The Bushman Chronicles!

Discussion in 'Adventure, Hiking, Backpacking and Travel' started by Bushman5, Jan 8, 2017.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Packrat

    Packrat Member

    Messages:
    144
    Likes Received:
    220
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    northeast
    Well done as usual ,like those snowshoes,small tracks near your boot look like squirrel .
    Enjoyed the report and pics,thank you.
    What blade is that in the tan moulded sheath?
     
    Last edited: Feb 5, 2019
    Bushman5 likes this.
  2. Bushman5

    Bushman5 Member

    Messages:
    12,319
    Likes Received:
    26,033
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    west
    Spartan blades tactical trout
     
    Last edited: Feb 5, 2019
    Packrat likes this.
  3. Packrat

    Packrat Member

    Messages:
    144
    Likes Received:
    220
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    northeast
    Thanks bud,bet it cuts better than a Herring!o_O
     
    Bushman5 likes this.
  4. kihnspiracy

    kihnspiracy Member

    Messages:
    159
    Likes Received:
    387
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    USA
    Beautiful pictures. Makes me miss the PNW.
     
    Bushman5 likes this.
  5. Bushman5

    Bushman5 Member

    Messages:
    12,319
    Likes Received:
    26,033
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    west
    Feb 17/2019, - 12 Deg C , 75km/h winds, "The Mini Pulk Test, Potjie Cookout, There Is A Bobcat Somewhere Around Here, Campfire In The Snow Tour"

    Late start, hit the snooze button at 0530 hours and kept hitting it until about 1230 hours.....:D

    Loaded up the truck, headed up the Sea To Sky hwy and parked the rig off the FSR. As I was unloading my gear, I heard a doggo behind me, turned around and it was a giant Husky, super friendly and happy to be in the snow. Gave him scratches and then 6 more dogs arrived. A while later the dog walker walked up, and saw me playing with the dogs,throwing snowballs and sticks for them. Three of them had decided jump into my truck box....LOL. I chatted a bit with the girl and then I headed off.

    IMG_3417 (1).JPG

    Pulk definitely needs a Skeg but it glided over the snow and with little effort. Will probably go to a trace pole system, but i couldn't complain about the performance. UHMW plastic has zero friction on snow........


    need to change out the bolts that hold the braces....you can see the drag marks here in the snow. Despite that this thing glided FAST over the snow.
    IMG_3414.JPG IMG_3416.JPG


    this was a 2' high slope.....and the Pulk just took off down the very very gradual embankment. Took about 4 seconds to go 50' . When i build the second version, it will have a tail line as well.

    IMG_3415.JPG

    Had to Portage the snowshoes and Pulk ...as the road was dry and paved. Shouldered the pulk and carried it about 200 feet. Bit of an effort. Went back for the snowshoes and then carried on once i got to the massive old rock quarry.

    Brrrrr...that wind was just howling.

    IMG_3418 (1).JPG

    after snowshoeing/pulk'ing for about half an hour, i crossed the power lines clearing and entered the forest. Right off the bat I found tons of Bobcat tracks signs. And other much smaller rodent tracks. The bobcat tracks were following, then chasing rodent tracks, weaving thru the trees and over little hilly hummocks, before ending in a big scuffle and no more rodent tracks. :p IMG_3419.JPG IMG_3420.JPG IMG_3421.JPG IMG_3422.JPG

    dropped the gear and unloaded the Pulk. The barrel holds the clothes and is a nice warm seat by the fire. The Front Runner Cub box holds the cooking/food/and more knives! :D

    IMG_3434.JPG
    The 3/4 Potjie pot looks like a naval mine.....LOL
    IMG_3437.JPG

    just a few of what i brought

    IMG_3438.JPG

    Emergency overnight stay bivvy bag and sleeping bag.
    IMG_3435.JPG
     
    jdh, Te-yang, BigJake and 5 others like this.
  6. Bushman5

    Bushman5 Member

    Messages:
    12,319
    Likes Received:
    26,033
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    west
    had a few blades with me, and the double bit and Silky BigBoy saw

    IMG_3451.JPG

    almost ready to be etched into immortality
    IMG_3453.JPG

    Tops Operator chopping the smaller tinder branches off the trees.

