentially based on rigs that others around here have talked of in the past, most notably Greg and Elleth, I believe. I used to try to sling my bedroll and quiver side-by-side, but the weight was not distributed well at all, and caused me a lot of shoulder pain. This time, however, I chose to sling the bedroll the opposite direction of the quiver, laying the pack over the quiver in the back, and passing the strap in the front between my two chest-mounted pouches. Then the snapsack is slung from the bedroll strap, to nestle comfortably under my right arm. Incidentally, I've started referring to my snapsack (which, by the way, is AMAZING, and made for me by the ever-fantastic Elleth back in '15 for the Yule gift-exchange) as my SNACK-SACK, because I have taken to filling it with all my basic trail rations that I may choose to nibble on as I walk. I have found this set-up to be absolutely WONDERFUL, because I can simply untie the mouth of the snapsack at my chest, reach right in, grab a bite to eat, and then tie it back up, all right as I'm walking. Anyway, I now return you to your regularly scheduled picspam!
Here's a shot of me utilizing one of my favorite pieces of modern gear: my Sawyer Micro Filter!
And here is the ONE picture Leah snapped of me during OPERATION STICK-RESCUE, haha.
Here I am after the hike proper. Leah led me up the road a bit to some falls further up the pass, and they were incredible. I want to explore the whole Guanella Pass area in more depth soon, but it will likely have to wait until the spring, because the road shuts down for the winter in mid-November.