Category: Backpacking
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LaSportiva XCountry (and Dirty Girl gaiter) review
Lets keep a short story short: I really like the minimal padding, small heel-toe drop, tread, and fit of these shoes. I think they can be used for the most rugged of long hikes, with proper preparation. Unfortunately the mesh upper is just not durable for me. I demand a lot out of shoes, and…
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The practice of practice
Boundary Trail, Glacier NP. I started this blog in late 2006, a significant date for my purposes today because it marked a rapidly growing interest/obsession with mountain biking. Serial obsessions have defined my life since childhood, but those of adulthood have necessarily been more defining. Mountain biking is thus far secondary only to climbing in…
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Rolltops, drawcords, and larger packs for cycling
I made another bikerafting descent of the main Flathead today, using experience from last trip to dial in the crossings better. I did fewer boat crossings (six versus nine), rode a lot more, and did the whole deal hours faster. It’s a sweet route. With slightly warmer weather and more confidence in my rigging abilities,…
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145 Altai Hok review
To summarize and build upon my review of the 125 prototypes I skied last year: there is a domain of skiing between alpine backcountry and nordic skiing which is as of yet poorly served by the marketplace, and the Altai Hok might be the best fit yet for many people’s needs in this category. Controversy…
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Preliminary data
Fleece, synthetic fill, and down: the big three insulators for outdoor garments since before I can remember. Synthetic’s have come on strong from the back of the pack in the last 15 years, down fill powers have crept higher, and fleece has undergone myriad transformations in an attempt to address the three reasons why so…
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Spring Training
There is no substitute for the real thing. I don’t think I’m in much worse or much better shape than this time last year. Less backcountry skiing for turns this year, more nordic skiing and fatbiking. I’m not serious/technical enough to have measurable benchmarks to know for sure, and in any case general fitness is…
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Last of the Great Unknown
Nice one Dan. I assume most of you have been following Mike’s write up on a certain award-winning trip. If not, go do that.
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There are no first de(a)scents
M and Isaac playing in the mud, Robbers Roost, November 2005. In 2005 we found ourselves, during the course of an extended road trip out west, spending a long Thanksgiving holiday camped out in the Robbers Roost in southern Utah. We did a lot of great, cold hiking with ropes (aka canyoneering), cooked a spectacular…
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Primus Express Spider
Meltin’ snow. My stove “quiver” needed expanding. Last year I became enamored with the Bushbuddy, a fantastic, fully enclosed wood burning stove. For quite a while I thought such things were just expensive alternatives to fires, but eventually caved because I wanted to be able to burn wood on backcountry trips during the winter. You…
Bedrock & Paradox 
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