Glacier Peak Wilderness High Buck

[nwalpineguide]

Nwalpineguides High Mountain Hunt Equipment List:

Specific to the Glacier Peak Wilderness high hunt where crowding does not occur, plentiful 185+ class B&C bucks gamble in open meadows at 10:00AM, and where everyone plays nice in the sandbox together.

The equipment from the following list will not work in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, Buckhorn Wilderness on the Olympic Peninsula, the Pasayten or the Sawtooth Wilderness of Idaho. It just wont! Sorry.

My Philadelphia lawyer has advised me to provide a disclaimer should someone actually purchase equipment on my recommendation then perish using it
 
 
Disclaimer: this is America. The freedom to choose whatever you want to put in your pack is your perogitive. Don't blame me if you ... well, you get my drift.  

In addition, what works for me may not for you. What I like, you may not. I'm not perfect nor am I an expert. Just an average guy who likes to hunt and fish in wilderness.

My equipment list:

1. toothpick
2. 12' of green dental floss
3 diet ice water.

That's it!


JUST KIDDING!

If you don't realize it yet. I don't take myself seriously and that means I probably don't you.   The Trail Blazers and planting fish has damaged me somehow.


Cotton Kills!   So, if you want to die; albiet die in comfort, always wear cotton clothing. Base layer, mid-layer and storm gear. Also, stay away from wool, down (duck or goose) and synthetic oil based fibers. They're way over rated. I find that for all my clothing, and a sleeping bag, that a plain old white cotton bed sheet protects me in all weather conditions all year long. Especially in January with a 36 degree driving rain. I'll repeat myself because I think positive re-enforcement is a good way to learn. Cotton KILLS!



Backpack:           I use an Eberlestock Blue Widow, I go in heavy and come out heavier if I harvest an animal.
Ammunition:       Handloaded Nosler Accubond, Swift Scirocco and Barnes TSX rounds based on the rifle I arbitrarily decide to hunt with.
Knife:                 A sharp functional one and the knowledge of how to use it.
Headlamp:          Black Diamond Icon. You can see all the way to Disneyland with this thing. Powered by Energizer Ultimate Lithium batteries.
Stove:                MSR Pocket Rocket Stove. 2 8.0 oz. fuel canisters. Hey, it for boiling water. I keep it simple stupid.
Mess Kit:            Lexan fork and spoon, non-descript 28 oz capacity plastic cup.
Camera:             Canon Digital Rebel XT and EFS 17-85mm Lens and batteries. This pig weighs a ton!
Under Armour:    Long underwear bottom and tops.
Toothbrush:        Some people, Trail Blazers especially, are only casually aquainted with their Dentist, toothbrush and paste.
Wool Gloves:       Self explanatory; basic woof and warp fabric in the shape of a hand.
Pants:                Any material on this planet as long as they are Wool or Synthetic (fleece, pile etc).
Watch/Alarm:     Mine is a Casio Pathfinder altimeter watch. I navigate in 3 dimensions not two; a map is two. I don't use a GPS. The military (USAF) taught me in the 80's how to navigate on patrols at night with a map and compass. The Trailblazers taught me to be a defiant reprobate.
Spotting Scope:  Mine is a Nikon XL something or other. It works. From the summt of Buck Mountain where I hunt, I can see all those hunting camps above Massie lake, on Helmet Butte, Pomas Pass, Castle Creek Basin, Martin Ridge, Pyramid, even to etc, etc, etc.
Tripod:               Mine cost about $12.00. It works to steady the spotting scope so I can see those 180 class bucks running away from everyone.
Rangefinder:       Mine is a Nikon Laser 800 or some such model. It's powered by Energizer Ultimate Lithium batteries.
Map:                   Mine are custom made by topozone.com or terraserver ...or something. Then, I customize them with observational data.
Platypus:            Water container that holds 100 oz. I have a love hate relationship with it. You know what I mean.
Tarp:                  Bright Blaze Orange 10 X 12, used separately or above my tent. The blaze orange so everyone can find me. I'm a social creature.
Tent:                  MSR Hubba Hubba. I use a tent mostly to keep those vampiric insects from me. I don't carry the tent-fly unless I'm above tree line.
Sleeping Bag:     I use a Lafuma 800 or 600 during high summer. From Labor Day weekend to July 1st; A goose down bag comfort rated to 20+ F.
Sleeping Pad:      What else? A Thermarest pro something. They don't give 'em away. $100.00 I think.
Storm Gear:        Frogg Toggs top and bottom. They work for me. Might not for you. A little warm they are as they don't breathe.
Hat:                   Wool or fleece, I use several based on conditions.
Sweater:             Might as well have the best! Filson outfitter for late fall and winter, Fleece one for the high hunt.
Game Bags:        Any kind that works. And meat within trash compacter bags to sink under spring water. Life begins at 40 F. Bacterial.

