Bag Night Challenge 2020

Night 1: Walls of Jericho, AL
Night 2: Big South Fork, KY
Night 3-5: Canyonlands, UT
Night 6: Savage Gulf, TN
Night 7: DeSoto State Park, AL
Night 8: Big Frog Wilderness, TN
Night 9: Cheaha Wilderness, AL
Night 10: Dugger Mountain Wilderness, AL
Night 11: Big South Fork, KY
Night 12: Virgin Falls SNA, TN
Night 13: Cohutta Wilderness, GA
Night 14: Pickett State Park, TN
Night 15: Cohutta Wilderness, GA
Night 16: Savage Gulf, TN
Night 17: Tishomingo State Park, MS
Night 18: Cheaha Wilderness, AL
Night 19: Grandfather Mountain, NC
Night 20: Big Yellow Mountain, NC
Night 21: Mt. Rogers NRA, VA
Night 22: Buzzard Rock(Whitetop Mountain), VA

3 more from NC and VA
20201103_174102.jpg

20201103_175916.jpg

20201104_151435.jpg



20201104_170539.jpg

20201106_115246.jpg

20201105_174528.jpg
 
Night 1: Walls of Jericho, AL
Night 2: Big South Fork, KY
Night 3-5: Canyonlands, UT
Night 6: Savage Gulf, TN
Night 7: DeSoto State Park, AL
Night 8: Big Frog Wilderness, TN
Night 9: Cheaha Wilderness, AL
Night 10: Dugger Mountain Wilderness, AL
Night 11: Big South Fork, KY
Night 12: Virgin Falls SNA, TN
Night 13: Cohutta Wilderness, GA
Night 14: Pickett State Park, TN
Night 15: Cohutta Wilderness, GA
Night 16: Savage Gulf, TN
Night 17: Tishomingo State Park, MS
Night 18: Cheaha Wilderness, AL
Night 19: Grandfather Mountain, NC
Night 20: Big Yellow Mountain, NC
Night 21-22: Mt. Rogers NRA, VA
Night 23: Savage Gulf, TN
I took what was suppoaed to be a 2hr nap, and woke up at home 15hrs later, instead of on a trail in South Carolina.
So...Savage Gulf in TN. Quickie of Big Creek Gulf plus a visit to the Greeter Falls Loop before heading home.
With the flow very low at all the falls, the most exciting part was missing a turn while daydreaming, and following a trail of use that put me down at Big Creek way ahead of time. Climbing through boulders that were all underwater in the spring for a mile was time consuming, but major fun!
20201118_144824.jpg

VideoCapture_20201119-090209.jpg

20201118_185206.jpg

20201119_094641.jpg
 
I wasn't motivated enough to camp in November so I missed out on camping at least one night each month this year. I did camp Friday night at the Sand Wash Airstrip before hiking into lower Nine Mile Canyon yesterday. It was a chilly 17 degrees but with two sleeping bags on the cot it was comfortable enough.

There was some open water on the Green when I arrived Friday evening after sunset, but by morning parts of it were completely frozen between both banks. A SAR buddy of mine said there were several helicopter rescues in Desolation on Saturday of rafters who were frozen in and had to leave all their gear behind.

