Base Camp Set-Up: Mt. Massive, CO
Our base camp tent...almost all set up.
Base Camp Set Up…Mt. Massive 2009
The first day of work we ended up just doing mannies, also known as manni-ing. That is the way that we wrap up and tie up the loads that we are going to have the mules carry to base camp. This is a very specific process of dividing loads that are equal in size, weight and weight distribution. It’s important to be very consientious about the loads to ensure that the mule is comfortable and stays healthy. Think if it like loading your pack…you don’t want one side heavier than the other, otherwise you are horribly uncomfortable and your shoulder or back starts to hurt.
We basically mannied all day and the next day as well. We were supposed to pack in a load the second day but the weather was prohibitive so we just prepped some more (Drew was going to prep while we took a load up but we saved him a good amount of effort since we were there).
Finally, on my third full day here we got a load in. Joe and I hiked up with the pack train (all the mules and 2 horses and their riders) and unloaded the train and set up the bones of the camp. We got up our tarp and the big canvas tent. We still had a bunch of other stuff to do but it was cold (or at least I was cold) and it was after 5 pm and we had started around 6:30 am. I still had an hour or so hike down to the truck and then a half hour or so back to the Yurt, dinner and my bed. It was a long tiring day of strenuous activity in cold/snowy/rainy weather at over 10,500 feet in elevation. I was beat.
I got to the Yurt around 7pm, made dinner and went to bed around 8pm.
Wednesday we got going and hiked back into camp. This time Joe and I would stay at the camp so that we could more effectively use our time for setting up and not hiking in and out of the camp. We got another load into camp but the weather and a sick mule prohibited Glenn and Alice our packers from getting a second load into us. We managed to get the bear fence set up and the solar pannel that powers the bear fence battery set up as well. It was a long night, working until past 7pm and we slept in the kitchen tent since we hadn’t had time to set up our own tents.
Thursday was a big day. We got up around 8am (late…I know) and busied around camp doing minor things here and there. We got the final two loads in to camp. It was a bit sad to see Glenn ride off for the last time. But we had a great time working with him, Alice and his animals; Patti, Sophie, Jimmy, Rory, Becky, Finn, and Leah.
Around camp, we set up the groover (our backcountry toilet), got food organized, got the kitchen set up, propane working, tool tarp set up, my own tent set up, ate dinner and went to bed. I felt much better at altitude today and was much less cold than I have been.
Friday, Drew came up to help us finish setting up camp. He and Joe worked on the water purification system while I washed out water jugs and did some finishing touches around camp. We hiked out around 1pm. Nice to have a short day after so many long ones…of to visit my sister in Arvada.
