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

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I've schlepped a gallon or two of red wine to Galehead Hut in one of those collapsible bags for a chapter Hut Night. Some of Gallo's finest, I'm sure.
 
There are a pair of skates up at Carter. I'm pretty sure there have been hockey games up there in the past. And rounds of winter golf at Lonesome Lake.
 
At least I'm not hiking solo!

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A few years back when Crag Camp in Randolph was rebuil, two folks carried up a pump organ from Lowes to reequip the camp. They took it apart so that it could be carried in by two people, but both of them were hauling over 100 pounds.
 
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:eek::D

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.

Been done

http://mitoc.mit.edu/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=38800
 
Some people think it strange that, with all my lightweight gear, I carry a cast iron frying pan and a bottle of red wine when backpacking. 10 lbs. of unnecessary weight? Not for me. More useful for my enjoyment than a lot of stuff ... a GPS for one thing ...
 
i once carried all my car camping gear (huge stove, giant pots, blankets (since i didn't have my sleeping bag), etc) up the doublehead cabin. it was 4th of july and all the camping places were full. i was desperate.. went to the saco ranger station.. not sure what i was going to ask them.. but ends up someone cancelled their reservations last minute for the cabin and it was available. 20 bucks or something. so i hauled a ton of crap up there (after stopping for beers first at the red fox of course) and that was friggin heavy. it was awesome, though. no crowded a$$ campsites that weekend! nice secluded little spot and views of washington. great 4th of july that year.

oh wait, one time i carried a giant dead bear on my shoulders.. not 'in the woods' though, i was coming out of 19 mile brook. strapped it to my car. that's more of a non-hiking item.. so i guess that wins. got the head stuffed above my mantle.
 
For a reunion of a group of us who had climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, six months later we hiked Mt. Monadnock. I carried a folding table (very small) and four tri-legged stools reminiscent of what had been provided for us by the porters, a big Thermos of tea, and cookies. My friends couldn't imagine why my pack was so big for such a small hike.

(For those who enjoy facts, Kilimanjaro is also a monadnock, i.e. a free-standing mountain, even though it has three peaks, which is why we picked it.)
 
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A few years back when Crag Camp in Randolph was rebuil, two folks carried up a pump organ from Lowes to reequip the camp. They took it apart so that it could be carried in by two people, but both of them were hauling over 100 pounds.

I have also heard about the AMC crew that hauled up parts of a motorcycle to L of the C and reassembled it. I can't remember if it was in Marty's book, or Doherty's. I can't confirm Doherty's book cause I'm lettin someone borrow it.


Thanks dug, that's great! I noticed Lake of the Clouds, been anywhere else doin it?

This is great stuff guys!
 
I would never bring a non hiking item when hiking...

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Well, ok, maybe sometimes. I'd have to say the best non-hiking item I've ever brought was a 3 man sling shot (we call it a gazorge, but I don't know if that is the proper technical term). It is made of surgical tubing and two people hold the handles in the front and the 3rd person stretches it out about 9 feet out the back and then lets it rip. We put a frozen bagel into orbit off of Madison one winter. It lifted off like a perfectly hit golf ball and had a nice climb up right into the clouds. Must have gotten about 3 miles out of that shot. I always wonder if a moose got hit in the head with it when it finally came down. Spent the rest of that winter looking for a moose with a bagel in it's rack.

- darren

ps: i'll have to find the video we have of the bagel orbit launch...might have to use it for the film festival...

pps: Molson is a hiking item in Canada. Northern New England is close enough to Canada to count.
 
Not so strange, but funny...Back in "the day" on the AT here (when fires were not illegal) a friend brought a aerosol can of dr scholls foot "treatment" on an overnight with about 8 of us and a couple teachers. In the morning we were all packed up and standing around the camp fire embers, burning our paper goods in the ashes. One teacher, stirring the ashes, turned a clump over to expose the aerosol can :eek:. On cue and timed perfectly he yells "DUCK !!!" as the can explodes and flies about 50' to the other side of our camping area. The can definately would've nailed somebody in the forehead if we had not ducked. :)
 
Not so strange, but funny...Back in "the day" on the AT here (when fires were not illegal) a friend brought a aerosol can of dr scholls foot "treatment" on an overnight with about 8 of us and a couple teachers. In the morning we were all packed up and standing around the camp fire embers, burning our paper goods in the ashes. One teacher, stirring the ashes, turned a clump over to expose the aerosol can :eek:. On cue and timed perfectly he yells "DUCK !!!" as the can explodes and flies about 50' to the other side of our camping area. The can definately would've nailed somebody in the forehead if we had not ducked. :)
I'd say the strangest thing brought on THIS trip was the idiot that put an aerosol can in the fire.
 
Bagpipes

Well back in ’75 or ’76 we saw (I know the thread is about what you have brought but…) a gentleman (?) outside of Mizpah hut wearing a barley sack and playing a bagpipe! We were stunned needless to say and looked at each other in disbelief. At that point we decided to have lunch on Pierce rather than sitting in the hut.
 
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