Overnighter in the Tahoe National Forest and of course with our Survive! knives

supertac916 said:
I didn't weigh my gear, but it was pretty easy compared to summer camping. The only weight I'll drop next time is my rifle, ammo, and spare Zebra stainless steel pot. I found myself using my little cheap grill grate, MSR pan over the fire, and my Jetboil Mini Mo. Melting snow wasn't efficient over the fire in the pot. It was easier to get water from the creek and getting a rolling boil with the Jetboil. I also saved a lot of weight by not having to carry extra water compared to the summer. The best part was having a good sled. My pack probably weighed 20 lbs and the rest was pulled in the sled.

I haven't seen your post, but I'll have to look it up. I like Dave's shows and I'll have to check out his book. I've learned at least the basics over the last several years. I usually like experimenting with different gear, read, and watch other peoples videos, than going out and trying it. The sleeping portion is a must for me because going ultra light and being miserable isn't some thing I want. It's my time off from work and the woods with good quality gear is my idea of a vacation. Granted I would like to try some of the bushcraft shelters, but haven't actually tried any. Most of the forests in our area don't allow primitive shelters to be built with natural materials due to damaging the natural landscape. I appreciate the compliment though. Just learned after many sleepless nights in the past and adjusting accordingly :)
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Thanks for this reply! If you have a sled you might not have to count ounces like if it were all on your back.

It sounds like you're getting a lot of good experience and enjoying it along the way.

Keep up the good work out there and keep the pics coming when there's a next time.
 
Silver Needle said:
Thanks for this reply! If you have a sled you might not have to count ounces like if it were all on your back.

It sounds like you're getting a lot of good experience and enjoying it along the way.

Keep up the good work out there and keep the pics coming when there's a next time.
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I'm definitely liking the sled and not having to carry the heavy gear on my back. The heaviest is the water during the summer and with snow melt all around I dont have to worry.

It's definitely great experience and a whole lot of fun. We set the next date for March 10th-12th, but I'll definitely get out there again before then. Might take my wife out there in February to try out.
 
Awesome thread. Definitely gonna pick up a silky big boy soon.
What did you use for your sleeping pads? You mentioned that you doubled up on them and used a reflective tarp.
Again this thread is freaking awesome.
My buddies and i used to go snowshoeing in February and brind food and a few drinks. It was a great way to end the weekend. I carried food, and a cold steel kukri machete, and a ETT machete by Shannon Steel Labs (my first machete in 3V).
My friends carried snacks and drinks and anything else they needed. We havent had the chance to othis year because the snow we had melted in 2 days :(

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tech25 said:
The small details like leveling the ground under your tent makes all of the difference.

I have heard the reflective blanket really helps out with the temp.
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The nice thing was the snow was still a soft powder, so leveling and compacting wasn't a bad task at all. Definitely worth it to bring an actual packable snow shovel. My buddies brought their SOG and military style shovels, but they didn't even use them They just borrowed mine.

The reflective blanket/SOL TARP inside the tent really worked. Generally getting cold in the middle of the night is our heat being pulled from our bodies from the cold ground. It provided an excellent barrier and added very little weight to my overall load. It also doubles as an emergency shelter, so I could fold it back up, put it in my pack for the times when we want to go on a day hike, or search for fishing spots. I always like to have an "emergency kit" in my day pack when leaving my main gear at camp. Just never know if something happens, whether it's getting lost or injured.
 
supertac916 said:
The nice thing was the snow was still a soft powder, so leveling and compacting wasn't a bad task at all. Definitely worth it to bring an actual packable snow shovel. My buddies brought their SOG and military style shovels, but they didn't even use them They just borrowed mine.

The reflective blanket/SOL TARP inside the tent really worked. Generally getting cold in the middle of the night is our heat being pulled from our bodies from the cold ground. It provided an excellent barrier and added very little weight to my overall load. It also doubles as an emergency shelter, so I could fold it back up, put it in my pack for the times when we want to go on a day hike, or search for fishing spots. I always like to have an "emergency kit" in my day pack when leaving my main gear at camp. Just never know if something happens, whether it's getting lost or injured.
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So what goes on the tent floor first the SOL TARP then the sleeping pads or is it floor then pads then SOL TARP?
 
jbsmwd said:
So what goes on the tent floor first the SOL TARP then the sleeping pads or is it floor then pads then SOL TARP?
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Tent floor, SOL tarp, sleeping pads is what I did. Since the thermarests are filled with air that could be cooled by the ground. I figured the barrier between the ground and pads would reduce the likelihood of the air getting cold. Also, the pads are more comfortable to sleep on versus sleeping on the tarp. Hope that makes sense..lol
 
Riz! said:
I re read this thread and its great! Thanks for posting it!
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Thanks Riz! Still need to take that bad boy 7/7 you sold me out. Maybe next time I head out to the woods in the next week or two. We have another date set with my buds for March 10th-12th, but I'm going to see if I can take the Mrs. out sooner. We'll probably do some snowshoeing between now and then. I'll build some more fires, since I love any excuse to use my knives.
 
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