Packing Light

I have spent the past two days weighing and assessing every piece of hiking equipment that I own, recording their weights and preferences on an Excel spreadsheet in preparation for what I hope will be an exciting new year of bushwalking.

Last year, due to commitments to work and being a Maid of Honour at my best friend's wedding, I only managed a handful of day hikes with my hiking group. I regret not making the time to be able to attend any scheduled weekend pack carry trips and intend to make amends for it. As such, inspired by my new red Light My Fire spork weighing in at only 10 grams, I have attempted to reduce my base pack weight to below 9 kilograms (excluding food and water).

Luckily, I had weighed much of my gear before I departed for Nepal just over a year ago. I needed only weigh those items specific to camping and anything newly acquired. I confess that I became rather tenacious in my research and calculations as I have doggedly searched for ways to reduce weight so that I can better justify other items.

Those 9 kilograms include almost a kilogram entirely devoted to my being warm when the sun sets (down jacket and booties and lightweight polartec pants). After freezing 2 nights in a row on a mid-winter hike at Hattar Lakes 18 months ago, the mercury edging towards zero degrees Celsius beneath the clear skies, I'd rather carry that kilogram than be that cold again. So to keep the weight down, I've attempted to be clever on other savings.

The most obvious weight saving that I could make would be investing in a tent that weighs under 800 grams. At present I have a TarpTent Rainbow Double. It weighs 1300 with the optional liner (which assists with condensation associated with it being a single walled tent) and the 6 provided tent pegs. I love this tent. It is roomy and a breeze to set up. I have had the wind howling around my ears and a huntsman spider staring at me from the safety of the vestibule on the other side of the No See Um mesh, and it managed fine. And as the 500 gram saving would require approximately $400 investment, it's worth looking closer to home for weight savings for now. I will eventually make that investment, a larger tent does not warm up the same with body heat, but not right now.

I have identified another 450 grams that could be saved by much smaller investment. A 130 gram silk sleeping bag liner would be half the weight of the Sea to Summit Thermoreactor Plus liner that I am presently using (and am not entirely convinced works to the full extent advertised). Switching from an Optimus Terra HE Weekend cookset to an Optimus Terra Solo cookset and retiring a SnowPeak Titanium 450 mug would save another 160 grams although I am seriously considering making a titanium pot warmer in the style of the Caldera Cone (only to hook onto the pot set rather than wrap the canister) to improve fuel efficiency, which would reclaim some of that weight. An additional 100 grams could be shaved by modifying my toiletries system, such as a lighter cathole trowel and smaller containers for sunscreen and multipurpose biodegradable soap. And by exchanging my expensive but heavy Nalgene Wide Mouth 1 litre bottle for a Gatorade bottle, I expect to save a further 100 - 120 grams. I only want the bottle for easier water management than my Camelbak bladder and am hoping to use it as storage for toiletries and my glasses during the day as opposed to using a hard glasses case.

Caldera cone sourced from Trail Designs:

Trying to channel this resourcefulness, today I created a 13-14 gram deodorant stick by melting Rexona Crystal Anti Perspirant stick into a Nivea 4.8 gram lip balm container. Personally, I'm not ready to give up deodorant and it doubles as anti-chafe for under sports bras and other sensitive areas as discovered having previously developed terrible chafe in Nepal. I created a 30g version also which could probably used on much longer trips. This was melted down from my existing 75 gram stick. And just so that there will be no confusion and it mistakenly applied as a lipbalm, I even took the opportunity to buff the name from the tube's exterior using a four step nail block and using a Sharpie permanent texta to rename it. I also took the opportunity to halve the weight of my toothbrush by breaking it. And finally, the Light My Fire spork replaced both a folding MSR fork and spoon which were of much flimsier construction.

While these last changes may seem excessive, for little money and an interesting afternoon, I created an 80 gram saving which is the weight of my spare pair of socks or 3/4 of my spare t-shirt. I anticipate to make another 100 grams of weight savings by instituting similar scrimping measures to my other toiletries, such as using tooth powder and not toothpaste and a smaller mirror to put my contacts in.

I also tried to be discerning in what I included as my preferred carry list. Only one change of socks, underwear and t-shirt (if it is not raining, gear can be dried on the back of a pack if it doesn't dry following its rinse the previous afternoon or overnight, and odor resistant shirts have at least 2 days in them anyway). One pair of thermals and soft sportsbra for camp/night (not negotiable). I was drier in my Nepalese Sherpa poncho than my eVent Montane Athena jacket and suffered less condensation. The poncho is lighter, can be shortened by press studs when pack coverage is not required and can be worn with just gaiters (which I ordinarily hike in with my shorts, even in a Victorian winter) so waterproof pants are not required either. Although, if I were to walk through snow, I would reevaluate as I found that hiking through knee deep snow, it was sufficient to use a running t-shirt, Patagonia R1 Hoody, a Montane Windshirt, woolen buff and glove liners, and a pair of Marmont Pre-Cip Full Zip over my hiking pants.

