I spent a lot of time researching gear for the Trans-Catalina Trail because I have never backpacked in Southern California. It is a very different climate than I am used to in the Pacifc Northwest, so I knew there would be some items I could probably leave at home. Also, I wanted to lower my pack weight as much as I could for this trip. During my research, I learned that some of the climbs are very steep, so having a lighter pack would make this slightly easier.
My original goal was to get my base weight (weight of all gear except food, water, and clothes worn while hiking) down to 15 lbs. My final base weight was 16ish lbs. That isn’t quite as low as I wanted, but I didn’t want to risk being cold at night, so I brought some heavier sleeping clothes. I could have taken a few things out of my First Aid Kit that I didn’t need, but I didn’t have time to do that before I left.
Gear
Pack
- Hyperlite Mountain Gear (HMG) Junction 3400 – 55L pack
- Compactor bag – even though my pack is mostly waterproof, I put my items that must remain dry (sleep system and extra clothing) inside a compactor bag just to be safe
- A compactor bag is a like a trash bag but thicker and more durable
Tent
- Drop/Durston X-Mid 1P – double walled, one person tent
- This tent is non-freestanding which means I use my trekking poles to set it up. This helps save weight!
- 4 MSR Mini Groundhog tent stakes
- 4 Shepherd Hook stakes – I usually bring 8 Mini Groundhogs, but swapped 4 out for shepherd hook stakes at the last minute and I’m so glad I did! Groundhogs work well in soft PNW dirt, but the ground on Catalina Island was hard packed, so the hooks worked better!
My tent at Black Jack Campground
Sleep System
- Katabatic Sawatch 15 degree quilt – Even though night temperatures were predicted to be 50 degrees, this is my only quilt.
- A quilt is like a sleeping bag, except it does not have a back. It is more versatile than a sleeping bag and is usually lighter.
- Stored in an HMG Pod that fits perfectly at the bottom of my pack
- Therm-a-rest NeoAir X-lite Women’s sleeping pad – this pad has an R-value of 5.4
- The R-value of a sleeping pad indicates how well a pad will insulate you from the ground. For three season backpacking, you generally want an R-value of at least 2.
Food Prep
- Jet Boil stove
- Titanium spoon
- Collapsible mug – I love having a cup of tea with my breakfast!
- Two 1L Smart water bottles – lighter than a Nalgene and fits in my pack’s side pockets easier
- There are very few natural water sources on Catalina Island. Instead, there are potable water faucets at every campsite*. So, there is no need to filter water!
*There is no faucet at Parsons’ Landing. If you are staying there, you can pay for them to take a few gallons of water out to the campsite for you and store it in a locker. Be sure to pick up the key to the locker in Two Harbors!
- Food Bag – 20L dry bag. All the campsites* have bear lockers, so no need to hang food on this trail. (There are no bears on Catalina, the lockers protect against rodents and foxes)
*There are no boxes at Two Harbors Campground. We were told so sleep with our food in our tents. I stored mine in the dry bag in the vestibule. I was nervous about this, but everything worked out okay.
- Small towel – to wipe out Jet Boil. I wipe my Jet Boil after I use it to keep it from rusting.
- Trash bag – pack it in, pack in out
- Fuel canister – You cannot bring fuel canisters on airplanes or on the ferry (although this doesn’t seem to be enforced?) to the island. I paid to have a fuel canister waiting for me at Hermit Gulch Campground on the first night. I’m so glad I did this because I couldn’t find one in Avalon. There are canisters in Two Harbors, though.
- Lighter – Couldn’t fly with one, so I bought it in Avalon.
Food prep items
Electronics
- Garmin inReach Mini – I only had cell service (T-Mobile) in Avalon and Two Harbors, so I was glad to have the inReach. My friend had Verizon and had service almost everywhere.
- inReach charging cord
- iPhone 11
- Phone charging cord
- Watch charging cord
- 10,000 mAH power bank
- 5W wall charger
- Tripod for phone
- Moment lens – Telephoto 58 mm lens
- Corded headphones
- Black Diamond headlamp
- Extra headlamp batteries
- Plastic storage bag
Packed Clothing
- Melanzana fleece pullover – has a hood so no need for a beanie!
