Month: December 2014
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The 12 best miles of 2014
Not the best hikes, skis, or floats, but the best single isolated miles of travel. The ones which are worth a lot of potentially frustrating work to find. Presented in chronological order, with one photo and one mile for each month of 2014. For organizational and review purposes; January was a long time ago, and…
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First steps towards 2015
December north of the 45th parallel wants to be a quiet time, and in the last six years I’ve learned to let it be just that. So in the three weeks after hunting season I did only as much of anything as I wanted to, which added up to a few hikes and snowbike rides…
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The full suspension spectrum
Today, it’s safe to say that there are more backpack options available for the outdoorsperson than at any other time. Most of this is due to the ugly inevitability of population growth and the capitalist hegemony, but some of it has to do with a unique diversity of influences on pack design. As I’ve detailed…
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MLD Solomid review
The Mountain Laurel Designs Solomid is an easy shelter to review, it’s been around a long time, but more significantly MLD’s specs and declared use are dead-on. The Solomid is a well-built, dependable shelter for the solo hiker who wants something which can be pitched very fast in a small spot, and provides excellent weatherproofing.…
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The 8 best campsites of 2014
Presented in chronological order, with no gesture made towards the impossible task of assigning preference. February; upper St. Mary River, Glacier National Park If you’ve hiked the trail between Gunsight Lake and St. Mary Falls you’ve passed right by this little meadow, probably without noticing the clearing in which I pitched the Lil’ Bug Out…
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Silicone seam sealing
Silicone-impregnated (read: coated on both sides) nylon is one the of most significant outdoor gear innovations of the last 15 years. Previously polyurethene (PU) coated fabrics were the only game in town. PU tends to be heavier, and degrades significantly when exposed to UV light and abrasion. Floor delamination was a common cause of tent…
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The importance of Mehl
I first met Luc Mehl way back in August of 2010, when I was living in Missoula, Luc came down to visit his brother, and thanks to the wonders of the ‘net and friends of friends we met up with Forrest McCarthy and packrafted the Selway. I was nervous because I’d owned a packraft for…
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Always one more thing
I’m sure there are folks out there who build something and nail it the first time, but I am not among them. I design from past experience and towards future use, but there’s always something which doesn’t work out as I anticipated, or something new I learn and can use to make things work better.…
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Simple
The rules of backpacking in winter are simple, and with a few exceptions no more complex in the following than summer. Things like don’t fall in the creek, try to not sweat, pitch your shelter well, plan ahead on water. Applying them does end up being tough, especially on the first proper snow trip of…
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The big pack
Not long after I started building packs from scratch I started packrafting, and realized in a hurry a truly large pack was a good idea if you prefer to not have a bunch of stuff yardsaled via straps on the outside. The result was this one. It’s funny to think back to designing and building…
Bedrock & Paradox 
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