Ice Branch Refurbished Ham steak Overnighter-24F/3.lbs. 14 oz. gear

Discussion in 'Adventure, Hiking, Backpacking and Travel' started by bearthedog, Feb 13, 2018.

  1. bearthedog

    bearthedog Member

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    I don’t love many things as much as I do winter camping. As my friend Jay (JV3) said, it weeds out the crowds, snakes and bugs. I only have a problem with crowds of people; snakes and bugs are always welcomed in my camp. Truth is…solitude is golden. I like the silence, so something needs to be great and amazing in the woods to break that silence for me.
    This was a very quiet camp full of solitude…until the fox called out at 3am!

    With temperatures about 24F (-4.4C), one thing was certain, I’d need a lot of wood. My plan was to sleep near a long-fire until it got to about 1am or until the wood was low. Then I’d use my Mountain laurel superlight bivy and homemade quilt (40F rating). As long as I sleep with my clothes on as part of my sleep system, as well as load up on calories before sleep…I’d be toasty into the low 20s. I always pack superlight or what is known as super hyper-light, which usually means a base weight of less than 4 pounds of gear (not food and water or clothes worn). This something I have been doing for at least 10 years now and with total comfort on the trail and in camp.

    Going In

    The trail was already on the icy side, which would prove to get worse.

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    Alpaca Peruvian one-piece head wrap. Scarf beanie in one!

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    Gathering water I noticed the new winter species of trees…here is an ice branch from it

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    The Beech trees were still hanging on

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    I left two kettles/pots full of water needing to be boiled…they had naturally turned to ice.

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    Eventually…coffee was on!
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    My personal ESEE RB3 knife was recently given back to Shon Rowen at Shot Show so he can redo my factory edge as I have given it a convex from 3 years of use. He also touched up the spine so that it is as sharp as the newer model Camp-Lore knives are. Glad he didn’t try to clean the knife, I earned the patina!

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    Many deadfalls have littered me with an ample supply of wood!
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    Snacked on pot stickers again, this time I used the tray that came with this cheap pot t steam them in by filling the bottom with water.
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    Camp from afar
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    Inside look
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    Many hardwood logs of maple and oak are needed so sustain a long-fire through the night. About 10-12 logs were used, including poplar and beech to get it all started.

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    The giant ham steak
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    This color sky often means snow is coming!
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    Ham
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    Glow of the long-fire
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    All was well and quiet until the fox started yapping in chorus with one another. It was quite nice, definitely worth breaking the silence for.
    The way out had gained more ice as the temperatures dropped and snow started falling.

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  2. artigas

    artigas Member

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    Nice outing. Did you end up staying warm?
     
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  3. Theo

    Theo Member

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    I am impressed with your super ultra lightweight gear load. Sounds more like the weight of many EDCs!
    What, if anything, did you use to process up the firewood?
     
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  4. Jeff Randall

    Jeff Randall ESEE Knives / Randall's Adventure & Training Staff Member

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    Nice stuff, as always.

    Speaking of layering up, a buddy of mine summited Denali last May. He said that most folks had -20 and -40 degree bags. He went with a 0 degree bag and just slept with his layers on. Said he was pretty comfortable. I think I'm carrying a -100 degree bag if I ever get to go, plus a can of gas to set it on fire with.
     
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  5. Strigidae

    Strigidae Administrator Staff Member

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    We call it camping season. After deer season and before spring. No major bugs to worry about people or insects. BEST TIME TO CAMP EVER.

    Nice pictures!

    Is there a cross stick keeping the ham steak in the stick? How does it stay?
     
  6. nathan shepherd

    nathan shepherd Member

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    Always enjoy seeing your trip photos. The food looks awesome as usual.
     
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  7. Jeff Randall

    Jeff Randall ESEE Knives / Randall's Adventure & Training Staff Member

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    Just have to agree to disagree on this
     
  8. Bushman5

    Bushman5 Member

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    That ham is ridiculous ....what is that , about 3 lbs?? :D

    Great pics/report
     
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  9. The Marsh Gorilla

    The Marsh Gorilla Member

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    Awesome trip pics!

    It's cool to see someone else notice Beech trees hang onto their leaves. I noticed that where I hunt both the Beech and White Oak do that, after some research I learned they're some of the only deciduous trees that do that until the new growth starts to bud out in the spring so they can self mulch.
     
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  10. bearthedog

    bearthedog Member

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    I always do. i put out a lot of heat, so i know my comfort level. I am a super-warm sleeper, so I can get away with this.

    -RB
     
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  11. bearthedog

    bearthedog Member

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    So, at this semi-permanent camp I keep a $10 Fiskars bow saw and Fiskars X7 hatchet. However, this type of outing isn't much for chopping. More of a rough cut and drag type of scene. I put logs on way too long, and just push them in. I usually use a stump or boulder to baseball bat them into pieces.

    -RB
     
  12. bearthedog

    bearthedog Member

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    Yes sir, that is experience there. He also knows his temperature regulation. A simple thing like a bivy traps in so much heat, with clothing layers added it's easy to take a bag/quilt down to lower temperatures and save a couple pounds.

    Damn, isn't there a way to multi-quote here?

    -RB
     
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  13. bearthedog

    bearthedog Member

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    Definitely Beech. In my area NJ/NY no white oak is hanging on.
    Beech trees are soft even when dry. I only use them to wipe my nose and to go to the bathroom in winter.
    -RB
     
  14. bearthedog

    bearthedog Member

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    Um, balance. I use a cross stick on fish, but ham will just stay in...sometimes.

    -RB
     
  15. bearthedog

    bearthedog Member

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    Fish
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    Ham
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    -RB
     
  16. The Marsh Gorilla

    The Marsh Gorilla Member

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    Yeah those two look worlds apart even when they're in the same locale. Finding them with the leaves on in winter has become my favorite way to mark them for when they're dropping mast crop to hunt over. Beech really is a cool and useful tree.
     
    Last edited: Feb 13, 2018
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  17. bearthedog

    bearthedog Member

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    Beech, in many publications, is listed as a hardwood. I strongly disagree. It turns brittle and snaps very fast, smokes a lot when burning, and leaves ash coals. Drumsets, on the cheaper end are made of beech wood. Harder wood like maple, birch and mahogany are used for their harder wood on their higher end sets.

    -RB
     
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  18. Jeff Randall

    Jeff Randall ESEE Knives / Randall's Adventure & Training Staff Member

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    Like you would know anything about drumming!
     
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  19. The Marsh Gorilla

    The Marsh Gorilla Member

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    I agree, the few I chopped branches off of didn't feel near as hard as I expected. More like sweet gum.
     
  20. bearthedog

    bearthedog Member

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    I read something about it once!

    -RB
     

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