Welcome Jon!

Be sure to read the articles, dig through the forum archives and ask lots of questions. You can outfit yourself at a fraction of the weight Uncle Sam says you should carry, and more comfortably to boot. But don't spend your hard-earned money before doing a lot of research--there's a LOT of gear available.

It's hiking heaven in the west, even if the high mountains are a seasonal pleasure. It would be hard to find a better place to start.

Good luck with the knee!

Cheers,
_________________________
--Rick