Total: 27 Nights

1/17/2020 - Cañon Largo, NM
1/18/2020 - Cañon Saladito, NM
1/19/2020 - Alamo Windmill, NM
1/20/2020 - Encino, NM
2/28/2020 - Hart's Draw, UT
2/29/2020 - Hatch Point, UT
3/27/2020 - The Gulch, UT (GSENM)
3/28/2020 - The Gulch, UT (GSENM)
4/23/2020 - Silver Island Mountains, UT
4/24/2020 - Devil's Playground, UT
4/25/2020 - Dove Creek, UT
5/29/2020 - Thousand Lake Mountain, UT
5/30/2020 - East Boulder Mountain, UT
6/26/2020 - Pine Creek, Boulder Mountain, UT
6/27/2020 - Bowns Point, Boulder Mountain, UT
7/17/2020 - Sevier Plateau, UT
7/18/2020 - Hilgard Mountain, UT
8/27/2020 - Beaver Creek, UT
9/16/2020 - Labyrinth Canyon near Hardscrabble Bottom, UT
9/17/2020 - Stillwater Canyon near Valentine Bottom, UT
9/18/2020 - Stillwater Canyon near Water Canyon, UT
9/19/2020 - Upper Spanish Bottom, UT
10/21/2020 - Spring Canyon Bottom, UT
10/22/2020 - Mouth of Horseshoe Canyon, UT
10/23/2020 - Cottonwood Bottom, UT
10/24/2020 - Big Flat, UT
12/4/2020 - Sand Wash Airstrip, UT


IMG_4625.JPG


IMG_4624.JPG
 
There's always the possibility of another night or two this month, but if not, I'm good with 70.

Total: 70 Nights

Dec 5-6 | Dead Horse Point Yurt | 1
Nov 26-29 | Natural Bridges | 3
Nov 20-22 | Indian Creek | 2
Nov 6-7 | Road Draw | 1
Oct 30 - Nov 1 | Hatch Point | 2
Oct 23-25 | Polly Mesa | 2
Oct 17-19 | White Rim Trail | 2
Oct 9-10 | Circle Cliffs | 1
Oct 8-9 | Cottonwood Creek | 1
Oct 7-8 | Paria River | 1
Oct 6-7 | Fourmile Bench | 1
Oct 5-6 | Deer Spring Point | 1
Oct 3-5 | Paria River & Sheep Creek | 2
Oct 2-3 | Between The Creeks | 1
Sep 25-26 | Little Giant Basin | 1
Sep 17-20 | Meander Canyon | 3
Sep 11-12 | Saltado Creek | 1
Sep 4-5 | Mount Irish Range | 1
Sep 3-4 | Kennedy Saddle | 1
Sep 2-3 | White Mountains | 1
Sep 1-2 | Pole Canyon | 1
Aug 29-30 | Deer Park | 1
Aug 22-23 | Stony Pass | 1
Aug 21-22 | La Plata River | 1
Aug 16-17 | Conundrum Hot Springs | 1
Aug 14-15 | Rose Cabin | 1
Aug 8-9 | Middle Quartz Creek | 1
Aug 1-2 | Black Mesa | 1
Jul 31 - Aug 1 | The Meadows | 1
Jul 18-19 | Bolam Pass | 1
Jul 10-12 | Geyser Pass & La Sal Pass | 2
Jul 3-4 | Wall Lake | 1
Jun 13-14 | Hermits Rest | 1
May 15-18 | Woodenshoe Canyon | 3
May 8-10 | Silver Falls Creek | 2
May 1-2 | Tomsich Butte | 1
Apr 25-26 | Mee Canyon | 1
Apr 3-5 | The West End | 2
Mar 27-29 | Waterpocket Fold | 2
Mar 12-15 | The Needles | 3
Mar 6-8 | Trachyte Creek | 2
Feb 29 - Mar 1 | Jackass Benches | 1
Feb 14-15 | White Sands National Park | 1
Feb 11-12 | Aravaipa Canyon | 1
Jan 31 - Feb 2 | White Crack | 2
Jan 25-26 | Behind the Rocks | 1
Jan 17-20 | Mojave Desert | 3
Jan 3-5 | Mountain Belle | 2


Dead Horse Point Yurt Under the Stars
by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr


