review Osprey Hornet 24

osprey hornet 24 is part of the ultralight segment sack  of osprey. I had test drive this bag when hiking to Mount Pulosari couple weeks ago.
For 2 days trip this bag was still able to accommodate tents, stoves, fuel, food, drinks, sandals, change of clothes etc.
The color of red-black was quite cool. Weighing 560 grams, but then decreases because I dislodged foam on the back. Although the shoulder strap is quite thin but not making the shoulders sore.
the minuses (-)
- The foam on the back reduces the volume of the sack, because it's too thick so I dislodged it. Take them off was easy, because the foam placed in a special bag.
- Design of pockets on the waist strap does not good. The bag is set too far back, so it is quite difficult to open if we are carrying this sack. The solution, I attach an additional small pocket on the waist strap, to keep the camera, and other things.
- Less wide side pockets to accommodate the width of the water containers such as soft platypus bottle. I had to bring ordinary bottled water.
Good things (+)
- Light, especially after the foam was removed.
- There is a special pouch on the back to store the water bladders. Because I didn't use bladder, so I replace pouch function to store the flysheet and tent body.
- Size of 24 liters was still enough to bring equipment and supplies for such a short trip to mountains like Gede, Pangrango, etc.
- Sack material is quite strong and not easily torn
- The color is pretty cool
- There are extra pocket on the front to store items that need to be taken quickly

official link

http://www.ospreypacks.com/en/product/superlight/hornet_24

Pulosari Trip

Saturday 10 des 2011.
At 7 am depart from Kalideres terminal, take bus Murni to Labuan. We will stop at the junction of Mengger (20k/person for bus fare). About 3 hours later the three of us arrived at Mengger, eat at the Padang restaurant next to the shop of Alfamart.
We then chartered a public transportation (black color car) to the starting point for the ascent in the Village of Ciletung. Rents are 60K and the journey took about about 30 minutes. We arrived at the the entrance to the waterfall of Curug Putri. On the left side there is a gate and we paid registration here. Pay entry fee 5k/person.
Continue through the path that has been given pavingblock, then dirt track and the stone. About 1 hour later we saw the waterfall, but just because of drought, the water is almost dry.
Next to the crater of Pulosari. We had to scramble up the right side of the track. Approximately 1.5 hours later we arrived at the crater area. Its location perhaps similar to the same crater in Salak.
We continued hiking but because we never been to Pulosari, we didnt know the right track to the top.
We select a path which through the crater, and then follow a dry river. The longer we hike, the track became more steeper, almost vertical. During that time, I was thinking 'I will never be able to come down using this track again. Its so steep!'.
Slowly crept up the cliffs. At the end of the path, its more difficult because the footing more and more minimal. Luckily, it didnt rain at that time, so it wasnt so slippery. Using roots of trees I finally could climb to the top.
Edge of the cliff is a clump of bamboo trees which were quite dense. Here the weather began worsening and it started raining. We started to climb again, but then lost track due to a dense bamboo forest.

We decided to go down again to find the path, and finally see it on the left side of the
bamboo forest. Apparently we were choosing the wrong track since hiking up the crater! because
there was a circular path that up to the ridges and we didnt have to climb the cliffs. Finally, after starting from the registration post at 11:50, we arrived at the peak of Pulosari at 15:50.
These peaks form a narrow flat land. Before us was an open space, we could see far below to the crater. In the distance appears Mount Karang, Mount Aseupan and villages. Far there appears Sunda Strait which blanketed by the cloud, only the tops of Mount Anak Rakata sticking out from behind the clouds.
Then the rain came again, so we had to cancel our plans to watch the lunar eclipse at that night.

Sunday
Woke up in the morning. Apparently two of our friends had came at 2 am and made shelter near our tents.
Around 8 o'clock we hiked down. Now follow the circular path which were more secure. Arrived at the crater, we took a rest. 
Now we didnt go down to Ciletung but instead choose another track to Pamengker Village.
The track was slippery and i fell four times. Finally at 10 am we arrived at the village and had a big rest at the house of one villager. 

back to Pangrango

two weeks after I went to Pangrango with my old college friends, I am back to Pangrango, now with my Kaskus friends. The main differences are the weather and the time needed to reach the peak. The weather is clear with no rain, except when I am hiking down and already safe back in Cibodas. Also I hike faster and in 3.30 PM I had already built the tent in Pangrango.

Everything is going smooth here, from Jakarta untill back home. We also have good times.

