2012 Meetup Camping Trip PLANNING

[Alan]

Great post Apache. Should hopefully get people thinking.

I guess the main thing is that people have an idea of food costs or rather have a set budget per meal, say, and go from there. So $5 to $7 per meal might be more than enough, especially when you are buying in bulk. I like your idea of one cooked meal per day and I would like for us all to eat together as a clan round a camp fire. That would be really cool. That might be something we need to consider if Aketuan says the campsite is a mile away from the lodge.

I guess the thing is closer the date we put up a menu for people to look at and ask for comments. If no comments then we get it and they get what they are given! Hehehehe
One thing to consider is that for any sandwiches for the day is that they need to have fillings that are not temperature sensitive, like meat fillings etc. Peanut butter...or chocolate spread (OM YOM YOM YOM YOM ....sorry got carried away there and hungry now ) might be the way to go, or similar.

On the actual camping front one thing that goes through my head is tents, which I think we have spoken about before. But again that is down to finding out how many people will be going, what tents will be there and making up the difference through hiring a tent(s) accordingly.

The place in Seattle that I know of is REI:
REI Store - Seattle, Washington - Sporting Goods, Camping Gear

There maybe others though. I did look up a place in Port Angeles too called Brown's Outdoor (Browns Outdoor - Equipment and Clothing Specials on the Olympic Peninsula - Home). But the only stuff they seem to rent out is snow walking and climbing gear.

There is another shop in Port Townsend called Wildernest, but there is no website link so duno if they hire stuff and you would only go past there if you end up going across from Seattle on the ferry.

So there we go. Hope that helps a little.

Just looking at the AvatarMeet rigister and it appears there are currently 15 looking to go camping but quite a few undecided...but if they did go, it would be a total of 26 of us. So two over the group site number, although there will be a minimum of 5 staying in a lodge.

Toodle pip,

Alan

[apache_blanca]

Good thinking ma tsmukan Alan (as usual)

I'll leave everything to the clan to think about as I am going to the mountains - a whole week of national holidays (glory to Eywa) so I am going to get... out! My ikran is stomping his feet, batting his wings & making loud noises, I won't keep him waiting too much.

If you gals & guyz get on IRC this coming Friday for the US /Saturday for Europe - don't miss me too much. I'll be back later.

Added:
Temperature sensitive food? this is what we (shall) have coolers for!
People eating what we offer (if they say nothing about what they want...)? Errr I really would like to avoid buying (and paying for!) food that will end up uneaten... What to do then, throw it? I'd rather we know exactly what, & how much, to buy... I liked your menu of about $7 per meal... but I am out of the door right now & imho we can have food discussion later- hopefully we hear more from the camping clan by then.

Now I am rrrrreally going!
kiyevame,
apache

[Moco Loco]

Raiden's cooking superworms I am excite.


My food budget will be really low, but I'll eat anything
As for gear, I really have no perception of what that costs to rent, and if it's more than $50, I can just check some of my own gear at the airport.

[Aketuan]

WHOA .....I am gone for a few days and all of this happens...awesome.

ok here are my thoughts:

1. The Lodge/Cabins:

Go for it! Keeping in mind it will be about 20 X more expensive than campground. Also most/all of the group activities will certainly be at the group campsite, so you need to walk down the road for the meals/hikes/events...

2. Food/Transport

ok, all of the stuff talked about looks good. I would emphasize the idea of paying ahead of time and having one group pick up all of our food in Seattle on the way there. It is just a matter of deciding what.

About shuttle sign-up, we should get that on the website soon...

3. IRC Meeting

needed soon. Maybe figure out a time here after the holidays?

[apache_blanca]

Ah, aytsmukan si aytsmuke... as for the cabins, for the sake of justice: sleeping in tents and/or on the ground is Much More in line with "Come into the wilderness!" than cabins... But some people, like yours truly, might have back problems. Or something.

Ahem, maybe later on: it could be an idea to do something about "Looking for a tentmate / Lodgemate*", just like we look for roommates for the general meetup. This will also help to know how many tents, & of what capacity, will be needed.
This is a planning thread; so - maybe on the website?
(*I know for a fact that yet one more person would like a cabin. Piece of cake, no? only 4 more persons more, & we can try for al group discount )

Yes, I see us hanging out with the clan most of the time, group activities or whatever. After all, we're are coming for a Meetup! I guess we'll just jog there & back. Or jump on an ikran, or on a direhorse. Or something.

[mikkowilson]

The AvatarMeet.com website is primarily designed as an information point - where you can go for good usable (confirmed!) intel. 2-way discussions like finding tentmates, etc.. are better suited to existing forums that do a better job with interactivity.