Natural Bridges Campsite
by Randy Langstraat, on Flickr
 
Night 1: Walls of Jericho, AL
Night 2: Big South Fork, KY
Night 3-5: Canyonlands, UT
Night 6: Savage Gulf, TN
Night 7: DeSoto State Park, AL
Night 8: Big Frog Wilderness, TN
Night 9: Cheaha Wilderness, AL
Night 10: Dugger Mountain Wilderness, AL
Night 11: Big South Fork, KY
Night 12: Virgin Falls SNA, TN
Night 13: Cohutta Wilderness, GA
Night 14: Pickett State Park, TN
Night 15: Cohutta Wilderness, GA
Night 16: Savage Gulf, TN
Night 17: Tishomingo State Park, MS
Night 18: Cheaha Wilderness, AL
Night 19: Grandfather Mountain, NC
Night 20: Big Yellow Mountain, NC
Night 21-22: Mt. Rogers NRA, VA
Night 23: Savage Gulf, TN
Night 24: Big South Fork, KY
Night 25: Red River Gorge, KY
Night 26: Carter Caves State Park, KY
Night 27: Cheaha State Park, AL

Well, I'm adding 4 more, and am afraid that will do it for 2020.
Covering a lot of extra shifts due to coworkers being out from COVID, and just sold back the remaining vacation day that was supposed to give me 3 nights off next week(instead of 0!), and a 10th state hiked in for the year.
Since I started having worse trouble with my back in January, have been crippled up a lot-missing 2.5 months worth of hiking, and canceled 2 trips out West(one due to COVID, one for the back), I feel really blessed to have gotten in these 27.

Last night, I finally got around to using my new fair weather shelter that a friend gave me awhile back.
You know you're ultralight when your stake bag makes up 24% of your shelter weight!
20201222_183233.jpg
 
June 17-18 1 night
June 26-29 3 nights
July 3-5 2 nights
July 11-16 5 nights
July 24-26 2 nights
August 1-3 2 nights
August 8-10 2 nights
August 14-15 1 night
August 21-24 3 nights
August 27-28 1 night

September 5-7 2 nights Rampart Ridge, Central Cascades
September 11-14 3 nights Waptus Lake area, Central Cascades in the smoke
TOTAL 27 Nights

Nov. 13th to Dec. 25th

Pahranagat NWR Campground
Desert National Wildlife Refuge Cow Camp Rd
Turtle Mountains Mopah Spring TH
Kofa National Wildlife Refuge King Road
Palomas Mountains by the Fisherman Intaglio
Lake Mead National Rec Area
-- Calville Bay Campground
-- Katherine Landing Campground
Valley of Fire State Park campground
Mojave National Preserve
-- Aiken Mine Road
-- Soda Lake at L. Cowhole Mtn.
Corn Springs Campground
Joshua Tree Natl Park quick backpack in Pleasant Valley Dry Lake
Death Valley Natl Park
--Dublin Hills Jeep trails
--Virgin Spring Road
--Hole in the Wall Road
Celebration County Park, ID (Snake River Gorge)


TOTAL 37 Nights

GRAND TOTAL for 2020: 64 Nights


definitely below avg a bit due to COVID spring lockdowns
 
Bag Nights 2020 - 76

April 4-5 | Caribbean beach | 2-
June 19 | Route NF | 1
June 20 | Bridger NF | 1
June 21 | Shoshone NF | 1
June 22 | Fish Creek Park | 1-
June 23-30 | Pinedale | 8
July 1-3 | Boulder Canyon/Lk Vera | 3-
July 4-5 | Bridger NF | 2
July 6-7 | upper Green River | 2
July 8 | Bridger NF | 1
July 9 | Hobbs Lk | 1-
July 10 | Bridger NF | 1
July 11-12 | Green River | 2
July 13-14 | Bridger NF | 2
July 15 | Divide Basin | 1
July 16-17 | Divide Basin | 2-
July 18 | Sweetwater River | 1
July 19-20 | Pinedale | 2
July 21-August 20 | Wind River Range | 30-
August 21 | Bridger NF | 1
August 25-September 5 | Wind River Range | 11-

total bag nights 2020 - 76
backcountry 2020 - 50
back of truck 2020 - 26
Winds backcountry 2020 - 46
total lifetime Winds backcountry - 511

