July 07, 2020

Colby's Pack Dump

Growing up in central Washington, deer camp was THE hunt that I looked forward to every year. Although, back then, I knew hunting camp as more of a family gathering where the fires, camp meals cooked by my grandpa, and horseshoe games were the focus. The hunting was often bleak and while I will forever savor those memories at deer camp with my family - when I left for college in Montana - I started to focus more on the hunt and being successful.

Pre-arriving in Montana, I had also developed a great passion for backpacking while in high school. Outside of hunting, it was my other obsession. My friends and I would run off to the Cascade Mountains every weekend attempting to check another trip off our bucket list and eventually did the whole Washington portion of the PCT.

Over time, I learned to obsess over my total pack weight and tried to get it as low as possible. It was almost a point of bragging between me and my friends as to who could get the lightest pack for every trip we’d go on. I mention this because when I got to Montana, I married the two worlds as I began setting out on my first backpacking hunts.

Much like my experience with standard backpacking, the more backpack hunting I did the more focused I got on cutting out creature comforts and hunting gear that I didn’t find essential so that I could cut my total pack weight as much as possible. This allowed me to get further into the backcountry.

Today, when I look at my gear, I like to think I have arrived at a middle ground. I primarily still have a minimalist mindset towards my gear but I don’t obsess about it like I used to. Hence why I carry a little bulkier sleeping pad - because I value the quality sleep I get with it over the half-pound I could save by going with a newer pad.

stone glacier, pack dump, sky 5900, backpack, hunting, gear, technical gear, gear list

COLBY'S GEAR LIST

  1. Sky 5900 w/ Large Accessory Pocket, Hydro Holster, Quick Release Sling
  2. Stone Glacier Chilkoot 0 degree Sleeping bag in Outdoor Research Dry Stuff Sack
  3. Stone Glacier Skyscraper 2P Tent
  4. REI AirRail Sleeping Pad & Sea to Summit Aeros Pillow (S)
  5. Stone Glacier Grumman Jacket
  6. Stone Glacier M5 Jacket
  7. Stone Glacier Load Cell Bag 
  8. Sitting Pad
  9. Square Jellyfish Phone Holder and Tripod
  10. Steripen
  11. Allen Ammo Case
  12. Kinco Heavyduty Mittens
  13. Fenix HL40R Headlamp
  14. Vortex Bino Adapter
  15. Garmin InReach Mini
  16. Moment Phone Lens' (18mm & Macro)
  17. Extra Socks (Duckworth & Smartwool)
  18. Yahtzee
  19. Stone Glacier Cordura Camp Pocket
  20. Stone Glacier Rain Cover
  21. Toothbrush
  22. Toothpaste
  23. Contact Case
  24. Contact Solution
  25. Moleskin
  26. Wet wipes
  27. Plackers toothpicks
  28. Advil
  29. Advil PM
  30. Earplugs
  31. Glasses
  32. Pyro Putty
  33. Goal Zero Charger
  34. Extra Duckworth Underwear
  35. Toilet Paper
  36. Hand Sanitizer
  37. 3L Platypus
  38. Stone Glacier Helio Bottoms
  39. Kill Kit: Tags, Game Bags, Havalon, Latex Gloves, and Space Blanket
  40. Slik Sprint Pro III BH Tripod
  41. Vortex Razor HD 11-33 50MM Spotter
  42. JetBoil w/ titanium long spoon
  43. Mountain House: Stroganoff
  44. Daily Ration of Food: BoBo Bar, Green Belly Meal Replacement, Jerky, Shot Blocks (x2), Honey Stinger Waffle (x2)
Written by Stone Glacier