That was a great video! Excellent mix of hiking and camp things, like cooking and stargazing, etc. Congrats on being able to do this by yourself! Not very many people can do this. Very inspirational.

@RachelWhelton

5 ай бұрын

Thanks! I am not really trying to be "solo." It's just my nature and easiest for me to manage. It's fun how each little adventure includes all these things.

Thank you Rachel, for all that led up to this, and for sharing this wonderful trek! I am sorry we lost all of our snow in NJ and NE PA. It was fabulous for a bit. Stay well! 🥰🥾🥾

@RachelWhelton

5 ай бұрын

Ahh, I hope you get more snow! I'll keep going out there so you at least get some vicarious snow.

Congrats on your start of the 52 w\a view! Great video.... Don't worry, we've all done that with our food. Looking forward to your next adventure. Be well

@RachelWhelton

5 ай бұрын

Thanks! Yes - the 52 have some good camping opportunities, especially in winter before the ground wakes up again.

Thank-you, Rachel. Love your soundtracks. Your confidence level is really improving.

@RachelWhelton

5 ай бұрын

Thanks. Yes. I feel confident but also always checking on it so I don't overstep. I was thinking about how the three times I "failed" or had to turn back were all due to the difficulties of breaking trail. It's good to have that in a way because it keeps me aware that certain conditions change the game.

@filmic1

5 ай бұрын

My career was in research and field labs. Have to be on your toes ALL the time. What spooks me is a kinked ankle misstep with my 40lbs of kit in my Baltoro on my back.@@RachelWhelton

@filmic1

4 ай бұрын

Going downhill with a thirty pound pack with snowshoes! that's impressive. I'm so untested. @@RachelWhelton

Wow! This video was really very good. Excellent audio and photography. Your channel is really becoming for me an island of beauty and tranquility in a sea of….well, ya know.

@RachelWhelton

5 ай бұрын

Thanks!

Awesome video/hike! I climbed Potash back in the 70s and, even though I was in my teens, I remember it being very steep. No complaints from you -- what a pro! 😉

@RachelWhelton

5 ай бұрын

Thanks. It is pretty nifty mountain. Feels like a big mountain but the suffering ends soon since the trail isn't so long.

Outstanding Video! Thank you Rachel!!

@RachelWhelton

5 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it!

Looks like an exceptional time out. Great footage!

@RachelWhelton

5 ай бұрын

Thanks. I appreciate the positivity! It was one of my favorites.

That looked like an amazing overnight! Great pics of the stars. I'm also jealous of the snow. Still hoping for at least one more snow storm where I am.

@RachelWhelton

5 ай бұрын

Yes, thanks. The cold was a fair trade for the clear skies! Good luck with the snow. At least around here we always get snow during what I call "pre-spring" so hopefully you will too.

Pictures are stunning as always!

@RachelWhelton

5 ай бұрын

Thanks!

Wow !!! Why haven’t I ever thought of camping up there ha ha ha 😂 those views of sunset / sunrise were breathtaking !!! I’m going out somewhere on Sunday for a few days and I can’t wait woohoo 🥳

@RachelWhelton

5 ай бұрын

Yeah, I never even heard of this mountain until recently. Amazing how much is just beyond the Kanc. Have fun on Sunday! Seems all the trail reports are positive right around now.

We did that same trail a month back with mostly ice on the trail. It looks so different covered in snow. Great star/night shots! Funny how those other summit hikers had no idea you were camped up there (just their dog). Thanks for sharing…

@RachelWhelton

5 ай бұрын

Yes, it was so funny to be hidden away back there. Crazy luck that I met that same dog (and owners) the very next week at Mount Israel. The dog and I locked eye contact and I could hardly believe it was her. The owners confirmed they had not known I was back in the woods.

Amazing how equipment has changed, I used to use a steel fame LL Bean backpack, a Coleman Peak one stove, and old fashioned snowshoes with crampons installed. Not to mention the semi-4 season tent, although it did survive a Nor'easter in Franconia Notch. BTW great views!!

@RachelWhelton

5 ай бұрын

Thanks. Yes, the gear is so interesting. The books I read about the Alps and Everest talk about leather boots with nails stuck through them as the first crampons. And those guys didn't have headlamps or stoves! Just imagine what the future might hold for hikers in another century.

Great video. Had to laugh with you on the meal spillage...only because it's been done many times...not by me of course and no pictures so it didn't happen. Loved the snagged zipper episode and the realization that frustration was futile and getting recentered was the path.

