I’m gearing up for a hike to South Tent Mountain on Sunday, and while doing so this evening I ran across ExpertGPS. I can’t believe how awesome this program is. I’ve got AllTopo for the entire state of Utah, but ExpertGPS is so much better at managing waypoints, plus it uses maps and aerial imagery from TerraServer, which makes zooming and panning much easier (with completely seamless maps).
I’m only slightly nervous about going on this hike alone, and the only thing I’m legitimately worried about is the weather. Scattered thunderstorms are forecast for the weekend, and hopefully by going early in the morning I can avoid that. I’m going to buy another water bladder to bring with me, for a total of four liters, ’cause I definitely didn’t like running out of water on my last big hike. I think I’m going to use my plain ol’ JanSport backpack that I’ve had since college, since my normal hydration pack is too small to carry food and water (and other necessities) for a several-hour hike.
Last year, I said I was going to attempt King’s Peak this fall, but that’s definitely not going to happen. Not only did I not get into shape over the last year, but I also haven’t bought all the equipment that I’d need to go on such a trek. It’ll have to wait until the snow melts next year, and hopefully my lazy ass will be ready for it.