CELEBRATE THE OUTDOORS
40 years outdoors experience, extensive info on Mt. Rainier’s Wonderland Trail, original music, equipment reviews, off trail videos, other peaks in Mt. Rainier NP
ZPacks Pointy Hat
Kavu Chillba on the Wonderland TrailI have to admit, I like pointy hats
first turns from a tip mounted cam were soon engulfed in blizzard like conditions with sideways snow and low visibility. We found a place right at treeline as we were reluctant to continue on in those conditions, set up a mountaineering tent, and tried to sleep that night with 3 season bags.On April 7th, 2014, I hiked into Olympic National Park's Enchanted Valley to enjoy excellent weather in a snow free hike and check out the teetering Enchanted Valley Chalet. There has been much chatter online about the fate of the chalet, as the Quinault River has altered course and undercut the chalet's foundation, as well as eradicating large swaths of the valley meadow. The landscape has changed markedly since my last visit 16 years ago. As of this writing the fate of the chalet is yet to be decided. Let nature take it's course and allow the structure to eventually slip into the river? Or hire a professional house mover to relocate the structure further from the encroaching Quinault. This was a long but rewarding day with views of elk and bear along with the green infused scenery.
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A recent trip to Brazil made me realize that that was the last place to complete visits to the 7 continents. Here's a pictoral reminiscence of the places I've visited over the years, some surely never to be repeated.
A continental tour
Beyond Clothing: stitched in the StatesIn my quest to find gear that is manufactured in the US, the most elusive part of the job is clothing. However, there is a new/old company about to enter the outdoor retail scene based in Seattle, WA. Beyond Clothing essentially has a leg up on your typical start up: they have been making clothing for the military for a number of years.I am constantly looking for different ways to use helmet cams, and this usually means having multiple options for mounting them. I purchased a few items from Pacific Northwest local Rhino Camera Gear (rhinocameragear.com) and tested them on a recent biking trip (view here), notably the "Moose Neck" and the "Pro Pole 20." I received my items within 3 days and the quality is excellent. I especially like the promise of using the flexible Moose Neck to position cameras in odd ways. Another thumbs up for a local US manufacturer.
Enlightened Equipment Enigma 50I've been looking for a specialized fastpacking sleep solution for a couple of years. I've talked to Ben (Goosefeet) and Joe (ZPacks) about custom work, but solutions always bordered on the weights of the lightest bags, and I have a 1 pound bag already. I just didn't need yet another sleeping bag or quilt that simply saved me a few ounces over what I already have.
custom front pack full of camera gearThis is an update to my original post on packing cameras. I had such good luck with my smaller custom front pack from ZPacks and the insert that I made that I decided to do a second one. I had Joe make me a totally custom front pack out of cuben hybrid with the addition of two side pockets (for water bottles) and a mesh front pocket. The size of this front pack is ideal, I have just enough forward visibility that the pack does not interfere with foot placement (at least for any trails I have been on) and the attachment system is the same as my other front pack so I can mix and match.