B3F45FFC-D9DE-45AC-8F1D-069A830389EC.jpeg


BA08542E-8464-482F-8FBD-45E1DB397B3E.jpeg


7C565FCD-5849-4C51-97F2-351261DD50ED.jpeg


56B97E26-9DED-417D-B03C-5B94B633B855.jpeg


1658C396-7F90-48CE-A11A-95CB87E44D8A.jpeg


2DB574E6-EF4D-488F-81A4-A2CB85F9E2C6.jpeg


570AFE5A-5791-4831-968D-0D22C891DADC.jpeg


CCD3DF40-BB22-4AF6-A644-245F7DA6A43D.jpeg


93DC3AC9-72EF-48BA-9E8F-078DDF718136.jpeg


3CC58F04-6528-4066-BDDF-DC1609A37BC8.jpeg


0D2CE03C-F42F-4866-8458-FA636499333B.jpeg


D32D9F6E-18C4-4900-A959-395C2D54E32A.jpeg


567238C7-5C03-40A0-9147-DBB0D1D24EF9.jpeg


60B3AACC-CA49-45C3-A3E8-AF5841E62C91.jpeg


76AD45E6-6CED-4BAB-8740-55D1F26EFDB3.jpeg


EFB13F2D-4CA0-4240-93AF-2A2EBF8423ED.jpeg


3177F16C-BF54-4331-AE5B-A9E00AEA28EA.jpeg
 
For the first time in a long time, I have no idea how many bag nights I got. Probably in the neighborhood of 160, far below my target, but 2020 was 2020, so there's that. For the first time in my life, I did zero cowboying - all my bag nights were in places with either heavy dew or mosquito issues.

(note - the photo from the church nursery would not qualify as a bag night, at least to me. But it was certainly unique!)

Mediocre campsite photos:

20200114_180227.jpg

20200204_121255.jpg

20200215_070611.jpg

20200221_200159.jpg

20200316_184042.jpg

20200311_110235.jpg

20200710_205924.jpg

20200812_060751.jpg:
 
I don’t know @LarryBoy, but if you go to places with names like Suck Mtn, mediocre might be the best you can expect.;)
I was wondering if someone would notice that! That mountain really earned its name - it'd been raining for about three days straight when I got there. I suppose that's when shelters really earn their keep!
 
I was wondering if someone would notice that! That mountain really earned its name - it'd been raining for about three days straight when I got there. I suppose that's when shelters really earn their keep!

covered lounging chairs included! Nice!
 
covered lounging chairs included! Nice!

Yeah those shelters on the Ouachita Trail are awesome. Almost brand-new, they all have tarps inside to string up in case rain starts blowing in, got the Adirondack chairs, and they're always vacant because nobody hikes the OT. What more could you want?

@LarryBoy you forgot the photo of the pit toilet. :roflmao:

I didn't sleep in a pit toilet this year! One bathroom yes, but it had flushable toilets. :D Come to think of it, I don't think I slept in any weird locations this year. Must be losing form.
 
That is so many nights in the Winds @Dreamer. Terrific! Did that 30-day stretch include any trips to town, or did you cache food/have an outfitter pack it in for you?
 
August 19 | Putnam Pond, NY | 1 Night

Beautiful bug free evening, ( @kwc again thank you !)
View attachment 91192

View attachment 91190


View attachment 91191

TOTAL 26 nights in 2020.

Aug 19-20 | 1 night, The Adirondacks
Sept 3-4 | 1 night, The Adirondacks
Sept 15-16 | 1 night, The Adirondacks
Oct 18-21 | 3 nights San Rafael Desert
Oct 21-23 | 2 nights Cedar Mesa
Oct 23-24 | 1 night Glen Canyon NRA
Oct 28-31 | 3 nights GSENM.
Oct 31–Nov 1 | 1 night, GSENM
Nov 3-4 | 1 night GSENM
Nov 4-6 | 2 nights Burr trail rd
Nov 6-7 | 1 night, Burr Trail rd
Nov 11-13 | 2 nights, The Needles CG
Nov 15-22 | 7 nights, The Needles CG. Also a new " no shower record" :)

