One 23-inch carryon spinner suitcase and one backpack are all I need for a trip to the tropics, whether it’s for a week or a month. I can include a dressy outfit or two, several sundresses, beach wear and athletic gear for hiking or the gym. For this particular trip, I was headed to Waikiki …
A common question by backpackers who care about the environment is how to reduce plastic. When planning a multi-week or multi-month thru-hike, the number of plastic bags used to store food can be overwhelming. Designs have been improving but weight remains an issue. Stasher silicone bags are a major advance with a true zip-top closure …
This is the year I ditched my camera. I, like most everyone else, have been taking photos with my phone for years. The quality has improved greatly and the convenience can’t be beat. Until recently I’ve used my cell phone to supplement my outdoor photography but continued to bring a mid-size camera lashed to my …
With Lake Tahoe Camping With Privacy: Your Guide To The Most Private Campsites Near Tahoe, Truckee, Sly Park, Union Valley Reservoir, And Beyond, the Wilke’s have added to their collection of information about private campsites in the Sierra. I found their other book, “Eastern Sierra and Death Valley Camping with Privacy,” to be very helpful …
The MSR PocketRocket 2, representing an update of a long-running popular stove, the original PocketRocket, has been out for a couple of years. I recently had a chance to test it to compare to my original PocketRocket as part of a convenient MSR Mini Stove Kit. Light backpackers love items that nest together efficiently and …
Gossamer Gear The One tent is a one-person tent that hits all of my requirements in one small package. I’m picky about one-person tents, more so than with a two-person tent. Most two-person tents I’ve tested inherently feel bigger and have enough headroom, if only because they are obviously wider. One-person tents, however, can look coffin-like …
Resupply options on the John Muir Trail are fairly straightforward in the northern section, but it gets a little more complicated in the rugged, southern section where no backcountry ranches exist. For those with a strict timetable, it may be undesirable to have to spend a couple of days exiting the trail to get to …
I needed continuing education credits to renew my registered nursing license. After looking through various online options, I wasn’t inspired by any of the offerings in my specialties of oncology or informatics. My friend, Glenn, an emergency room physician, mentioned that he was going to a wilderness medicine conference and the lightbulb went off. I …
The hut-to-hut hike on the Alta Via 1 (AV1) is one of eight roughly parallel Alta Via routes through the Dolomites in Northern Italy. This UNESCO World Heritage Site in the the Tyrolean Alps is known for its rugged beauty. The AV1 is generally regarded as being the easiest of the routes, but don’t mistake that …
Nelson Lake is a pretty lake in a unique location in Yosemite National Park as there are no maintained trails to the lake. It does require a permit, one of three cross-country locations within the park that require a permit (the other two are Budd Creek and Rockslides). Because a hike to Nelson Lake requires …