Trip Report - Salt Creek, May 1, 2014

[DAA]

You're most certainly very welcome! You'll be glad you did.

By the way - the Zpacks 30* rocked it on this trip. Did get cold the first night up by Cathedral Butte, but I think it got down well below freezing that night and everyone was cold, not just me. Plus, my pad was leaking and I woke up twice with it flat and had to blow it back up. And I don't think I was any colder than Jared or Randy, either. Randy was in a WM Sycamore I believe.

Rest of the trip it was great. Didn't get cold again at all, including the second night which got down somewhere into the 30's.

We had to carry bear cans on this trip, new reg for Salt Creek as of May 1st (our first night on the trail, naturally). I rented a Bearikade Weekender which Jared and I shared and took turns carrying. It's a tight squeeze getting the Bearikade into my ULA Circuit and once inside it takes up a LOT of room in my pack. But the Zpacks compresses down so small, I was easily able to fit it, plus all of my clothes and a couple incidentals inside the bear can, leaving enough room in the pack for the rest of my gear without having to carry any of it outside (except water filter, garbage and rain jacket - which I always carry outside in the mesh pocket anyway).

Anyhoo... I think I'm going to dig the Zpacks, as long as I don't make a habit of taking it well down into the 20's without a pad under it.

- DAA

 

[jackjoh]

Thanks.

 

[RogueJeepr]

Awesome report.

 

[ozzy702]

Why are bear cans required in an area with no bears? Sounds like a huge hassle for no benefit whatsoever.

Edit: Answered my own question, looks like bears occasionally come into the park from the mountains. It sounds like pretty thin reasoning to force people to use bear cans but then again the parks service is a political nightmare internally and this is probably coming down from someone out of state anyway.

 

[DAA]

Well, actually, from what I could see from sign on the ground, Salt Creek has as high a concentration of black bear as I've seen anywhere in the state. Fresh bear track was everywhere up the off trail side canyons and fresh poop was encountered regularly along the trail.

From what I have read, they get more numerous in there later in the season.

That said... In the upper canyon you are only allowed to camp in designated spots and the NPS already had ammo cans in place for food storage. I really do not understand the reason for doing away with those and making hikers carry bear cannisters instead. I mean, I do get being able to put the cannisters away from the camp, but, given that I don't think they have really had any problems, I think it's a fairly unreasonable policy change. It is what it is though...

But, the area most definitely does have bears. A lot of them.

- DAA

 

[ozzy702]

Good to know that there really are bears there, that's interesting. My guess is that the policy change had nothing to do with locals and was part of the wide sweeping push for bear canister use that officials from above having been forcing. Ammo cans are a much better solution than bear canisters in an area that you can only camp in designated spots in.

Glad to hear that you are liking your zpacks bag. I have one that I haven't had the chance to get out and use yet. Hoping I can convince the wife to let me sneak away for a few trips this summer.

 

[sixstringsteve]

I waited to read this 'till I had time to really take it in. Great report, I can't wait to see Randy's photos. This trip has been on my list for a while. I'm definitely doing it next year. What did you like/dislike about going this time of year? Were there reliable water sources? Is that your six moon designs? If so, how do you like it?

 

[DAA]

Steve, there really wasn't anything I didn't like about our timing. Except, that first night before actually hitting the trail - was pretty cold for my backpacking gear. Everything else though, perfect, not too hot, not too cold. Mosquitos were only an issue on the last half of the last day and even then, they could have been a lot, lot worse.

Water was everywhere. I understand the lower part of the canyon can get quite dry most years, but it was flowing the whole way for us on this trip.

No complaints on the SMD Skyscape. I'd buy it again. I wish it weighed less, of course. But, even then, it's not bad at all for being silnylon. 31 oz., all in counting everything - poles, stakes, guyouts, stuff sacks, everything. Doesn't flap too much in the wind, handles rain well, not very big but big enough for just me and my gear.

- DAA