Weekend Getaway.

I am going with some friends to do a weekend backpacking trip before a couple of the guys go to dental school. This is my list for one night. Let me know if there are any revisions that I could make.

Clothing:
-UA Shirt
-Patagonia Nylon Shorts
-Chaco Sandals
-Ball Cap
-Marmot Precip Rain Jacket
-Sunglasses
-Watch
-Gregory Advent Pro Backpack

Kitchen/Water:
-DIY Woodstove
-Lighter
-1L and 2+L Platy water bottle
-DIY Fire Starter
-Snow Peak Ti Spork
-MicroPur
-Bear Bag

Shelter/Sleeping:
-DIY Tarp
-DIY Hammock
-Alum Stakes
-Guylines
-Marmot Trails Sleeping Bag
-Blue CCF Pad
-DIY Bug Net

Misc:
-Treking Poles (Leki Pair)
-Headlamp
-1st Aid Kit
-Emergancy Fire Starter
-Camera (Fujifilm z20)
-Tripod
-Bug Spray
-Sunscreen
-Bible
-Journal
-Pen
-Knife
-Survival Kit (carried on person)

I might not take the pad (mostly an insturment of insulation not comfort in a hammock) because it is going to be so hot and I'll already have a sleeping bag. Food is going to be repackaged dehydrated and freeze dried foods. If anyone wants to put a menu together or post one they already have, that would be great. Since I've already stated (somewhere?) that I'm bad at planning meals becasue I always bring to much food.
Thats it. Sorry I don't have weights because I don't own a scale. Let me know what you think.

Looks pretty good to me. Depending on where I am, I may not carry the bear bag.

Also, have you ever tried skin-so-soft sunscreen that has bug dope in it? I use it occasionally and it works as well as my Ben's 100% DEET but for a shorter time. (You have to apply it more often - every 4 or 5 hours instead of every 10 or so with the DEET. I rarely wear sunscreen if I'm going to be in the woods, particularly this time of year when the foliage is so thick. Anyway, the combo stuff might save you a tiny bit of weight.

And have you ever tried a Tech Blanket? I can't even use my 40 degree bag this time of year because it's so hot at night. And if you're in a hammock, the Tech might work really well for you. I love mine. They're not spendy and they're light.

Questions: (out of curiosity) What's in your survival kit?

What kind of Bible do you carry? (I don't mean NIV or KJ--I read NIV--I mean, do you have an outdoor/lightweight edition?

the sunscreen will probably get left at home now that I think about it (I don't hardly ever get sunburned). I have tried a tech blanket, but I'm kinda iffy on them. The survivlal kit (for this trip) is the Adventure Med Kit version. Although I have some I have made myself, but they are in need of some supplies that I don't want to go out and buy. My Bible is either a small compact, full Bible or depending on what part of the Bible I'm reading, I might take a part of this Bible.

willky:
If it is not going to rain this weekend, I would leave the Precip at home. I, too, would leave the 40 degree bag at home. As hot as it's been, I would go with a silk bag liner, if you have one. That, along with your hammock, should be enough for this time of year.
I'm not sure that I would carry both platy water bottles. The 2-liter should be plenty.
I'm not a big chaco fan, primarily because of the weight, but I know that a lot of people use them, so to each their own.
UL

I don't have a silk liner and I'm really taking that bag because it is it highest rated bag that I own (strangely it isn't the lightest?). I have to have some type of cover just because I'm used to it. I'm carrying both bottles because one I'll drink on the trail and the other will be for camp use. The chacos are my hiking footwear. I haven't had any problems yet with them not being a closed shoe, but...never say never...I might change that after this trip. Who knows . Leaving the jacket behind is a good idea that I hadn't thought about. Even if it does rain, I can just use my tarp as a wrap and keep pretty dry like that. Thanks ya'll!

BTW, a note on sunscreen:

Some sunscreens smell like pineapples, coconuts, etc... If you're going to be in bear country, I would advise that no one put ANYTHING on their body that smells fruity. Bears like fruit. Not only that, but other creatures (like coons) are more likely to tear into a bag that smells sweet. There are other things (such as lip balm) which smell sweet/fruity as well, and I also advise against these.

Just a note.

