Re:
"A bit of a down side is that Topanga State Park has resident mountain lions"

A down side, sounds great to me. They tend to avoid people and must be amazing to see in the wild.

As far as the bugs, I also use the Gatewood Cape and a Summerlite bag as a quilt, but I also carry the 7oz SMD Serenity Net Tent.

I hike in a much buggier area than where you hike so I think it is a must for me. Besides, it negates the need of a ground cloth and is very easy to hang under the Gatewood.

Oh, and I forgot to mention, great post.

H.J.,
Great to see you & your daughter having so much fun out there...it brought a big smile to my face, and made me think about trips with my kids. I can imagine her passing along the gift to the next generation, and thinking about you.

With my three kids, I realized that it was best to hike a short distance (hard to tel lwhat that is) to someplace interesting, then let them explore for hours. Easier for you to find awesome places than for me here in PA.
Tom

Steven McAllister wrote: > As far as the bugs, I also use the Gatewood Cape and a Summerlite bag as a quilt, but I also carry the 7oz SMD Serenity Net Tent.

Edited by hikin_jim on 09/06/2012 21:00:48 MDT.

Jim,

I use a Serenity Net tent under my Trailstar (good fit, not quite perfect though with a rectangle under a 5-sided 'mid). I have plenty of room, especially with the newer version with raised corners which raises the angled ceiling panels a few inches. It is much better than a cramped bivy in milder weather IF you have to spend any time in a shelter, like getting to camp hours earlier than bedtime. And its light enough that it can be carried but not used if not needed.

It is what it is, though; a UL solo inner, and really too tight for two, even a child (maybe especially with a child. They have that nasty habit of turning sideways and pressing their feet into your back).

Thanks for sharing your experience, Steven. I'm definitely going to check it out.

HJ
Adventures In Stoving