Your obediant servant!

nwalpineguide

[Ridgerunner]

Great list, can't wait to get up there and shoot the first 180 buck I see running from everyone.  Sounds like it will be fun.

[JackOfAllTrades]

nwalpineguide,

Water filter preference? Food?

[uncoolperson]

glacier peak breakfast of champs

[actionshooter]

This thread is annoying  

See you all in the high hunt

 I think I'll print maps of all the hot spots in the GPW.......... You know, the kind they sell at disneyland that have little dotted trails to all the main attractions. AND THEN if I could get away with coin operated turn-stalls right next to the gold stars (secret holes) on the map.

 I'd be a rich man!!   

[actionshooter]

Hey wait! Whats a parking pass cost at disneyland??  Trailhead parking passes gotta be worth at least? What $30 a pop?

 I'll try to cut the NF in for half, with the budget shortfalls I'll bet they bite. 

[nwalpineguide]

It appears I forgot some critical items from my all inclusive list. Or, perhaps your lists...


I use sharp rocks, preferably with a high silica content, like quartz has, or gabbro, as well as prickly pine cones in place of sissy toilet paper.
This, in support of and deference to spotted owls and any other living thing that uses tree fibers. Toilet paper is over rated. Much like wool from sheep and down from ducks and geese. I've often wondered why people thought I had a hitch in my get-up and am ill-tempered. I also left out my basic survival kit and hunting license and tags. Oh, I almost forgot, the dryer lint from my back pocket is a critical item I use to start fires with. I beg your forgiveness for missing this one.

I don't carry a water filter. I've had Giardia and probably 13 other gastrointestinal parasitic disorders. That last trip to the wonderful Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in '84, and lapping water like a dog one time within a culvert on the Suiattle river road in August put me over the tipping point. What I do have now is a good reference point for when my colon is fine and the alternative.

Food: what? You folks actually eat when hunting?  The TrailBlazers only taught me to drink. Something called Knob Creek.

I typically lose 10-12 pounds on a week long high hunt. I'm there to hunt and hike not feast. Besides, I just can't backpack alot of food with me. Some of it is heavy and bulky. Again, just my opinion. Moreover, extreme physical work like backpacking on a high hunt, in the places I do, acts as a natural appetite suppressant. I guess that's a good thing as long as what I'm eating provides enough nutrition to fuel my body.

Breakfast: instant oatmeal (2) packets, instant coffee drink, maybe a Pop-Tart.

Snacks: gorp, beef jerky, Cliff-Bar, dried fruit, GU, maybe Ramen noodles every other day and lots of kool-aid or gator-aid drinks etc. Adequate Hydration is important. So is a vitamin/mineral supplement to keep muscles from cramping too much.

Supper: What else? Mountain House, Richmoor AlpineAire brands freeze dried or dehydrated meals. 2 serving type.

Look Ma, NO PICTURE!

kind regards,

nwalpineguide

[ghgetter]

Well, I know I will be staying away from Little Giant this year.

[Miles]

Great thread, great pictures, and great information nwalpineguide!
Thank you for sharing some of your experiences with us.

[Skyvalhunter]

How do you feel about cotton again?? water filter what the hell is that? Ohh almost forgot to post the picture of the bath tub!!

[JackOfAllTrades]

Agree'd that cotton can kill.. One has to be intellegent enough to know when to take it off. (before it gets wet)

I'll keep using my Katadyn water filter.  Like was said before, 'life begins at 40 degrees'.

And TOILET PAPER IS NOT OVER-RATED! Neither are baby wipes!

Anyone use the little blue bags? 

-Steve

[TwoFeet]

I think I found the rock that is behind them in the first picture using google earth.  Looks like a new place to try out next year.  GPW here I come...

You can make fun if you want, I've seen it happen here and there are guys on this site that have been screwed and won't post a pic at all.

 Good areas without a ton of guys are hard to come by.

With all the "outfitters" and "guides" packing guys, most of whom have no business being in the backcountry, back in close to many of my honey holes, seems like the big boys are getting more nocturnal by the year.  I can't tell you how many of these "professionals" I've watched completely screw up areas that held quality trophy animals.  It's really too bad, but makes me train even harder and scout even more thoroughly.  If only I'd won that powerball...then I wouldn't have to work and could put in months of climbing/scouting.  One of my hunting mentors taught me many years ago that the most important part of your hunt comes months before you ever pack your rifle.

[Skyvalhunter]

They have as much of a right to be in there as anyone else.

[Armadillo]

 

[TwoFeet]

They have as much of a right to be in there as anyone else.

Very true, but it's just a wee bit frustrating sometimes...