Saturday, March 5, 2022

Badger Pass Snowshoe Gear Review

 The plan is to arrive at Badger Pass in Yosemite by noon on Friday March 11.  Then snowshoe along Glacier Point trail (which is groomed) till the sun goes down and set up camp.  Saturday we day hike the rest of the way to Glacier Point for Lunch, then back to camp, and back to the truck on Sunday.  Here is a review of the gear I am taking:

What to Wear when hiking
- Patagonia snow pants with belt
- REI socks (found them on sale and bought them to sleep in, but they fit really well so I hike in them).  
- Short sleeve thermal shirt from Voler (a bike clothing company)
- Long sleeve Patagonia, loose fitting to block the sun
- Hiking poles with winter baskets and a bit of duct tape
- Sorel boots

Keeping Warm around camp
- Helly Hansen ski/snowboard jacket with snowskirt and hood
- Patagonia fleece
- REI mittens (over-mittens with fleece mittens inside)
- Fleece hat
- Medium weight gloves
    - I can use these for hiking to keep from getting sunburned hands
    - Also good around camp when setting up tent, cooking, etc.

Sleeping System
- Midweight fleece shirt with 1/4 zip
- REI socks
- Ice Breaker long underwear
- Kelty 20 degree sleeping bag
- Sea to Summit dry bag to store all of it in
    - I will put both sleep clothes and sleeping bag inside
    - The dry bag will keep everything dry

Water System
- Usually I bring a 3L Reservoir, but trying something different this time
- Two Nalgene 32 oz water bottles
    - I will fill these up in the morning and it should last me all day
- One Biking 28 oz water bottle 
    - I will fill this with HEED or Perpetuem to combine fueling and water
    - This will also hold my breakfast shake
        - I hope the lid does not clog

Random Gear
- Bear can, required and great for sitting on in camp
- Snow shovel for creating camp furniture
- Map
- Garbage bag to line backpack with in case of wet weather
- Snowshoes
    - We can hike most of the trail without snowshoes since it is groomed, but will need them when we go off trail
    - These snowshoes are actually for kids, but the last few times I went snowcamping I used them and they are lighter, hold my weight, and easier to walk in (for short amounts of time)

Safety Kit
- Hand warmers are great if needed, if not used during the day I will toss one in my sleeping bag before bed
- Benadryl because the Pines of YNP can give me problems
- Tylanol, Moleskin, a container of salve for cuts, bug stuff (not really needed), and band-aids


Poop Kit
Pack out what you pack in, so no shovel on this trip, the snow will prevent us from reaching the dirt anyway
- Wipes, TP, and empty zip top bags
- I suggest scented diaper/dog bags 
- Everyone brings a poop kit, this is not something you want to share

The smaller, but important stuff
I put these items in the grey sack
- Headlamp, not really needed because the moon will be up and the snow reflects the light, but if it were cloudy and your phone didn't work you would be glad you brought it
- Soap, moisturizer, sunscreen (very important when the sun reflects off the snow)
- Hand sanitizer and Chap Stick I will put in my hip pocket
- Toothbrush, toothpaste, floss
- Multipurpose knife, small lighter, rope
- Nail clippers are not really needed for a hike this short
- Compass with mirror (great if you get something in your eye or want to see how crazy your hair is in the morning)
 
Cooking System
- Sumo Jet Boil, great for all the snow we need to melt
    - The lid has a snap in pot stabilizer
    - The orange bag is the Jet Boil stove portion
- Patagonia insulated container for rehydrating food
    - Keeps food warm for a long time
- Knife, fork, spoon
- I cut off part of a pack towel to clean my pot, and I also wrap my fuel before I put it into the Jet Boil to prevent scratching
- One large fuel canister (used on previous trip), and one small (as a backup)

All the Gear
Here is all the gear laid out.  The tent is not pictured because I was showing my hiking partner the tents I have to see which one he liked.  We chose the tent and I will carry half, and he will carry the other half, stuffed inside a Sea to Summit Dry bag like the green on in the photo.  I ordered a larger size for my sleeping bag and sleeping clothes so I could use the green one for the tent.  My hiking partner will also carry a bear can.


The Pack
All the gear packed up, about 27 lbs, not including food, water, or the tent.



















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