A Rutschblock test (pronounced ROOTCH BLOCK) is a snowpack compression test used by winter adventurers, backcountry guides, and avalanche forecasters to test for avalanche danger. It is designed to simulate the shock that a skier, snowboader, or snowshoer/climber, exerts on the snowpack …

I switched from a simple Suunto A10 base plate compass to a Brunton 15TDCL Sighting Compass last year because I wanted a compass that was more robust for bushwhacking, backpacking in open country across Scotland, and for avalanche prediction in New Hampshire’s …

I invested in a winter bivy sack this year because I wanted to be able to use it for camping under a shaped tarp or in snow shelters, as a lighter weight alternative to my Black Diamond FirstLight winter tent. I also …

If you’re preparing for an Appalachian Trail thru-hike or just hiking a section, and plan on passing through Norwich, Vermont, I recommend you stop at Dan and Whit’s General Store in the center of town for a resupply. If you’re hiking northbound, …

There was a time, before the advent of cuben fabric, when going ultralight or lightweight backpacking meant taking less stuff on trips and on developing your backcountry skills to make up for the smaller safety margin. The simplicity of the activity was …

Last September I spent an evening in Grafton Notch along the Maine section of The Appalachian Trail. If you’ve never visited Grafton Notch, you owe yourself a visit. It’s a remote and wild mountain pass at the northeastern end of the Mahoosic …

My photography got a lot better this year, in part because I got a better camera, a Panasonic Lumix LX3 with a Leica Lens and because I really started to pay more attention to composition. But with more sophisticated equipment, I paid …

Building snow shelters is an important winter skill which can be used in emergency situations in the backcountry. Snow is a great insulator and works by preventing warm trapped in its crystalline structure from escaping. But more importantly perhaps, is that snow …

Lightweight Winter Glove Woes I’ve been having a real problem this winter dialing in my lightweight winter gloves. I sweat a lot when climbing up peaks or breaking trail and I have a tendency to soak out lightweight polypro or gore windstopper …

Two weeks ago, I climbed Mt Jackson and Mt Webster with a group of 9 other experienced winter hikers. This is a 6.3 mile loop hike, starting in Crawford Notch on the Webster-Jackson Trail, and then branching off to Jackson, then Mt …

I was reminded of the dangers of solo winter hiking while climbing Mt Avalon (3, 442 ft) in Crawford Notch. There’s a balance between ambition and self-preservation that one needs to be cognizant of if you hike in the mountains or any …

If you’re peakbagging the New Hampshire 52 with a View, don’t leave Mt Pemigewasset for last.  It’s not an inspiring peak to climb, even in the snow. The views of Franconia Notch are obscured and you have to cross under Interstate 93 …

I climbed Mt Liberty (4,459 ft), my first peak of the new year, last Sunday. I picked Liberty because I wanted to hike up a steep trail in preparation for climbing Mt Washington (6,288 ft) this weekend. I didn’t summit the big …

With the end of the year upon us, I wanted to update you all about some of the life changes I set in motion a few months ago when I took a 3 month leave of absence from work. I won't leave …