In just ten days we will be at the Southern Terminus of the Pacific Crest Trail! We’ve finished preparing our mail drops, purchased our last needed pieces of gear, and sent our first package off yesterday.
Earlier this week we went out for another shakedown overnight trip up Mount Lemmon with our friend Efrain. The hike up Mount Lemmon ascends from the desert floor to over 9,000 feet in elevation, giving us a nice preview of the desert conditions ahead of us. Much of the trail was hot, exposed, and steep. Everything went really well and we had no issues with our gear. Paul decided to swap his hat for a visor, and I decided to add a bandana.
I’ve made a few modifications to my backpack. I converted the top drawstring enclosure to a roll-top, and I added loops for holding my ice axe. I also tested loading up the pack with snow gear and bear canister. At 26 lbs including 5 days of food, the load isn’t terrible, but I am debating on sending myself my old pack during the bear canister section, as the frame will handle the load and bulk a bit better.
We have also weighed and listed our gear on LighterPack, and added the link to my Pacific Crest Trail Gear List page. Check it out!