- Mikko

[apache_blanca]

Ok guys you decide, what's the best thread for it. As I understand this one is for planning purposes so I am not sure that all potential campers would be reading/posting here... or would they?

[Human No More]

Feel free to make a thread for it

[mikkowilson]

Yeah, just start a thread here for it.

We'll be happy to link to the discussion from AvatarMeet.com, we just aren't set up to host it better than can be done here and on other forums.

- Mikko

[apache_blanca]

ok, good idea. Personally, I am sorted re: accommodation - but I'll share it with those "All fired up for camping and Looking for..." Irayo *thumbs up*

[Niri Te]

I think that for those who are not in their best shape, a trip on the loop around seven lakes basin would be great, and for those of us who have retained our "fighting shape", we could go to the end of the trail to Blue Glacier, at the base of the summit of Mount Olympus.
What do you think guys?
Niri Te

Originally Posted by Aketuan

So anyway after taking some time to review the map/trails, I am thinking that we should go with the Sul Duc Campground. It is less popular than the Hoh campground, and offers 82 spots. Also, the Hoh campground only has one trail leading from it and is 10+ miles on that trail to the next intersection. The Sul Duc is more secluded and has multiple trails leading from it. This would be great to have a different trail for different days. It also is close to several loops that might be great for backpacking...

The Hoh trail only goes along the river, while the Sul Duc has options of falls, lakes, peaks, and divides to go to...

Also by a strange coincidence, Sol Duc has a group campsite as well. (limit 24 people)...

map of the section:

Scale: [-------------------] = 5 miles






So all of that being said here is my cunning idea:

1. We have the official campground be the Sol Duc Campground.
2. We reserve the group site at Sol Duc. (max 24 people)
3. People can choose whether they want an individual site, or be part of the group site. They are all within walking distance of each other. That way we:
A. can accommodate large numbers of people
B. let people choose group or ind. (prices would be different)
C. have the group site as our "base-camp". We could all meet at the group site (even the ones who decided individual sites), for group meals/campfire/hang-out. It would also present a place to meet in the morning before we went on a hike.
D. The nice thing about having multiple trails and multiple destinations (falls, lakes, peaks) is that we can have short hikes/night hikes/backpacking all to different locations so people get to explore more of the park.

Prices:
Individual (14$)
Group (20$ a night + 1$ per person) (so if we get 20 people, the cost is 2$ per person per night)
Olympic NP Entrance Fee (15$ per vehicle) (good for 7 days)


thoughts?

[Aketuan]

As much as I would love that idea, I'm not sure...we have very limited time for the backpacking and I'm not sure we could fit that in. Besides I'd rather keep the group together if possible. The route around the 7 lakes (current plan) will be 16 miles round trip.

Going to the glacier would add 26 miles to the trip making it 42 miles within a 24 hour period...again I would love to do it, I just don't think it is possible.

(And keep in mind that the person saying it is not likely possible (me) is probably the craziest one here with hiking. I've climbed ten 12,000 ft peaks all within 16 hours with 15,000 feet elevation gain total and 24 miles.)

[Niri Te]

COOL!!! I did the "Rundfahrt" of Garmish, The Kuhlfliuht, the Dreitorspitze, the Alpspitze, and the Zugspitz, and THAT was a TRIP.
I understand though, it was just something to throw into the mix. Hey, THIS way I don't have to get ma yawnetu into such great shape.
Niri Te

Originally Posted by Aketuan

As much as I would love that idea, I'm not sure...we have very limited time for the backpacking and I'm not sure we could fit that in. Besides I'd rather keep the group together if possible. The route around the 7 lakes (current plan) will be 16 miles round trip.

Going to the glacier would add 26 miles to the trip making it 42 miles within a 24 hour period...again I would love to do it, I just don't think it is possible.

(And keep in mind that the person saying it is not likely possible (me) is probably the craziest one here with hiking. I've climbed ten 12,000 ft peaks all within 16 hours with 15,000 feet elevation gain total and 24 miles.)

[Ateyo leSyaksyuk]

NIRI TE si ATEYO hope to be driving their Jeep Cherokee. Other extreme would be to take Greyhound Bus from El Paso to Seattle and meet someone there to take us to SUL DUC
Also camping items: flashlight & batteries, insect repellant. Are there bears in this park or on thr trail?

[Niri Te]

I think that we will save the money on the new Jeep Patriot, and I will pull the 1987 Cherokee into my shop, take out the engine, and completely rebuild it, put in a new clutch and pressure plate, as well as clutch master and slave cylinders, and rebuild the complete brake system in April. If Tee, (Aeto leSyaksyuk's human avatar), helps me, it will be a piece of cake, and then I would be willing to take the Jeep anywhere.
Niri Te