Steve C, Akichow, Tdz: I've been a huge fan of your posts. Great advice. I loved Akichow's reports, and the story about Rabbit, Steve's Gearhead advice, and Tdz's Crazy 8 and am sure there are many like me.
I weighed my pack last weekend -- 12 pounds without water and meals. With 4 L of water that'll add 8 pounds, but it sounds like I can cut it to 3 pounds. So, by my math, I can carry about 22 pounds, or 25 percent of my body weight (I weigh 110) and my Sherpa can carry 45 (he weighs 170). He's a little dubious. 12 pounds is a Golite Pinnacle XS women's pack, Marmot summer bag, Thermarest Neoair, poles, camelback, bottles, trekking poles, camera, clothes including down sweater, rain jacket, snacks. He'll carry similar but will take the tent, Big Agnes Fly Creek and footpad, the bear bin, and meals.
Main concern is the altitude factor. We've been doing Baldy which is only 10K. We did that 3 times, alternating with doing trails like Cucamonga Peak and the 3 Ts. We don't know what we'll feel like at 14K plus as the highest we've been is 11.5K. So is it better to camp at Outpost, and hopefully sleep better, or to to Trail, and risk a a headache? I think this thread has been really helpful. We'll go to Outpost and see how we feel. Try to shave as much weight of our packs as possible. We do have 20 degree bags, and also lighter 40 degree bags. I did get my husband a Western Mountaineering bag, but he didn't feel he could justify the expense for what may be a one time trip and returned it. He's just not into ultralight. I wanted a titanium kettle this weekend, and he wanted stainless. He won (but he'll be carrying it this weekend).