Sept 3, The Adirondacks
ept 3 evening.jpg

Sept 3 early evening: Plan A
Sept 3 evening.jpg

Sept 3 later evening. Nobody says you have to stay at your campsite all evening, right....? So here's Plan B
Sept 3 later evening.jpg

Sept 15 evening, The Adirondacks. A bit of wildfire smoke from out West.
Sept 15-evening.jpg

Sept 15 evening.jpg

Sept 16 morning, The Adirondacks
Sept 16 morning.jpg


Oct 19, morning San Rafael Desert. Love those peaceful mornings in the desert.
Oct 19 morning.jpg

Oct 20 - evening. Relaxing in the desert :). More beer than food in the cooler.
Oct 20-evening.jpg

Oct 21 evening, Cedar Mesa, some Wildfire smoke surprised us
Oct 21-evening.jpg

Oct 22, Cedar Mesa. Surreal sunset, wow!
Oct 22 evening.JPG

Oct 23, morning. Had to position the Jeep on slick rock to block the wind the previous night.
Oct 23 - morning.JPG

Oct 23 evening, just amazing! Fisheye view
Oct 23-evening.JPG

Oct 24 morning. Got up early to watch Orion.
October 24 Red-morning.jpeg
Oct 24 morning
October 24 Orion- morningjpeg.jpeg

Oct 29 morning, 3 nights with these views, didn't want to move, so instead Mr Desert Mouse moved into the Jeep, sigh....
Oct 29 morning.jpg

Oct 30, almost full moon
October 30, 2020.jpeg

Oct 30 evening.jpg

Nov 1 morning
Nov1 morning.jpg

Nov 3 Election evening
Nov 3 evening.jpg

Nov 4, beautiful star gazing that evening.
November 4, 2020 evening.jpeg
Nov 5 morning
Nov5 morning.jpg

Nov 6 morning, lots of color, quiet morning. The day didn't end so quiet.
Nov 6 morning.JPG

Nov 6 evening- we tried to squeeze in an additional night before the arrival of a front the next day. The weather forecast looked just fine. Worried about rain here, but it was quiet, few sprinkles.... Luckily we packed chairs, etc inside the car before going to sleep.
Nov6-afternoon.jpg

November 6, 2020 early evening.jpeg

It didn't look too bad we thought and we went to bed early. At 10 pm the wind picked up and the gusts were so intense, that we had to move the Jeep to block some wind and tie the tent to the Jeep. Didn't even think of taking any photos. We fell asleep, then woke up at midnight after being sandblasted inside the tent. Closed all windows even though it was very warm, we fell asleep again, kind of.... We could hear the wind come howling up the nearby canyon before it hit the tent, whoa..... During a few quiet minutes in the dark the next morning, we quickly took the tent down, tossed it all in the Jeep and got the heck out of there. Later that morning the wind gusts were intense, howling under the roof box, it was not a fun ride to Moab. We sat out the front in comfort in Moab.
Nov 6-evening.jpeg

Nov 11- evening, the Needles CG
November 11,2020 evening.jpeg

Nov 12 - morning in The Needles CG, plenty of color again
November 12, 2020 morning.jpeg

Nov 13 morning
Nov13-morning.jpg

Nov 15 - We changed plans, didn't continue to AZ, but decided to head back for 1 week to the Needles CG and then drive back home. In an attempt to stay awake we ventured out that evening and discovered benches and lots of them, perfect for star gazing on an ice cold night. Winter Parka, many layers, extra winter pants, a little Titos, all good :) Awesome evening.
Nov 15-evening.JPG

Nov 16 evening
November 16, 2020 Evening.jpeg
Nov 17 evening
Nov17-evening.jpeg
Nov 18 morning. Such a colorful and spectacular morning
November 18, 2020 morning.jpeg

