Hi Tony,

20kg is roughly what I'd carry for a weekend.

I have just returned from a leg on the Bib Track (Walpole to
Denmark). I weighed my gear before I left. For 6 days on the track
my pack weighed 19.5kg. This was made up of pack, gear and metho
(approx 12kg), 4.7kg food, 2L water and 700g guidebook, maps and book
to read.

I took a 675g bivvy bag instead of the tent (2.9kg) since we had the
Bib Track huts and Steve carried the Trangia (1350g) since I was
carrying the metho. :)

So for a weekend the weight would be similar except I'd carry the
tent but there would be less food.



BTW: We had planned to walk from Walpole to Albany but the going was
pretty tough once we reached Conspicuous Cliff and we decided the
walk to Denmark was enough. Thanks to Andrew and Harry for
suggesting a night in the canoe-shed. That suggestion shaved 8km off
the walk through the Quorum Nature Reserve. The 16 or so kms from
the canoe-shed to Boat Harbour Campsite was pretty tough and indeed
so was all the way into Denmark. I found this coastal portion of
the Bib Track much more demanding than any of the forest sections I
have completed.

Having said that, the trip was far from doom and gloom. It was
great! I saw a broaching whale near Pt Irwin, heaps of kangaroos, a
bandicoot, wedge tail eagles, blue wrens and the scenery was
spectacular. The coast around the Rame Head is magnificent.

Another highlight was walking through so many vegetation types from
Giants to Rame Head. Giants is in the Tingle/Karri forest but soon
you are in "Coastal Plains Trail" country. There's a bit of swampy
coastal vegetation and also coastal scrub. Fantastic.

Crossing the Irwin Inlet on the canoe was a bit hairy since we
crossed as the cold front of Wednesday 20/07/05 came through. Wading
the Parry Inlet was okay. The sand underfoot was firm and the water
only thigh deep.

Don't give up, Tony.

Regards,

Paul

On 02/08/2005, at 2:19 PM, Anthony Dyson wrote:

> Greetings,
>
> Interested in comments on pack weights we actually carry (or at least
> aim to carry) on walks involving a night or two in the bush
> (including a
> tent).
>
> This follows my experience at the weekend of having to drop out on day
> one of a planned two-day walk on the Murray Valley Circuit [legs just
> gave out at the bottom of a very long, steep descent. There was an
> opportunity to cadge a lift back to Dwellingup with some motorised
> campers, rather than struggle on and hold back the rest of the
> group, so
> I took it. The other walkers were extremely kind about it all].
>
> In retrospect, it was the right decision. Going on would have been
> silly, and no fun at all. I grossly underestimated my fitness
> level, but
> the pack weight was a significant factor.
>
> After returning home, my pack weighed in at about 20kg. Add water and
> some food already eaten, and it was nudging probably 23kg, which I
> know
> is far too much. But it really contained just the basics: tent (2kg),
> groundsheet, sleeping mat, sleeping bag and silk liner, stove, fuel,
> food (with a prudent amount extra), poncho, one cooking pot, eating
> utensils, headtorch, camp shoes, fleece jacket and thermals etc. Not
> even any spare clothes, except one pair of socks.
>
> Do you find it easy to get down to about 15kg or less? I realise that
> replacing the MacPac Cascade with a much lighter pack will help, but
> what weights do you actually get to carry?
>
> Cheers,
>
> Tony
>
>
>
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