Ok, so finally spring came and we went to do Rocky Top inn the southern section of SNP. We live north of the park and we haven't done much down south yet. We're on a quest to do all 500 miles of trails in the park and we're getting close. We plan to write a book about the best backpacking trips and backcountry camping in the park.


Check out my cool shirt.


Nice bear bag.

That's velcro on my hat for my photon/cap/velcro/ head lamp.

Ahhh, the trail.
Purdy flowers!!

Virginia is for lovers...of cuben fiber, spinnaker, and tyvek, and titanium, and plain old not putting a lot of useless junk in your pack.

Aren't there only 109 miles or so of the AT "in" SNP? 500 I think would be the whole state of Virginia for the AT...although there are probably 500 miles of trail (just not AT) within SNP. Either way, nice goal.

And curse you for changing my Labor Day plans to include a trip to Rocky Top :)

Edited by regultr on 09/04/2009 20:05:12 MDT.

Sorry, I meant all 500 miles of trails, not just the AT. Rocky top is a great hike. And at the end...blackberry sundays and shakes!

There's a spot that burned some years ago, it's like a bald now.

we got a movie for this one too.
http://www.youtube.com/user/cheehytrailhead#play/uploads/3/2Cnmse2cflo

Tis was the big one so far. 64 miles in five days, big elevation changes. It rocked. Nasty thunderstorms, wild boars, wild boyscouts, bears, bees, dogs and cats, living together, Mass Hysteria! I finally got down the official under 10 lb base weight, the mrs. was at 8lb's.

Big trees!

Our tarptent.

Inside the tent

In case you're wondering...
GG mariposa plus
Tarp tent rainshadow
Jrb No sniv with hood
neo air
GG thin lght
Jason Klass style gravity filter
couple of plattys
driducks xl jacket, fits over my pack, or worn like a parka or cape (frodo style)
photon light with velcro
basic first aid
titanium flask of bushmill's
pattagucci cap base layer and bpl pants
Comfort, style, under 10 lbs.

Edited by kilgoretrout2317 on 09/05/2009 16:20:30 MDT.

Trail!

More trail

http://www.youtube.com/user/cheehytrailhead#play/uploads/7/KQhcSaEZVgs
Here's he movie, we got another one coming.

You're on a neoair and she's on a t-rest prolite? How's a guy go about getting a gig like that? he-he

ha, it's my old prolite too! Once she sees this I guess I'll be calling Gossamer Gear and gettin' a neo for her. Anybody need a prolite3?

And after this last trip (Overall Run falls in SNP) my wife is gonna get a neo air. We did a big gear overhaul. I got a Gossamer Gear sil-murmur, and we got a Spinn Twinn and a caldera keg gvp. (Full disclosure We're becoming trail ambassadors for gossamer gear, so we have a bias. But we're not employee's. and we're doing this out of love for the brand) That being said I love my new sil-murmur. It's a very smart, light and comfortable pack. I see it as my weekender and not my weeklonger, but If I keep shedding weight??? Ok here's some pics.
That's my I wish i were Ansel Adams shot!
Here comes the fall, best season for trekking in VA

My wife, Stephanie and her sil-murmur.
Trees!

Me and the Mrs. lent out tarptent to my lil sis Liz and her man Tim.
Here's three of us, Tim's in my GG mariposa plus. We all went pretty light. My pack and my wife's were 8lbs-ish, we didnt weight Liz and Tim's but they had to be around 10.

Liz's probably less, she was in an REI day pack, nice pack, but it weighs more than our murmurs.

Side view

Rick,

Not only great pics - I love your attitude towards it all!

Thanks to your pics & your wife's pack weight, I may get my wife out more often! Keeping my fingers crossed.

Oh, and BIG congrats for getting your packweights down so low!!!!

Todd