Archive | Editorials RSS feed for this section
Guthooks Applachian Trail Guide

Guthook’s Appalachian Trail Hiking Guides are on the iPhone

For the past few years, my friend Guthook ( Ryan Linn) has been working on a set of iPhone apps to incorporate the best features of a smartphone with a hiking trail guide in order to supplement paper guides (never to replace). Just over a year ago, he released the first set of those apps, [...]

Read full story · Comments { 3 }
Gossamer Gear Cottage - Actually a Ranch

Cottage Industry Gear Makers: Is it the Gear or the Relationship that Matters?

I’ve been buying backpacking gear from smaller manufacturers for nearly 10 years and except for a handful of lemons (from manufacturers that don’t exist anymore), I’ve been well-satisfied with the products I’ve purchased and the extraordinary customer service I’ve received. Let me give you a few examples: Gossamer Gear: Mariposa Plus Backpack (2008 model), Bug [...]

Read full story · Comments { 17 }
An AMC Trip in the White Mountains

Leading Winter Hikes for the Appalachian Mountain Club

Last night was a big moment for me because my application to become a full 4 season winter leader for the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) was approved. This is not an easy qualification to get and builds on the 3 season leader qualification I’d already earned. It means a lot to me that the steering committee of [...]

Read full story · Comments { 15 }
Bushwhack Canister

Living an Unscheduled Life

Ryan said “I want to see how long I can lead a life without a fixed schedule” when we were hiking in the mountains the other day. We’d blown off work for the day, an easy thing to do since we both mainly work for ourselves, but have a few part-time jobs on the side [...]

Read full story · Comments { 19 }
Brunton Solar Power Generators and Storage

Technology in the Backcountry – How Much is too Much?

I’ve been thinking a lot about the role of Technology in the Backcountry – you know like cell phones, satellite phones, GPS, personal locator beacons, Go-Pro movie cameras, digital cameras, headlamps, iPods, iPads, etc. There sure seems to be a lot of it these days. Throw in rechargeable headlamps, battery packs, recharging cords, solar panels: [...]

Read full story · Comments { 26 }
Time to recharge the engines along the Pacific Crest Trail in northern California

Cookie’s Continental Divide Trail Movie

Here is a great 2+ hour movie about hiking the Continental Divide Trail that illustrates more about the experience of hiking the CDT than any other movie or book I’ve seen on the topic. Distributed freely, no less. Starring two UK hikers, Cookie (aka Simon Cook) and Paul, it chronicles their journey hiking from the US/Mexico [...]

Read full story · Comments { 6 }
Camp 7 Sleeping Bags

Backpacking Gear from 1975: A Time Capsule

I always get a kick reading really old hiking and backpacking magazines and seeing the print advertisements that gear manufacturers used to run. I’ve pulled some of them together in this post to give you a look at the gear that manufacturers were trying to sell people nearly 40 years ago, from 1973-1975. I’m sure [...]

Read full story · Comments { 37 }
Cross-country Skiing in a Pool

Water Walking

Physical fitness is a really important aspect of hiking and backpacking and while I could go hiking everyday if I wanted to, I like to mix up my workouts to keep from getting bored. I lift weights, swim laps, ride a stationary bike, use kettle bells, you name it – to keep fit, especially in [...]

Read full story · Comments { 9 }