@RachelWhelton

5 ай бұрын

Yeah, that was very real life right there. I was multi-tasking and forgot the bag was in my jacket. Learning new lessons each time out! 😅

Excellent video….glad to see you had brought along matches, smart move. Those ceramic igniters aren’t fool proof…nice job on the downhill

@RachelWhelton

5 ай бұрын

Yeah because matches and fire starter are on the 10 Essentials list! So there you go, it worked! I always wondered why those were on the list since you aren't supposed to have a lot of fires. But over time I am learning there are many, many exceptions and circumstances where the rules are a little different to match the situation. I also carry a tent pole splint all the time, thinking how stupid it is. But I betcha someday a pole will snap and I'll have to use that splint!

I love your videos! I must say I admire you for going out and trying all these new things alone. I have held myself back plenty of times because I was too scared but now I look up to you. I would love to know what you bring with you and your layering system setup. Maybe you could do a video where you list the gear you bring like the summer gear video you previously made? 😊

@RachelWhelton

5 ай бұрын

Yes, I love the gear. I was thinking a good gear video would be side by side of Husband and I, because we have totally different taste in gear usually. I like the fancy brands and he prefers getting better prices and views "value" differently.

Amazing photos! Happy Trails

@RachelWhelton

5 ай бұрын

Many thanks!

Done the same thing trying to keep freeze dried food warm in the winter. I finally realized why others bring a cozy made out of reflective foil insulation. Sorry if others have already have suggested this, but you can buy the material at a hardware store, weighs very little and simple to make.

@RachelWhelton

4 ай бұрын

Oh yeah - I saw that on Miranda's KZread channel. Looks like you can make a water insulator too.

Good for you!!

@RachelWhelton

5 ай бұрын

Thank you!

Great vid!

@RachelWhelton

5 ай бұрын

Thanks!

Love your adventures! Beautiful views and night sky. Always looking for new vidéos from you. Thank you so much for sharing! Namaste!

@RachelWhelton

5 ай бұрын

Glad you like them! Thanks for the kind comment.

Great video! You are facing challenges and overcoming! Glad you had a great camp!

@RachelWhelton

5 ай бұрын

Thanks. This camp made me feel like the whole White Mountains was new again as I have let go of my fear of going off trail and doing a wild camp!

Great video

@RachelWhelton

5 ай бұрын

Thanks!

I'm loving your videos. I just started do a bit of backpacking last year. You are giving me lots of great ideas for places to go. I'm not ready for winter yet but when I am I will revisit these videos. Thanks so much for sharing!

@RachelWhelton

5 ай бұрын

Great! Each season has its challenges. And each camp builds our abilities.

That was a fun adventure, thanks for taking us along. A frustrating bummer about the chili Mac but we live and learn, I’ve knocked over the whole meal before. The night shots of the sky were truly stellar.

@RachelWhelton

5 ай бұрын

Thanks! I'll be working on those night shots.

What an epic adventure! Your video inspires me to explore the great outdoors and create unforgettable memories with friends

@RachelWhelton

5 ай бұрын

That's awesome! That is what I look for around KZread also, inspiration to get back out there.

I’ve been following along for the past couple of weeks enjoying ALL of your videos!! Congratulations on this recent success!! Thanks for bringing us along and sharing in your journey. PS I’m glad you were not interrupted by another stray dog on trail! 🙂🥾🏕️🐶❄️

@RachelWhelton

5 ай бұрын

😃 Yeah, the dog, who is named Mia, I've learned (for Missing in Action). After each little adventure I am exhausted for a day or two but then the ideas start bubbling again for "where should I go next?!"

@196813JSC

5 ай бұрын

@@RachelWhelton Well…you’ve inspired some of my 2024 vacation plans as I come back to the US once again this summer for some camping, kayaking and hiking. Seems only fair you come to Canada 🇨🇦 🙃. Check out Mt Carleton in New Brunswick and Parks Canada-Fundy or Cape Breton Highlands in NS.🏕️

Wow you really came a long way in the last year. Congrats on all your achievements. I’m really looking forward to heading up to the white mountains this July. (Last year’s plans got rained out)

@RachelWhelton

5 ай бұрын

Thanks. Yeah, I find if I don't keep adding a new factor, I get bored. So as long as I grow a little each time, I feel engaged and excited. Each time I do something I was afraid of before, it opens my eyes to some new horizon of other things that maybe I could do next season.

I LOVE the nighttime photography!❤ If you ever do this again, you can avoid the water crossing by walking the Kanc a little bit and then taking the forest service road (511 on Gaia).

