What Is the Strangest Non-Hiking Item You Have Carried In?

[Fisher Cat]

I'm starting this thread to get some background. My family and friends viciously and regularly played Rod Table Hockey growing up, in addition to Floor Hockey (WMRHS FFA Tournament Champions 1988 & 1989) and ice hockey. It has been proposed to take a two-day one night haul to one either Carter Lakes Hut or Lonesome Lake Hut during the winter for a neutral site tournament. A combination of hiking and rivalry. Obviously, bigger than a cribbage board, which I might add, we also enjoy.

Here's what we'd have to carry in. (This, by the way, is not an advertisement or endorsement, its just the best pic I could find.)

http://www.tablehockey.net/

I'm sure with the original shipping box and some bungees it could be done. But it does raise the question (to justify such foolishness) anyone done anything similar with a non-hiking item?

 

[Jay H]

I carried my Werner kayak paddle up Overlook Mtn in the catskills before (It was part of a halloween costume).

notable others:
Ice cream
devil horns
Silly hat
a US Flag (4th of July)


Jay

 

[adktyler]

Hahaha, great question!

Well, the scene was my very first winter backpacking trip when I was 10. I had no idea of what was going on, or what I should be bringing. So, I brought what my latest favorites were:

-a harmonica i had gotten for Christmas (I had no idea how to play it)
-a whole set of tiddlywinks (complete with a wooden carrying case)
-a whole wooden traveling chess set
-a hardcover copy of The Adventure Of Huckleberry Fin, and The Call of the Wild
-a military issue flashlight (sort of camping-related I guess, but very unpractical)

Yea, that was a long trip, and my backpack was very heavy.

I have carried a kayak back to the Shoebox on the Boquet River in the Adirondacks (a whitewater kayak with paddle).

My bathing suit back into Peggy O' and Grace Camp for some snow swimming.

Saran wrap for a fun tent prank for my friends. Bio-degradable silly string - there is such a thing - was also brought for the same reason, they made a nice combination(before my adoption of leave no trace principles, haha).

I think that's pretty much it. Good times, my friends!

 

[wardsgirl]

I carried a huge inflatable pink Easter bunny up Cheoah Bald (on the AT in NC). It definitely didn't hurt that the rabbit was inflatable and was relatively lightweight. Another guy on the AT (maybe Lucky Laura may remember him) carried a Fisher Price garage, http://www.fisher-price.com/fp.aspx?st=2053&e=product&pid=40993 complete with cars and people, which he attached to the outside of his pack.

Good times, indeed!

 

[Mohamed Ellozy]

I seem to recall a certain Dartmouth alum (who is, I believe, a moderator here) tell me of a canoe trip on Lakes of the Clouds. Also, though my memory is a bit vague about this, a "Canoe Presi Traverse" (yes, there were a few short portages).

 

[swamp]

I seem to recall a certain Dartmouth alum (who is, I believe, a moderator here) tell me of a canoe trip on Lakes of the Clouds. Also, though my memory is a bit vague about this, a "Canoe Presi Traverse" (yes, there were a few short portages).

I recently heard about a group that brought scuba gear to Lakes of the Clouds.

 

[David Metsky]

The Bicentennial Portage (2 aluminum canoes to Lakes of the Clouds via the Ammy, then the summit) in 1976 has been repeated on at least 4 occasions that I know of. I've never actually been involved myself.

Mine was probably a kitchen table, carried to the top of Holt's Ledge on the Dartmouth Skiway for an April Fools sunrise breakfast party.

 

[Maddy]

A stuffed really cute black bear sticking out of my pack.
In fact I have been thinking about putting him back there again. He doesn't weigh all that much.

 

[David Metsky]

That reminds me, for 26 days trekking in Nepal I had a toy duck peering out of the side pocket of my pack.

 

[Oldmanwinter]

Snake

Not much weight and certainly nothing like the hockey game but I always carry a small snake with me on my hikes

 

[Neil]

Not much weight and certainly nothing like the hockey game but I always carry a small snake with me on my hikes

Mississippi Black Snake?

I have carried a pack once or twice.

Useless item on a hike? Wallet? One million dollars? (unless on Wash). A picture of Giggy wearing a hiking skirt? Hot "hot". To be honest I don't rightly know but I reserve the right to fool around abundantly on this thread.

 

[Fisher Cat]

Wow! A vast amount of childhood toys, and actual participants with, as well as accounts of kayaks. That's surprising, or scary, depending on present company

Here's a thought, though it might not be legal, how 'bout a shovel, hockey stick, and skates. Shovel off a portion of Lonesome Lake or Carter Lakes, just enough to play on a full moon night. That would be a sight and an easy carry. Two sports at once, hockey and hiking. I know you can't camp on bodies of water in the winter (someone correct me if I'm wrong), but if you're allowed to traverse them, why not bring the stuff and play on them? Anyone know the depth of Lonesome and/or the Carters, I quickly tried a search but couldn't find anything. That ice sure would be choppy.

 

[Neil]

Been there, done that in the Sentinel Wilderness on Copperas Pond. It was a blast.
http://www.the-boogiemen.com/hiking/cpCopperas08.jpg
http://www.the-boogiemen.com/hiking/cpCopperas04.jpg

 

[Frodo]

Hike with a strange irrelevant non-hiking item? Oh no, I would never do that...

 

[Quietman]

The Ulimate Mountain Man, except he was a little afraid of crampons and ice axes.


[URL=http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2862246060048820105zKwHhZ] [/URL]

 

[swamp]

At Baxter I once carried a full case of Molson Golden bottles from Trout Brook to the Little East lean-to ( and before the wanker chorus starts I carried the empties out).

 

[hikes-with-him]

Heafither...she's a flying Llama


She hitches rides with hubby...and gets her hero shots too

 

[Steve-o]

Hike with a strange irrelevant non-hiking item? Oh no, I would never do that...

Spanky! The strangest thing I could ever think of.

 

[Fisher Cat]

At Baxter I once carried a full case of Molson Golden bottles from Trout Brook to the Little East lean-to ( and before the wanker chorus starts I carried the empties out).

I did that once too! It was only a carry-out. I found it abandoned on the way up to Carter Notch right smack in the middle of the trail. It was a hardside Coleman with a few PBR's inside. I couldn't leave it, but I felt like such a dork carrying it out. Just a day-pack on and a cooler with 5 bottles of beer. Weird fit. Awkward carry too.

Been there, done that in the Sentinel Wilderness on Copperas Pond. It was a blast.

Neil, these are some great shots. Thanks for sharing. I enjoy the stuffed animal shots too. I remember my mom woke me up ( I had gone to bed at like 8pm) the first time I stayed at Mizpah Hut and handed me my favorite mini Pooh Bear. ( Yea, I hear you laughin', hey guys, come on, I was 5 and-a-half, it was a run thru before they took us up Mt W at a later time.) She had stuck it in her pack as a surprise.

 

[TCD]

I carried a birthday cake, candles, plates, forks, etc. up the Weissner Route on the Washbowl Cliff for a surprise birthday party on the slanting ledge. A group of us carried a monument (illegal) and placed it in Vermont at the triple point of the Hudson, Connecticut and St. Lawrence drainages. (The interested are welcome to go find it; it's a little challenging but not too hard.)

Tom