3 mins later!!!
November 18, 2020 morningjpeg.jpeg

November 18, 2020 morn.jpeg

Nov 18 evening
November 18, 2020 evening.jpeg

Nov 19 morning
November 19, 2020 morning.jpeg

November 19, 2020 morn.jpeg

Nov 21 evening, ropes again, bigger rocks, ha.... Guess we had more wind!
November 21, evening-green.jpeg

November 21, eveningjpeg.jpeg

Nov 22 morning beautiful
November 22, 2020 -morning camp.jpeg

Nov 22, morning.
Nov 22 morning.jpg
 
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
Udink Bag Night Challenge 2022 General Discussion 57
Udink Bag Night Challenge 2021 General Discussion 119
Artemus Bag Night Challenge Results Summary General Discussion 0
Artemus Bag Night Challenge 2019 General Discussion 225
Jackson Bag Night Challenge 2018 General Discussion 454
Artemus Bag Night Challenge 2017 General Discussion 301
Artemus Bag Night Challenge 2016 General Discussion 263
Backcountry Post Bag Night Challenge 2015 General Discussion 399
Backcountry Post Bag Night Challenge 2014 General Discussion 420
DAA Bag Night Challenge 2013 General Discussion 237
DOSS Bag Night Challenge 2012 General Discussion 290
regehr zipperless sleeping bag General Discussion 6
Bob Gear Review NEMO Riff Sleeping bag Gear Reviews 1
OwenM SOLDMarmot Pinnacle 15° sleeping bag Gear Market: Buy, Sell, Trade 4
RyanP Sawyer Squeeze questions: how to pre-filter, and recommended dirty-water bag? Gear 30
TrailScot Sleeping bag decision : WM Versalite vs Apache MF Gear 6
wsp_scott Recommend me a sleeping bag Gear 40
Adr1an +5 C° comfort temperature sleeping bag Gear 12
Yvonne Below Zero Winter Sleeping Bag Gear 18
Perry Anyone Have any Experience with Sierra Designs Nitro 800 0-degree Sleeping Bag Gear 11
Pianomover Sleeping bag liners. Gear 40
fossana lightweight *waterproof* dry bag recommendation? Gear Reviews 16
Mikjik86 Waterproof backpack bag for packrafting? On The Water 6
westy OR Bag Cover and Alico boots Gear 0
D Western Mountaineering sleeping bag recommendations plz General Discussion 5
Tystevens What is your sleeping bag lineup? Gear 23
Perry Experience with ZPacks Cuben Fiber Bear Bag Kit? Gear 6
SKLund Big Agnes Bag Gear 6
Nick Camp Bag Essentials General Discussion 7
Archbishop I want bag a few peaks. Advice needed. Trip Planning 33
kimbur96 Winter sleeping bag? Gear 17
kimbur96 Why am I cold in a 20F bag? Gear 31
AKay09 Sleeping Bag Thoughts Gear 9
balzaccom Sleeping bag maintenance Gear 4
pstm13 Sleeping Bag Loft and Temp Rating Gear 3
J Bear (bag) piñata! General Discussion 1
Spencer Sutherland Long Sleeping Bag Gear 7
T What goes in to a hike bag? Gear 0
Mike K Sleeping Bag Repair (With Tape) Gear 7
DudefromOhio Tell me what degree bag I need!! Gear 23
Nick How to properly hang a bear bag General Discussion 17
natylka Advice on the best lightweight sleeping bag for backpacking. Gear 27
TrektheWorld Kids/Child Sleeping Bag ?? Gear 9
C Camera bag for hiking? Photography 25
steve Wanted: lightweight -10* down bag Gear 0
mtjack Late Fall/winter sleeping bag Gear 2
T 0° lightweight bag options for a big guy Gear 5
IntrepidXJ 0 Degree Semi-Rectangular Down Sleeping Bag? Gear 15
gloo Biffy Bag Gear 19
Nick Sleeping Bag Alternatives Gear 23

Similar threads

Back
Top