9 Corner Lake Hike

I spent Sunday, April 30th, going thru every item in my pack, including my pack, and weighing each item. All that did not get weighed were clothes, bear canister, and some items I don't have yet like a stove shield, tent repair kit and things like that. I removed all excess packaging from tent pegs, tent poles, heavy bags, etc. Without the water in the water bottles, and as far as I can tell, nothing in the pack that's unnecessary, the pack weighs 56 pounds. Fill the water bottles and I'm at over 60 pounds. I put the pack on Wednesday the 3rd and my husband and I went for a hike to 9 Corner Lake in Pine Lake, NY. It's a pretty popular hike cause it's only .9 mile to the lake and it's a pretty good spot for swimming and picnicing. I can carry that pack but do I want to on a 9 day hike, or for 6 months on the Appalachian Trail? I don't think so.

So using information from an article in this months Backpacker Magazine I researched some lighter gear. I went to Gossamer Gear for a gear check and to Ursack for light weight bear canisters. The Ursack canisters are very light but I wonder if they're acceptable to NYS Dept. of Conservation (DEC) and the states the Appalachian Trail wanders thru. Only way to know is make some phone calls. The Gossamer Gear site was great. Lots of info on their lightweight gear. It would definately take 20 or more pounds off my pack. My thoughts are that the tent, primarily a tarp, will not provide much protection from weather or bugs. The pack is designed for lighter weights but I'm wondering how comfortable the pack is to wear. My current pack is comfortable, just too heavy. I guess I need to call them too.

This morning I spent with my mom, digging out a weed filled flower bed. I had to reset several of the cement blocks edging the bed. At lunch time my husband and I took a bike ride. It's such a beautiful day, I had to stay out longer. It was the 1st time out on my bike this year. We rode around the local area for about 30 - 40 minutes. So today I had a really good workout. I'm still planning to hike the Northville - Lake Placid trail at the end of July, heavy pack or not.