Thanks everyone for your responses! I ended up calling the office and actually got through on my first try on a MONDAY!!! Anyway, the lady said, "yep those forms freak everybody out." haha Anyway, she couldn't change our campsite because Hermit Creek was full but Hermit Rapids actually sou...

Hey guys! Has anyone done the trail down to Hermit Rapids? My friends and I applied for a permit and they sent a letter saying they are holding it, but that it's a difficult trail, etc. etc. They want us to tell them our experiences in the GC, what tent we're carrying, etc. Do they do this for all n...

not sure about the tornado but Kelty's packs seem to be good overall. I love my Illusion! yep it does have less pockets than say, my husband's Kelty pack, but i've learned to deal (plus the side pockets are actually pretty nice)!

no problem Trish! Let us know what you end up with and how you like it!

Trishness: Have you looked at the Kelty Illusion? It was in Backpacker Magazine as a Best Buy and has a torso length of 12 - 17 inches. I'm 5'4" and it fits great on me, withthe usual pack adjusting. You can buy it on REI.com and they'll ship it to the store. I will admit, the color is a little...

I know this is an old thread but I saw some funny- more like clueless- hikers at Havasupai last weekend... We started our hike out at 5:00 before sunlight. By the time we got to the incline and switchbacks right at the end, it was totally sunny and wayyy too late to be starting a 10 mile hike in Aug...