    IMG_3423.JPG

    winter tinder kit, stored in the Pulk

    IMG_3425.JPG IMG_3426.JPG
    I freaking LOVE the Bark River / Vehement Knives MACV-SOG knife. Saving up for another one with desert ironwood handles.
    IMG_3429.JPG

    the wood was so dry that just a quarter of a PJCB tinder and a single spark from the Exotac NanoSpark (LOVE THIS THING!) , combined with the fierce winds , had the fire roaring in less than 2 minutes

    IMG_3428.JPG
    ready for late lunch/dinner

    IMG_3440.JPG

    less than 20 minutes to get a bed of coals for the Potjie pot. Filled it with 3 tablespoons of oregano infused EVOO and raw garlic and let it sizzle. IMG_3443.JPG
    added the rice/beans, a can of spicy tuna, and a can of lemon pepper tuna. Topped it with aged cheddar and added a tiny amount of water. Lidded it and placed it back over the coals. Rotated it every 5 minutes.
    IMG_3446.JPG IMG_3447.JPG
    quick energy snack of dried figs.
    IMG_3448.JPG
    added some cedar boughs to make smoke and let the apex predators know who is boss here.....:D
    IMG_3456.JPG

    comfy seat by the fire IMG_3457.JPG
    spicy (not enough in my opinion) rice/beans, with garlic, and two flavors of tuna. Some of the aged cheddar got super crispy on the sides of the Potjie.
    IMG_3458.JPG

    bout ten minutes and BUUUUURP! The Potjie cleaned up simply by wiping the inside out with paper towels. IMG_3459.JPG

    got the fire roaring again IMG_3465.JPG

    Sarlac's brother's pit. IMG_3471.JPG
    3/4 moon in the trees on the ridgeline (center of photo)
    IMG_3474.JPG
    Dusk embracing the lands.....and the North Winds coming down harder and faster. Temps were dropping quickly, the snow surface was now icy crust. I stashed the snowshoes and pulk by the bridge and walked out to the truck. Drove back up the FSR and loaded up the gear and headed home.
    IMG_3476.JPG

    Fin.

    :cool:
     
    Last edited: Feb 18, 2019
    jdh, Te-yang, Jeremiah Jones and 13 others like this.
  7. BlueDogScout

    BlueDogScout Member

    Messages:
    2,318
    Likes Received:
    2,418
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Southern Illinois
    How are you liking the double bit?
     
    Bushman5 likes this.
  8. Bushman5

    Bushman5 Member

    Messages:
    12,319
    Likes Received:
    26,033
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    west
    Love it. Never leaves my hand, that axe is practically an extension of my arm.
     
    BlueDogScout likes this.
  9. BlueDogScout

    BlueDogScout Member

    Messages:
    2,318
    Likes Received:
    2,418
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Southern Illinois
    I have one but haven’t taken it out yet. They aren’t allowed in scouting.
     
    Bushman5 likes this.
  10. Hawkeye5

    Hawkeye5 Member

    Messages:
    283
    Likes Received:
    484
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Texas
    good trip nice to see the Jungles , thanks for sharing the Potpie cooking with us.
     
    Bushman5 likes this.
  11. Bushman5

    Bushman5 Member

    Messages:
    12,319
    Likes Received:
    26,033
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    west
    What?

    We were allowed hatchets in Cubs and single bits and double bits in Scouts. Getting the knife and axe patches were a great and proud achievement

    I should have made it from scratch.....with chorizo , onions, garlic , rice, beans, and plenty of cayenne and paprika. But for $2 the pouch stuff wasn't bad
     
    Zeek and BlueDogScout like this.
  12. BlueDogScout

    BlueDogScout Member

    Messages:
    2,318
    Likes Received:
    2,418
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Southern Illinois
    Axes are still allowed but not double bits... kinda frustrating. But hey they aren’t allowed fixed blades either.
     
    Bushman5 likes this.
  13. Hawkeye5

    Hawkeye5 Member

    Messages:
    283
    Likes Received:
    484
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Texas
    I should have made it from scratch.....with chorizo , onions, garlic , rice, beans, and plenty of cayenne and paprika. But for $2 the pouch stuff wasn't bad[/QUOTE]

    Hey, you did good. You got out there and cooked in the snow. Everything tastes better out there.
     
