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#Gear – Bear Etiquette (Food Storage)
My hope with this post is to go over some general food storage and camp etiquette so you aren't "those people" when you are on the trail/camping. In addition, all of these items are to help mitigate bear (and other critters) issues at campsites for yourself and others.
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Franconia Ridge – Mid October
No sleep, unexpected frost, lots of winds, and beautiful scenery! Franconia Ridge in New Hampshire is always a joy to hike!
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My Typical Backpacking Meal Plan
Full Disclosure… I am the WORST at stopping to eat when hiking, but my plan is always set with good intentions… I am stubborn and goal oriented, which means when I get out on the trail I tend to neglect that my body needs food and just keep hiking (much to my detriment). When I pack for backpacking/hiking I typically like to pack a few snacks that I enjoy in the hopes that I will actually want to stop and eat one of the options! We plan for the following when backpacking: Breakfast: Oatmeal is the typical breakfast. The downside to oatmeal is that you have to heat water for…
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Echo Lake, Catskills – 1st Solo Backpacking Trip
I was SICK of being inside after the holidays, and hubby was busy, so I planned my first solo backpacking trip for the first weekend of 2019. I say solo, but I did bring my 140 lb love of a dog Nova with me. I love snowshoeing, and hadn’t gotten to go yet this 2018/2019 winter season, so when planning this trip, I wanted to aim North, like the Adirondacks. However, I knew the High Peaks had been slammed with snow and cold, and I didn’t want to subject Nova to that, nor did I want to drive that much! I decided to aim for the more southern areas of…
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#Gear – What to pack for backpacking!
I will preface this post by saying a few things… I am NOT an ultra light backpacker not do I have unlimited funds to go get the top level gear. I try to be practical with my purchases. I also like being comfortable, so I carry a few things that many ultra light backpackers do not carry, but they make me happy! What I carry greatly depends on who I am hiking with, and what the hike will entail. When I am hiking with Zack/friends I don’t have to carry everything because we can split the shared items like a tent/bear canister etc! In addition, everyone is different, so your…
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#Gear – Multi-Day First Aid Kit
Zack is an EMT and a Firemen, so I leaned on him to develop our medical kit. We do NOT re-pack this kit based on our specific hike/plan. This kit stays constant and is what gets put in our bags no matter the plan for the multi-day trip we are about to embark on. YES, that does mean we will carry extra gear, but I would prefer to be over prepared than missing something that might save our life… This medical kit started as one of the Adventure Medical Kits. We then took the items we liked from the kit and started storing them in a more concise and tighter…
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Presidential Traverse – Take 2
July 2017 We set off with the plan of doing a single day Presidential Traverse AGAIN, this time with a friend – Cait! The presidential traverse is a 20+ mile hike across the presidential range in the White Mountains of NH. Same start as last time, drive up after work, and start hiking super early. This time we decided to drive to the trail head (Valley Way Trail Head), and decided that at the end of the day we could call a cab (We had previously used the Notch Taxi Service at (603) 991-8777) and get a ride back to the trail head, or hitch with some friendly hikers headed…
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#Gear – Kula Cloth!
... a "next level pee cloth" and in my opinion that is not even a fair exaggeration! My favorite #leavenotrace gear!!!
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Cheap, Packable, Backpacking Food
When we first started backpacking we SWORE by the Mountain House meals. More specifically the first one we tried that we fell in love with … this chicken and mashed potato one! It gets pretty expensive to buy two $10 meals every night your out backpacking, plus fitting more than 4 of those bags in a bear canister with other snacks etc proves to be a fantastic tetris challenge! We started to look into other options and at this point we have decided that making our own meals is the most cost effective (Closer to $4/serving), space efficient, and tastiest way to do it! Please keep in mind… we ONLY boil water…
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#Gear – Dog Sleeping Arrangement
So, you want to go on an overnight adventure with your pup, but also want to make sure they sleep well and stay safe! This is what we take backpacking to ensure Nova is comfortable and warm enough on the overnights… Please remember Nova is 140lbs and has the body to prove it. Curled up, Nova and I take up the same space, so what works for us/her might be heavier or bulkier than what you need if you have a 40lb dog! The Gear: Bed: Z-lite sleeping pad – Chosen for a few reasons: It is foam so no matter how she sits, plops, digs or scratches she can’t pop it…
