Weekend wandering and fire-starting

Mentor

Mentor

Joined
Nov 27, 2004
Messages
3,124
Hi All,

My girlfriend and I went for a nice full-day hike in Gatineau Park this weekend. The colours are starting to change, and the temperature was perfect for a brisk jaunt. Our goal was to find some high ground that was 'off the beaten path' and make a fire to brew some coffee and toast some bread.

I'll start with the fire-starting pics.

I used my JK Hudson Bay Fire Kit and sought out natural tinder - in this case, some dry lichen, wood shavings, and bulrush fluff, gathered during the day's hike and stashed in my cargo pockets. The bulrush material takes a spark and burns fast (too fast - it works better as an add-on than a tinder material, in my opinion). After a bit of work, I had a nice fire going. I like to build my hiking fires right around my water bottle, in order to get water boiling ASAP.

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A post-hike shot of my JK fire kit:

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And a few shots from the trail:

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Thanks for looking, and all the best,

- Mike
 
Its been a while since I have been to Gatineau Park, I use to go there all the time as a kid with my parents to see the leaves then when I got older I did the same thing with countless GFs. Thanks for bring back some old memories:thumbup: Think the next time I go home for a visit in the fall I will have to make a run up to the hills:D
 
Great post. By the way, what kind of pants are those you're wearing? I like the OD green color.
 
They are a pair of Patagonia hiking pants that I picked up in 2006. They are comfy and surprisingly durable. At the time I remember contemplating the price tag and wondering if they were worth it, but they have really proven to be a great item of gear.

Thanks for the comments, gents.

All the best,

- Mike
 
patagonia makes nice stuff. I have quite a few pants from them that have been very durable.

Great pics Mike.
 
Cool, that water bottle looks like its tasted flames a few times. Do you carry another water bottle for water storage?
 
kgd said:
Cool, that water bottle looks like its tasted flames a few times. Do you carry another water bottle for water storage?
Click to expand...

I usually carry a dromedary bag from MSR for water storage. It's easy to pack and I can use it to top off my bottle after I'm done using it to make coffee.

The bottle has seen a lot of action. It has a great smoky smell to it. I bring it to work with me and enjoy regular scents of campfire as I sip.

All the best,

- Mike
 
Great shots Mike! All the colors this time of year make for some nice photography.

How long does it take from spark to boil using that technique?
 
Nice pics, thanks for the post :thumbup:


I think I've said it before, but I like the idea of building your fire around the bottle, though I've yet to try it.
 
6shooter said:
Nice pics, thanks for the post :thumbup:


I think I've said it before, but I like the idea of building your fire around the bottle, though I've yet to try it.
Click to expand...

It seems to work for me. The advantage is that you can start from a stable platform (a flat rock or a fire board) and then surround your container with fuel. Once my water has boiled, I remove the bottle and allow the wood to collapse inward, making a compact fire. Anyone else use this method?

All the best,

- Mike
 
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