    Bushman5, BlueDogScout and OKcherokee like this.
  14. Bushman5

    Bushman5 Member

    Messages:
    12,319
    Likes Received:
    26,033
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    west
    Feb 24, 2019, clear skies, cold, -10 to -15 C , light snow, "The Visit The 1965 British Columbia Hope Slide Tragedy, Snowshoe Tour Into The Back-Country Of Cambie Creek - Manning Park, , Play With A Clan Of Ravens, Hump 70lbs Of Wilderness Essentials Into The Woods, Snowshoe All Afternoon, Dig A Snow-Cave & Drive 485km's Just Because I Can And I Enjoy It Tour"

    BANDWIDTH/PICTURE HEAVY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! VIEW ON YOUR WORK INTERNET,NOT ON YOUR CELL PLAN OR HOME COMPUTER!!!!! BANDWIDTH/DATA HEAVY!!!!!!!!!!!

    another late start, but this was due to spending a lot of time checking avalanche reports, waiting for phone-calls, emails, etc. Finally after 4 hours of bureaucracy I plotted my course on the maps, loaded up the truck with gear and left.

    outside of Chilliwack BC,massive mountain range hemming the Fraser Valley in.

    IMG_3579.JPG

    the steep grade up towards the Hope Slide / Hope Slide1 IMG_3584.JPG

    Hope Slide (you really have to be there in person to see the scale of it...and realize your standing 55+ meters / 200 feet ABOVE the old highway. The Hope Slide Viewpoint is a memorial as well to those that died. IMG_3588.JPG

    the opposite side of the valley....the entire mountainside was wiped clean of trees / rocks and soil when water from the lake that used to be there, washed up several thousand meters as a result of the slide. (almost to the top of the mountain)
    IMG_3592.JPG
    pano view. New pit toilets have been installed, as well as three electric car chargers. In addtion there is 24/7 hi def video surveillance of the rest stop/viewpoint.
    IMG_3593.JPG IMG_3594.JPG IMG_3595.JPG

    carrying on down the Crowsnest Hwy I passed thru Sunshine Valley, then on an up to Allison pass before making my turn off to Cambie Creek, about 10 km west of Manning Park.

    turning onto the Cambie Creek trailhead parking

    IMG_3597.JPG

    right off the bat , 4 Ravens started strutting over, 1 large male and 3 juveniles. "hey homes, give us your trailmix esse, or we going to mess you up bad" :p

    I spent the next half hour gainign their trust, got them as close as 4 feet away. (make friends with the crows and ravens..they NEVER forget people)

    IMG_3598.JPG IMG_3600.JPG IMG_3609.JPG IMG_3612.JPG
    this one was the size of Miss CopperKitty (BIG)
    IMG_3613.JPG IMG_3617.JPG IMG_3619.JPG IMG_3622.JPG IMG_3625.JPG juveniles (they have the fuzzy heads) IMG_3629.JPG IMG_3637.JPG IMG_3638.JPG
     
    Last edited: Feb 26, 2019
    jdh, Zeek, Reno Lewis and 5 others like this.
  15. Bushman5

    Bushman5 Member

    Messages:
    12,319
    Likes Received:
    26,033
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    west
    Part 2

    my goal was the Big Buck Mountain peak (6552 feet). The start of the Cambie Creek ski/snowshoe trail is rated Beginner to Intermediate level, and steadily progresses to harder steeper trails.

    Opera Snapshot_2019-02-25_184154_www.google.ca.png

    unloaded the gear, and started down the trailhead. Light snowfall down here. About -10 C. Dry, crunchy squeaky snow on a 4 - 5 foot base. Donned the 70 lb webbing, loaded with food, water, gear, tools, etc and headed out. Had my Henschel outback hat on, breathes quite nicely and keeps the falling snow out of my neck and face. Also had a loose fitting thick sweater, polyester on. Breathes extremely well and is insanely warm (TOO warm under a jacket). Got it for 25 cents at a yard sale. Its 3XL and the arms are longer than mine so if i ever lose my mitts, i still have warm hand coverage.

