Emergency Fire Starters for Backpacking
It’s cold, wet and miserable. You’re drenched to the bone. All you really want to do is get warm. Now would be a good time to start a fire, but dry tinder material is scarce. In such a situation it Read More …
Author: Cam
Sierra High Route | CA, USA, 2011
This post has been rewritten, updated and expanded as of March, 2018. The new version is titled: A Quick & Dirty Guide to the Sierra High Route.
Appalachian Trail Gear List – Fall / Winter (2012)
I hiked the Appalachian Trail between October 17 and December 28, 2012 (72.5 days). It was the 12th and final thru-hike of the 12 Long Walks. The lowest temps encountered were in North Carolina’s Smoky Mountains (7°F / -14°C), and Read More …
Canada’s Great Divide Trail
Mount Assiniboine is Canada’s answer to the Matterhorn. The tallest mountain in the southern Canadian Rockies, this striking pyramidal peak rises more than 500 m (1,640 ft) above its immediate neighbours. Viewing Assiniboine’s majestic reflection in the crystal clear waters of Lake Read More …
ALDHA West Keynote Address – 12 Long Walks
Here is a video clip from the talk I gave at ALDHA West on September 28, 2013. This particular excerpt relates to the Southeastern Serpentine Trail, the sixth of the 12 Long Walks. It includes reminisces about robberies, solitude, hypothermic weather and Pabst-Blue Ribbon Read More …
ALDHA West – Camaraderie, Kegs and Hobo Analogies
The long distance hiking community is wonderfully inclusive. Details such as age, where you come from, what you do for a living are all but irrelevant. People from different generations and backgrounds are brought together not just by the goal of Read More …
Cattle Guard
Doing my part for the bovine population of northern Arizona.
12 Long Walks Overview Map
July 2, 2011 to December 28, 2012……………..14,302 miles, 29 states, 4 provinces, 28 pairs of shoes…………..I originally planned on having the 12 Long Walks overview map ready in June……………2011……………timing never was my strong suit. Big thanks to Brian “Beardoh” Ristola Read More …
Andy “Astro” Lyon
“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” – J.R.R Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring Andy “Astro” Lyon Read More …
PCT & CDT Gear List (2012)
This is my first backpacking gear list spreadsheet. Were those trumpets I just heard in the background? Indeed, despite having always had a reasonable idea of the combined weight of my gear, this is the first time I’ve ever actually listed Read More …
PCT Alumni Hike the White Mountains
I recently spent a fantastic few weeks in New Hampshire. In addition to the presentations for the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC), I had the opportunity to do some hiking with fellow Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) alumni Nancy “Why Not” Huber and Read More …
Dirtmonger
Four months ago I wrote a post about a fellow hiker by the name of Ryan “Dirtmonger” Sylva. We had previously met in August last year on the Continental Divide Trail. In early April, Dirtmonger set out on an approximately Read More …
Pinkham Notch & Mount Washington
On August 4 and 5 I did a couple of presentations for the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) at Pinkham Notch, New Hampshire. Both talks, the 12 Long Walks and Going Lighter without Compromising Safety were well received………………at the very least no Read More …
Bartram Trail
The Bartram Trail (BT) runs for 116 miles between Russel Bridge, GA and Cheoah Bald, NC. It is named after William Bartram, 18th century botanist, writer and all-around outdoorsy type. Scenic, but not jaw-droppingly so, it remains relatively unknown in the US long Read More …
PMags – To Cook, or not to Cook?
‘To cook, or not to cook, that is the question: Whether it is nobler in the tummy to suffer, The Pangs and Rumbles of going cold, Or to take a stove against a Wave of hunger, And by opposing it; Read More …
One Pan Wonders
When it comes to backcountry cooking, Teresa “Dicentra” Black has made it her mission to expand the minds, as well as the stomachs of her fellow backpacking enthusiasts. Her book and website, both of which are titled One Pan Wonders, contain a multitude of recipes that are Read More …
Wired & Rockin’
An overdue shout out to a couple of great ladies that are currently hiking the CDT. Their names are Christy “Rockin” Rossander and Erin “Wired” Saver (see photo below; Rockin’ is on the left). I had the good fortune of meeting the Read More …
Mound Fires & Leave No Trace
“In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are not.” – Albert Einstein Idealistically speaking, ‘Leave No Trace’ is a philosophy that most outdoor enthusiasts embrace. Unfortunately, when it comes to the environment, ideals and realities are not always Read More …
PCT Kickoff 2013
In late April each year the Pacific Crest Trail has a gathering of aspiring thru hikers, trail angels, lightweight backpacking gear vendors and former hikers. It is held at Lake Morena Country Park in southern California and is known by Read More …
Dirtmonger, Lint and the Vagabond Loop
Whilst walking through the Bob Marshall wilderness last year, I had the good fortune to run into Lint and Dirtmonger (pictured below – DM on the right). Strong hikers both, they were on the last leg of a northbound CDT Read More …