I planed on doing a 6-8 mile walk along the blue trails and roads to the same area used during a Fall minimal gear trip. The gear would be minimal meaning no sleeping bag, food, water, large wood choppers/saws, minimal clothing aka one pair of socks etc etc. Here is my clothing that will be worn. Everything is Gortex, wool or synthetic plus a Golite poncho. I took the orange hat as part of the hike will be along a road. My clothing is mostly earth tone and sometimes being seen is a good thing. The only garment not shown is my coat.
The weather was expected to shower and flurry in the AM with high winds and lows in the 20’s.
My kit.
1. Ridgerest sleeping pad.
2. Super shelter kit: clear and white sheet, Mylar blanket and duct tape.
3. Mora knife with whipped para and BHK Tiger Knapp.
4. Whistle.
5. Fenix headlamp.
6. Paracord ridgeline kit.
7. Platy bag.
8. Fishing kit. Spool of 6lb test, bobber, weights and #12 hooks. Mealworms from last trip taken but not shown
9. Strike force fire steel.
10. Swedish mess kit stainless pot.
11. FAK.
Attached to my pack is a compass on a small carabineer, red LED light and 50 feet of Paracord in a two-stand twist on a larger BD carabineer.
The trash on the roads these days is a total disgrace but took some cans and bottles.
As planned I covered ground on the blue trails and roads. My pack with hiking poles and a blue cup found along the road.
Even on the trail there was trash. I took this bottle.
This area was scouted before and the wild scallions were still out. Found these on the trail 100 feet from a road. I don’t eat wild edibles right along the roadside but this is far enough away IMHO.
Wild scallion part 2. - YouTube
I found this pine blow down and collect some pine tar and sap heavy wood.
Pine blow down. - YouTube
It was time to make something to fish with. I had my pick of plastic bottles and used one to make a hand caster. Turned out not too bad.
Hand casting fishing kit made from bottle. - YouTube
I tried my luck in this little stream but didn’t catch anything.
Farther down trail there was a good stand of Eastern White pine. Partridgeberries sometimes grow under them and decided to take a little excursion for these wild edibles. Knew about these for years but I never ate one until a few months ago and as such they’re still a new addition to my list.
And it would appear the berries are growing in the pine needles. Most plants don’t deal well under pine but these seem to like it. Do your own research before eating any wild edible. The wind increased and this was a concern because of all the damaged trees from past storms. Lots of branches and trees hanging on by a thread out there.
Partridge Berries in winter. - YouTube
I left plenty for the birds and other critters that depend on this edible during winter. Made it to the larger river in good time. The water was high but not in flood and hoped for some luck. Along the way gathered Yellow Birch bark and unless mistaken Hoof fungus off an American Beech that clearly has seen better days.
Glad I wasn’t here when this hit.
looks like this pool might hold some trout. I haven’t fished with a hand caster for months but within a short time it all came back to me not that its rocket science.
For much of the day I was getting increasingly nervous about the condition of the trees and high winds. I was standing on a rock fishing and nearly jumped out of my skin when something crashed very near. Right after the limb fell just behind me I couldn’t make out what happened. At first it appeared to be only one branch but there was wood all over the place, even floating past me.
If you watch the video a sapling was damaged farther out and broken wood was all around as if multiple limbs fell. I was fishing on the smaller rock maybe 2 feet from the bank. Guessing the limbs hit about 6 feet away from me.
Fallen tree limb during a hike. - YouTube
I decided that was a warning to leave. Walking away was a hard decision because I had some effort invested in this trip. Not to mention I really wanted to experiment with turning a Silnlyon poncho into heated super shelter. I did stop on the hike out to review what was gathered from the environment both natural and man-made.
1. Two Aluminum cans.
2. One larger plastic sports drink bottle.
3. One plastic (not sure what the drink was) bottle made into a hand caster.
4. Three Hoof funguses for tinder.
5. A bunch of wild scallions.
6. Eastern White pine pitch.
7. Small amount of Partridgeberries.
Just some turkey tracks seen after my inventory was taken.