    IMG_3695.JPG IMG_3691 (1).JPG

    the trails are extremely well marked, with maps at each trail intersection. A beginner could go in here with zero nav skills and have no issues finding their way around. (on the Beginner sections) IMG_3704.JPG IMG_3682.JPG
    giants everywhere.
    IMG_3683.JPG
    BC/Canada survival tip: always grab these if you need a quick lifesaving hot fire. They are everywhere on the trees , are pencil lead thin and catch with a paper match or two.
    IMG_3705.JPG
    IMG_3707.JPG

    I believe these are hare tracks. Spaced about 4 - 5 feet apart and they were EVERYWHERE. IMG_3709.JPG IMG_3710.JPG
    snowing heavy on the mountain tops above
    IMG_3711.JPG IMG_3713.JPG


    nasty tree wells......the moment you stepped off the trail you ran the risk of getting tree welled....here the snow was 6' feet deep
    IMG_3714.JPG

    slightly off the side of the trail, 70lb gear load and 200lb me...sank 2 feet and thats with 16" x 48" long snowshoes. I cannot even imagine stepping off with no snowshoes....
    IMG_3716.JPG

    steep slopes collects little snow....the base of this slope was covered with a DEEP pile of snow that had slid down in the last couple of weeks.

    IMG_3718.JPG

    snow and forest,snow and forest, on and up. Hit the first intersection marker and carried on.

    IMG_3720.JPG IMG_3725.JPG IMG_3726.JPG

    untouched spur trail (not trail i was taking)
    IMG_3728.JPG


    snow and forest :D animal tracks everywhere
    IMG_3729.JPG
     
    Last edited: Feb 25, 2019
    jdh, HelRaiser, Zeek and 6 others like this.
  16. Bushman5

    Bushman5 Member

    Messages:
    12,319
    Likes Received:
    26,033
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    west
    Snow and forest....snow and forest.......

    IMG_3730.JPG

    more tracks.

    IMG_3732.JPG

    the girl and her dad pushing hard on the trail ahead of me, left a Snow Hoodoo

    IMG_3733.JPG

    Cambie Creek

    IMG_3734.JPG

    IMG_3736.JPG

    IMG_3737.JPG IMG_3740.JPG

    oh finally some water. Time for canteen refill. IMG_3735.JPG

    made my way down onto the snow covered ice and gently broke thru.

    IMG_3741.JPG

    refilled the canteens and powered on and onto the Intermediate trails.

    IMG_3739.JPG
    deep treewell

    IMG_3742.JPG IMG_3744.JPG IMG_3746.JPG
    on and up.
    IMG_3747.JPG
    Henschel outback hat working well.
    IMG_3749.JPG IMG_3751.JPG


    70lb pack breaking trail, literally. Group of pissed off old ladies donned head to toe in the MEC uniform (its a Vancouver BC thing....LOL) came skiing thru, the front skier lady squawking and berating me to STAY OFF THE TRAIL! (yes of course Maude, I'm a third world citizen. Yes Maude I'm the only snowshoer on these MIXED USE SNOWSHOE/SKI trails. Of course Maude, I will stay off the trails) Hey Maude? go shove some silica up your withered unused Nixon era boopdeboop. (yes i refrained from being me.....just nodded and smiled and wished them all to have a great day.....although clearly the majority in the group were not having fun because some of them apparently got separated from the group and were blaming Herr Maude. The entire group would NOT SHUT UP arguing as they glided on the trail past me. I could seriously hear them for about 20 minutes.

    what is it with older, obviously well off Caucasian women and their need to berate and cluck cluck their tongues and wag their fingers at everyone in the woods? this has been a pattern I have noticed over the years.................
    IMG_3752.JPG
    another snow hoodoo by the dads girl ahead of me/ (kiddo was a super trooper, had her own 30 liter pack, shovel, gear, compass/map/fox 40 etc and was pushing her dad hard to pick up the pace.
    IMG_3753.JPG
    on and up, I started paying attention to the snowfall.
    IMG_3754.JPG

    IMG_3750.JPG
     
    Last edited: Feb 26, 2019
    jdh, HelRaiser, Zeek and 8 others like this.
  17. Bushman5

    Bushman5 Member

    Messages:
    12,319
    Likes Received:
    26,033
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    west
    snow starting to come hard, big classic snowflakes. Wind was coming down the mountain at about 30km/h. Temps dropping slightly.

