01 Crossing Wild River Wilderness – Planning and preparations

2024-02-01 Udar Gromov People, Places 0

Everything is ready for the trip to Wild River wilderness. This time I am planning to stay in the wild 2 nights from Friday to Sunday and return to the car on my bike on Sunday. Monday as usual would be a “freelance” day for light exploration and contemplation.

I will carry a large KELTY backpack that I inherited from my former boss – Gary Welsh. He most likely took this vintage backpack to his trips to Nepal (before 1996). All this time this backpack was gathering dust in my basement, and only this year it finally dawned on me that I do not have scramble for space and eliminate either sleeping bag or tent, if only I take this spacious professional strength backpack. I washed it, dried it, and fitted it to my back. There are so many different way to adjust and fit. Simply amazing. Unfortunately, KELTY web site only goes back to 1999 backpacks for instructions and caring guides.

To reduce clutter and to combine GPS, and camera, and long lasting battery in one device I bought an iPhone APP – iHikeGPS ($8 + tax). This APP allows using your phone as a GPS device, even if there is no cellular signal on your hike. This is done by downloading an unlimited number of topo maps from several US and Canada sources. You can create Route in advance using waypoints on the map. It will track and record your progress on the map in several dimensions: longitude, latitude, altitude and speed. This application continue to track even in background. To prevent fast battery drain, I also bought Jackery Air Premium Ultra-thin Aluminum Portable Charger 5000mAh External Battery Backup Power. This little orange battery has a size of iPhone, and holds up to 2 complete changes for iPhone. It will be very handy in the wild, where there are no known receptacles.

Weather is looking 50-50. It will relatively warm: 17-18-21-26°C and probability of rain is 50-60-30-20% on each of four days. It is much better than cold and rain last Memorial weekend in 2013.

To be less dependent on water and fire, I am taking a couple of new things with me onto the hike. Potable Aqua Plus Water Purification Tablets ($12 at EMS) to be able to drink water from the streams, and Magnesium Emergency Fire Starter ($13 at EMS). When I was packing for one night I can carry enough water for the whole trip, but with 2 nights – I better to use local water and just purify it. As for fire, your matches can get wet and fail you, when you must have a fire. However, this Magnesium fire starter option seems to be very reliable and even a bit exciting. According to instructions, you create magnesium shavings with a knife on one side and create a spark with a flint on the other side of the starter.