Route: 3 day, ~50 mile traverse with significant off-trail alpine sections

Conditions: highs low 90s (F), lows mid 30s (F), almost no chance of rain or especially high wind

Video unpacking mid-trip: https://vimeo.com/47865791

Aftermath: I forgot my spoon (again) and to charge my camera battery. I wore Lasportiva XCountrys, and didn't want more support or padding, even in all the nasty talus and scree. I did however get a blister under the metatarsals of my right foot, and rubbing under my heel. The shoes are a bit too wide all around, but this was the first trip with enough strenuous sidehilling to exploit that. Back to the drawing board on a soft, zeroish drop shoe not made of weak mesh.

Questions welcome.

on the video, the gear list, and the pack. I really like the looks of that. Haven't been to glacier in years, would love to go back some day soon.

Thanks for sharing, that's a good video. I like your pack.

Interesting video... and nice pack!

I see you carry your bear spray in your pack. Would you have any thoughts on this?

My larger thoughts are that bear spray is poorly designed. It's fragile, hard to secure, the safety is uninspiring, and if it inadvertently goes of, the consequences are bad.

Bear spray in the pack does little good, but it's hard to secure it where you can get it fast, and where it won't fall off, and where the safety won't get pulled on in brush, and where it won't get banged around in daily use. I had the plastic head of a can randomly fall completely off earlier this year, thankfully with no ill effects.

So until a pro-model comes out that fixes these, I compromise by keeping it on the belt at times, and in the pack at others (e.g. during the scramble up chimneys that got me to the bench in the video). Not ideal, but the best I can manage at the moment.

The pack has been a great design. More pics here: http://bedrockandparadox.com/2012/06/14/the-610-pack/ I swapped out the OMM straps in those original shots as they rubbed my neck.

Counter Assault is normally sold in a retail package that uses a clear plastic blister over the entire can and head, including the head safety. When I purchased mine (before a trip to Yellowstone), I studied the clear plastic packaging for re-use. I cut around it to leave a clear plastic cap over the head, and I secured it in place using only a rubber band. That keeps the head and the safety from being snagged by bushes, and it takes me about one additional second to flick it off if I really reach for the safety and the trigger. Or, if I am going into serious bear country, I take off the plastic and the safety first.

--B.G.--

Good idea Bob. I just hang my bear spray toward the front of my belt or on the front of my pack by a carabineer. I'd notice if it was snagged on a bush or something. So far no problems.

David are you using an old BPL 60 quilt in that video? I think you mentioned modifying it a long time ago. What exactly did you do to it?

It's an older vintage UL 60. I added a layer of 5oz Climashield XP all around. Great summer+ quilt.

Thanks for the update David. That is a MYOG project that I might try at some point. I have a BPL 240 quilt that has gotten pretty beat up over time. At some point I may try to replace the insulation or add more and make it a 0 degree quilt. We'll see. At the moment it works so there is no pressure to change.

Why not ditch the nalgene and with the weight savings use a drinking tube with the platypus bladder?

I've done that and I'm really happy. Also if you invert it like an IV and attach it tree with a carabiner it makes a great sink/shower.

95% of the time the big platy is empty. By dipping directly from streams (almost always without treatment) I carry less water and thus less weight. This obliges me to pay more attention to prospective water sources, which I like, and tasting how different each stream is forces me to further get intimate with the landscape, which I also like.

The nalgene is a safe hot water bottle when needed, and a crucial part of my cowboy coffee system.

is one of the pieces of old "heavy" equipment that quite a few BPLers regret ditching when you look at a few of those "why am i cold" at night threads ... its 4 oz weight will of course break yr back ;)