    IMG_3756.JPG
    pushed on and on......and up. Found a tiny little mountain lake.
    IMG_3757.JPG
    up and up and onwards.
    IMG_3758.JPG

    IMG_3759.JPG
    harder base up this high, not sinking in 1 to 2' every step.
    IMG_3761.JPG IMG_3762.JPG

    more tracks IMG_3763.JPG
    While i was testing the snow and taking measurements etc and reading the grain structure of the snow, several telemark skiers came down from the peak, we chatted about snow conditions, there was several small avalanches near the top, they had grown tired of trying to scramble/ski over the run off.

    I made the decision to turn back....although I was equipped for at least 3 days stay in an emergency, I had no transceiver with me and I was pushing hard solo.

    After several hours got back to the parking lot. Just bagged out........70 lb load, deep snow, I was beat to be honest. Downed 3 tins of skipjack tuna in olive oil and 1/2 lb of dried black currants.


    even in the parking lot 1000' feet below, the snow was starting to come down hard.
    IMG_3765.JPG

    loaded the truck with the gear and drove to Copper Creek, about 30 km from the trailhead. I wanted to check in on a buddy of mine and his GF...they had camped for a week at the Rec Site just off the Crowsnest Hwy, by Copper Creek. Their truck/camper was there, with about 2' of snow on the roof....... From the tracks leaving the site it looked like they took their sled (snowmobile) out of the camp, and up the FSR. I left them a note and a gift of beer (purchased at the EAST GATE Fuel stop, east of Manning Park. Love the lady that runs the place, South Asian/Indian descent, funny as heck, and loves her soap operas....lol)

    got a great shot of the creek/ice/snow/and skies. IMG_3766.JPG
    drove back to the Cambie Creek trailhead parking and found a tobogganing area....wish i had my UHMW pulk!!!!!! from where i am to the bottom is about a 20' drop.
    IMG_3771.JPG

    Dusk And Her Embrace was cloaking the land......so i played with my 4000 lumen Acebeam flashlight. IMG_3783.JPG

    yea.....hell YEAH! IMG_3797.JPG IMG_3811.JPG IMG_3812.JPG IMG_3813.JPG

    I then decided to go hard and dig dig dig out the massive snowbanks, for the February Challenge shelter build.

    SEE https://eseeknives.com/forums/index.php?threads/february-challenge.9156/ for my snow cave shelter build....got it about 90% complete but ran out of time.

    hell of a day. Pushed physically hard, yet honestly did not feel that knackered.......(after eating i felt great!)

    really surprised i pushed hard with a 70lb load.....

    sure felt it the next day, but it felt good.

    I may go back this weekend and finish the shelter and stay in it, just because i have not done a snow cave sleep over in many years.

    Fin, thanks for tagging along.
     
    Last edited: Feb 26, 2019
    jdh, HelRaiser, Klynesquatch and 5 others like this.
  18. Packrat

    Packrat Member

    Messages:
    144
    Likes Received:
    220
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    northeast
    Those ravens are better company than the shriveled old bags any day.Thanks for sharing your trip,digging those Faber's,nice rehab.
     
    Bushman5 likes this.
  19. Bushman5

    Bushman5 Member

    Messages:
    12,319
    Likes Received:
    26,033
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    west
    Yea those old fabers rock. I am actually going to be retiring them though....i discovered some fractures in the ash wood on the nose (most common place to crack due to the bend). I'll hang them up with a pic of Dad and get some new ones built up. I'm trying to get some custom wood snowshoes made, 12" wide x almost 5+' long, with an upturned nose. More of a Alasaka style, you can actually set quite a blistering pace with them.

    Ravens for the win indeed. I spent over an hour total talking to them, clicking. clucking, croaking sounds- was getting responses back and they got quite close.

    I think the ski group mostly consisted of several experienced skiers, and the rest were not so much experienced - that combo can create conflict often - they certainly were cranky and vocal.....you could see the frustration in at least half the group.
     
    BlueDogScout and Zeek like this.
  20. BlueDogScout

    BlueDogScout Member

    Messages:
    2,318
    Likes Received:
    2,418
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Southern Illinois
    When I grow up I wanna be like you
     
    Bushman5 likes this.
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page