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Phil's Phieldnotes
  • Big Bend | Camping | Places

    Big Bend Ranch State Park

    Byphieldnotes July 1, 2015

    Big Bend Ranch State Park is a huge state park just west of Big Bend National Park.

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  • Penultimate day of my John Muir Trail hike, approaching Whitney Crest, looking back over Guitar Lake.
    Hiking | John Muir Trail 2002 | Places | Trip Reports

    John Muir Trail Thru-hike 2002

    Byphieldnotes July 1, 2015February 13, 2025

    I completed a North to South thru-hike of the John Muir Trail in 2002. Here is a trip report of my hike. John Muir Trail day 1 – 3 John Muir Trail day 4 John Muir Trail day 5 John Muir Trail day 6 John Muir Trail day 7

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  • Arizona Highpoint-Humphreys Peak 8/13/03
    Arizona | Places | Trip Reports

    Arizona Highpoint-Humphreys Peak 8/13/03

    Byphieldnotes June 27, 2015May 27, 2025

    Humphrey Peak Wikipedia In August 2003, on the way to California to my brother’s wedding, I camped near Flagstaff, Arizona and climbed Humphreys Peak, the high point of the state. The hike starts off in the “Snow Bowl”, a ski area, then winds its way up through the forest until it gets to timberline. Then…

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  • TR-Indian Peaks 2008 Backpacking
    Colorado | Indian Peaks Wilderness Area | Places | Trip Reports

    TR-Indian Peaks 2008 Backpacking

    Byphieldnotes June 17, 2015December 20, 2025

    I’ve hiked many times in the Indian Peaks Wilderness, just south of Rocky Mountains National Park. This time was a multi-day backpacking trip. Because of the nature of the trail system and the need for permits in advance, I planned a route with a sort of curly-cue path.

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  • My truck at Chilicotal Camp Site, Big Bend National Park
    Camping | Places

    Big Bend Camping November 2014

    Byphieldnotes June 14, 2015November 30, 2025

    I left austin a bit late Friday (November 7), right at 9. This put my ETA  at big bend at 17:30 and that’s exactly when i got into Panther Junction. Got a bag of ice in Marathon. Turns out they’d had 4 inches of rain the day before. Several roads were closed, so there were…

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  • My truck at Chilicotal Camp Site, Big Bend National Park
    Places

    2014 Big Bend Gallery

    Byphieldnotes June 14, 2015February 13, 2025

    A November camping trip to Big Bend National Park.

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  • Tarp in use at camp in Escalante National Monument, Utah
    Camping | Gear

    Using a tarp for car camping

    Byphieldnotes June 14, 2015December 21, 2025

    It’s taken me a few years to figure this out. I’ve had a cheap old tarp in the past which I’ve almost never used; then, before my John Muir Trail hike I picked up a ultra-light Sil-Tarp (below) which was marginally effective but I still never really got the hang of pinning it down in…

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  • Gear

    ZPacks gear

    Byphieldnotes June 11, 2015

    ZPacks accessories sell some pretty nifty lightweight gear for hiking and backpacking.  

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  • Backpacking | Gear | Hiking | John Muir Trail 2002 | Places

    JMT Epilogue

    Byphieldnotes June 15, 2003February 14, 2025

    Reflecting on a trip twenty years ago, the author shares insights on what they would alter, such as hiking later into the day to utilize camping spots better, and creating a detailed pre-trip spreadsheet for trails and sites. They also describe an effective, though simplistic, food routine involving freeze-dried meals and powdered milk that fulfilled their needs well. However, the author notes excessive packing of heavy clothing and inefficiencies in water storage, suggesting modern packs with built-in hydration systems as an upgrade.

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  • JMT Day 21
    Hiking | John Muir Trail 2002 | Places

    JMT Day 21

    Byphieldnotes September 9, 2002February 13, 2025

    September 9, 2002 31º-51º @UTY <- previous day | epilogue -> I was up early; and except for the water bottle in my bag still had to deal with some freezing. And since I had pretty much used up all the food, breakfast was a bit skimpy. But I anticipated the pizza slices at the store at…

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  • About
    • About
    • Privacy Policy
  • Trip Reports
  • Gear, weather, other links
    • Gearblog
  • Places
    • Index of Places
    • Big Bend
    • Guadalupe Mountains National Park
    • Grand Canyon National Park
    • Humphrey’s Peak (Arizona High point)
    • Indian Peaks Wilderness
      • Indian Peaks Posts
    • John Muir Trail Thru-hike 2002
    • New Mexico
    • Utah
    • Weminuche Wilderness Area
    • To-Do
  • John Muir Trail Thru-hike 2002
  • Anything and Everything
  • Old Site*
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