Wyeth to 418 Tr Junction 06-Feb-2011
Posted: February 6th, 2011, 5:19 pm
No disrespect to the Superbowl but sitting on my couch inhaling buffalo wings didn't seem sufficiently aerobic so I decided to go up the Wyeth trail: (1) for the exercise, (2) to try out my new Garmin 60CSx GPS unit (seemingly no longer carried by REI but Amazon's discount almost paid for the requisite maps), and (3) to do something about that abandoned tent noted by airdrum on 1/23. The weather - a drippy mix of clouds, mist, and condensation on the trees - didn't allow for any views.
The tent was at about 3000' and I'd brought along a very large garbage bag to haul out the remains. It looked like someone had set up the tent, then done a lot of eating inside it - there were several eaten and partially eaten (and rotting) MREs inside, along with used glow sticks, and spent hand warmers. Empty pepperoni packages, more spent warmers, and a ripped open tin can were also scattered around the site. At some point one of the fiberglass poles must have shattered, collapsing the tent, and forcing a move to a makeshift shelter of pine boughs and a mylar blanket (also left in the trees). It must have been a terrible introduction to backpacking but there's simply no excuse for not having packed this cr*p out! By the time I'd gathered together all this junk (including the soggy and foul smelling tent), the garbage sack was half full, weighed at least 10 pounds, and was larger than my daypack.
By way of compensation, on the way down I had the pleasure of meeting Don Nelsen in person as he was coming up Wyeth after exploring Gorton Creek. He gave me some pointers on the 60CSx and then I continued on down with my extended load. I picked up some more trash on the way - sufficiently suspicious to be carried at the end of my trekking pole - and was real glad to dump everything into the dumpster behind the bathroom in the campground.
I got exercise (and then some with that extra 10 lbs), removed some trash from the backcountry, decided the 60CSx was a keeper, and got to meet Don Nelsen - a very good day all around.
The tent was at about 3000' and I'd brought along a very large garbage bag to haul out the remains. It looked like someone had set up the tent, then done a lot of eating inside it - there were several eaten and partially eaten (and rotting) MREs inside, along with used glow sticks, and spent hand warmers. Empty pepperoni packages, more spent warmers, and a ripped open tin can were also scattered around the site. At some point one of the fiberglass poles must have shattered, collapsing the tent, and forcing a move to a makeshift shelter of pine boughs and a mylar blanket (also left in the trees). It must have been a terrible introduction to backpacking but there's simply no excuse for not having packed this cr*p out! By the time I'd gathered together all this junk (including the soggy and foul smelling tent), the garbage sack was half full, weighed at least 10 pounds, and was larger than my daypack.
By way of compensation, on the way down I had the pleasure of meeting Don Nelsen in person as he was coming up Wyeth after exploring Gorton Creek. He gave me some pointers on the 60CSx and then I continued on down with my extended load. I picked up some more trash on the way - sufficiently suspicious to be carried at the end of my trekking pole - and was real glad to dump everything into the dumpster behind the bathroom in the campground.
I got exercise (and then some with that extra 10 lbs), removed some trash from the backcountry, decided the 60CSx was a keeper, and got to meet Don Nelsen - a very good day all around.