tncaver wrote:I read Derek's list. I wish I owned as much stuff as he takes in Lech. Amazingly his list says his personal pack weighs only 24 pounds, not
counting vertical gear.
That doesn't include any water (generally another 2-4 lbs for 1-2 quarts), or group gear. My pack weight has ended up being between 30 and 50 lbs depending on whether we're carrying lead climbing gear and rope. On Jewel Cave camp trips of 4 days, where sleeping bags, pads and stoves are left in the cave, my pack weight is around 15-16 lbs. But in many ways it's easier to carry a 50 lb pack to camp in the West branch of Lech than it is to carry a 15 lb pack to the SE branch of Jewel.
I'd reinforce the statements made in the thread from 2008 ... if the goal is to be more productive in exploration and survey, then camping should be an absolute last resort. It works in certain circumstances, but there are many more examples where camping is less productive and causes more impact to the cave than doing long day trips. In order to make camping efficient and productive you have to be extremely organized and have very focused goals.