1. Grab a bottle of McNett Mirazyme.
Mix about a half-ounce into a gallon of water and use a nylon-bristled vegetable brush to scrub the gross spots. (If mildew plagues your whole tent, dissolve a full ounce of Mirazyme into a bathtub and scrub down the whole thing.
2. Set the tent up outside in the shade to let it dry.
3. Now mix 1 cup concentrated lemon juice (the type that comes in those little plastic lemons), 1 cup of table salt, and a gallon of hot water. Use a sponge to bathe the whole tent. Then let it dry thoroughly before packing.
Pacific Crest Trail Angel
I happened upon this scene while driving near Idyllwild, California.
It’s a rest stop for PCT hikers.
Here’s “Dr. Sole“, Trail Angel volunteer at the time. He offers foot repair, much needed by hikers still at the very start of the 2,663 mi (4,286 km) long PCT.
It was a lot of fun chatting with the thru hikers. Actually, they’re just regular folks. You need not be some super hiker to try the PCT.
I’m quite inspired to do at least the first half of the PCT, one day. … Of course I’ll need the technology to be able to get online daily. 🙂
Pacific Crest Trail Kick Off
Here’s PCT thru hiker Joshua Pinedo.
And here’s one of his photos of the 2011 Annual Day Zero Pacific Crest Trail Kick Off. (ADZPCTKO)
Looks like FUN.
What’s the date of ADZPCTKO 2012?
I’m contemplating putting it on my personal calendar. And go for the first couple of weeks, just to see how much I enjoy the experience.
Josh has already hiked the Appalachian Trail. He told me that AT Trail Days in Damascus, VA. (May 13-15th this year) is a drunken party.
PCT Kick Off is very serious, in contrast.
climbing Mt Baldy, Los Angeles
trip report by site editor Rick McCharles
Mount San Antonio, commonly known as Old Baldy or Mt Baldy, at 10,068 ft (3,069 m), is the highest peak in the San Gabriel Mountains, and the highest point in Los Angeles County. …
Hiking trails access the summit from three sides of the mountain and one route is assisted on summer weekends by the availability of a running ski-area chair lift …
I checked Modern Hiker for details:
– Distance: 10.33 miles
– Elevation Gain: 3950 feet
… Most of the trails are very clearly marked and easy to follow. There are a few places where you might get off the beaten path, but generally you can find your way back with ease. The Devil’s Backbone Trail has a few dangerous spots that deserve extra attention. Do not attempt this trail when there is ice or snow present. A single slip on the Backbone when it’s icy could spell serious trouble …
I was concerned about snow on May 5th, 2011. People have died here.
I was ready to switch to a safer trail, if advised to do so at the Visitor’s Center. … Unfortunately, due to budget cuts, the office is currently closed Tue/Wed/Thur. (I arrived on a Thursday. Merde.)
… I decided to climb as high as possible, turning back if unsafe.
The most popular trailhead for those not CHEATING by taking the lift is Manker Flats, Antonio Falls road. It’s relatively easy to get up to Mt. Baldy Ski Resort, (not to be confused with the one in Canada).
The weather was perfect. Very little wind.
The highlight for me, though, were the ridge walk sections. Happily, all clear of snow.
Conditions were safe. I found myself on the summit in 3hrs.
I’m not saying there was no snow. Rather that there was almost no snow in any position of exposure.
I stashed a Summit Stone at 10,064 feet. (PHOTO)
This hike is highly recommended. I loved it.
A much better trip report than mine is posted on Modern Hiker. 🙂
Canyon Hiking Guide to the Colorado Plateau
Buzz recommends this guidebook, though it’s not been revised since 1999. The author’s been called controversial.
This is a canyon hiking guide to the Colorado Plateau, which covers the southeastern half of Utah, the northern half of Arizona, the western 1/5 of Colorado, and a small part of NW New Mexico. …
Michael R. Kelsey
… on June 9, 1970 he put a pack on his back and started traveling. Since then he has seen 223 countries, republics, islands, or island groups. When not traveling the world he is seeking out and exploring the canyon countries of the Southwest’s Colorado Plateau. All his wanderings have resulted in a very successful series of 16 self-published books. …
Chilkoot Trail eGuide
The Chilkoot Trail, which begins on tidewater in Alaska and climbs up over mountains in British Columbia, presents a unique backpacking opportunity, as this is a trail rich with history.
