KdawgCrazy Outdoors's video: Winter Backpacking and Snowshoeing the 76 and Iron Creek Trails

Check out my snowshoeing adventure on the 76 and Iron Creek trails as I hike through deep snow in the rain and sleet going 6 miles out to an idyllic camping spot near Iron Creek Lake. With a pack weight of 29 lbs. including 1 liter of water, food and all my gear I set out in snowshoes on the 76 trail. Starting off at the Spearfish Canyon Lodge in Savoy right outside of Spearfish a couple miles up the Spearfish Canyon, it slowly began to rain. I remember someone in the parking lot looking at me like I was stupid as I donned my poncho. Everyone else at the lodge was getting on their snowmobiles and here I was about to hike in the rain. I had a lot of new gear, as always, that I wanted to put to the test in just these conditions. This was the first time I’d got a chance to test this flimsy poncho to see if it was waterproof and would take the cold. It’s much lighter than the US Military poncho I have but definitely not comparable. I was missing my military poncho halfway through this trip. The MSR Evo snowshoes handled everything I threw at it but I left the tails at home. Starting off on the 76 trail there was a path in the snow leading all the way up to the lookout point. The trip up the .6 mile path is ALL uphill ending with a beautiful view of the Spearfish Canyon at the lookout. Right behind the provided bench is a path leading down the hill to a road and a mountain biking/off roading trail. I headed North on that path to connect up with the Iron Creek Trail then headed West to camp near the Iron Creek Lake. The rain got heavy and then finally turned to snow shortly before it stopped for the day. The poncho held out and did its job. The only people I actually saw out on the trail were a group of 4 snowmobilers so I got to enjoy the trip in solitude. The path I took is a connecting point for a small network of trails running through the area. I think I could spend a year exploring them all. I ended my day at my favorite camping spot just between the dam and Pettigrew Gulch because of the water access and in case of emergencies 2 roads are within a short hiking distance. My Kelty Ignite 0 degree sleeping bad was not keeping me warm. I had to add a Sea to Summit Reactor Plus sleeping bad liner, a down jacket around my wait and some closed cell foam insulating pads under my butt and feet to stay comfortable enough to sleep. I kept all my electronic gear and anything that could freeze, in a Sea to Summit stuff sack and put it in my sleeping bad. I tested a Nalgene insulating sleeve on one of my 1 liter Poweraid bottles to see if it could keep my water from freezing but I soon had to put that in the sleeping bag too because the top water started to freeze into a block. My new Black Diamond Moji 100 lumen lantern worked perfect. Just like turning on a bedroom light switch at night. It flooded the tent with a bright 360 downward spray of light. It also dims and when turned off it retains the previous dim setting so you’re not blinded when turning it back on in the middle of the night. On other winter trips I would practically freeze to death going outside to pee and had a difficult time getting warmed up again to sleep so this time I planned on peeing in a Poweraid bottle. Other than trying to contort in a 3 foot tall and slanted roofed tent to pee and getting leg cramps in the process, it worked. I only had to leave the tent once...during the leg cramping. LOL. With all my gear layered around me I kinda slept till 7 a.m. and skipped my normal morning camping routine opting instead to call my wife for an early pickup. I packed everything up easily while in the tent and upon breaking down the tent found that my dead man anchors were now blocks of ice. I had to chisel them out with my Mora Bushcraft knife to get them out. Glad I didn't cut that out of my pack for weight savings. Now I can go back with a different sleep system...adding the Kelty bag to the patrol bag and gortex bivy of the MMSS. I know I’ll be warm in that. I will also bring an external pack to carry that sleep system and wear a Frogg Toggs rain suit if I can get my hands on a good one. I’ll switch out my shelter in favor of the Nemo Transform Tarp Tent so I can have more space to sit up, move around, cook and pee. And I think I might actually bring gators this next trip. LOL. Thanks for watching guys and if you have any questions about this gear ie…certain items, their weights and my experience with them, just drop me a comment or a PM. This is KdawgCrazy...stay safe and get outdoors. Music by: Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Exhilarate More Music supplied by http://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary "New Toys" by Silent Partner "Oh My Love" by Everet Almond "Scrapbook" by Silent Partner "Easy Day" by Kevin MacLeod "Nevada City" by Huma-Huma "Hydra" by Huma-Huma "Grass" by Silent Partner "Succotash" by Silent Partner