If the wind didn’t send me running maybe my fishing luck might have changed but safety tends to pay off. I hope to get out again soon to test that shelter. Darn I should be sleeping inside it right now.
The weather was expected to shower and flurry in the AM with high winds and lows in the 20’s.
My kit.
1. Ridgerest sleeping pad.
2. Super shelter kit: clear and white sheet, Mylar blanket and duct tape.
3. Mora knife with whipped para and BHK Tiger Knapp.
4. Whistle.
5. Fenix headlamp.
6. Paracord ridgeline kit.
7. Platy bag.
8. Fishing kit. Spool of 6lb test, bobber, weights and #12 hooks. Mealworms from last trip taken but not shown
9. Strike force fire steel.
10. Swedish mess kit stainless pot.
11. FAK.
Attached to my pack is a compass on a small carabineer, red LED light and 50 feet of Paracord in a two-stand twist on a larger BD carabineer.
The trash on the roads these days is a total disgrace but took some cans and bottles.
As planned I covered ground on the blue trails and roads. My pack with hiking poles and a blue cup found along the road.
Even on the trail there was trash. I took this bottle.
This area was scouted before and the wild scallions were still out. Found these on the trail 100 feet from a road. I don’t eat wild edibles right along the roadside but this is far enough away IMHO.
Wild scallion part 2. - YouTube
I found this pine blow down and collect some pine tar and sap heavy wood.
Pine blow down. - YouTube
It was time to make something to fish with. I had my pick of plastic bottles and used one to make a hand caster. Turned out not too bad.
Hand casting fishing kit made from bottle. - YouTube
I tried my luck in this little stream but didn’t catch anything.
Farther down trail there was a good stand of Eastern White pine. Partridgeberries sometimes grow under them and decided to take a little excursion for these wild edibles. Knew about these for years but I never ate one until a few months ago and as such they’re still a new addition to my list.
And it would appear the berries are growing in the pine needles. Most plants don’t deal well under pine but these seem to like it. Do your own research before eating any wild edible. The wind increased and this was a concern because of all the damaged trees from past storms. Lots of branches and trees hanging on by a thread out there.
Partridge Berries in winter. - YouTube
I left plenty for the birds and other critters that depend on this edible during winter. Made it to the larger river in good time. The water was high but not in flood and hoped for some luck. Along the way gathered Yellow Birch bark and unless mistaken Hoof fungus off an American Beech that clearly has seen better days.
Glad I wasn’t here when this hit.
looks like this pool might hold some trout. I haven’t fished with a hand caster for months but within a short time it all came back to me not that its rocket science.
For much of the day I was getting increasingly nervous about the condition of the trees and high winds. I was standing on a rock fishing and nearly jumped out of my skin when something crashed very near. Right after the limb fell just behind me I couldn’t make out what happened. At first it appeared to be only one branch but there was wood all over the place, even floating past me.
If you watch the video a sapling was damaged farther out and broken wood was all around as if multiple limbs fell. I was fishing on the smaller rock maybe 2 feet from the bank. Guessing the limbs hit about 6 feet away from me.
Fallen tree limb during a hike. - YouTube
I decided that was a warning to leave. Walking away was a hard decision because I had some effort invested in this trip. Not to mention I really wanted to experiment with turning a Silnlyon poncho into heated super shelter. I did stop on the hike out to review what was gathered from the environment both natural and man-made.
1. Two Aluminum cans.
2. One larger plastic sports drink bottle.
3. One plastic (not sure what the drink was) bottle made into a hand caster.
4. Three Hoof funguses for tinder.
5. A bunch of wild scallions.
6. Eastern White pine pitch.
7. Small amount of Partridgeberries.
Just some turkey tracks seen after my inventory was taken.
If the wind didn’t send me running maybe my fishing luck might have changed but safety tends to pay off. I hope to get out again soon to test that shelter. Darn I should be sleeping inside it right now.
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Same here on the berries, seen them all the time but never knew they're edible until a few months ago. Not all red berries on the ground this time a year are Partridge berries (some are fallen off bushes etc) so keep an eye out for the two dimples and funky little leaves.