After instituting the smaller changes, my pack will weigh in just over my goal weight at 9.2 kilograms. Those North Face polartec pants are a luxury that I'm not ready to give into yet. So too are the booties until I'm satisfied the jacket is enough. I suppose I could sacrifice my Keen Clearwater CNX sandals to gain another 450 grams if I really needed to scrimp during winter. In the warmer months, without the extra space required for the down, I do believe the space savings might actually permit me to limit myself to a 50 litre pack providing weight savings yet again which would place my base pack around 8.5 kilograms. Changing tents could further reduce this to a 8 kilogram pack in moderate weather.

I doubt I will ever be prepared to go ultralight but perhaps within the next 12 months I will be comfortably within the lightweight category, even when hiking mid-winter (in areas without snow).

Everest Circuit Rerouted IX: Machermo Porter Shelter & Rescue Post

Thursday, 17 October 2013 19:57 Hrs at 4470m (Machermo)

As rain fell in Namche Bazaar, so did snow in Machermo. It is knee deep in some places and in others maybe more. The peaks surrounding Machermo are little more than black rocks to the locals but with the recent dusting, it has become completely transformed into a valley of exquisite views. The white cut through by small stone buildings or walls, or by the heavy tread of yaks and trekkers and Nepalese alike.

The yaks intrigue us greatly to the horror of our sherpa guide, Basu. We all stand on the path with our cameras poised to capture a truly Nepalese photograph as he calls to us: “Safe side, safe side,” by which he means for us to keep to the uphill side of the trail in the event that we do get knocked over by one of these great, plodding beasts. Better to fall up the hill than down it. Although it certainly is interesting trying to step off the trail into thigh high virgin snow.

Of limited experience as I am with snow, I found it absolutely fascinating trekking through it. We passed the snow line quite early, within an hour or so of leaving camp, and I was surprised by how warm it was. I need only pull the hood of my Patagonia R1 over my head and sleeves down when the wind came up the valley. It was, otherwise, too hot to trek in a hard or soft shell. The trail was slick with mud and every step was with careful consideration. The use of a single hiking pole helped keep me on my feet when the step taken was not considered carefully enough and I skidded or slipped, most often on the declining slopes. I tried to remember to dig my heels in, but when it came to the last descent before camp – which Basu himself almost skied down in his leather hiking boots – I went off track using the deep steps made by other intrepid trekkers.

In Machermo there is an established porter refuge and medical centre called the Machermo Porter Shelter and Rescue Post. It offers porters with free accommodation and medical treatment including treatment of Acute Mountain Sickness or AMS, as provided by volunteer doctors from the UK. Westerners and travellers may utilise the medical services also but for a fee comparable to that in the US (at approximately $50 per consultation which is redeemable on travel insurance). A fee that assists to maintain the rescue post so that it continues to be free for the porters. Every afternoon at approximately 15:00hrs, the volunteers provide a free presentation on AMS, HAPE and HACE, and on the general wellbeing of the porters. For a nominal fee of 100 rupees (or USD$1.00), they will measure your blood oxygenation levels which are recorded as part of a study on normal oxygenation levels and acclimatisation at 4500m per age group. The wall was covered in names recording their value. Mine was 90-91% without Diamox (I have yet to require it); a very average figure judging by the number of names stuck to the wall against 90%. The highest in the group was 97% (on Diamox) and the lowest 80% (without Diamox). One of our porters was 97% also and the doctors were so pleased with his acclimatisation and his gear outfitting, as provided by World Expeditions, that they requested to take his photo in front of the centre.

The talk itself was really very moving. It amazed and horrified me that porters are often left to find their own accommodation at night and where there is none available, sleep in caves or under the stars. I could not imagine being so barbaric. Since the founding of the International Porter Protection Group approximately 10 years ago, tour groups more and more, have been better at outfitting and caring for their porters as trekkers with greater awareness know now to ask these questions of trekking agencies. Still, however, sick porters are turned away to make their way down alone, sometimes suffering HACE or HAPE. Only in Dole we watched on with disgust as another trekker made it clear to his porter he would rather the porter-guide not share his room that night nevermind that the porter was trying to convey to him that there was nowhere else for him to stay.

(Postscript: The volunteer doctors advised us all of an incident in which an unsupported trekker, having attended the AMS talk at the Rescue Post, came across a very unwell porter on his ascent toward Gokyo. The trekker had been unable to communicate with the porter but he soon located another Nepalese porter or guide and was able to communicate his concern that the unwell porter may have AMS. The porter was carried down to Machermo by the Nepalese porter or guide and despite being placed in an oxygen tent, needed urgent evacuation to lower altitude. The volunteers were able to fundraise the money required to evacuate the sick porter by helicopter within the day by approaching other trekkers that passed through Machermo which ultimately saved the sick porter his life. Porters often come from the lowlands and are not acclimatised when they commence trekking for a company. They are just as susceptible to AMS, HACE and HAPE and can die if they are abandoned by the tour group and forced to find their own way down the mountain because they are too sick to continue.)