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Post by Coolkat on May 7, 2024 4:31:31 GMT -8
I'm asking because kind-of last minute I'd like to leave for a 7 day hike at the end of the week but will only have 2 evenings to get ready. Two of my four evenings are already taken with previous commitments. I've been gifted a Tarptent Stratospire Li that I've never tried to setup before and I'm not sure I'll have time to practice with that so I might just end up taking my old tent.
Anyway... how fast could you be ready for a 7 day hike if a friend asked you to go unexpectedly?
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kayman
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Post by kayman on May 7, 2024 4:47:08 GMT -8
Mostly I’m ready to go in a couple of hours. I have all my stuff organized in one area and I’m always stocked with fuel canisters and various backpacking food. I have a checklist I always go over to be sure I don’t forget something important. (Like a friend who once forgot his tent poles) I might have to swing by the store to pickup a couple of things but that’s about it. If I were you though I’d find some time to set up the new tent.
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balzaccom
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Post by balzaccom on May 7, 2024 5:30:20 GMT -8
Like Kayman, I have most of the stuff ready to go. But that doesn't mean that I would be sure about packing it all up. I COULD be ready in about an hour, plus any time for last minute shopping (salami for lunch?)
But I usually like to pack up a day or two early, and let the gear sit there. I almost always remember one more thing...
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ErnieW
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Post by ErnieW on May 7, 2024 5:58:06 GMT -8
I wish I could go on a short notice 7 day trip but my life has other plans right now.
If I was going and I was going as essentially a solo hiker I can get ready in a couple of hours. Download maps to phone, print emergency maps including one for home base itinerary, quick grocery trip, check weather then pack up.
Getting coordinated with your friend could take some time depending on their experience and how much you want to share gear and food (that can save weight)
One thing you can't affordably get online are fuel canisters. The closest REI is a 40 minute drive so when I go I stock up. If I didn't have fuel on hand this would be a chunk of time getting some.
At least in my area I can get Mountain House meals delivered same day from Amazon. If I ordered now they would be here by 6pm tonight.
And even I got a chance to practice a little with a new tent I would be a little nervous about taking it on a 7 day trip. I'd be more comfortable with a proven tent for that length of trip.
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ErnieW
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Post by ErnieW on May 7, 2024 6:01:23 GMT -8
But I usually like to pack up a day or two early, and let the gear sit there. I almost always remember one more thing... I've never really been able to do that. I keep asking myself did I really pack that item and sometimes have to dig into the pack to check. My preference is to lay everything out in a prep area then when it comes time pack everything. I like seeing it all go in just before I leave.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on May 7, 2024 6:41:36 GMT -8
My gear is pretty well organized and sorted, so most of my packing could probably be done in an hour. Food can be more challenging. On such short notice I’d need to use some commercial dinners, and revert to cheese and crackers for lunch. Probably the bare minimum to get food together for a 7-day trip would be several hours, assuming I had enough FD etc on hand. Still have to bag up breakfasts, shop for crackers, cheese, and snacks.
But as I approach the summer season I start putting stuff together, drying leftovers, etc. So in a best-case situation I’d just be grabbing a bunch of pre-packed stuff and heading for the door.
I do have and use a check-list. So far it stays on my iPad, but I am thinking about printing it so I can physically check stuff off.
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ErnieW
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Post by ErnieW on May 7, 2024 6:50:17 GMT -8
I guess another thing you have to figure out these days is how many mAh of charging packs to bring.
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zeke
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Post by zeke on May 7, 2024 8:26:39 GMT -8
I just moved and most of my stuff is still boxed up. My main obstacle would be convincing my wife. Gear and food could be packed in 3 hours, given I need to search the garage. Before this move, I would say 1 hour. I most always have FD food here. I would need to swing by a grocery for 2 items
ETA: I find if I have too much time, I just go over and over what I’ve packed. Even if I am completely sure of what is packed, I will still unpack and verify. A checklist printed off and checked off helps cure that.
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Post by atvtuner on May 7, 2024 8:56:25 GMT -8
Depends on the terrain, altitude, and expected weather. 24 to 72 hours for sorting and gathering. But I have get-home-bags in both the truck and the car. Could do 7 days cross country survival style at a moments notice. Foraging for water and extra food along the way. Sheltering same.
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Travis
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Post by Travis on May 7, 2024 14:25:39 GMT -8
Anyway... how fast could you be ready for a 7 day hike if a friend asked you to go unexpectedly? Two months. That's because the only places in which I'm interested in spending a week are now deep in snow. That also presumes... 1) that I actually have friends, 2) that some of those friends backpack, and 3) any of those backpacking friends could tolerate being around me for a week. In other words, what's the hurry?
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Post by High Sierra Fan on May 8, 2024 16:25:02 GMT -8
Hour or two maximum. Honestly probably less. I keep things together so it’d be a matter of locating the bins and selecting.She old Fletcher triad: kitchen, bedroom, trail.
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Post by Lamebeaver on May 10, 2024 4:05:39 GMT -8
In theory, a couple evenings is all I would need. I have multiple lists for different kinds of trips, so it's just a matter of gathering things together and checking them off the list. The most time consuming item would be doing the food prep.
Reality - 95% of the list comes together quickly, but there are two or three things I simply can't find, and I spend hours looking for them, only to find that they're sitting in plain sight.
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ErnieW
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Post by ErnieW on May 10, 2024 4:37:44 GMT -8
I have been assuming we are talking about trips where you are taking ground transportation (i.e. driving). Flying I would probably need a couple of weeks. I haven't done that in a long time and triple (or more) checking takes a while.
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Post by burntfoot on May 12, 2024 16:09:03 GMT -8
One day max. I once put together a 670 mile hike on the PCT when my summer job fell through and I had given away my apartment for the summer. Took me 4 hours.
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BigLoad
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Post by BigLoad on May 12, 2024 17:47:57 GMT -8
I can have gear together in an hour, but I usually do it several days in advance according to my spreadsheet. Food usually takes two days, but it can take up to a week if I'm dehydrating from scratch or there's something I can't find at the store.
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