Superstitions March 21 2009

[gcahal]

I am new to all of this. I am looking for some fun, easy going people that would like to maybe try and meet up and hike in. I have only been out that way once and it was to Freemont Saddle. I was wanting to camp for the night as well. Does anyone know of any good places to go? I was looking at maybe Pinyon Camp. Seems fairly close to the Peralta trailhead. I am a complete beginnner with all of this so any advice and or support would be appreciated.

[te_wa]

i think a great way to get members to join, is to make this a group hike in the "hiking events" forum. Pinyon camp is nice and all, should be water still in the bedrock pools. Look for a lone, tall dead pine tree. There are several sugar sumac trees still there and it has a nice secluded feeling despite being only 15 feet off the trail. As a beginner, Pinyon camp is reliable and easy to find. If you want something more challenging, either now or in the near future, you can take Bluff Spring trail to Dutchman and over to LaBarge Spring. There is also some nice spots for camping there, and a reliable spring on the n. side of the creekbed.

[gcahal]

If i could figure out this website, i could check the maps and see how that goes. by reliable spring, i assume you mean its drinkable? one question i do have is when you all are packing in and camping, what do you do for firewood? Bring it in? Like I said I am new to all of this and want to make sure I am doing things correctly. I mean i have been camping before but only in places I could drive in to. an helpful advice and links would be much appreciated.

[big_load]

by reliable spring, i assume you mean its drinkable? one question i do have is when you all are packing in and camping, what do you do for firewood? Bring it in?

Reliable means you can generally count on it having water when you get there. I really hesistate to say "always" instead of "generally". "Drinkable" is in the gut of the beholder. ;)

I almost never do campfires, especially in grassy areas.

[mttgilbert]

Second Water is also a popular destination and usually has reliable water as well. Most all of the water in the Supes is drinkable (although it should be treated or filtered by some means). Reliability is part and parcel with availability.

I also generally skip fires. There's usually little to no wood available (especially in the western supes, and especially in popular sites), that and there's usually no need for one anyway; it's warm enough to get by without one and stoves are more efficient for cooking.

[nonot]

You should generally filter your water, though I've drank from the Labarge Spring directly with no ill effects.

Most of the creeks and streams are probably still running so water shouldn't be a problem this early in the year, it would be good of you to buy a water filter, I recommend the ceramic filters.

Pinyon camp might be a good start if you want to start with something easy, but I really like camping near Labarge Spring.

For wood, pick up the deadfall around your campsite, noone backpacks their wood in. Be careful if there is alot of grass around or if everything is really dry you might do without a fire. Overcamped areas probably might not have that much wood, it's getting to be a real problem finding nice firewood in some places.

If you want to go to places you aren't likely to see alot of people then there's a few other suggestions I might have.

[gcahal]

Well as of tonight, my buddy that was gonna go canceled. My son cant go either as its his weekend to be at his moms. I have a basic filter id call it. Im bringing more than enough for myself for a day and night, but ya never know. I was looking at that labarge sprig trip and i dunno. Going in alone and being a beginner, that might not be the route i should take. I also picked up a small propane stove and some small cook ware from SProtsmas today. IM on a tight budget.
heres my list so far.

1. 5 foot by 6 foot tent.
2. Mummy style sleeping bag rated 30 degrees
3. 2 small coleman propane tanks with stove. ( borrowed not sure of brand or specs)
4. 10 half liter bottles of water.
5. 2 liter camelpack
6. backpack
7. inflatable pillow with a fleece blanket.
8. white 3 bulb LED flashlight with 8 AA batteries.
9. 500 gallon capable water filter. fits inline on the camelpack hose.
10. map
11. 2 unopened lighters.
12. change of socks.
13. small pack of my daughters baby wipes
14. camera
15 sweatshirt with hood

thats it as far as I can think. i havent been able to aford cheap GPS as of yet so i shall stick to well defined trails.
am I missing anything?

[Tough_Boots]

That seems like quite a load to pack in for just one night. How big is your stove? If its just one of the little backpacking stoves that screws on to the top of a propane tank, I would think twice about packing that second tank. Test it to make sure its good but if its new, you won't run out of gas on one overnight unless you're trying to cook thanksgiving dinner. Usually for me, its not the weight of my pack that bothers me-- its fitting in everything comfortably. I also don't usually pack in a sleeping bag unless I think its gonna be really cold. One or two blankets fit in my pack better and do the job just fine.

Take a good sized knife. You'll be amazed at how many things you'll need a buck knife for when camping. Also, take a first aid kit and I always take needle-nose pliers (anyone else ever meet a cactus in the dark?)

Here's one I learned the hard way. Unless you spent top dollar on your tent, go out and buy better stakes. That garbage that comes with the package is useless in the AZ dirt if a gust of wind comes up and your tent is empty. You'll be chasing your shelter!

[gcahal]

LOL!!!!! thanksgiving dinner now that is funny. the stove is a tiny little thing that screws on to a bottle. SO yeah no thanksgiving dinners. Sleeping bag weighs 2 pounds if that. I do need a first aid kit that is for sure. I have needle nose pliers, gotta throw those in. BUt yeah its like i read on here elsewhere. Us new guys tend to overpack and we lighten up as we get used to it and learn a bit more. I will for sure get some better stakes for the tent. This is more for me to just get out and about and prove to myself i can do stuff like this. Sure id LOVE to say i packed in 10 miles but who am i kidding...id end up on the news as missing.....

