Zpacks Plex Solo / First Hike

Gear List:
Shelter:
Zpacks Plex Solo / pitched with 8” Easton aluminum stakes and the Durston Gear Z-flick Pole. I pitched the shelter at 54” high by adding a rubber stopper to the bottom of my tent pole. I also staked out the bathtub floor with 6 four inch stakes. It was awesome.
Sleep system:
Thermarest Xtherm large mummy (awesome)
Western Mountaineering Megalite (6 years old / great)
Alpaca Hollow Socks (slept in them)
Mountain Hardwear Crater Lake Hoodie (slept in it)
Food:
Cold soak plastic ice cream jar
Huel Thai Green Curry (quinoa)
My Cookie Dealer Strawberry Toaster Pastries
Alani Nu Energy Sticks (200mg caffeine)
Prime Hydration Sticks (no caffeine)
Layers:
Patagonia Terrebonne Pants L (lived in them)
OR Echo Hoodie L (lived in it)
Senchi 90 Alpha XL (didn’t use it)
Patagonia Houdini XL (didn’t use it)
Ditties:
iPhone 15 Pro Max
Flextail Zero (2 batteries stored outside the pump)
Befree (gallon bag)
Sea to Summit Wilderness Wipes
Power Bank
Tooth brush
NU20 Headlamp (didn’t use it)
Pack:
LiteAF Curve 46 (no metal stays / awesome 😎
On this trip I got sick. Supposedly it was 120 degrees on July 4th in Redding which was on a Thursday ‘24. At 7000 feet it felt more like 95. I left SF after work and got to Weaverville by 1030.
4th of July I stayed the night at Granite Lake. Friday, I got past Seven Up Peak, but half way to Lake Luella I started to throw up. I wish I had known which lakes were epic because I would have adjusted my itinerary. During ‘22 Deer Lake had been the best. In '24 it was so buggy my stomach flu acted up while I was there.
In ‘22 Lake Luella was a pond with grass all the way around it. There had been a ledge with a four foot drop into the water and it was cold. In '24 Lake Luella was huge and the water was perfect. Diamond Lake and Summit Lake were also much nicer than before. It took me until late Saturday night to get back up over Seven Up Peak.
Sunday morning it felt like I hadn’t eaten in two days. My bail out to the car was a long one and my French toast at The Nugget wasn’t done until 2. I didn’t make it to the Wurst Restaurant in Healdsburg until 9. The last of the fireworks went off as I passed the Marin County Fair and was home by 10.

[@chrispreece2208]

I have been watching you since 2018 man. Great video, stunning landscapes.

[@Avi_K_dog]

Thank you so much man !! I'm stoked. If you go to California let me know !! instagram.com/reel/C9NKZzwJpSo/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==