Snow Shoes

Hey guys, Long time reader, first time poster.

I was hammering out the last few gear items I need for this trip and started thinking of snowshoes. I know we said we would base that decision on the forecast at the time, but two stunning revelations came to me today.

1. I will not have nor be readily willing to put up the cash for snowshoes (read Buko's Crampons).
2. If we need snowshoes there is no way in hell we can average 10+/- miles per day.

I doubt it will come to this, but if the case is made for say 8+ inches of snowfall in a short period, we might reconsider our destination.

***
Anyone who is pretty confident in their pack list could post here to help out other people decide if they are light/heavy. I'm working on mine now and it should be up in a few days. I know all Paco is bringing is Dinty Moore and a horse blanket.


Finally, I think it royally sucks that Rowdy Rick will be unable to attend. Someone else will have to take up the task of humorous berating.

~Web

LeConte

Hey everyone, just making sure that we're all on the same page for hiking Mt. LeConte next weekend. We will be leaving Saturday morning and getting back Sunday...I am not 100% sure if I will be on this hike, it depends on a couple of factors but I will update this status in a few days. Hope everyone is doing well and taking steps to be ready for the Smokies five weeks from now! I for one cannot wait!

-Casey

who needs work anyway

i'm thinking about just taking the entire week off of work starting monday. would anyone want to hike/camp/hang out/drink beer? i just want to be in the mountains.

Amusing Packing Guide

I stumbled across this and thought that it was funny. It is a backpacking item checklist from REI. It WOULD have you quite prepared for anything, but you would need a Gator to get it all out there!

http://www.rei.com/expertadvice/articles/backpacking+overnight+checklist.html

Pictures

So, I've installed a slideshow at the bottom of the screen. it's just a few shots from previous trips. If you have any cool backpacking pics to throw up on the slideshow, send them to me at lukebukoski@yahoo.com . See you guys tonight. Travis, wish you could make it. Someone put boot to ass on Scott and get him on here. He's the only one not on board.

yeah, not so good

Well, we decided to do the art loeb going the way we hadn't gone, from davidson river to the boyscout camp. I took my beagle with me. He's been on some day hikes and has done good but never overnight. There's room for him in my sleeping bag, and thats what I had planned. He sleeps with me every night anyway. Well, around 4pm friday afternoon he took off on a deer trail near butter gap shelter. I called him for hours and he didn't show up until 8am the following morning. He was hypothermic, exhausted, limping and had a swollen eye. I put him in my sleeping bag and gave him some luke-warm water. He threw it up a couple times but eventually recooped. Luckily I was able to hike to the top of cedar rock mtn and make a phone call for a pick up. My fiance drove from charlotte to pick us up and take us to my car at the boyscout camp. It was about our only choice. I wasn't going to push the dog to go another 20 miles with a hurt leg and eye. Oh well. I was still able to test out my gear and I am thoroughly pleased! See ya'll at mt. leconte

a little bit of everything

Well, I doubt I'd be able to make it monday night. I work 7-5 monday-thursday in lake wylie, sc, so it would be a hell of a drive for me. I hear the b.m.c.t. is difficult but it's nearly the same mileage as the art loeb and less total elevation gain, so I hope I can manage. I'll probably start off sore as I worked out way too hard tonight... I just got back from the gym and it's 1am. Don't let me fool you, I need about 9500 more hours in the gym before the 8 day trip. I'll probably end up getting some yaks. I was planning on buying some light duty step in crampons, just haven't had too much of a use yet. I went to REI today to help a friend pick out some gear and spent 91 DOLLARS. I wasn't even planning on getting anything. And within a week I've also bought gaiters, a book, socks, ski pants, gloves, etc, etc. blah blah blah if there's going to be a meet up anytime thurs-sun let me know. I can always crash @ my brothers in hendersonville, and this weekend I'll be off of 40 but most likely have no phone service until sunday afternoon. well guys, take care & i'll be back sunday.

Boobs, Football and Beer

We should look over maps and shoot the shit about things during the pre-game tailgate Monday afternoon. By the way, we should put what we do to a vote. Here are our game-festivity options as they seem to appear.

1.) The Traditional Ed Boudreax's Experience.
-Large Screen
-Cold Beer on Tap
-Smoking Section
-Tasty Dinosaur Bones
-Do it Right Downtown, then all of a sudden realize it is 1:50 AM

2.) A Night At Wasim's.
-Great Setup for watching the Game
-Can Cook Up Some Delicious Baby Back Ribs and Sausage on the Grill
-Comfy Couches (Maybe Too Comfy)
-Wasim's "Friends" from the Trophy Club always Come by on Monday Evenings

3.) Weavervegas Throw-down.
-We've Done This Before and Know how to Watch the Game there...(A bit sentimental)
-Pregame Beerpong in Frontyard With Fire after Dark
-Weavervegas Brewery Downstairs
-Grilling out
-Large Table for Maps
-Lots of Room to Crash

Anyway, I don't care...I have to drive to town regardless and stay the night. Travis, if you are in town please come and hang out...It would be great to meet you! Everyone post your thougts under comments maybe and we will see what the consensus is. This is one of the biggest games in the history of the franchise and I cannot wait till Monday!

Boots and Beer

Ok. Last post today and then I'll lelt you guys have a say. First, Travis. Sweet boots. At least three of us wear Asolo TPS 520's to answer your question. I swear by mine.

Second, lets plan a night to have some barbecue and drink a few beers while pouring over some maps. We still need to get all of the details worked out for January. We're 8 weeks out from an 8 Day winter trip. Were not climbing Annapurna, but it's no walk in the park either (no pun intended). We need to have our plan together. Let me know a date that's good for you. We can even have beer and pizza at my office if everyone is too broke to go to dinner. Lets figure a date out.

