Campground Review:
If you find yourself in the Crabtree Meadow area due to section hiking, or maybe summiting the ever famous Mt. Whitney, this is the campground I suggest you stay at!
Guitar Lake is a beautiful spot to stay at no matter which spot you pick! Since this is bac country, you really get to pick any spot you see suitable as long as it follows guidelines of 100ft from the trail, 100ft from the water sources and do not set up on the vegetation. It's pretty easy to spot the "normal" spots people stay in. Just walk around a little, you'll find plenty.
We choose to stay on the North side of the lake as we were hiking up from Crabtree Ranger Station / Meadow area. This would make for the best summit the next day of Mt. Whitney. There are no trees in the area as this is above tree line. We were within guidelines, but the water was not a far walk. Plenty of fish swam along the stream that connects to the lake. The water was COLD, but else would you expect for a lake that high up (11,460'). There are marmots, chipmunks, and mice that inhabit this area so make sure all your food is stored per regulation in an approved bear canister!
The quick run down
Pros:
Beautiful
Plenty of sites
Fishing
Lake view
Perfect spot for summiting Mt. Whitney
Cons:
Marmots, mice, and chipmunks are sneaking sometimes
Bonus: Before the sunrises, you can see the headlamps of other hikers making their way up the switch backs!
Product review:
As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time - today I am testing the Body Glove Equalizer Sport Bra in the color Agave- size S. I want to begin with saying that this sports bra blew my expectation out of the water! Being an active woman I have purchased many different brands from many different stores over the years. Some were better than others and most would suffice. This sports bra couldn’t have come my way at a better time for I was about to go on a 3 week backpacking trip through the Sierra Nevada. I chose for the Body Glove Equalizer Sports Bra to be the ONLY bra I’d be carrying with me to take it on the ultimate test. Normally I would break down reviews into pros and cons, but in my opinion, this bra didn’t reveal any down sides!
Quality: This bra was made with a blend of nylon and spandex. It also had two removal cups, to which I decided to remove. It did not change the support in an way. It has a netting type mesh in the razor back that also lines the inside of the front. I did not experience any loose stitching. While taking on and off I never heard a 'rip' sound that most sports bras make. The sound of money down the drain as your stitching just ripped. Though I wore this bra for 20 straight days, never once did it make that 'rip' sound. Another quality feature I was impressed with was the fact that I didn't have a single rubbed-raw spot like all the other sports bra's I own. Typically after wearing my normal sports bras all day, I'd end up with a raw, red spot on my rib-cage. With the Equalizer and after long hours, sleeping in it, and wearing it into the next day, and the next day for that matter.. I didn't have a single sensitive spot from it! Lets just say on a 3 week backpacking trip, you are extra thankful for that!
Sizing: I am typically a 32B in a normal bra size and I choose a small based off their sizing charts. I was a little nervous to go through with purchasing a small because I normally wear a medium on my top half. Thankfully though Body Gloves sizing charts are spot on! A medium would have been too big! The small was perfect, not tight to leave marks, but taught to be supportive.
Washing: Being on the trail for weeks you have to wash and wear your items. Like I said above, this was the only bra I brought with me. I was so thankfully for the nylon/spandex blend for being a quick dry material! Mind you I washed the bra only about 3 times in the 20 days so I was impressed when even after the long days of hiking 12-15 miles, this bra never gave off any sort of smell. It never itched. It never became uncomfortable.
Summary: This is the best sports bra I have ever had the privilege of wearing! I recommend it 10/10.