Jay:
Can't think of the brand name right now, but they make odor proof ziplock bags that you can store your "smelly" stuff in to prevent animals from digging in your pack. As far as the fruity smelling sunscreens, I couldn't agree more. Not only will it attract bears, but I would imagine that it would attract more of the local creatures, such as coons, skunks, and a lot of bugs.
UL

Glad I ya'll are talking about this. I don't think I would have ever thought about sunscreen smells.

I think I'm going to leave the stakes at home (I've made them out of sticks before...guess I can do it again), the bear bag, rain jacket, emergancy fire starter (don't even know why thats there), and the coconut flavored bear attractant at home.

I'm hoping that I can find something else to drop too. Gotta get that weight down !

Have a good trip. Good luck with your Chaco's, I never hike without mine unless I am in snow. I love the feel of having almost nothing on my feet. For every pound off your footwear is like 5 pounds off youy back they say. No better way than to wear sandals. No worry about blisters, getting your feet wet isn't a problem, and if your real good on your feet your can keep yourself from kicking rocks and sticks. But like UL said they are not for everybody. Be safe, have a blast, and take some good pic's.

Will do snow. And yes...there will be cameras taken on this trip!

Where are you going anyway, and did you get your phone fixed, what is the meaning of life, and PLEASE tell me why I am here and not in Eden?

We're either going to do the Caney Creek/Buckeye Trail Loop, or the Sylamore (sp?) Creek Trail.

Phone is fixed, but I lost all the numbers actually saved to the phone (yes that included yours).

The last two I would lump together on the same topic, but I think we voted against a religious/political forum.

Any more questions ?

Trip fell through. It ended up being one of the guys girlfriends birthday this weekend, and he had already told her that he would go on a canoe trip with her. Some other people backed out for different reasons, and the trip fell apart. I could go canoeing, but I'm not a big fan of it.

I hate it when plans fall thru. I finally got my bathroom finished, which makes my wife very happy. The boys and I will be heading out for the Butterfield Sunday afternoon, or Monday morning. That is if I do not have to drive to Omaha Nebraska because her grandfather is in the hospital there. I understand that things come up like that, but there are times that I wish that things in life would take a break so that I could take one too

Dwight

Wilkey,

If you do get into the Caney Creek, Buckeye trail area some time in the future please let me know the condition of the trail. The wife and I (outlawpacker) cleared up the Buckey trail back in the spring. There had been some big pine trees that had been blown down on the Caney trial but the forrest service was in the process of cutting those up. Any way I would like know of the trail conditon. I was up in the area last Sunday and all of the creeks was running so water wouldn't be a problem.

willky:
That's a bummer that the weekend got cancelled. If I was going to be around this weekend, I'd go with you.
UL

I don't know how reliable they are, but the office I called (maybe the local forestry service) off of the Arkansas State website said that the trail was just fine.

UL,
Its cool. There will be plenty of other trips to take. Plus the temp started off this week being forecast at 92 degrees, but now it is up to 101 degrees. So, I'm not to disappointed, because I can do some heat but 101 degrees was going to be rough.

Willky,

The Mena office of the FS oversees the Caney Creek Wilderness. There number is:

479-394-2382

The District ranger is Jim Zornes: jzornes@fs.fed.us

The only reason that I mentioned the trail conditions was that there was several first had reports, one hiker I talked to on the Buckeye,
that said that there was large pine trees across the trail starting at the West end of the Caney trail to close to the junction with the
trail to Katey falls. I know that they were in the process of cutting these trees, with cross cut saws, but I haven't heard if they got them
all. I guess they did. I wouldn't let this discourage you anyway because this is a great place to hike. Beautiful scenery and plent of water. Be sure to visit Katey Falls if you go in.

I was really pumped about going to this place, because there were some new guys going with us that wanted to take an easy overnight trip. We were actually going to camp near Katy falls. I want to go there in the fall during leaf off so that I can see everything that the bluff that the Buckeye is on has to offer. I'll do it soon. I have really been wanting to do that trail and the Sylamore (sp?) creek trail too.

Willky,

Don't know if you have seen this video but it is a good one of the Buckeye and Caney Creek
Trail system:


Caney and Buckeye trail video

By the way a good campsite is up stream on Katy Creek above the falls.
Follow a trail on the left side of the stream and you should see a crossing of sorts
that will lead to the other side of the stream, I think North, and goes up a hill to
a nice flat campsite area. Let me know when you plan on going and we might could go
in also. Depends on the football schedule in the fall.