Update

I've got a working calender, though it's pretty primitive. Follow the link on the left and it will take you there. I'll post trips in blue and those that want to go can just put their name under the trip in a color they choose. Mine is maroon. If you have any trouble, give me a call at the office and I'll call you a dummy and walk you through it. (See the example for the 19th and 20th trip) I'm adding a slideshow to the bottom of the site and will be putting up some images from old hikes if anyone wants to send me a picture or two to put up.
-Buko

Calender

Yeah, I can't manage to get a calender that lets us modify it from the page. I'm working on it. Travis, we did the Black Mountain Crest Trail a couple of years ago in January and if you plan on making it all the way to Mitchell and back to Burnsville you'll have to be hauling. It's a sweet trail though. Unfortunately, I'm unable this weekend.

That's the trip that we started swearing by yaktracks. The snow tends to melt on the sunny peaks and runs down the trails on warmer days. Then it freezes the trail into a slick of ice at night. The guy that took Yak Tracks on that trail was dancing around us idiots as we fell repeatedly on our butts. I advise bringing a pair. They only weigh a few ounces and cost around $20 bucks.

The LeConte trip is on the 19th and 20th and I think the consensus is that we're going to be spending one night on LeConte and another moving on. As far as where... anybody have any suggestions?

-Buko

Calender

Thanks for the warm invite guys. What type of boots are you guys wearing? I've never used yaktracks but i don't really see a need unless you think there's going to be a good deal of ice on top of the snow. REI also takes everything of mine, from paper to plastic. I just got a pair of TNF baltoro 400 winter boots with smartwool socks and liners....eager to test them out.

Anyway, I'd really like to see this calender working properly. When you guys talk about trips without saying specific dates it can get confusing. This weekend a friend and I are going to do the black mountain crest trail starting 12/5, starting at the burnsville side and bearing south...meet up with my fiance on 12/6 after she gets off of work, and return to our parked car @ the north end of the trail on 12/7. If anyone is interested in coming with us my phone number is 704-280-4399.

I figured this would be a great way to get prepared for our upcoming, what I feel will be a, cold winter. I have a ton of new gear that I want to test and this will be the time to do it.

As far as the upcoming trip on Mt Leconte, I am up for going but will only stay one night. I have to commute to the mountains and I would like to do and see as much as possible while I'm out. That is, unless, there are plenty of side trails and other places to explore nearby...although I do not like straying from my gear anytime much less in winter. Lets hear more details.

I'm here!

Great idea to start this blog Luke. I cant join you guys next weekend but if anyone is up for another
weekend trip I would be happy to plan for one in early January.

Hi, Travis. Good to have you along and see you on the trail.

What is a yaktrax?

Casey, I definitively got that hard on for Le Conte.

Second day out...

Ok, I've sent an email to Mirza and we still haven't heard from Web or Scott Reed, but it looks like this thing is working as planned. Chris, I'm on board with both the Yak Tracks and the moving on from Le Conte. I'm more about focusing on being in the elements for two days than I am actually practicing trail time, but it's good to keep moving. I think two days out will let guys know their deficiencies or extravagances with gear.
-Buko

I Hate REI

REI just robbed my wallet of some late night money. Their fucking sales sucker me in and kill me!! Anyway, the good news is I got my boots for January. Same as you Wa. Travis, it is nice to hear from you and we are happy to have you aboard. Talk to everyone soon...and looking forward to MNF against Tampa Bay. Biggest game Charlotte has seen since 2005! Peace

Yaktracks

I was just thinking about Leconte and the fact that it has snowed a shit ton this year in the higher elevations. Leconte holds snow for most of the year anyways but this year could be pretty bad. I don't know what trail we took but I remember it going up the side of the mountain with cables to hold on to. I would suggest picking up some yaktrax for everyone. It is more of a safety issue than the other BS gear discussions we get into sometimes.

Dunbar

Just Checking In

Just wanted to say hello to you guys and wanted to say thanks to Buko for setting this thing up. I would be up for the 19th - 21 as long the work schedule allows. I have been to the top of leconte and I am going to suggest that we move on instead of trying to stay up there for two days. There isn't alot of space around that lodge up there and it is generally crowded. Just a thought. Good meeting you Travis, it is always nice to have someone else join our little group of overpacking underhiking pansies.

Dunbar

Trail to the Top

Luke, I am not sure what route you were considering to the top of Le Conte, but I thought the Alum Cave Trail looked pretty awesome. If we all go, there is a chance we will be going up in different groups on Friday. This being said, I would like to hit the trail by about 1 PM that day, it is 5 miles to the top and seems rather strenuous. Here is a link to the trail...I recommend everyone check it out, if it does not give you a hard on for Le Conte, you have no hiking soul.

http://www.localhikes.com/Hikes/AlumCaveBluff_3840.asp

-Casey

The Perfect Leconte Camping Spot

After much research online, I found what looks to be the perfect base camp near the summit of Leconte! This link describes it, and even has some pictures. It looks like there is a granite wall that should block the wind which is likely to be whipping around up there at 6500 ft. This mountain is about 200 ft. shy of Mt. Mitchell so I do think this would be a good spot. Check it out and let me know what you think.

http://www.lecontelodge.com/

testing

ok, im on here, bitchhhh!

19th and 20th - Mt Leconte winter camp

Hey guys. So it looks like this weekend is shaping up to be a bust. In that case, I'm planning a trip up to Leconte on the 19th and plan to stay through the morning of the 21st. It gives a chance to be out there for a few days at pretty high elevation. Write a comment of you're in.