It was the main trail used in the famous Klondike Gold Rush of the late 1800′s, one of the biggest rushes the world has ever seen.
An international crowd of literally tens of thousands, fueled by dreams of riches, used the Chilkoot Trail to chase the gold in the Yukon. Most suffered incredible hardship, many never even made it and only a few got rich. Today on the trail you’ll find plenty of reminders of their epic journey.
Download a FREE Trail eGuide from the Hike Bike Travel Free Adventure Guides page. There are plenty more just like this one.
They download as .ZIP files that then need to be opened as PDFs.
Dientes Circuit, Patagonia
The Patagonia You’ve Never Heard Of
Backpacking southern Chile’s obscure and wild Dientes Circuit
By Michael Lanza
As our 20-seat, twin-engine Otter DHC-6 prop plane drops through the ever-present Patagonian cloud cover, the Beagle Channel comes into view. On both sides, green hills rise to craggy, treeless mountains. To the north, the jagged Fuegian Andes of Argentina push into the sky. To the south looms our destination: the sharply pointed spires of the Dientes de Navarino. With a steep banking turn, the plane glides down onto the airstrip in the southernmost town in the world, Puerto Williams on Chile’s Navarino Island. …
read the trip report on The Big Outside
22.7-mile (36.5k) circuit
If you are not confident to go on your own, you can do this one guided, 6 days, 5 nights ($1300+) , by aonikenk.
I keep posting Dientes, the most southerly established trek in the world, because I’m still frustrated at having missed it myself on my one trip to the tip of South America.
I’m seriously considering going back in 2012.
Check out Dientes information page.
Sprawson – Overland Track
A new guidebook for our favourite trail in Australia.
The Overland Track: Cradle Mountain to Lake St Clair
by Warwick Sprawson
details on Red Dog Books. ($39.99) Check also the website for the book.
Just the other day I recommended the classic hiking guidebook for The Overland by Chapman. About half the price.
On the other hand, this new competitor by Sprawson garnered some praise from Frank in Oz. His site is definitely the best source of information on the Overland, online.
In fact, you might simply want to download Frank’s Overland eBook, and refer to that PDF from your mobile device. It’s also less expensive than Sprawson.
All good options.
Check our Overland Track information page. It’s one of the top 10 treks in the world.
new FUNNY video – The Naturist
The Naturist has been called a lot of things. Hack. Jackass. Oaf. Bumbling, uninformed mouth-breather. Genius. (That was his mom).
But one thing he’s never been called: dead. That’s because even after all he’s been through, he’s survived. Sure, he may have a few completely unnecessary scars and a horrible, degenerative kidney disease, but he’s still ticking. That’s why we thought that it was Teva’s duty to bring his unique and unorthodox viewpoints to you for another round of informational videos. His tactics may not align with “survival experts” or “common sense,” but he’s still breathing, so he must be doing something right.
…Right?
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Ultralighter than Thou
Ryan Jordan:
Ultralight, simplicity, minimalism – these are not the goals.
So you get your pack weight down to five pounds, your possessions down to a count of 99, and your debt down to zero.
So what.
Now what?
Shouldn’t “going ultralight” be a prerequisite for some sort of greater end? I’ve read all the minimalist books, and followed all of the minimalist bloggers, and most of them seem pretty confused about the role that minimalism should play in their lives, and in the betterment of the world. …
read more – The Futility of Going Ultralight for Ultralight’s Sake
photo by Sam Haraldson on flickr
… I post this photo assuming some of those are Granite Gear packs, my choice too. … We’re cooler than you, I’m just saying. 🙂
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If you’re still hiking with a 7lb expedition pack, you need not read Ryan’s post. Instead find religion here:
Alastair Humphreys – Travel light, live cheap
besthike.com 