Bag Night Challenge 2015

My home of Boulder, UT allows me camp a lot. After work I will often drive down the Burr Trail to escape the business of my seven other roomies in the Hell's Backbone Grill staff house. On my days off I usually camp and have been fortunate enough to fit in several backpacks this year down to Halls Creek Narrows, Willow Gulch, Salt Creek Canyon, The Maze District, Deer Creek, The Circle Cliffs, and Boulder Mountain. After my most recent trip I sit at 76 nights. My year will be a record year of bag nights and I hope to have a similar year next year. This lifestyle has been a blast. This photo is from a fun one where after work on a big moon night we hiked a few miles down Deer Creek to meet our friends who were already camped out there. Deer Creek Night-2 by Nate Geesaman, on Flickr
 
Total YTD: 45 Nights

Jan 17-19 > Solo at Powell > 2 Nights
March 5-8 > Backpacking Trachyte Creek > 3 Nights
March 21-24 > Glen Canyon > 3 Nights
Apr 30 - May 3 > Glen Canyon: Escalante > 3 Nights
May 14-18 > Glen Canyon: Crystal Springs/North Lake > 4 Nights
May 22-25 > Backpacking Grand Staircase > 3 Nights
June 4-8 > Glen Canyon: Iceberg Canyon > 4 Nights
July 2-7 > Reflection Canyon > 5 Nights
July 24-26 > Green River Lakes > 2 Nights
Aug 3-5 > Ruby Horsethief > 2 Nights
Sept 2-8 > Glen Canyon with the family > 6 Nights
Sept 25-27 > Toroweap > 2 Nights
Oct 7-12 > Lower, Lower Escalante > 4 Nights
Oct 23-25 > Woody > 2 Nights

Went looking for yellow cottonwoods. Found quite a few but not as many as I'd hoped. Next week will be prime. Felt good to backpack again.

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Feb 6 - Feb 8, 3 nites Grand Gulch
Mar 26 - Mar 29, 4 nites Escalante
Apr 26 - Apr 27, 2 nites Island Park
Apr 30 - May 3, 4 nites Death Hollow
May 10 - May 13, 4 nites Island Park
May 17 - May 23, 6 nites Island Park
May 25 - May 27, 3 nites Island Park
Jun 1 - Jun 2, 2 nites Island Park
Jun 9 - Jun 10, 2 nites Island Park
Jun 14 - Jun 18, 4 nites Island Park
Jun 22 - Jun 25, 4 nites Island Park
Jul 6 - Jul 9, 4 nites Island Park
Jul 13 - Jul 17, 5 nites Island Park
Jul 20 - Jul 24, 5 nites Island park
Jul 27 - Jul 29, 3 nites Island Park
Aug 3 - Aug 6, 4 nites Island Park
Aug 10 - Aug 12, 3 nites Island Park
Aug 13 - Aug 23, 11 nites Soda Fire near Silver City, Idaho
Aug 24 - Sept 4, 12 nites Last Inch Fire near Clarkia, Idaho
Sept 8 - Sept 12, 5 nites Island Park
Sept 20 - Sept 24, 5 nites Island Park
Sept 27 - Oct 1, 5 nites Island Park, Idaho
Sept 6 - Sept 8, 3 nites Island Park
Sept 13 - Sept 15, 3 nites Island Park .........................106 nites

So ........ won't let me count last weeks ? Still in sleeping bag with bear spray nearby, tarps for the walls but deck roof over the top....
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Anyway new pics.....
First window going in:
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Done:
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Me and Joey working on the window wall .... .couldn't have done it without Joey :
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All the windows are in, doors this week..........
 
slc_dan said:
and here's @NateGeesaman and his famous GLASS bottle he takes into the backcountry!

ultralight ethos! right @Artemus?
SC2 Morning by slc_dan, on Flickr
Click to expand...

Glass bottle. Orange pack. dslr hand-carried and sometimes dropped in the sand. He may not follow the ethos but he sleeps more nights on the ground, takes much better pictures than I do and serves a great meal. You GO Mr. Geesaman!
 
