Heading up to the Manistee River trail in the northern part of lower Michigan. This is part of the North county trail. Colors are now at there max up there, so I'm looking to get up there this weekend and enjoy the colors. Temps are gonna be low 30s at night with highs of upper 40s during the day. I thinking of doing 2 nights(gonna have to back track or do the loop twice. Depends on time I suppose.

So this is my first gear list post. Ive spent a lot of time reading these forums the past couple of months. Hopefully its paid off.

Gear List is in profile

My biggest concern is if I have enough clothing. There is a good chance of rain.

Any input is appreciated.

Thanks
Andy

I'm not one to be too critical. That thing looks perfect. The only places I could see where you might be able to take some weight off may be the pack, shelter, and the krazy glue(?!)

Looks good!

From SW MI as well. What is SHT?

I can't help with removing weight but if it were me I would consider adding it (I'm a whimp). You're looking at wet / cold (most likely just below freezing) weather this weekend. If I'm reading your gear list correctly, you have no rain protection on your bottom half and the only pants you have are what you are wearing. Stopping for camp and having nothing dry to put on equals misery for me. You also have no back up socks or "sleeping socks". You have only one top besides the rain jacket unless you are considering hiking with the parka on. Even with a long sleeved wool hoodie if it gets in the 30s I need an additional layer. No gloves?

Finally, I wouldn't be comfortable with only one fire source. I would have something that can light in the cold/wet like fire steel and some vaseline soaked cotton balls. Lighters fail and can be finicky if/when they get wet.

One last thing. On the east side of the river access to water is fairly abundant with multiple feeder creeks but on the west side not so much. Personally I'd want more than a liter.

I hope you have a nice hike!

If you don't mind shot me a PM with some of your trip details. I get up to that area now and then and wouldn't mind exploring a new hike.

Edited by alwaysone on 10/08/2009 00:16:19 MDT.

Thanks for the input guys.

I know 99% I won't use the crazy glue.

SHT is the Superior Hiking Trail.

Being that Its gonna be rainy and cold I was just gonna wear shorts and take the cold. I just hate getting all sweaty in rain gear. I might throw them in and not try to use them, so I have back up since I really haven't done a hike like this yet.

I got an extra pair of socks. I have it listed as packed and carried. For extra gear on the top I'm gonna put in a beartooth merino hoody and a golite either wind coat. I will probably just change into that when not hiking. That then should fully cover me.

You are right on the fire source. I will add a light my fire starter and some lint I got saved up.

I was up there about 2 months ago and just did a down and back day hike on the west side. I noticed that there was no water source on the east side on the map but didn't think about it. Thanks for the reminder.

Thanks again.

I too am from SW Michigan,

I did the Manistee River Trail last year in early fall. It was right after an extremely rainy weekend so everything was wet and damp. You might want to make sure you bring extra light my fire's I went through a ton just to get a fire stated on my second night. I couldn't get one started on my first night and just went to bed.
The morning's near the river are very damp to, dew everywhere. I would make sure you have gloves, hat and possibly a thicker sleeping pad. I had to pack my clothing under my legs because I brought a short pad. next time I'll bring my BA insulated air core.

I woke to 36 degrees, and slept in my long underwear, and Patagonia Micro-puff vest. I shed that after the sun came out.
I would make sure you have a few of these things! Especially if it rains up there. Stay dry and warm is the objective when you that far into the Manistee National Forest. Good Luck ...
Here's a link to my trip on you tube ....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCfpsgRoJZA&feature=related

Well it was wet and had some light rain. Snowed for about 2 hours. I keep around a 3-3.5 mph pace so I kept warm and never really had to put on pants besides when I took 1 extended break. People were looking at me weird since I was only wearing shorts, a BPL merino LS hoody and a wind shirt. Temps got down to 36 at night.

I need to figure out how to stay asleep. I have been waking up about 10 times every night. Some Tylenol PM or some type of sleeping aid. I ended up making breakfast at 4am and then sleeping a bit longer and getting out pretty early.

Not sure if its me or if everyone has this problem but my torsolite and GG pad slide around way to easy on the spinnaker fabric of The One. Any tricks or suggestions? Maybe I just move around to much when I sleep.

One last thing. Do anyone of you Michiganders use a tarp? Me being 6'1" and having a shoe size of 13/14ish, The One is tight. I have laid in a contrail also and that seemed tight to. I'm just not excited about tarps with the lovely mosquitoes here in Michigan although I can obviously get netting.

There were some people canoeing and it gave me the idea to get a packraft. You could make a pretty long trip. So now a packraft is on the Xmas list.

Anyways here are some pictures

This makes me miss the MRT, i hiked it a lot when i lived in MI.

Were you warm without some type of leggings or tights? I always carry a set of thermal tops and bottoms, they are my dry clothes, and my hiking clothes are my *wet* clothes. This way i always have something warm and dry to sleep in.

I used a 5x9 solo tarp on a trip on the jordan river trail.(5# base wight trip) I am 6'2" and the 9' length was perfect. This time of year bugs are no prob and i did that hike in early spring before the bugs got heavy. Tarping in MI in late spring early summer sucks (literally) the bugs get very bad and the only way for peace under some netting is to bring ear plugs along.

-Tim

Great pictures, you make me want to get out again. Glad you enjoyed yourself.

Looks like a great trip! Thanks for the pictures and I'm glad you had a nice time.

I believe the contrail and the one are the same length on the floor. Off the top of my head, you might want to check out the rainbow. I believe it's about 6-8" longer on floor length (especially if pulled down) but you'd pick up about 13 - 14 oz's of weight over your current system.

As far as bugs? After 25 years of outdoors in Michigan, sinking money into any non-bug proof shelter seems like quite a waste to me. There are very few times where you could pack it with a high level of confidence. I've seen the mosiquotes bad at all times of year and sometimes during the strangest of circumstances. And if you packed it and they were bad it would equal misery. Gossamer does offer tarps with a netting that attaches to your bag but this just seems like a huge inconvience to me. No room to sit up and move around, getting it all just right and then realizing you left something out or have to use the bathroom. I'd much rather take the small weight hit and find a long bug proof tent like the tarptent rainbow and it'd never leave my bag for 3 seasons out of the year.