Note: I am about three-and-a-half weeks away from my first step on the trail. I leave Happy Isles August 23rd and intend to summit Whitney early September 12th. In six days I'll leave home (for a business trip and then to acclimate to the elevation for a few days in Mammoth Lakes, California). That's my excuse for the next several blog posts to be a bit shorter than usual. Also, none of the next seven posts will reference current events; all will be written at the end of July or early August. I’ll be back in mid-September with more stories from the trail!
Is there a better bunch of people than those we interact with before and during a John Muir Trail hike? I’ve never met a more universally friendly bunch. From the hikers you meet on the trail, to the Rangers, the folks at the Wilderness Center, the staff of Red’s/VVR/MTR, and the owners & employees of the businesses we depend upon for gear, they all seem to be just plain nice people. Sure, we can all think of exceptions to that generalization (I approached a Ranger in McClure Meadow one day and got scolded for bothering him on his day off), but, in general, I always seem to run into terrific people who love what they’re doing.
Courtesy Wild-Ideas.net website.
Add to that list the folks at Wild Ideas (the people behind the Bearikade Scout, Weekender and Expedition). I’ve had the pleasure of interacting with them three times, twice to rent a canister and once to buy. Each instance was characterized by courtesy, friendliness, and a sense that I was talking with someone who actually understands what it’s like out on the trail.
They also offer a substantial (as in more than 40%) discount to John Muir Trail thru-hikers!
Of course, great customer service can’t make up for an inferior product. The good news is that, at least in my opinion, they make the best bear canister around. Why? Because it’s the lightest, it comes in more sizes, and it can even be purchased in custom sizes to fit perfectly into your backpack of choice.
I know nothing about the people behind Wild Ideas and have no financial interest in the company; this is just one man’s opinion. Give them and their product a try; I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
Good hiking, Ray
Good article – thanks!
How does one take advantage of discounted price?
The best way to get the discount is to give them a call at 805-693-0550. I think the discount varies depending on the time of year. The good thing is that it is a flat rate, regardless of how long you take to hike the JMT!
Ray,
I know what you mean, good customer service is often hard to come by, and good products too. I am often willing to pay a little extra for the good service. On a related note, I came across a superb camp stove that your readers should check out. It’s from a company called “Biolite,” and it is everything the manufacturer promises…and maybe more. Check out the website: http://www.biolitestove.com/campstove/camp-overview/features/
I bought one on a whim, and it does everything the manufacturer says: it boils a liter of water in less than five minutes, it charges anything with a USB port, and it is the size of a 1-liter water bottle. Perfect for carrying into the high country, you need not transport fuel (unless you’re staying above the tree line), and you don’t have to lug lots of batteries for your essential electronics (assuming they have aforementioned USB recharging capability). After reading of your woes regarding lack of appetite for energy bars last time, I am planning my JMT hike with this Biolite Campstove in my arsenal, so I hope to enjoy better eating. I’m excited for your upcoming trip, I hope to learn much from your second thru-hike to plan for my own in the near future.
Aloha,
Bob
I saw this in the REI in Reno and it looks VERY interesting. One quick question and one comment. First, do you have any idea how long it takes to put a full charge on a typical smart phone? (Even if it was a few hours, it might make a nice “campfire” in the evening.)
My comment is actually a concern regarding it’s legality on the trail, at least this year. There is a complete ban on wood fires on almost the entire route, at all elevations. There was even some discussion, when the rules were first announced, that gas fires would not be allowed. (That was later corrected; canister stoves are good.) This is a wood burner, albeit an enclosed one. I would want to get the opinion of a Ranger before I carried one on the JMT, at least this year.
I am carrying a canister stove this time around, but even with it, I intend to be very careful about where I light it. Anyone who walks the John Muir Trail out of Red’s Meadow, going south, can see what the results of a fire are twenty years after. It’s not pretty.
Thanks for the comment, Bob!
Ray,
Is that discount for rentals only, or can it be applied to purchases!
Jim
I’m pretty sure it is for rentals only. Sorry.
One thing I really like about Wild Ideas is that if you are in the market to buy a bearcan, they make them in a wide variety of custom sizes and they don’t ask premium prices for the custom sizes. Each added liter of capacity (equals one more inch in height) adds only 1.4 ounces additional weight to the can (most of the weight is in the ends, not in the middle). So you can size the can to be the largest that will fit your pack. I have a high-volume pack, so I really like the 16 inch (and 16 liter) bearcan. Holds 12 days of food easily for me (given the stuff I like) and probably could go to 16 or more in a pinch, by selecting only foods that pack very tight.
That’s very true, John, and not particularly well known. You can buy the perfect backpack, and then get a bear canister cut to fit that backpack just as perfectly.
Just got home from Yosemite, so reading this post a week late. I use the bearikade weekender and it fits perfict on top of my Granite Gear Blaze A.C. 60 pack. With all the re-supply points along the JMT, This combo works great for me.
Congratulations on completing your hike!