Bob said:
Feb 6 - Feb 8, 3 nites Grand Gulch
Mar 26 - Mar 29, 4 nites Escalante
Apr 26 - Apr 27, 2 nites Island Park
Apr 30 - May 3, 4 nites Death Hollow
May 10 - May 13, 4 nites Island Park
May 17 - May 23, 6 nites Island Park
May 25 - May 27, 3 nites Island Park
Jun 1 - Jun 2, 2 nites Island Park
Jun 9 - Jun 10, 2 nites Island Park
Jun 14 - Jun 18, 4 nites Island Park
Jun 22 - Jun 25, 4 nites Island Park
Jul 6 - Jul 9, 4 nites Island Park
Jul 13 - Jul 17, 5 nites Island Park
Jul 20 - Jul 24, 5 nites Island park
Jul 27 - Jul 29, 3 nites Island Park
Aug 3 - Aug 6, 4 nites Island Park
Aug 10 - Aug 12, 3 nites Island Park
Aug 13 - Aug 23, 11 nites Soda Fire near Silver City, Idaho
Aug 24 - Sept 4, 12 nites Last Inch Fire near Clarkia, Idaho
Sept 8 - Sept 12, 5 nites Island Park
Sept 20 - Sept 24, 5 nites Island Park
Sept 27 - Oct 1, 5 nites Island Park, Idaho
Sept 6 - Sept 8, 3 nites Island Park
Sept 13 - Sept 15, 3 nites Island Park .........................106 nites

So ........ won't let me count last weeks ? Still in sleeping bag with bear spray nearby, tarps for the walls but deck roof over the top....
View attachment 35880

Anyway new pics.....
First window going in:
View attachment 35881
Done:
View attachment 35882
Me and Joey working on the window wall .... .couldn't have done it without Joey :
View attachment 35883
View attachment 35884

All the windows are in, doors this week..........
Click to expand...
Omg @Bob! I think you setup and took a selfie! (Looking a little grey, like me) :)
 
1/16-19 Fox Valley, MO - 3 nights
3/13- Atchison State Fishing Lake, KS- 1 night
4/10- Indian Cave State Park, NE- 1 night
4/16- Atchison SFL, KS- 1 night
4/24-4/30 Southern Missouri & Northern Arkansas- 7 nights
5/22- Northern MO- 1 night
6/26-7/2 midwest roadtrip- 7 nights
8/7- Atchison Lake, KS - 1 night
8/14-15 Lake Manawa, Iowa -2 nights
9/26- Chase County Lake, Kansas- 1 night
10/9-10/12- Nauvoo State Park, IL - 3 nights

Total nights: 28
 
Artemus said:
Glass bottle. Orange pack. dslr hand-carried and sometimes dropped in the sand. He may not follow the ethos but he sleeps more nights on the ground, takes much better pictures than I do and serves a great meal. You GO Mr. Geesaman!
Click to expand...

And always in the best of spirits! Great hiking pal, I'm honored to spend trail with the dude.

Just gotta give him shit because I'm jealous. ;)
 
Back in the desert

Total: 53

5/1-3: 2 Nights east of Zion NP
5/31: 1 Night Domingez-Escalante National Conservation Area, CO
6/1-5: 4 Nights East Elk Campground, Curecanti NRA, CO
6/22-25: 3 Nights Near Lake Solitude, Cloud Peak Wilderness, WY
6/26-28: 2 Nights Bighorn Lake, Mt Zirkel Wilderness, CO
7/1-2: 1 Night, Oliver Creek, CPW
7/4-5: 1 Night, Lake Helen, CPW
7/9-12: 2 Nights, Granite Lake, CPW
1 Night, Emerald Lake, CPW
7/16-18: 2 Nights, North Clear Creek, CPW
7/23-25: 1 Night, Near Lost Twin Lakes, CPW
1 Night, Lake Helen, CPW
7/29: 3 Nights, Shadow Mountain, Teton NF, WY
08/3-6: 3 Nights Lake Solitude, CPW
8/13-16: 3 Nights Lake Peggy, CPW
8/17-19: 2 Nights Tahosa Campsite, RMNP, CO
8/21-22: 1 Night, Old Crow Lake, CPW
8/23-24: 1 Night, Trail Park, CPW
8/28-30: 2 Nights, Lake Helen CPW
9/1-14: 13 Nights, Libby, MT
9/19-21: 2 Nights, Paintrock Guard Station, near CPW
10/23-25: 2 Nights, near Goblin Valley UT

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Hey, who's brave enough to compile a list of the top 10 competitors for the prize t-shirts for 2015. I propose two categories. Bob and Joey in one and everyone else in another. Game ON!
 
