Trail Guides, Gear Reviews, and Backpacking Tips
“How far have you hiked today?” About thirty miles. “Seriously?” Yes. “Why don’t you stop and smell the roses?” I chuckle every time I hear this line. Do the people asking the question actually think about what they are saying? Do Read More …
Vermont’s Long Trail is the oldest long distance hiking trail in the United States. Completed in 1930, it winds its way through the rugged Green mountains from the MA – VT state line to the border with Canada. I hiked Read More …
This gear review is six years and 20,000 plus hiking miles (32,187 km) in the making. What can I tell you; I don’t like to rush these things. 😉 Since 2010, I’ve used a Therm-a-Rest NeoAir on all of my backcountry Read More …
I’ve always been drawn to remote corners. If it’s out in the wilderness and off the beaten track, chances are you’ve got my attention. Throw in some ecological diversity, lots of solitude and the promise of a pretty vista or Read More …
Irrespective of whether I’m carrying an inflatable or closed cell foam model, the one constant in my choice of sleeping pads over the years, has been that I always use mats that are no more than 3/4 length. There are Read More …
When: February 27 to March 14, 2016. First stage of the Southwest Tasmania Traverse. Terrain: A combination of rocky, gulch laden coastline, open beaches, buttongrass plains and extremely dense scrub. Weather: South West Tasmania is an area of high precipitation (it Read More …
The traverse of Southwest Tasmania consisted of two main stages – the west coast followed by the Arthurs Range. The summary below is from the first stage, a 17 day stretch from Cape Sorrell to Scotts Peak Dam. Note: For Read More …
Snakes aren’t interested in biting hikers. Whether you’re walking down the trail, sleeping under the stars or taking a sneaky number two behind a not-quite-big-enough bush, snakes want to avoid a potential encounter just as much as you do. That Read More …
Tassie. Australia’s southern most state. The 26th largest island in the world. Home to the the country’s oldest brewery (Cascade – established 1832), Tasmanian Devils and Princess Mary of Denmark……….pretty much in that order of importance 😉 . Some 45% of Tasmania’s total area Read More …
While hiking just south of Agua Dulce on the Pacific Crest Trail, I met a fellow rambler who went by the name of ‘Big Sky’. We ended up walking and chatting together for about 40 minutes. Near the end of Read More …
Yesterday I came across a copy of Cows of Our Planet, one of Gary Larson’s legendary The Far Side comic collections. A wonderful celebration of all things bovine, it got me thinking about some of the memorable cow encounters I’ve had during Read More …
Here are the five most viewed Hiking Life posts of 2015. When looking at the WordPress stats, I couldn’t help but notice that the most popular articles were a microcosm of my overall approach to blogging. A balance between humour, trip Read More …
It’s been a great year on the hiking front. Extended trips in southwest Tasmania, the Colombian Andes, New York’s Adirondacks and the Colorado Rockies. Throw in some shorter hikes in my beloved Mexico and my ‘ancestral’ home of Queensland, Australia. All Read More …
Your hands, head, and feet constitute your body’s initial warning system when temperatures start dropping. Due to their high surface area to mass ratio, these are the places that you are likely to feel the cold first. You may be decked Read More …
Thinking about reducing your pack weight, but not exactly sure where to begin? Before you start cutting the labels off your clothes, the edges off your maps and the end off your toothbrush, it’s worth noting that the most significant Read More …
Over the past few weeks, I’ve noticed that quite a few hiking blogs are coming out with “Great Ideas for affordable Christmas Gifts” posts. You know the ones I’m talking about. Useful items that you can pick up for $25, $50, Read More …
Looking for a lightweight, well designed rain jacket that doesn’t cost the earth? Coming in at 9.1 oz and retailing for $175, the Montbell Peak shell represents a good option. Before diving into the review, let me state the following Read More …
“The path wound its way through the snow laden trees. The forest had an ethereal quality, that made me feel as if I was floating rather than hiking. It was mid-November in the Appalachian mountains. Winter was coming.” ~ Cam Read More …
High mountain ranges such as the Rockies, Andes and Himalaya offer some of the most spectacular hiking opportunities on the planet. However, walking at high altitude brings with it certain inherent risks, the most common of which is altitude sickness, Read More …
Monsoon season is just around the corner in the southwestern United States. That means plenty of thunderstorms. However, when it comes to hiking in lightning-prone areas, most problems can be avoided by planning ahead, staying alert to changing weather conditions, Read More …