- Prescription glasses and case
- Sleeping shirt
- Sleeping leggings – I debated on just bringing shorts, but wanted to make sure I was warm at night so I brought the leggings. I was so glad I had them because it was a little chilly when I was there!
- Sleeping socks – I like having one pair of socks that stays dry and (relatively) clean
- Outdoor Research Helium rain jacket – since I wasn’t really expecting any rain on Catalina, I brought my light, summer rain jacket
- Gloves – my hands get cold really easily, so I always bring gloves. I didn’t wear them once, though!
- Buff
I didn’t rain while I was there, but I used my rain jacket as a windbreaker
Hygiene Items
- Wet wipes – I use these to wipe down at the end of the day to get rid of some of the dirt and sweat. I also use them as an alternative to toilet paper for going #2. I packed them out after I used them.
- Kula cloth – reusable, antimicrobial pee rag
- Hand sanitizer
- Disposable contact lenses
- Contact solution – travel size bottle
- Compact mirror – I use this to put in my contacts! I haven’t been wearing contacts for very long, so I need a mirror.
- Small hair brush
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste – travel size
- Floss
- Chapstick
- Lotions/creams – unfortunately, I have really sensitive skin and have a few lotions I have to use everyday. I put small amounts in travel size containers to take with me.
- Liners – my shorts have built in underwear, so I wear these each day to keep my shorts a little cleaner.
- Plastic storage bag
- First Aid Kit – Adventure Medical Kit from REI
Hygiene items
Worn Weight/Clothing
- REI Sahara hiking shirt – has SPF protection. I got this right before the trip and loved it! It protected me from the sun but was still super light and airy.
- Patagonia shorts
- Darn Tough hiking socks
- Sunglasses
- Baseball cap
- Sports bra
- Black Diamond trekking poles
- Brooks Cascadia trail runners – during the summer I switch from hiking boots to train runners because trail runners are lighter and more breathable
- Watch
Miscellaneous Items
- Foam sit pad
- Pocket knife
- Sunscreen
- Gear repair kit – gear repair tape, sleeping pad patch, extra guy line
- Flip flops – to wear at camp and at the airport
- Wallet
- Mask – COVID-19 is still a thing
- Plastic storage bag – these items would normally go in the “brain” (top pocket on a backpack), but my backpack does not have one. I put all the items I need quick access to in a plastic bag and then put that bag in the mesh pocket on the front of my pack.
- Ikea duffel bag – You cannot carry-on trekking poles, tent stakes, and pocket knives. I put these items in the Ikea duffel bag and checked that. I stuffed the duffel bag at the bottom of my pack while on Catalina.
If you are interested in the specific weights of my gear, you can see them on my LighterPack list.
Food
Breakfast
- Umpqua Oats – oatmeal with nuts and dried fruit
- Lara bars
- Citrus tea
Lunch
- Tuna and rice chips
- Fruit leathers
Dinner
- Mountain House Chicken and Dumplings
- Mountain House Pad Thai
- I split my freeze dried meals into two portions and pre-packaged them into freezer bags. I can’t eat a full Mountain House meal and didn’t want to waste any. If you do this, make sure to use freezer bags since they can handle boiling water.
Snacks
- Tortillas with almond butter
- Honey Stinger waffle cookies
- Salty almonds
- Reese’s mini peanut butter cups
- Beef jerky
- Mio Electrolyte drink mix
Enjoying a cookie I got at the Airport in the Sky
Overall, I’m really happy with the gear I packed. I had everything I needed and nothing I didn’t. I do wish I had packed less food. There was food in Avalon (Day 1), at the Airport in the Sky (Day 2), and Two Harbors (Days 2 and 3). Because I bought food at all of these locations, I came home with one breakfast, one lunch, and two dinners still in my pack. That food was just extra weight that I had to carry around. Originally, I thought I might want to save money and not eat out, but once I got there, I wanted to enjoy my vacation and have the full island experience.
With food and 2 liters of water, my pack was 26-27 lbs, which was perfect. It made the steep climbs much easier. I did make some sacrifices though. I only had two pairs of clothes, one to hike in and one to sleep in. As you can imagine, my hiking clothes were super gross by the end of the trip. To me, it was worth it to not carry extra weight. The same might not be true for you. I do think the sacrifices are worth it, especially for this trail.