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2015 Total - 47 nights

January 24th - 2 nights in Leeds Creek
March 14th -1- Silver Mtns north of Wendover
March 26th -4- Tuckup canyon descent with @lostlandscapes, @slc_dan and Mandy - Grand Canyon
May 1st -4- Death Hollow descent with @Joey, @Bob and Mike - Escalante
May 8th -2- Spencer Flat road camp - Escalante
June 8th -6- Jellystone chasing wolves
June 26th -2- Uintas 4 lakes basin
July 10 -2- Windies walkabout at Sweetwater gap with friends @slc_dan and Mya
July 16 -4- Windies near south pass
August 1 -2- Jellystone trying to keep up with @scatman, his son and Ryan
August 13 -3- Wind Rivers - Temple Peak area
August 30 -2- Gros Ventres - really trying to keep up on @scatman's route with @Joey and @Ben
Sept 6 -7- Climb Wham Ridge backcountry San Juan mountains - report under construction
Sept 19th -1- Uintahs - Amethyst Lake triumphant return with my sweetie and @lostlandscapes
October 16th - 2- Birthday Trip to the Winds at Big Sandy Opening
October 29 -3- Yosemite NP and the Nevada Toyabe Range

Made my goal of 40 and still counting. If I died tomorrow it still would have been a great year! Sometimes work stress makes me wonder why. Writing out this list answers the question.

Big Tree Camp. This is not Kansas, Toto. Big Ponderosa on the west slopes of the Range of Light. YNP. My outstretched tree-hugging embrace was ineffective.
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Total: 40

1 night - Jan 2 @ Moab
1 night - Jan 9 @ a yurt in Liberty, ID snowshoeing
1 night - Jan 16 @ Moab
1 night - Jan 30 @ 5th water hot springs backpacking
1 night - Feb 13 @ Wedge Overlook mountain biking
1 night - Feb 20 @ backyard testing a new tent
4 nights - March 12-16 @ White Rim Trail mountain biking
4 nights - March 26-30 @ Canyonlands Figure 8 packrafting trip
4 nights - April 17-21 @ Zion NP 50 mile backpacking
4 nights - May 22-26 @ Salt Creek in the Needles backpacking
1 night - May 29 @ the swell
1 night - June 20 @ Pittsburgh Lake backpacking
3 nights - July 16 @ skyline drive bikepacking
1 night - July 31 @ Dry Creek to Granite Flats backpacking
1 night - Aug 7 @ Lake Hardy backpacking
2 nights - Aug 19-21 @ Tetons
6 nights - Sept 2 - 7 @ Wind Rivers, WY traverse backpacking 90 miles
3 nights - Oct 30-Nov 1 @ Moab mountain biking

Total Van nights: 1

Aug 21 @ Lava Hot Springs
 
Artemus said:
Hey, who's brave enough to compile a list of the top 10 competitors for the prize t-shirts for 2015. I propose two categories. Bob and Joey in one and everyone else in another. Game ON!
Click to expand...

What are these prize t-shirts you speak of?? I guess I will have some prize beanies around this year though!
 
Nick said:
Now that's a tree! I'm hot on your heals, @Artemus! Are you going to stay home this weekend so I can get ahead? ;)
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And the tree bark canyons smelled like vanilla.
Since we are so close I am contemplating sleeping in the backyard where the rutting moose are scooting around at risk of getting stepped on in order to stay ahead. :)
 
Nick said:
What are these prize t-shirts you speak of?? I guess I will have some prize beanies around this year though!
Click to expand...
You ALWAYS offer up prize t-shirts to this most-coveted yearly BCP contest don't you, oh admin? If not, you should. @Bob worked hard to sleep nearly 200 nights on the ground this year but for what, if not a prize? Beanies would probably be a nice alternative pal. BTW I LOVE the new @scatman emoticon :scatman:
 
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