Distinctly Montana Magazine

D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A • S U M M E R 2 0 1 8 32 was fishing gear, but even there I cut corners, leaving the waders behind and going in bare- legged (brrrr). Sweaty and exhausted, we finally made it back to the trailhead. It was a fantastic trip, but, in my mind, far more taxing than it should have been. At one campsite on that trip (Cosley Lake) I was sitting in the food prep area feeling sorry for myself. I had just turned 60 and was wondering just how many more summers would I be able to do this. en, a group of three came in—a guy, his wife and his wife's friend. ey were "uber hikers"— you know the type—mountain biking, mountain climbing, marathon running, etc. ey had come in 13 or 14 miles from Many Glacier through Ptarmigan Tunnel and were headed over Stoney Indian Pass to Waterton, Canada. He sat by the food prep area and pulled a sandwich out of this small, 50-liter pack. Hmmm real food, I thought. I eyed that sandwich with lust and envy. I asked him if that was his daypack and he said no—that was his pack. I asked how much he carried for his 3-day, 2-night trip. His answer made my jaw drop—18 lbs! Eighteen pounds? Actually, two sandwiches he said. us began my journey to the "light side." He used a tarp and a double sleeping bag that zipped in half so his wife carried half that weight. He was a devotee of Ray Jardine, and "e Ray Way" and his DIY sewing kits. For those as unfamil- iar with Ray as I was, I learned that he really was a pioneer in the ultralight, through-hiking movement. If I could lighten my pack, I could continue to enjoy backpacking for many more years to come. And so I took the plunge. I am not down to 18 lbs, but I can now get my pack to 22 lbs for a 2-night trip and about 25 lbs for a 4-night trip. at is somewhat weather dependent, and obviously in fall, one takes extra clothes. Still, that is a big differ- ence! I put a lot of my old, heavy stuff on eBay and used the proceeds to buy my new ultralight stuff. Much of this lightweight revolution has come about by the increased interest in "through-hiking" People go out there for weeks or months. ey need to have stuff that is as light and durable as possible. Take shelters. Nylon tents of the 60s and 70s were quite a change from the cotton canvass that preceded them. Now there is silicon-impreg- nated nylon ("silnylon") that is much lighter still. And if that isn't light enough, there is also now "cuben" fiber. is is a high-tech polyeth- ylene that was first developed for sails for the America's Cup racing. Now you can get light tarps made out of this stuff which are less than half a pound! Now, you don't even have This isobutene micro stove weighs less than 1-ounce! 1970s ultralight white gas stove (right) vs modern ultralight micro stove Everything Doug needs to cook with fits in a small 600ml titanium pot. Doug's home away from home is a one-pound floorless tent

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