Here’s a video describing those “class” ratings you may see on discussion boards like summitpost.com. It’s the Welzenbach System. Class 1 is basic hiking, on trail and off; class 5 is straight up the rock face with ropes, pitons and…
Author Archive for tom
Trekking poles video
by tom • March 5, 2008 • 12 Comments
Found this gem on Youtube: Because it’s a local TV news report — and therefore trivialized in the most fingernails-on-a-chalkboard means possible — there is at least one fact error for alert viewers to watch for. Video posted by Trekking…
Berry Creek Falls via Skyline to the Sea Trail
by tom • March 4, 2008 • 6 Comments
One for the it’s-hell-getting-old file (whose corollary is “holy shit I get more like my old man every day”): My dad got his absent-mindedness from his old man and thoughtfully passed it along to me. Because I’ve been trying to…
Berry Creek Falls today
by tom • March 3, 2008 • 6 Comments
I’m doing the big loop at Big Basin to check out the water flow … pix & chatter tonight.
Traffic was terrible here yesterday…
by tom • March 2, 2008 • 5 Comments
Which means you kids were out there hiking where you belong! Today’s my wife’s birthday so I’m keeping her entertained all day … back with more juicy hiking coverage tomorrow.
Calipidder reviews Garmin’s Colorado GPS
by tom • February 29, 2008 • 2 Comments
I can’t seem to pull the trigger on buying a GPS unit, but Rebecca has no such reticence. She has an in-depth collection of first impressions of the new Garmin Colorado 400t GPS unit. Among them: The 400t model includes…
Link payback to Rocky at The Goat
by tom • February 29, 2008 • 9 Comments
If you’re a gear hound, you’re probably already one of Rocky Thompson’s devoted readers. If not, the back story: Rocky’s the guy Backcountry.com brought in to be the company’s tell-it-like-it-is gear blogger. I have no idea what they’re paying him,…
Fear of the wilderness, cont.
by tom • February 28, 2008 • 2 Comments
Steve at the WildeBeat has posted Part II of his “Scared Inside” podcasts. If you listen you’ll get the chance to hear me rambling at a pace roughly equivalent to Martin Scorsese on crack. As long as I’m on the…
Hiking boots: anybody still wearing them?
by tom • February 28, 2008 • 21 Comments
I realize this is heresy against the footwear in my blog’s logo, but a post at Uncooped the other day reminded me I ought to throw this out there and see what sticks. When I was auditioning footwear awhile back…