Shoutout to the guy who recommended the Rae Lakes Loop in Kings Canyon

I did the 41-mile Rae Lakes Loop last September based on a tip from a forum post here. The before and after was dramatic - I went from struggling with 30-pound packs on flat trails to actually enjoying the elevation gain through Glen Pass. What really changed was my pace after I ditched half my gear at the ranger station's advice. Has anyone else found that dropping weight transforms a multi day route like this one?

2 comments

2 Comments

olivia_harris1921d ago

My buddy did Rae Lakes last year and he showed up with this massive 55 pound pack, total overkill. He had like three pairs of shoes and a full camp stove setup, it was ridiculous. Ranger told him to ditch half his stuff or he would wreck his knees on the descent. He ended up leaving his extra tent and some clothes at the ranger station, and after that he said the whole trip felt like a different hike, way less miserable. Now he swears by the ultralight approach for anything over 20 miles, says it saved his trip.

jamesf2621d ago

@olivia_harris19 your buddy's 55 pound pack sounds brutal, I had a similar wake up call. What specific items did you find hardest to leave behind even though you knew they were dead weight?

-1