[Neustart]

My days of self induced PHTD (Post Hike Trauma Disorder) are over. its nice to be fit and climb high Sunday, but its also nice to have leg function Monday afterwards.Next time I am going to take everyone's advice , go slow and light and enjoy the view. I'm getting up to my late 40's. So take this is as humour.I fib and I think we all do. I used to read how everyone was carrying 50 pounds on their back. You know what, I doubt it. Last year I weighed 210 and when I was a kid i could bench 400 and I had trouble getting a 50 pound pack on. You have to be pretty strong to strap a 50 pound pack on your back and thats the truth. Some packs will even rip after 5 or 6 times carrying 50 pounds. When ever people on the trail said they were carrying a lot of weight, I would wait until I watched them take the pack off and that was the defining moment. Taking a really heavy pack off is or putting it on is almost like making love with an elephant --you sure look awkward doing it.

[dgleighton]

When I go on a 2-3 day climb my pack generally weighs in at 45-50 lbs. That includes rope,crampons,harness,helmet,ice ax,hardware,etc... When you begin to throw all the climbing gear in it is easy to hit 50 lbs. for most. I am 47 going on... Who give a rats. Just Do It!!!

[Tom_Sjolseth]

I went on a 10 day trip into the Pickets last year. My pack weighed approximately 65-70 pounds going in (more with the 12 pack of beer). 25 of it was food (including 2.5 pounds of Gatorade). You tell me, am I fibbing? You are asking some funny questions. I think it's common to have 45-50 pounds for an overnighter with climbing gear. Typical overnighter: ArcTeryx Bora 80 Backpack = 7 pounds MSR Whisperlite Intl Stove/Fuel/Aluminum Cookset = at least 1 pound Sleeping Bag/Pad = 3 pounds Double Wall Tent = 6 pounds 9.6mm x 60m Rope = 8 pounds Climbing Gear (Cams, Pitons, Tools, Crampons) =5-8 pounds Food (plus gatorade) = 5 pounds Water = 4 pounds (assuming a full load) Clothes = 4 pounds Sunglasses, sunscreen, camera, first aid kid, headlamp, misc. = 1 pound ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- =~44-47 pounds It adds up quickly.

[Tazz]

When i have a full overnight climb pack on it is around 40-50 lbs (depending on gear needed). thats just 1-2 nights. you go around 5 nights it will run closer to 55-60+. food weighs alot! back packing (no climb gear) I can do a three night trip with a light tent or bivy sac at 25-30lbs. At the end of the trip it always runs around 24-25 lbs. All depends on season and amount of clothing too. edit: BTW I have old and heavy climb gear. 12-14 yrs old! the stuff no days is WAY lighter!

[kbatku]

After a long hiatus from back packing, my son and I hiked from Bumping Lake to Cougar Lakes. It's about 8 -10 miles I suppose, with a moderate altitude gain. It had been some time since I hiked, and I carried most of the gear because my son was eleven or so. I carried my antiquated gear, lots of food he'd eat, and a (gasp!) two man vinyl type raft, and oars. My pack weighed about 65 pounds. Needless to say, I just about died. The evening before we were to head back I looked off into the distance at the ridge-lines ahead of us and developed a severe panic attack. I was scared to death of making the hike back, because it had been so brutal coming in. So I burned everything I could - spare rope, sugar, left over food, gasoline (I know, it's terrible ) and seriously considered abandoning the raft (stashing it "for when we come back"). I also stuffed more weight into my sons pack, and made it out alive. Since then, the worst I've done was a 55 lb pack going into The Enchantments (again with the death thing). I like to stick around 20 now - that's comfortable. If I'm out with the kids, no more than 45, and even that's a struggle. PS: Not that it matters, but I'll turn 50 this summer.

[the Zachster]

Hah! I don't bother weighing it anymore. If I need it or want it and can still pick up the pack...it's going! PS The want list is usually ALOT longer than the need list

[Layback]

I like to fib about how light it is. It's better for the head. In all seriousness, I've gotten my overnight glacier pack as light as 35 lbs. My overnight rock or ice pack is usually about 47 lbs.

[Tom_Sjolseth]

Ask Hummel how much his pack weighed when he skiied the Ptarmigan Traverse. I think I remember 85-90 pounds with skis and boots!

[Layback]

Hummel isn't human. You can't include him in these things.

[mtn.climber]

Just stepped off the scale for my weekend climb up Mt. Baker. Pack in at 55 pounds, and I don't think I have much extra. Am allowing an extra camping night, just in case. I thought I was too heavy, but guess I'm only a little over what others have.

[The Bubbly Hiker]

I used to carry 50-65 lb packs, especially on "mountain climbing" trips with extra boots, ropes, etc. I tell ya... it was a huge struggle to hoist that pack. I could bench press 105 lbs at my peak strength. So it was a dynamic move to get the pack on. The "clean" got it on my knee. The "jerk" wrenched it around and on one shoulder. They the belt was cinched very tight so my bones took the load. Several of these steps were accompanied by loud grunts -- partly for effect and style, partly due to the strain. Dismounting the pack was also quite the effort. Hopefully there was a stump or log around to sit on, so I could leave it on. If someone tipped me over like a cow, I'd never get back up. If I needed something from the pack, I waited until the 27th time I decided I had to have it. Now I carry packs half as heavy, but still grunt because it's part of the mystique of the sport.

[Slide Alder Slayer]

I weigh my pack with this Ultimate Digital Bicycle Scale. I always think my pack is heavier until I weight it.

[yukon222]

For my trip last weekend to Sonny Boy in the North Cascades, we all weighed our packs at the TH with a digital hanging scale (just for fun). Mine was 47 lbs which is typical for overnight "winter" trip or a 4 day "summer" trip.

[eplanajr]

I dont usually weight my pack. I'm stuck with it, so no point in gram geeking myself and my wallet for that matter, to death.

[Hulksmash]

I'm stuck at 270. To be honest, i stopped caring about pack weight, i already carry to much weight with out the pack I dont want to think about how much wight my joints and muscles are baring. They sure let me know on mondya though