[BobP]

Alot of people have posted their Pack lists. You can scroll thru these to get ideas. If you click on forum and say click on looking for a hike. Over to the left you'll see popular topics and under that are people's pack lists. just start clicking for ideas

[nonot]

I hate to say it but your sleeping bag may be overrated, what brand/model is it?

[nonot]

1. 5 foot by 6 foot tent.
Something to improve upon in the future but OK for now.
2. Mummy style sleeping bag rated 30 degrees
see above reply.
3. 2 small coleman propane tanks with stove. ( borrowed not sure of brand or specs)
only need 1 tank unless the other is feared near empty.
4. 10 half liter bottles of water.
Hmmm, ok for now but in time maybe look into getting a MSR dromedary.
5. 2 liter camelpack
6. backpack
7. inflatable pillow with a fleece blanket.
8. white 3 bulb LED flashlight with 8 AA batteries.
Why 8 batteries?
9. 500 gallon capable water filter. fits inline on the camelpack hose.
This means that your camelback would be forever contaminated unless you clean it out really well with bleach/water mix. But some people like the inline filters.
10. map
Bring a compass too, they're cheap and with just the map you might still have problems.
11. 2 unopened lighters.
12. change of socks.
good idea.
13. small pack of my daughters baby wipes
I recommend the big wet ones from wally world.
14. camera
15 sweatshirt with hood

Hmmm, what about food and snacks? You work up a mean appetite backpacking.

[gcahal]

Lets see the sleeping bag was a 20 dollar thing i got at Ralphie's Red Ryder sporting goods. The stove changed actually today i got a PRIMUS stove. it can use a 4 ounce or 8 ounce tank. Quite small.
What is a MSR dromedary?
8 AA... thats just what i had LOL my flashlight takes 4 and JUST IN CASE i accidently turn it on or soemthign and they go dead.
The inline filter. im just gonna fill this camel pack up before i go out. Some of those water and ice places taste funny to me.
IM actually looking at gettinga handheld GPS that has the electric compass and other features. i was looking at a magellon 500 tonight at REI on sale fro 173.00 but i dunno enough about those to really know what id need.
baby wipes...LOL hers just smell really good.

oh yeah DUH,, FOOD
bagels and peanut butter
some of the granola bar type snacks.
and I was looking at some of the food packs that you just add hot water. serves 2........dehyrated pack i think they are...

[te_wa]

do not buy a magellan. others will back me on this.

get a Energizer headlamp from Wallmart. its around $12 - a great choice and it also has a red light i believe (for night vision)

mtn house.. lasagna meat sauce, beef stroganoff, chicken mashed potato, the others are nasty

a dromedary is a red plastic bag that holds water. a 2 liter soda bottle does the same thing, for free

if the wipes remind you of your daughter, bring em!

the 4oz iso/butane gas will usually boil 2 cups of water, about 10 times

get the "beartooth superstitions" map

food: eat sugars and carbs during the day, at night eat fats. in that order, strictly. Sugar is sleep-robbing and fat will help you stay warm all night.
Jack Daniel's also should make the list.

enjoy!

[rushthezeppelin]

I did not a see a sleeping pad anywhere in that packlist. Without something underneath you your liable to freeze your butt off quite literally.....compressed insulation is no good. I would suggest just grabbing a cheap 10 dollar blue pad from wally world and that will easily get you down to 30ish on the ground.

[azhiker96]

There is water in the wash that runs by pinyon camp. I went by there today and saw a nice size pool about 50yards south of the camp. Also, there's an abandoned 10x10 sun shelter about midway between pinyon camp and Fremont saddle. It looks like one of the cheepie ones from Harbor Freight, the poles were black pvc. It's setup in the drainage right by the trail. There was also a little bit of brush, small limbs cut and piled next to the fire ring. Enough for a small fire if you need/like one. Lots of water everywhere in the Supes right now. You should have fun wherever you go. I would suggest the map, Superstition Wilderness by Beartooth. No need for a gps really unless you don't like maps or plan on extensive off-trail adventures. Have fun and be safe!

[gcahal]

I ended up getting a Garmin Vista H form REI. after reading the headaches people were having with magellons. crap! pad, yeah i did forget that. ugh another trip to wally world LOL. LOL JACK DANIELS.....yuck, too many flash backs to a night in highschool days.......I ended up gettinga crank/windup LED light wind for a minute and it lasts for an hour...Has a rdaio and phone chargers.........i dunno it was 10 bucks.... the ONLY real thing left on my worry list is i guess the obvious. what are the rules for when i have to go to the bathroom? dig a hole and hope i dont get bit???

[nonot]

buy a sturdy plastic shovel and carry TP in a ziplock to keep TP dry if it rains. Dig a cathole, do your business and bury it. Always stay at least 300 yards from a water source.

[gcahal]

what is the "beartooth superstitions" map? OH and BTW you guys are great. I usually hate posting on boards due to the lack of nice people. But this board has made me change my mind

[joebartels]

It's a map of the Superstition Wilderness with all the trails plotted, it also has the Four Peaks Wilderness on it too. Available at REI or better yet...

Wide World of Maps
2626 West Indian School Road Phoenix, AZ 85017
1444 West Southern Avenue Mesa, AZ 85202
7325 East Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard Scottsdale, AZ 85260