Maroon Bells 2026

Things to experiment with/new to me on this hike:

• GG torso-thinlight layering (net R 2)
• ditch pillow keeper
• ditch groundsheet
• adotec bear bag
• BD distance spikes
• VBL as waterproofing/warmth for trailrunners in the snow
• with/without second sock over the VBL
• waterbear

Post-hike notes:

• Once again, never needed my puffy. Didn't need it at all on the JMT, didn't need it now. Probably I'll axe it from my PCT list

• PCT snow kit is honestly perfect. Lone Peaks + VBL + BD spikes + Corsa 50cm worked very well. If it worked for technical steep snow on Snowmass, it will work for Forester or whatever else.

• Injinjis are dead to me. I love them, but this was a brand new pair and they have holes after only ~30 miles. Will stat testing liners from Darn Tough or something

• Only a fool wouldn't pack a few hundred extra calories

• Only a fool wouldn't bring an umbrella for the sun

• Only a fool would leave their watch charger at home to save 2 grams (on that note, I will have to replace my Pace 2 with a Pace 3 for the improved battery life)

• Glissading is a more important tactic than I realized, for how much time it stands to save. Look into best practices for clothing here. Don't think my wind pants would survive it

• the RovyVon has proven itself as reliable AF over and over again. Never need anything more.

• dropping the pillow keeper was totally fine; not needed at all

• I love my sleep setup, but it takes an embarrassingly long time to set up. Just too many components and too complicated. I need something that I can just toss down and be done with it. I should try foregoing the bivy stakes. Also try foregoing the bivy poles.

• Feeling very torn about polycro. I love having it, but I must admit that I was also fine without it on this trip. I missed it, but not as much as I expected to. If there weren't so much redundancy between it and the bivy, I'd bring a sheet of it, no question. The only way to eliminate the redundancy would be to eliminate the bivy floor, which would mean carrying something like a Yama canopy in its place. Or perhaps I just learn to sleep with a bug head net... not sure what to do. Especially given that my bivy weighs basically the same as a Yama canopy.

• Layering the two GG pads is really comfy, and paired with a GVP divot, it's luxury. Can't believe I never tried the divot before. But once again, this is an obvious complexity in my kit that I should be able to reduce. Maybe only add in the thinlight for the Sierra. Meaning that I would replace my beloved Switchback with the GG torso pad alone?

Things to test next:

• bivy with no stakes

• bivy with no poles

• GG torso pad on its own

• new liner socks

• umbrella