Compass and Gear

The Wilderness Travel Course is going well, and we're getting ready for the first overnight trip to Joshua Tree. The homework involved delving into map reading and understanding how to use a compass to find your bearings, locate points on a map, then plan your route to a location. I feel I understand it to a degree, but I have questions. The staff of WTC is awesome and helpful and I know with a little guidance I'll get the hang of things pretty quickly.

I needed camping gear: a tent, sleeping bag, cooking equipment, food, and clothing for cold weather. it was an expensive endeavor, but necessary to insure a safe and comfortable trip.  The tent I chose was a Big Agnes Copper Spur UL 3.  It's an amazing three-season tent tent with all the bells and whistles. It was easy and quick to set up (I did refer to a YouTube video to insure I was on the right track).

I chose a Marmot zero degree down sleeping bag for the warmth, and its really light. We will be doing a snow hike in March and warmth is key. I went with I chose a Thermarest pad and a ProLite Plus self-inflating mattress based on the recommendation of the REI staff. Although many choose a Jetboil or the like because it's quick and easy, I went with a Pinnacle dualist ultalight cooking system with a Gigapower mini stove for the versatility.

To test out my gear, I camped out in my backyard this past weekend.  I felt like a kid again. It was wonderful. Even though I wasn't in the wilderness (yet), I must say that being outdoors overnight was awesome. The night was pretty warm (in the 50s). and being outside was cathartic, bereft of the constant hum of electronics involved in keeping a home going (refrigerator, thermostat, etc.). I could hear some traffic on surrounding roads, but overall it was quiet and peaceful. I curled up in my bag and read until I was sleepy.

I slept very well that night and woke feeling rested, at peace, and energized.  When it came time to pack everything up again it was a snap.

Now, I just have to figure out how to compact everything into my backpack for the trip.  I bought some freeze-dried food for the trip, but I'm still figuring that out because I'd like to add some culinary delights into the mix.

This is turning out to be a great adventure. Looking forward to Joshua Tree.