@RachelWhelton

5 ай бұрын

Yes, another hiker told me that brook can be very crazy sometimes. I took the logging road a couple trips back when I had the sled so I didn't have to go back over the water again with the sled. For now the ice bridge is solid. Thanks for the comment - I am definitely going to practice the nighttime shots because I've gotten rusty at it. I'm going to take that up a level and get some good shots.

Nice trip, I have to say that you appear to have been born with those snow shoes, did it take much time to get comfortable? Haven't tried them myself but my significant other gets out once a week for at least a walk through the woods, so, maybe soon. Thank you as always for your efforts to bring these great sittings closer to us.

@RachelWhelton

5 ай бұрын

It doesn't take a long time to get used to them. But my calf muscles are still sore so I think the difference was carrying the pack and using the snowshoes a longer period of time than usual. This is my third pair of snowshoes and the others before this were never a good fit for me due to their shape or weight.

Those night time pictures are so amazing. What snowshoes are those?

@RachelWhelton

5 ай бұрын

The snowshoes are Atlas Helium. The reviews sometimes say they can break too easily but I seldom break stuff so for me this is a worthwhile tradeoff to the fact that they are lightweight. I like them a lot.

And once again you have gone out with footwear without removable liners on an overnight! Good for you. I'm not sure I would trust light weight boots. And you have a new Tioga frame pack. How much does it weigh? I will be taking my Kelty Tioga, circa 1975, all 5lbs. of it next month to the Adirondacks. I'll compare it to my new Outdoor Vitals Shadowlight 60 to see which one does better in the winter. And I will still hedge my bets with the tried-and-true Whisperlight over my cannister stove in the cold.

@RachelWhelton

5 ай бұрын

The Tioga weighs 6 pounds but has a large capacity and manages weight well. I have the OV Shadowlight 45 and I do wonder how that 60 is - must be nice. The boots - yeah, I do understand what you mean but so far the lightweight aspect is worth it and no problems. But of course these are rather short periods of time I am out with them and dry snow. My husband has the Tioga also and the Whisperlight but I became afraid of liquid fuel and wanted to keep things as simple and small as possible so for now the ones that aren't as effective as the Whisperlight are good for me. But it sounds like you have a very pro set up for your trip!

Beautiful video! I bet you traumatized that poor dog! If you ever see a Sasquatch on your hiking adventures, please take a photograph of it. I am sure you will be the first person in history to take a good photo of one with your camera skills! Have you ever noticed, there has never been a quality image of a Sasquatch yet?

@RachelWhelton

5 ай бұрын

Yeah. I notice there are tons of Sasquatch videos on KZread and I avoid them with fervor. That is the last thing I need to feel terrified out there over a mystery monster! Ditto for UFOS.

@amerphoto1

5 ай бұрын

You are a brave woman!@@RachelWhelton

Your food spill happened to a friend. I now use an Amazon packet to keep food warm.

@RachelWhelton

5 ай бұрын

Yes, I have a warmer pouch but on this trip cut back on stuff to save weight. Of course it weighs nothing so I'm putting it back in!

@fiskz

5 ай бұрын

@@RachelWhelton isn't that how it goes. I commented while watching the video and caught you mentioning the packet later.

Is it wrong to be happy that other people can be as clumsy as me? 😂 I not only would have spilled my meal inside my jacket and got my zipper stuck, but I would have then knocked over my pot and stove and put a bunch of holes in my sitting pad when I stepped on it with my micro spikes. Looks like it was a very nice camping adventure.

@RachelWhelton

5 ай бұрын

Thanks, yes, I know what you mean. I recently watched Miranda in the wild go snow camping and she stepped on her tent in snowshoes and ripped a hole in it. I felt sad for her but then on my camp, I lunged awkwardly and stepped on my tent with my snowshoe! Thankfully it did not rip. But there is something about winter which makes everything harder.

That's a hard hike for me. Great job! How did you cross the Brook?

@RachelWhelton

5 ай бұрын

There was an ice bridge so I just walked across it.

@Drwbdw

5 ай бұрын

Yeah. Sorry. Just finished the video. Saw the ice bridge at the end

Great videos :-D What shoes are you using? And snowshoes? Thanks, Camilla, Denmark

@RachelWhelton

4 ай бұрын

The boots are Keen Evo Nxis mid-height waterproof boots, which I got from Amazon about 100 bucks. The snowshoes are Atlas Helium which I got for my birthday last year so not sure the current pricing.

@camillagro5125

4 ай бұрын

@@RachelWhelton Thanks! Doing a lot of research on winter gear😄