Gossamer Gear in action and gear integration

loaded Mariposa packsUltralight is great, hyperlight is cool and megalight is risky but each trip has different requirements. The Olympic National Park marmot survey is one such trip for my 17 year old daughter and myself where we were base camping for 5 days and day tripping off trail to survey sites. Now I'm a Murmur fan and I use my Gorilla quite often when I'm carrying camera gear for projects (including a tripod) but what to do when you throw in a bear canister, radio and spare batteries, 5 days of food, 4 cameras and spare batteries, ice axes, paperwork folders and myriad other things we wouldn't normally take on a fastpacking trip? Thank goodness we had the new Mariposa. Last year on this same trip (but to a different area) we had to make do with a couple of my older packs that had enough volume but made us suffer mightily under the load.
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Flexibility in Rain Gear

A soggy day in the Pacific NorthwestThe pacific northwest is soggy. If I wanted to do hikes or trail runs only on good days I wouldn't get much done before July, so I've been exploring options for dealing with various forms of wet. Like most people I usually rely on some form of jacket for rain protection, but I've recently been rethinking this approach and dusting off a few older but tried and true techniques. Before I go into these I should mention that there is an excellent article at backpackinglight.com that addresses the efficacy of air permeable membranes and the marketing hype that accompanies many of the claims. This multipart series is worth the annual membership fee of $25 in and of itself.
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Barefoot Training and Hiking: Observations and Experiences

As an older runner and fastpacker (57) I share my thoughts on my transition to barefoot running, it's relationship to Kendo and hiking in barefoot shoes. I plug Luna sandals as my choice in barefoot running, biking and hiking (I purchased my sandals and have no relationship with the company). Hopefully these observations and experiences can help anyone who is considering transitioning or trying barefoot technique; however, understand I am no expert and this video is not meant to dispense advice. Advice seekers would do well to scope out qualified trainers. My background includes multiple marathons, ultras and over 25 years of fastpacking (hiking more than 20 miles per day).

Fastpacker's Notebook: 10 oz. Shelter System

This is the second in a series I will produce on my quest to find the best techniques, equipment, people or anything else that enhances swift light movement on or off the trail. If I can't find it, I'll build it.

Most of the time I do the Wonderland Trail solo as a fastpack: 3 days or less. In fact, I decided to challenge my old 36 hour trip I did over a decade ago. I may spend up to 20 hours on the trail. When it's time to catch some Z's, I just want to lie down and get on with it. My energy is at a low, and I don't want to spend the time setting up a tent, unpacking my stuff and generally sprawling out in a campsite. Beyond hiking the Wonderland specifically, I want a shelter system where I can catch some Z's just about anywhere, even propped up against a log or rock.

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Fastpacker's Notebook: Packing Cameras

lids open away from the body

 

I ran around with the pack/camera chest pack configuration and I can say it is much more comfortable and stable than any of the other configurations I've used in the past. It balances nicely and doesn't flop forward. I don't need a waist belt to use it. It doesn't obstruct my vision too much when looking down. It's sturdy, light, and waterproof. If I'm not carrying larger cameras, I can simply remove the insert and use the chest pack for food, maps, other electronics, clothing or water (multiuse is always good).

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Kids and Hiking

daughter in the OlympicsOver the years I've had a lot of people ask about how I got my kids to go outside, especially my daughter. This is actually a complicated scenario. Of course it's easy when they're young, you simply take them whereever you want to go and they follow in tow, the good prisoners that they are to their parent's every whim.
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Hiking 2011: end of season observations

Well, the hiking season seemed to pass by almost unnoticed this year, partly because I spent so much of it on snow. Emails and calls especially concentrated on the conditions at Mt. Rainier and the Wonderland Trail in particular, and I posted a number of updates on the trail centered around the snow conditions. However, this post is about things I discovered, new gear and new techniques.

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The Mt. Adams Glissade

I've been to Mt. Adams in Washington a number of times, and I can tell you it's not to drive the lovely washboard pitted and twisty Route 23 or the South Climb 183 road. It's not to endure the dusty parking lot. It's not to contend with people coming and going at all hours when you're trying to get up at 4:30 AM. It's not to hike the rocky scree so typical of the volcanoes. But just like randonee skiers who "earn the turns" the trip to Mt. Adams can be one of the best glissades going, and when you're rocketing down the slopes you soon forget all the negatives and the hours of getting up there. The best time to climb and glissade Adams is usually late June early July when the snow is in good form, but this year (with the late lingering snowpack) even the middle of August provided some entertainment as I introduced my 16 year old daughter to this big mountain. But a video is worth a thousand blog entries......