Hiking to Mount Pangrango

Mount Pangrango (3019 asl) is located in West Java, Indonesia. On 12-13 November 2011, I climbed the mountain with 6 friends and 1 porter.
On Friday, November 11, I stay in Mang Idi's food stall in Cibodas. Then on Saturday, November 12th, we started our climb at 7 am. At 8 o'clock we arrived at Panyangcangan and had breakfast. At 9 began hiking again and arrived at the waterfall near Kandang Batu at 11 am. Here we had lunch and little nap until 1 pm. Then we hiked again and arrived at Kandang Badak around 2.30 pm.
At 3 pm we started to climb to Pangrango. During the hike, around 5 pm, we got heavy rain. In the midst of pouring rain and thick fog, I and three others from the advance team arrived at the top of Pangrango.
We set up tents in Mandalawangi valley, about 5 minutes below the peak, while the rain continued to fall until 8 pm. From the information which we got later, others only arived at the peak around 10 pm.
Sunday, November 13th, we began our descent from Pangrango around 8 am and arrived at Kandang Badak around 11am. Continued to Kandang Batu and had lunch there until 1 pm. Further rain fell after we passed the area of Panyangcangan. Finally, around 5 pm we arrived at Cibodas.

the track before Cibeureum waterfall

watch out your step

so many fallen trees

our camp on Mandalawangi valley

Hiking to Mount Guntur

Guntur is a mountain located in Garut, West Java, Indonesia. 2.249 asl and famously known for its barren, almost tree-less location.  With 13 friends, I hiked this mountain on 29-30 October 2011.

From Jakarta we took a bus to Garut and arrived at the bus terminal of Garut on Saturday 29 early in the morning. Rest for a while at the mosque nearby, then at 7 am we chartered an 'angkot' (public vehicle) to Citiis, a village at the base of Guntur.

arrived at Citiis

In Citiis we went to the house of Bu Tati Karwati. She is a kind of village-headmaster and also taking care of hikers. Here we signed on registration book and paid a donation (3.000 rupiahs each).

From Citiis we got to starting point of hiking which is the sand digging area by hitch-hiking a sand truck (free). It took about 20 minutes to reach the area.

People dig and collect sands from the mountain for houses and other buildings. Too bad that each year the locations became bigger and bigger, and we had to search for a while for the starting point as its was lost to the digging activities.

steep track

After hiring 2 porters we started to hike around 8 am. The sun already shining. Its hot and the track quite steep.

Guntur doesnt have waterspring but its have a waterfall, Curug Citiis. So every hikers must collect water from here.

From the base of the mountain, we could see the steep track toward the peak 1 (Guntur has 3 peaks).

Resting for a while around 11.30 am after we found some pine trees. Feeling very hot, I try to muster energy to reach the end of tracks which is peak 1 around 1 pm.

From here we followed a not to steep track to peak 2. Here at least around 1.30 pm we reached the peak and decided to make camp. Soon 10 colorful tents adorned this barren peak. We could see Citiis, Cipanas and other villages far below.

Hungry and tired, we had lunch of rice and fried egg (we bought it from the foodstall in Garut). After that i tried to have a nap but i couldnt. Meanwhile the others busy took photos of the peak and its surroundings. In front of us was the area of Citiis, while behind us the peak 3 looming. We decided to go to peak 3 early in the morning tomorrow.

tents on peak 2

Sunday 30, around 5 am, we woke up and started to go to peak 3 or the highest peak of Guntur. I only brought a small daypack which contained of half-litre water, raincoat, a small bag of cookies and a pocket camera.

First we went to down to a valley which separated the peak 2 from the peak 3. It took about 8 minutes. Then we started hiking up to the peak. It wasnt too steep and about 6 am we had already in peak 3.

Like peak 2, this peak was barren with no trees. Some smoke came out from the land as Guntur still an active mountain.

When i reached it, my friends already hike down and up to another peak. Its called Parukuyan Peak with its black soil as its landmark.

It took around 10 minutes from peak 2 to Parukuyan. Here we could see the peak of Guntur, while in the distance was the peak of Cikuray Mountain.

parukuyan peak, guntur peak and cikuray in the distance

My friends werent satisfied enough. They continued hiking toward another peak, Masigit. We had to cross a small forest here, in the back of parukuyan peak.

I decided not to follow them and back to camp in peak 2 instead as my watch showed it already 7 am.

Hiking alone, i tried to focus my consentration to the track. Again i had to hike ups and downs from parukuyan peak to peak 3 and 20 minutes later reached the camp.

After resting for a while, i cooked my breakfast of instant 'semur' (beef broths) and coffee. Around 8 am all my friends had already come back to the camp. Took photos together and we broke camp around 9 am, back to Citiis.

back to Citiis

If at the beginning we had to climb steep track, now we had to face a slippery downhill track. I tried to ski down using my trekking poles but had to stop often to remove pebbles from my shoes.

At some point we lost the original track and had to hike down using the track to the waterfall. It was more steep and slippery. And the rain started to fall around 11 am which make the track more dangerous.

Finally around 11.30 am we made it to sand-digging area. Now the sun was shining hot again. After waiting for the truck for awhile, i decided to walk down to Bu Tati's house. After 30 minutes walking following the truck road, i arrived at Citiis. So glad that this hiking finally over.