Jump to content

Backcountry/Backpacking caches?


NevadaMtnBear

Recommended Posts

In thinking about setting a a couple backcountry caches along the PCT and other high Sierra backpacking trails. Am I crazy? icon_eek.gif

 

They won't be bigg'ns, probably small tupperware containers. I thought it would be pretty cool to set up a couple that are only accessable via a good hike in, but if NOONE will ever visit it, I'm wondering if it's a bad idea.

 

I'm up for suggestions. icon_biggrin.gif

 

NevadaMtnBear

Link to comment

Sounds like a good idea. If it were me I would prefer to use an ammo can in the wilderness though. They stand up to the elements so much better and if it's really out there it's not something that you will be able to maintain too easily. It seems to me that an ammo can in the wilderness really has only one true danger.. that is in accidental find... a tupperware container is also subject to weather and curious or hungry critters. If your already expecting very few visitors then I feel it should be in as durable container as possible so that it doesn't end up to be a long trip to a pile of soggy trash.

 

Just how I think, though I'm sure plastic holds up some of the time.

 

Have fun with it.

Link to comment

Don't exepect a lot of visits. Maybe one a year if you're lucky. YOu have to remember, much of the year the PCT is under snow.

 

I've got one cache picked out that is a 9 mile hike into the Emigrant wilderness. I'm not sure if I'll be able to do it this year. But it's on my list of caches I'd like to hit.

 

george

 

Remember: Half the people you meet are below average.

Link to comment

Yeah I can see your point about the weight. How about a mortar tube? They are much lighter and have a shoulder strap for carrying...or clip it on to your pack. Or if your creative with pvc tube I've seen people do nice things with those. Tupperware type stuff just takes such a beating out there.... Something at least with a screw lid and durable material that won't shatter when it freezes. Good Luck.

Link to comment

Good idea, I'm planning to leave some behind on upcoming backpacking trips also. I think you would be okay with high quality tupperware type containers that can be frozen or microwaved. Most of the "trashed" caches I come across are that way do to high number of people opening and closing them, and trying to shove more into them than they will hold.

 

quote:
Originally posted by georgeandmary:

 

I've got one cache picked out that is a 9 mile hike into the Emigrant wilderness. I'm not sure if I'll be able to do it this year. But it's on my list of caches I'd like to hit.


 

George,

Sounds like the one on my list for this summer, (Gem Cache). I was going to hit it last year but things got crazy.

-Mark.

 

Will cache for food

Link to comment

quote:
Originally posted by Mr. Vic:

 

George,

Sounds like the one on my list for this summer, (Gem Cache). I was going to hit it last year but things got crazy.

-Mark.

 

Will cache for food


 

I thought about doing it in a marathon one day hike. I'd have to hunt down all my backpacking gear. It's been years since I've been backpacking.

 

george

 

Remember: Half the people you meet are below average.

Link to comment

quote:
Originally posted by georgeandmary:

I thought about doing it in a marathon one day hike. I'd have to hunt down all my backpacking gear. It's been years since I've been backpacking.

 

george

 

Remember: Half the people you meet are below average.


 

Dude! 18, high altitude, back country miles in one day! You're a better man than me! -Mark.

 

Will cache for food

Link to comment

If you average at least 2 miles an hour it's only 9 hours. Leave by 6 am, hike in 4.5 hours find the cache, eat lunch hike back 4.5 hours. You'd be back by 4pm. Since you're not planning on an overnight you can cary a much lighter pack so the hiking would be easier.

 

I'd have to bring some "just in case" stuff, but a lot lighter than a full pack. Hmmmmmm...

 

I wonder if Tomaski would do it?

 

george

 

Remember: Half the people you meet are below average.

Link to comment

quote:
Originally posted by glenn95630:

Do you plan on driving to the trailhead the night before and sleeping at the trailhead or getting up at 4 am and driving to the trailhead?


 

I'd most likely drive up the night before. There is a campground at the trail head. Tomaski said he's up for it I just need to pick a weekend.

 

I did some more reasearch on the trail and it's only 7.5 miles from the trail head. I've hiked the first 6 of it to Piute Meadow and from what I rememeber, there were some steep parts but it didn't take me that long to hike it, a couple hours. I actually took a longer route back.

 

I normally hike over 3 mph so I don't expect the trip in to be much longer than 2.5 hours.

 

george

 

Remember: Half the people you meet are below average.

Link to comment

I have a book on day hikes along the PCT. Here are a couple things from the book.

 

There are 1,732 miles of PCT in California and southern Oregon. The book identifies day hikes that cover 1,491 miles (86%) of those miles. The book breaks it up into 124 day hikes.

 

The only part of the California PCT not readily accessible to day hikers is the High Sierra from south of Mt Whitney to Sonora Pass north of Yosemite National Park. Stretches in this area are accessible, but limited.

Link to comment

quote:
Originally posted by glenn95630:

I have a book on day hikes along the PCT. Here are a couple things from the book.

 

There are 1,732 miles of PCT in California and southern Oregon. The book identifies day hikes that cover 1,491 miles (86%) of those miles. The book breaks it up into 124 day hikes.

 

The only part of the California PCT not readily accessible to day hikers is the High Sierra from south of Mt Whitney to Sonora Pass north of Yosemite National Park. Stretches in this area are accessible, but limited.


 

My hubby and I have done most of those sections either in day hikes (unintentionally) or overnight pack trips. Pretty awesome stuff!

 

The 7.5-9 miles into the cache shouldn't be too bad. That's a half-day hike if you're a fairly astute hiker and no small children. My hubby is thinking about running the PCT section from HWY49 to Donner Summit (I-80) this weekend as a training run and asked if I wanted him to drop a cache out there. It's a 38 mile section of trail, so I know it wont be travelled often, but oh-well.

 

We'll see if we get it out there. Hubby is a little leary of doing that section alone since it's 38 miles. While I'd love to join him, it's about 20 miles longer than I can do in a single day and still enjoy myself. Ooops! icon_rolleyes.gif

Link to comment

quote:
Originally posted by stingo:

Caches are illegal in federally designated wilderness areas. The US Forest Service has been known to remove caches in wildeness areas.


 

It's a good reminder that caches are not allowed in Wilderness areas. I hadn't planned on placing one in a designated wilderness area, but it's good to be reminded of that restriction.

 

I can't wait until the end of July when I'll have time to get out and really do some fun caching of caches far from the beaten path! I'm enjoying hitting the caches, but I'd love to find more about two miles or so in from a road or place so I can turn my trail runs into cache finds! LOL. Guess I can't whine until I start setting them, right!

 

icon_biggrin.gif

Link to comment

Two of my caches are off the Tahoe Rim Trail on two mountain peaks; Freel Peak and Jobs Sister. If you are hiking on the Rim Trail, Freel Peak is a little over 1 hour away off the trail and Jobs Sister is about another 45 minutes away from Freel Peak. Both of these peaks are worth the visit for their breathtaking views. If you wish to visit these caches without taking the Rim Trail, there is a faster way listed in the cheat section of the cache pages. The links for these caches are:

Freel Peak

Freel Peak

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=28334

Family Ties

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=24355

 

[This message was edited by TahoeJoe on July 12, 2002 at 07:54 AM.]

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...